More about me ...

I wrote in my previous post that I am a teacher. And that is true but I am not the school teacher kind of teacher. I am a teacher that teaches in a church. I am a preacher. Actually I am an associate pastor in a church with some teaching/preaching responsibilities.

I love to preach because I enjoy helping people understand the spiritual and the connection it has to everyday living.

I am also a runner and soon I will be able to combine the two. In November I am going to preach a series of messages that uses running and the marathon as a metaphor for life; especially the life of a person who would call themselves a follower of Jesus.

My text:

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2

The titles:
Week 1 – Endurance
Week 2 – Discipline
Week 3 – Training Partners

Each week there will be a person who tells their story on video about their marathon experience. Each week’s story will relate to the message.

I am excited about the possibilities.

By the way, I did not necessarily quit writing my other blog to be anonymous so I will tell more about myself as I continue to write. I do not plan to be like Real Live Preacher and start using more colorful language, but I do want to write more about more diverse subjects than before.

Also by the way, I ran a twelve miler on Monday morning. Twelve miles is the training level at which I feel fully committed to the marathon. So a couple of days ago I registered. I’m all in!

Who I am ...

My name is Tommy. I define myself in many ways but there are a few that are important. I am a husband. I am a dad. I am a runner. I am a teacher. Most importantly I am a follower of The Way. God is important to me but not in a televangelist conservative Christian kind of way.

I used to blog on another site but when I wrote I was writing as the voice of my employer even though I often wrote what was honestly me. I started this blog because I want to write as Tommy not as anyone else.

I am training for the 2006 Houston Marathon. I ran my first marathon on January 16, 2005 in Houston and finished in 4:13:46 chip time, 4:16:51 gun time. This past Monday I ran an 11 mile long run. There is still a lot of training left to do.

Everything I have to say here is my opinion. I will write about the world as I see it and whatever I happen to be thinking at the time.