31 Days of Wishes: Day 31

This is my final post for the 31 Days of Wishes and for 2009.

I like numbers so just a quick recap this will be my 120th post of the year.

This will be my 36th post of the month and my 58th consecutive day of posting. 

I have had more posts than miles run for the month.

My wish for today is for everyone to have a safe New Years Eve and as we move into the new decade for your lives to be filled with love, joy, health, gratitude and laughter.

Best wishes to everyone in 2010!!!

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 30

As there is just one day left in this decade, here are some of my "wisholutions"  for next year and beyond:

To see both Laura and Adam graduate from college and find jobs that fill them with excitement and purpose.

To see Brittany graduate from college. 

Health for my family and friends.  Truly, it is the one thing that can't be replaced.

To be able to meet some of my favorite running and blogging friends.

For Heather to get her BQ time!

Grandchildren for Sue and me.

For the  2015 Northstar vision of the Leukemia and Lymphoma society to be realized:  A cure for blood cancers.

To see Adam in a play on Broadway!

To run a marathon with Laura!  Might as well wish big :)

To inspire and be inspired.

To make a difference.

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 29

This is an excellent article. There are some wonderful ideas about living a life of intention, living without regret.

My Hugs: Looking Back

My wish for today is for all of us to live our lives with passion and purpose.

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 28

One of the blogs that I regularly read had a very interesting theme.

The Small is Beautiful Manifesto


We believe stories are valuable, no matter how many people read them.

I have some blogs that I follow that might have 5 followers and some of the blogs that I follow could have readers in the hundreds, maybe thousands.

I have been just as deeply moved and inspired by those who have a small following.  Everyone has a story to tell and yes, small is beautiful.

My wish for today is for everyone to share your stories.  What you have to say is valuable, because you are valuable.

Be an inspiration and a blessing to someone!

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 27

Do you make resolutions or set goals?

I like this perspective from one of my facebook friends,  "As we get ready to enter 2010 remember this: Resolutions set you up for failure. Goals set you up for success". 

"The majority of resolutions are vague like: "I will lose weight", "I will stop smoking", "I will run". Goals are specific: "I want to lose 10lbs by March", "I will stop smoking by May", "I will run a 5k". By saying you want to lose weight means you have to take action w/ diet & workouts. Smoking means you get a patch, less per day/week/month. Running a 5k means you will have to start running." -Sarah Stanley

The other problem I see with resolutions versus goal setting is a goal can be adjusted.  How do you go about adjusting a resolution?

I started off 2009 with some running specific goals and due to a stubborn injury, most of those goals couldn't be met so I reevaluated my goals and set some cycling goals instead.  I rode in the Copper Triangle for the first time.  I completed my first century ride since 2004 in Moab in September. 

I had to adjust my goal of running a marathon in 2009 and was able to complete a 1/2 marathon in October.

Goals can continually be adjusted.  New goals can be set when a goal is completed.

I agree with Sarah.  Goals set you up for success! 

Some of my goals for 2010:

Ride the Iron Horse Bicycle classsic and raise $500.00 for the Lance Armstong foundation in honor of Trista Otto.

Run the Bolder Boulder on Memorial Day as a Saint Jude hero and raise money for Saint Jude Hospital.

Ride in the Tour De Cure and raise $1,000 for the American Diabetes Association in honor and in memory of Sue's mother.

Run a marathon or do a century ride with Team in Training. The event is TBD at this point.   Since I already have a century ride on my calendar, I really hope I can do a marathon. 

Form a team for the Mile High Amazing race to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Form a team for the Light the Night Walk to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

My wish for today is for everyone to set, meet and exceed their goals in 2010.

What goals will you set for the next year?

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 26

My wish for today is  for everyone to give thanks to our troops that are away from home, protecting our freedoms and  pray for their safe return to their loved ones.

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One Billion dollars for Kelly

Kelly would be 21 years old in two weeks.

21 years of Team in Training
420,000 participants.

One Billion dollars!

1,000,000,000 / 26.2  = 3,816,793 marathons

1,000,000,000 / 100  = 1,000,000 century rides

Relentless for a cure!!!

Go Team!!!

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 25 A special wish for my wife

A Tour de Cure Holiday Rider Story...


Twas several months before the Tour de Cure and all through my house,

The elves were stirring and toy building about.

The sleigh was ready to fly through the air,

After the holidays it will be for Tour we'll prepare!



Although my jolly belly looks so good in red,

I'm at serious risk for type 2 I know in my head.

For cookies and sweets I've been such a sap,

When I sit at the mall children barely fit on my lap.



About the 2009 Tour there has been so much chatter,

So in 2010 I will raise money for this important matter.

Away on my bike I will ride like a flash,

I will start right away to fundraise some cash.



By this spring there'll be no more snow,

The weather will be perfect, 70, not a degree below.

Won't everyone be surprised when at Tour de Cure I appear,

I will ride with the pack bringing in the rear.



Now riders, now racers, now families, and children!

Let's fight diabetes, and knock out this vixen!

To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!

Let's ride for a cure! Ride one, ride all!

Sue,

Wanted you to know that Santa and I will be riding at the Tour De Cure in Boulder, Colorado on August 21, 2010 in honor of your Mom.

My wish for today is to find a cure for Diabetes.

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 24

This letter was first published in the New York Sun 112 years ago.  It is one of my favorite scenes from the movie Prancer when the Jessica asks her father to read this to her. 

My wish is for the Virginia that lives within all of us to find abundant peace, joy, love and gratitude each and every day.

Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus

Dear Editor—

I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O’Hanlon

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 23

Christmas is just two days away.

We always go over to my parents house for Christmas Eve.  This year we will actually be able to observe it on Christmas Eve.

Since this year we can observe Christmas Eve on Christmas Eve, I may need to adjust one of my newer Christmas Eve traditions.  For the last several years, I have done a Christmas Eve lights run.  I will either have to go very early or move my run to Christmas night.

My Mother always makes Chili and Steamed Cranberry pudding.  She always has pumpkin pie made for me as I never acquired the taste for the pudding.

One of the other traditions we have is to write a note on the package to give a hint of what the present might be.  My Mother has done this for as long as I can remember.

Growing up on Christmas morning, we would open our stockings.

When Sue and I got married, we kept our family traditions as my family opened presents on Christmas Eve and her family did that on Christmas morning.

Christmas day we would go over to Sue's mom when before we had kids and then Sheir would come over to our house when the kids were little.  As they got older, we would go over to Sherri's in the afternoon where the kids would have yet another round of Christmas presents.

For many years, we have watched the movie Prancer with Sam Eliot, Abe Vigoda and Cloris Leachman. 

We went to this movie  so many times with Laura when it first came out in 1989.

My wish for today is for everyone to enjoy your holiday traditions with your family.

Do you have a favorite holiday tradition? Do you have a favorite Christmas movie?

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 22

There are many times when I feel like I can't make a difference in this fight against cancer.

I know that I personally can't do enough, I can't raise enough money, I can't find a cure in the research lab.

Maybe what I can do is to provide support and hope to someone that is battling this disease.

Maybe I can provide inspiration to someone at a TNT information meeting or at the kickoff meeting or at a long run, or ride...

Maybe what I can do matters, and what I am not able to do doesn't matter.

I can continue to stand for Kelly's life.  I can stand for Brittany's life and know that it does matter.

My wish for today is for you to know that you matter and that you are making a difference.

If you ever feel like you can't make a difference, please take a minute to read this article from my friend Sarah.

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How has your life been touched or changed by cancer?

I had posed this question in my post titled Wishing for a Kure.  I asked my Mother if I could share her response.  I didn't want to post it as a reply as I felt it deserved it's own post.  It is a compelling  and frightening story of the impact of cancer that my Mother has experienced just within her family. 

How has your life been touched or changed by cancer?


In 1937 my grandmother Helena Trotzig Johnson died of stomach cancer when I was 8 years old. She was such a warm, loving grandmother who made sugar cookies every time she came to visit us. She stayed at the homes of her children a month or two at a time during the year. She was 5'2" and a bit on the plump order. She also gave us lemon drops to suck on.

Next came the passing of my Mother , Rose Helana Johnson Nugent, after a two year fight with breast cancer in July, 1947 when I was 18 years old ( having just finished my freshman year of college). There was not much to do for breast cancer patients at that time. Daddy called all over the country to no avail. Some people said to drink grape juice and that would help. Some of our kind neighbors brought in jar after jar, but after much suffering and with June giving her hypos, she passed away. She looked so much younger when the pain was no longer there. Mother had trained us from childhood to do cooking, baking, cleaning and sewing. So we were equiped to help Daddy and Jim when we would come home for week-ends. She was our 4-H club leader and continued being a leader when all her daughters were no longer in the club..Our club was called "Little Women". She was always helping families in need. We took in her favorite niece, Marlys Mae after she had given birth to her fourth son and I was the baby sitter for the three other little boys.

My favorite little cousin Joyce Richter died of Leukemia the first year that I taught school in Fairmont, 1951. She was ten years old. When she would fuss when a youngster in church I was the one who volunteered to take her outside. She became ill that summer...we thought she had the mumps, but after weeks went on, and the mumps didn't go away it was determined that she had leukemia. She just wanted to go home as nothing the drs. in Minneapolis could do for her and she was gone in September. This was a really hard death to come to terms with for our family. Marlene and I have often talked about how our lives might have been different if Joyce had lived.

In July, 1955 my Father, Franklin Alfred Nugent, died of pancreatic cancer. The doctors had performed surgery on him in Dec. of 1954 and just closed the incision back up as nothing they could do for him. Baby Jan and I had flown home that Christmas to be with him and snuck her into the hospital room to see him. Grandma Mooge Mooge as you called her kept Daddy alive months after the doctors had thought he'd live.You still hear of people dying of panacreatic cancer yet today with no cure found for it. SAD!!! Daddy was the one who had me milking cows, feeding pigs, chickens, cleaning the chicken coop, etc. Each year he let me choose a pig that he would then sell for me to put the money in the bank for my college fund. My pig each year was called Alexander. They were orange and white pigs. All Aunt Joy got for doing chores she told me was a pen and pencil set. I will always remember the twinkle in Daddy's large blue eyes,his playing the violin with Mother at the piano and all of us singing The Little Brown Jug, Red River Valley and many Christmas carols. Two farm chores that we had to do were picking up rocks and pulling weeds. The weed pulling would come after a nice rain and I thought it fun to see them come out of the dirt with their roots dangling. These two chores were always done EARLY in the morning before it was too HOT.

Aunt Joy has survived her bladder cancer as so far she is cancer free after her chemo/ radiation treatments. I called to wish Jack a happy 91st birthday yesterday. He doesn't hear well at all so basically Joy had to tell him for me. He doesn't walk much and has a cane when he does she told me.

Trista is still fighting her shoulder cancer, but looks good right now.

This is how my life as been touched and changed by cancer.

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 21

Christmas shopping.

Each year it seems to get harder to start.

Last year I was still shopping on December 24.

My wish for today is to finish my Christmas shopping and to have fun while doing it.

Are you still shopping this year?

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 20

Sue and I were talking about relational giving,  a concept that deals with us giving of ourselves more than  just presents.

My wish for today would be for everyone to find a relational gift to give to someone you care about.

Some of our relational giving will involve gifts that allow us to spend time with each other.  

The article in this blog has some good ieas on relational giving.

Have you ever given or recevied a relational gift? Will you give a relational gift this year.

What ideas to you have?

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31 Days of Wishes; Day 19 Birthday Wishing for a Kure

Relay for Life Team 2009

To celebrate my birthday  today I made a donation to the Wishing for a  Kure team.  Kelly's Aunt Linda and Uncle Bill have already formed a team for next years Relay for Life on August 6, 2010.

I was thinking of all the people that I know that give selflessly in this fight against cancer.  They get up early on Saturday mornings and brave the elements, put themselves out there season after season trying to raise money for a cure in a shaken economy.  Sadly cancer doesn't slow down during an economic downturn. 

Teresa  who is back for her 4th TNT season, put together a fun slide show of a typical December training run. 

One of my friends Heather is also a relentless cancer fighter.  Heather's sister Holly is a cancer survivor and recently finished an Ironman.   Please take a moment to read Holly's post about Shawn Felty. 

If you are moved, touched and inspired by these people as much as I am, my wish for the day would be for anyone that is reading this, to consider making a donation to the Wishing for a Kure team, or to Heather's Team Fight page to benefit the Ulman Cancer fund  for young adults or to Ryan who is running in memory of a close friend or Teresa whose TNT hero is fighting for his life today or to anyone else you might know that is on the front lines of this battle.

My life is richer because of Kelly and the people I have been lucky enought to meet through her cancer journey

How has your life been touched or changed by cancer?

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31 Days of Wishes; Day 18

My wish for the day comes to me courtesy of my Aunt June.  It is fast, easy and best of all it helps others that are in need.

My wish for today is for everyone to please take the time to help others during the holiday season in every way that we can. 

Please take literally 20 seconds to help out!


KARE 11 & Land O'Lakes are donating $1 for every person who clicks on

their web site. Please click on the link and on the right side of the screen there is the green area where it says: You Click, We donate. (Above the cow"s head.) It's that easy. Please pass to all of your friends, post the link on facebook, or your blogs. 

Blessings!

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 17

My wish for today comes coutesy of a blog that I follow:  My wish is that we all take some time during the holiday season to reflect on this and reach out to someone and be a blessing in their life. 

"I was thinking how busy we all are at Christmas time with our families, friends, shopping, parties and exciting plans. It is so easy to forget people who maybe aren't quite as busy as we'd like to believe we are, or are at a different stage in their lives.


Maybe just take a moment, and ask God to reveal to you who you need to remember. Who might be feeling forgotten or forsaken this Christmas season. Who could be blessed by hearing from you and being reminded of a few things.

That you are thinking of them. That you care. And that they are way too important to ever be forgotten." -
Christine
 
 

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 16

I went to a holiday party tonight for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

It was so nice to see my friends and collegaues again.

My wish for today is for these amazing people to stay the course in this fight against cancer, and not become discouraged by the unrelenting nature of this battle.

I have been lucky enough to work side by side with some of the staff for ten years.  

Relentless for a cure!

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 15

We woke up this morning to a strange sound.  It sounded like a large truck was running outside our house.

Our dog Rocky was barking.  Nothing unusual for him to be barking.

Laura went downstairs to see why he wouldn't stop. 

There were fire trucks, police cars, ambulances and news stations right outside our house.

A house across the street, less than 100 yards from where we live had caught on fire.

The fire department arrived within eight minutes of the call.

They got one person out of the inferno.

One person could not be saved.

A life passed while we slept. 

The homeowner had opened his home to a homeless person out of the goodness of his heart.

The homeless person died in the fire.

They were able to save a dog that belonged to the homeless person. 

The house is totally destroyed.

My wishes for today:

For our neighborhood and community to rally around our neighbor.

For someone to adopt the dog that is now in an animal shelter.

For all of us to remember the life that was lost.  This person was someone's son, mabye a brother, maybe a father.

For us to embrace our lives, love and serve others at all times.

For all that are hurting to find peace in their hearts.


















The

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 14

"This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when

sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds,

laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart,

hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see,

friendships to brighten your being, faith so that

you can believe, confidence for when you doubt,

courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth,

Love to complete your life.

" ~Unknown

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 13

Last night at the Track Suit Pub Crawl, we had an unexpected visitor.  Santa!

Laura, Santa and Sue at the Pub Crawl for Cancer

I can't remember the last time Laura had her picture taken with Santa.  It has been many years, but how I cherish those memories of going to the mall to see Santa with Laura.

My wish for today is for everyone to cherish those moments of joyful innocence with your children and hold those memories near in your hearts.

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 12

Nine years ago today my friend Brittany was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia(AML) shortly before her 16th birthday.

Later that month, Kelly suffered a relapse of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia(ALL) shortly before her 12th birthday.

Brittany wasn't expected to ever make it out of the hospital, wasn't expected to see her 16th birthday.

I spoke at a Team in Training information meeting the day before Kelly turned 12 with my heart breaking as I didn't know if she would have any more birthdays.

Two young lives whose lives and their families turned upside down.

Both determined, both fighters, courageous, inspirational, loving, kind, gentle...

Kelly and Sarah at graduation

Nine years later, Brittany still lives with the pain, shock and fear of that day. 

Tonight Sue, Laura, Brittany and I will go to a Team in Training event to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society.  

Brittany is the team hero for the Rocky Mountain Chapter just as Kelly was.

Brittany creates the possibility in her life of a world without blood cancer.  A world where no one has to hear the words, "you have cancer".

We fight on to honor Kelly's life and to make a stand for everyone that is touched by this disease.

My wish for today  and everyday is for Brittany's dream to come true.

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 11

My wish for today is for everyone to experience peace, joy and love each and every day.

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 10

I was thinking today about time and what it is that makes time precious.

It is that time passes that makes time so important.

There aren't any do overs in life.

My wish for today is for everyone to use the time we have to it's fullest.  No holding back, no waiting for something to change, waiting for the perfect moment.

Hug your kids, kiss your spouse, tell the people that matter to you that they matter to you.

Time is precious because it passes.  How do you choose to spend this gift?

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 9

My wish for the day is to for everyone to practice random acts of kindness.  Just think if we all just did one radnom act of kindness what a difference we could make.

Just a small act, maybe shoveling your neighbor's walk.  Holding the door open for someone at work.

Buy a cup of cofee for the next person in line at Starbucks.

Smile at a complete stranger.

Adopt an angel at your office, at church, at the grocery store.

Make a donation to your favorite charity.

Has anyone performed a random of act of kindness for you?

How did that make you feel?

What random acts of kindness will you do tomorrow? 

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31 Days of Wishes : Day 8

My wish for the day is for everyone  when you are worried our troubled and can't sleep would be to count your blessings instead of sheep.

For me for during the last five weeks as I have focused on thankfulness and the many blessings in my life instead of my "troubles", it has had a profound effect on my life, and my relationships with the people that I love.

"Count Your Blessings" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin for the movie White Christmas.

When I'm worried and I can't sleep

I count my blessings instead of sheep

And I fall asleep counting my blessings

When my bankroll is getting small

I think of when I had none at all

And I fall asleep counting my blessings

I think about a nursery and I picture curly heads

And one by one I count them as they slumber in their beds

If you're worried and you can't sleep

Just count your blessings instead of sheep

And you'll fall asleep counting your blessings

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 7

I thought this felt in very well with the 31 days of Wishes so one of my wishes for the day would be for everyone to donate 10.00 to Greatest Wish campaign  and then share your greatest wish.

My other wish for today is to take a moment and remember those that fought to defend our freedom on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor and those that continue to fight for our freedom today.

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 6

My wish for the day is for everyone that is blessed with children to have the chance to take their family to Disneyland or Disneyworld.

I remember the feeling I had as a parent when we were able to take, Laura and Adam to Disneyworld in 1996.  It was an amazing experience.

I will forever cherish the memory of a trip to Disneyland with Kelly and her family in 2001.

Money comes and goes.  Memories are chershed forever.

What memories are you making this holiday season?

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31 days of wishes: Day 5 A spirit of service

My wish for the day to everyone is to slow down and simplify your life, and adopt a spirit of service for the holiday season.

Maybe there is a single mother, that needs some help putting food on the table or just needs some encouragement.

Instead of buying that last gift, think about donating to a food bank, an energy assistance program to help keep heat on in someones house,  make a donation to your favorite charity.

I always like to make a year end gift to the Denver Dumb Friends League.

If you can't give money, how about donating your time instead? 

What are some of the things that you will be doing for others during the holiday season?

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31 days of Wishes: Day 4

I love this thought from one of the people I follow on Twitter.

"Pick one cause that makes your blood boil and your heart ache and work to change it. Then, never give in. Never. Never. Never"-Eric Harr

For Eric, it is  about fighting the obesity epidemic and empowering women. He believes in this so much that he is committed to raising one million dollars for CARE as he trains for the Hawaii Ironman next fall.  Please take a couple of minutes to watch the "Girl effect".

For me the cause that makes my blood boil and my heart ache is the fight against blood cancer. 

Today my wish for everyone to find the cause that lights you up and then never give up, be relentless in your efforts to effect the change you seek.  It's all about taking action.

Do you have a cause that makes your heart ache?  What is the wish you have for your cause?

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31 days of wishes: Day 3

 A wish is a hope or desire for something.

What would be the things you would wish for?  Riches, love, a new car.  I am sure as a kid, I would have wished to have been a major league baseball player.

My top wishes for the day.

The possibility of a world without cancer of any kind.

That all dogs and cats in shelters find good homes.

Do you have a life changing wish?  What would you wish for if anything you wished for could come true?

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30 days of Thanks: Day 30

Today I am  thankful for:

For the thankfulness that I have been able to live during the 30 days of thanks.

That my friends Sarah and Ryan come back season after season with Team in Training, undeterred by injuries and are relentless for a cure.

Sarah is participating in 31 days of wishes.  Please check out her first wishes post.

For a wonderful friend from church who has done so much for me in the last year.

For the love that lives on in my heart for Kelly. 

For my family.

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31 days of Wishes: Day 2

I am finding wishing to be much more difficult than finding things to be thankful for.

It will be easier for me to wish things for others than for myself.

Having said that my wishes for today are for me.

To be happy at work.

To finally shake this lingering injury so I can enjoy running again.

To be able to run a marathon sometime in 2010.

What things do you wish for for yourself, for others?

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30 days of Thanks: Day 29

Today I am thankful for:

My laptop being under warranty and getting repaired at no cost :)

A cup of hot chocolate and marshmallows on a cold night.  Brrrr

My wife being such an interesting and inspirational person.

Food Bank of the Rockies is a 501C charity so my company will match my donation for the Cans for comments Blogathon.  This is the last day of the Cans for Comments blogathon, so please leave a comment.

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31 Days of Wishes: Day 1

Today begins 31 days of wishes.

I have been thinking about some whimsical things to wish for, but thought for the first day of this new month that I would wish for something that I have always wanted other people to have since I first started running for Kelly in January 1999.

I was so incredibly fortunate to have Kelly be assigned as my patient hero during my first event with Team in Training.  They have since changed the name to Team hero.

Kelly and I lived almost 900 miles apart.  I live in a suburb of Denver, Colorado and Kelly lived in a small town in Montana about 40 miles from the Canadian border.  Montana was part of the Rocky Mountain chapter which is no longer the case.

Kelly was 10 years old and in remission when I first started training for the San Diego Rock and Roll marathon.

Over the next nine years, I was blessed to be a part of her cancer journey.  Kelly's family became my family.

There were numerous trips to Seattle to visit her where she underwent treatment for the Leukemia.

There was a magical trip to Disneyland in 2001 that Kelly invited me to when it looked like it might be the last trip she would take with her family.

There was another family vacation in Calgary later that summer.  Hiking around Lake Louise, visiting the little shops in Banff.  Hugging Kelly at the finish line of the Calgary marathon.  A trip to the Calgary zoo after the marathon.

Dancing with Kelly at Marcy's wedding.

Trips to Cut Bank for prom and later to see her walk with her class when she graduated in 2007.

A trip to Seattle in 2008 where I got to share in the moment of Kelly meeting her transplant donor for the first time.

Crossing the finish line of many marathons, century rides and even a couple of  triathalons.

This young girl that I first began running for at the age of 10, was my hero, my inspiration to do things I never thought I could do, ever dreamed I could do.

She taught me to never give up. 

She taught me about courage.

She taught me about joy, about living and loving life. 

Kelly had cancer.  She chose her cancer.  She chose her life.

I have always wished for other people in Team in Training to be able to have the experience I had with Kelly. 

No one would ever stop doing Team in Training.  Blood cancer wouldn't stand a chance.

My wish would be for everyone to meet a Kelly in their lifetime.

My life was changed forever by knowing and loving this beautiful young girl.

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30 days of Thanks: Day 28

Today I am thankful for: 

This picture of one of my favorite people(Cathie) at the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Luekemia and Lymphoma Society.

                                           Cathie, me and Esperanza after the run


A quiet day at the office on my first day back from vacation.

Dell shipped my recovery disks for my laptop.

Please take a minute to leave a comment to benefit the Food Bank of the Rockies!

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