Sermonettes and Life Lessons from the 3 Day

*It takes time to facilitate community. One day wouldn't have been enough. It takes living together, bandaging your feet together, eating together, crying together, and hearing each others stories.

*The 3 Day is more about the journey and less about the walking.

*Encouragement, hugs, stickers, and pins, even from people you don't know, can help you take one more step. This paraphrase of a quote that was sent to Beth was our motto on Day 2, a walker's prayer: "Lord, if you will pick my foot up, I will put it back down."

*I think I saw a picture of Heaven at the finish line. Some strode across the finish line having trained hard for the journey. Some joined in the cheering, acknowledging a job well done. Some were humbled at the attention and hurried through. Some limped across, barely making it. Some cried. Some hugged. Some did cartwheels. But no matter how people made it to the finish, they got here. Some journeys were much more painful that others. Some were well-supported, some were alone. In the end though, there was a throng of people, jubilant that they'd made it. I've never seen such cheering and joy! The pain of the journey was left behind. We made it. If we can do this on Earth, just a shadow of what's to come, I can't wait to see the rejoicing in Heaven!

The 3 Day - Day 3

Lessons Learned - Day 3

1. Pit Stops are not always easily accessible by sweeper vans.

2. Everyone deserves to experience a crowd cheering for them as if they just personally saved the world.

3. The celebration at the end of the walk made the pain fade to the background.

4. If I were a youth minister, I would have a year's worth of sermonettes to share from this 3 Day experience. (Blog to come.)

5. Any amount of emotional healing and closure Beth received during the Walk was well worth any physical soreness, pain, and discomfort we had to endure.

The 3 Day - Day 2

Lessons Learned - Day 2

1. With the aid of nu skin and mole skin, you can walk miles on blisters.

2. Hearing people encourage Beth as she carried the "My Self" flag made 10 miles not so bad.

3. Graham cracker with peanut butter and jelly is delightful.

4. You can walk 40 miles and still bust a move.

5. Limping is still walking.

The 3 Day - Day 1

Day 1 Lessons Learned for the Atlanta 3-Day Walk for the Cure

1. It is cold in Atlanta in October when the sun isn't up. Therefore, you should wear more clothes when waiting outside for the opening ceremonies from 4 am - 7 am.

2. Get help early. The medical tent has supplies and knowledge that you don't! Don't wait until Pit Stop 3 in the afternoon when your blisters are already angry.

3. Thinking of 20 miles as multiple sets of 3 miles makes it much easier! Thinking in terms of making it to the next Pit Stop was much easier than thinking of making it all the way to the finish.

4. Your body and mind can handle way more than you think it can.

5. The cheering sections of the route made walking 20 miles possible! It was easy not to think of your aching feet when kids were giving you high 5's and people were thanking you for walking, cheering, and giving you stickers and candy!

Forks Over Knives

Wow! This documentary was so interesting! Now, I love meat and cheese as much as the next person, but I'm toying with the idea of No Meat November. Try anything once, right?

http://www.forksoverknives.com/