On My Way...

Have you ever heard the song "On my Way" by Phil Collins off of the Brother Bear Soundtrack? Well, it is exactly how I feel every time I go running with Keri.

Tell everybody I'm on my way

New friends and new places to see

With blue skies ahead yes

I'm on my way

And there's nowhere else

that I'd rather be

Tell everybody I'm on my way

And I'm loving every step I take

With the sun beating down yes

I'm on my way

And I can't keep this smile off my face

'Cause there's nothing like seeing
each other again
No matter what the distance between
And the stories that we tell
will make you smile
Oh it really lifts my heart

So tell 'em all I'm on my way
New friends and new places to see
And to sleep under the stars
Who could ask for more
With the moon keeping watch over me

Not the snow, not the rain
Can change my mind
The sun will come out, wait and see
And the feeling of the wind in your face
Can lift your heart
Oh there's nowhere I would rather be

'Cause I'm on my way now-
well and truly
I'm on my way now

Tell everybody I'm on my way

And I just can't wait to be there

With blue skies ahead yes

I'm on my way

And nothing but good times to share

So tell everybody I'm on my way

And I just can't wait to be home

With the sun beating down yes

I'm on my way

And nothing but good times to show

I'm on my way

Yes, I'm on my way

I love you and I am glad we are in this together. Sore arches, sprained ankles, pulled groins, strained knees, shinsplints, tired tendons...

WE CAN DO THIS

NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP

Runnin' Runnin' and Runnin' Runnin'...

Okay, okay... I am posting per request about my marathon training... (see I hear you Jim:-) I have been trying to avoid it so then I am a little less accountable right?? Well my good friend and I are currently training to run the Portland Marathon come October 7, which is closing in on me by the way. We are using the Team Oregon beginners training guide found on the Portland Marathon web site which includes a long run every week. I have ran the Seattle 1/2 Marathon 3 times and several other races but this will be my first marathon. We are trying to bump our mileage from about a 40+ mile week to a 45+ mile week which doesn't seem like a lot but is surprisingly hard! This week I will have to run every day to make my mileage goal which is difficult with four kids, and my friend has seven kids! We are often known to frequent the trails around here with a gang of jogging strollers, babies, toddlers, bikes and kids of varying ages, often including friends kids who like to bike ride along with us as well, we are quite the site! So as you can imagine we have absolutely no time goal (i.e. keeping a "9 minute" pace or whatnot) all we can hope for is that we finish without dying! So all that to say that we met at about 4:30 this morning and ran about 19 miles, torturous (is that a word?)! My arches hurt, my legs hurt, and I am really tired! Let me tell you the only way that we keep going is mile by mile... we don't let ourselves think about 20 miles, we break it up into miles/hours/landmarks, etc. whatever we need to so that we don't get to overwhelmed! We have many many mantras that we repeat and say over and over. We can do anything for one more mile. This is what seperates the weak from the strong. Never, never quit. God has called us to endure. We will run and not grow weary, our strength comes from God. With our really long runs (17-20 milers) we get to about mile 14 and we are done, so our newest saying is "we can always run for one more hour" Andrea gets a kick out of that one! You know you run way to much when you look at your watch and think "yes, only one more hour!" She said we should make a poster, but I don't think very many people would buy it...
Thanks to everyone who supports us, you know who you are. Especially my family who is learning to endure along with me!

MATTHEW 7:13-14

WIDE IS THE GATE AND BROAD IS THE ROAD THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION, AND MANY ENTER THROUGH IT. BUT SMALL IS THE GATE AND NARROW THE ROAD THAT LEADS TO LIFE, AND FEW ARE THOSE WHO FIND IT.

Hebrews 4:12

For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Psalm 139

These are a few scriptures that the Cunningham Clan believe are vital. If you would like to know a little bit of who we are then read the book "When You Rise Up" A Covenantal Approach to Homeschooling by R.C. Sproul Jr. and "Are All those Children Yours?" by Lisa Anderson. That would be a tiny nugget but the larger chunk falls in line with the Word of God. Yep, thats right, the Good Book, the Holy Bible, whatever you want to call it:-)

Finally, the scripture we base our life and actions upon is Deuteronomy 6:4-9

"The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you rise up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."

THAT is who the Cunninghams are, may we never be self seeking. May we always be humble, may we always, as far as we are able, be at peace with all men. May we always be repentent and like Jesus. May we ALWAYS speak truth to our children. Justice, Cameron, Sloan and Jafeth forgive us if we haven't loved you as Jesus has called us to love you. Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

To all our family and friends out there, we love you all very much.

JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY AND TODAY AND FOREVER

Hebrews 13:8

Jafeth

Here are a couple of my favorite Jafeth pictures, he is so cute!!!! I am just figuring out this posting pictures thing so be patient with me...

In our "backyard"

Hey Hey,

Check it out, we are FINALLY posting some pics...

This is out behind our house...

It is almost Indepedence Day!

Wow, it is almost the 4th of July, Independence Day! I love this holiday, I get surprisingly nostalgic and even cry (just a little) every July 4th. Zach and I watch The Patriot every year as our tradition and every time I see that movie I cry like a baby! I love the interaction and love between the brothers in the movie (since I have 4 boys). The trauma and heartache of fighting for our nations independence and all the lives lost get me every time. If you have never seen this movie, I highly recommend it (although it is rated R for violence) even if you just watch the ending seen, wow. I am sure that the reality of a movie like this is in part why I studied political science and global relations in college. I am quite the "ethnocentrist" which is one who believes that their country is the greatest in the world. We can never truly know how extremely blessed we are to live in America but I still say Thank You Lord!

While homeschooling one day last year I was having a discussion with Justice about how blessed we are to live in America (he was learning about our freedoms and rights as citizens) and he was learning about different nations that are not as free as ours... anyway I was so blessed because he said "I am glad that we live in America because you can have as many kids as you want, not like China where there are laws against it".

WOW!

He was in kindergarden when he said that. Thank you Jesus that I can impart truth at such an early age, we are so blessed.

Thank you to all our troops in Iraq and all of our veterans who have fought for our nation. I would be honored (and extremely scared) if my boys are ever given that same opportunity.

Well, all that to say have a great fourth of July, I will be dressed in red, white and blue and boasting an American flag of somesort and I will actually remember that fireworks are to remind us of "the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there, O say does that star spangled banner yet wave, o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave."

And lest I forget, Happy Birthday Kevin! My brother Kevin's birthday is the on the 4th and was always told "all those fireworks are to celebrate your birthday!" Well lets light a few to honor you too Kev!