Getting in shape...Day 22

Today, after three days of waiting on my first grand child to arrive safe in this world... I hit the road again.  I left the apartment in Tampere and headed West out of town. I walked for 2 hours and then turned around and headed back.  The walk back was 1:55 minutes thus I was able to push just past 14 miles today after not walking at all for several days!  I am at 226 total miles practicing for "Trey's Trek"!  We have right at 4 weeks before we start on Labor Day so those of you who are walking with me... I hope you are practicing too!

I must share this with you!  It is utterly amazing to have another little one come into the world.  One who can experience the presence of Jesus with all of her heart.  Our prayer is that one day she too would follow Jesus just as her Mom and Dad, Aunts and Uncles, Grand Parents and Great Grandparents are doing and have done!  So here she is...!

My first Grand Child!  Holding hands with Grandpa Trey

Getting in shape...Day 21

The Halfords, Hancocks & Mättös

Writing from Finland is a hoot!  Right now it is 5:50 AM EDT in the States.  For me it is 12:50 PM.  Strange concept but if we all wait a bit it will be lunch where you are too!  Anyway...

I was intending on taking a short walk yesterday down by the hospital where my daughter Ashleigh and her husband Vesa are supposed to have the birth of our first 'grandchild!'  It was going to be a 'chill day' as far as training for "Trey's Trek" was concerned because yesterday we pushed it a bit! So trolling along enjoying the view and the Finish neighborhoods along the way was my plan.  So as I walked along I was thinking about becoming a Grand Parent which is an awesome thing! 

As I was there by the hospital and having walked around behind the place to look for a trail to cut over to the lake and walk back to the apartment, Vesa called.  He said that Becky and Ashleigh had gone to the hospital and were there right now... and that he was on his way to meet me!  He asked me to meet him in the front of the hospital; that he was taking a bus because they had the car, so I walked back out to the front and waited!  We went in together and visited with Ashleigh and 'Gran'ma!' (sounds great... "don't it!") 

The reason why they were here at the hospital at this time, not counting that this is her due date... the Doctor earlier in the day, was not sure about the heartbeat(s)... so they admitted her and she stayed for the night.  Everything was OK!  So as of yet there is no 'Baby Mättö... delivered!  "HE" is waiting for the right time!

My daughter Ashleigh with 'Baby Mättö!

Getting in Shape!...Day 20!

202 Miles!  

Today I did it!  I broke the 200 miles total walking mark, on my way to walking 300 miles before we actually walk the 300 to Mackinaw beginning September 5th, 2011!  Vesa my son in law went with me! 

Most of the walk was in the woods and we traversed a bunch of hills that are 'cross country ski trails!' 

I followed Vesa who kept up a brisk pace and we walked today... 8 miles in 2.5 hours!

With my feet on the ground!

Simply Trey

Getting in Shape!...Day 19!

This is an example of the trails in the woods near Tampere, Finland

Just a short report about today! 

I was able to push through the woods by the lake today and grind out 11 miles in 5 and a half hours! 

Walking through the woods is easier on my feet but everything else hurts!  Go figure!  But the scenery is flat out gorgeous!  Finland is rugged and beautiful!

These are all of my feet!

I have pushed my total distance in practice for the 300 miles for "Trey's Trek" up to 194 miles as of this afternoon!  Thank you Jesus!

With my feet on the Ground!

Simply Trey...

Getting in Shape!...Day 18!

While most of my friends are sound asleep in North America, I am writing!  It is strange that I am already 'in tomorrow' writing from Finland!  Funny concept!   Anyway...

Taking a 'breather' during a five and a half hour trek in the woods...

After arriving here and battling 'jet lag' which is still hanging on but not so much... I took a walk by Lake Näsi which is just North of the town of Tampere in Finland where my daughter Ashleigh and Vesa live.

It is a beautiful area that is rugged and majestic!

I started out walking along the Southern Shore of the lake just North of town and by the time I was finished I had walked almost 10 miles!  It was not an easy path but the view was breathtaking.  It was such a picturesque walk that I took over a hundred photos.

I had been this way on a bike with Vesa the last time we visited here so the terrain was not unfamiliar to me.  But this time going that direction seemed easier as I was on foot and had 'walking sticks' with me.  The walking sticks helped me steady myself as I crossed a 'zillion' roots and rocks that protruded from the trail!  It made the trek very interesting in that I had to be very careful with every step!   I wish I could show you all of photos but that will have to wait until I get back to the States so I can download them into my computer.  But I was able to e-mail myself three photos yesterday and will post them here today.

As I walked along trying to take in all the scenery and watch my step at the same time, I ran across something that I had not noticed when I was in Finland the last time.  Maybe it was because we were on Bikes,  riding through the woods and as such, you watch for different things.   Who knows... but this time as I walked,  I definitely noticed these huge mounds just off the trail.  So when I went over to get a closer look... 

A 5 foot high ant bed in the woods!

I noticed ants everywhere, they were covering the mound and working like crazy moving twigs and small pieces of pine straw and whatever they could pick up; 'up and down' the mound.  It was amazing that not one ant ran into the other or fell off the mound or one just got aggravated with the other and tried to throw them off the mound.  They just worked like they all knew what they were doing!  It was like they all had something to do and they were busy about their business!

Then it hit me!  They were all working for the benefit of the Queen!  From what I could see every ant was doing something for the Queen and the benefit of the colony!  Not a single ant was standing around!  Interesting concept!  Not a single ant was 'doing his own thing!' I think Proverbs talks about 'the ant.'  They were persistent!  They were going out and coming in!  They all seemed to know that it was vital to be doing something!  As they worked and went from here to there, they all seemed to greet each other on the way and then proceed with what they were doing-but they never seem to fight each other, at least from my vantage point!  I did not see any ants breaking off and forming their own colonies, because they were angry that the other ants were not doing it right!  They seemed to have a sense of not only 'survival' but 'direction' and that work was vitally important to who they were and what they were about!  'God's creatures both great and small!'  These creatures seemed to know their purpose and were about the business of their Queen!  I can tell you this... you would never see this 'wizzing' along in a car!

A quiet scene on Näsijärvi..

I am often told that 'culture' dictates what happens in regards to any particular group of people or nation.  I wonder what these ants could tell us about life in regards to 'their culture,' family or ministry?  I just wonder what a 'dumb' ant knows or are ants just too small for us to learn anything from?   After all, because they are really small, they are insignificant...right?  Just a thought!

With my feet on the ground!

Simply Trey

Getting in Shape!...Day 17!

Robie at the Shop!
He is really good natured!  

Well, today... I walked anyway!

Even though I said I would probably not, do it! I did!  But I had a good excuse!

The Van needed to be taken out to Westland Auto Lube at 1112 North Wayne Road, Westland, MI to have the oil changed.  So after checking out the miles on Map My Walk, to the Oil Change shop... I thought to my self..,'why not just drive out there about 6:00 AM and just walk back!  It would all be on Ford Road which has pretty good sidewalks and that is what I did!  I tell you what... you see things when you walk that you miss totally when you are driving!

Robie and Hashim Ziren at the MHSAA State  Wrestling Championships

I will have Becky take me back this afternoon after Robie finishes!  This is a photo of him and his brother Hashim back at the MHSAA State Wrestling Finals his Sr. year at Fordson High School!  He who is one of the top ranking wrestlers in the history of Dearborn Public Schools.  Hashim was also a  One on One Wrestler who competed on a National Level and in College!  Now he is a police officer in Washington DC!  He is an awesome young man!  If any of you are in the Detroit area, Westland Auto Lube is a very good place to get your oil changed!  FYI... (734) 722-4326 ‎(just tooting their horn a bit!)

I have mentioned this before, but back in the early 70's Arthur Blessitt came through Birmingham pulling the cross that he still shoulders and preached there at a local Baptist Church.  I was saved at one of his meeting!  Then just this last Sunday night I preached on "Jesus loves you..." which is a very short sentence that has struck my interest again because of a local Radio Show host wrote on my Face Book "Jesus loves you...Trey!"  When I read that it nailed me!  I did a double take when I saw the phrase and it hit me like a ton of bricks!  Not just the sentence but the reality of it!  I have been a Christian since 1971 and we used to say to that each other all the time but it had been years since someone had directed that to me like that!

Arthur Blessitt sticker from the 1970'

So Sunday I decided to preach... "Jesus loves me...!"  It was simple but powerful!  Then after the message John Koski went and got a Bible he had from the early 80's and pulled out this sticker.  It was the exact stickers that we used to give away.  It was something I had not seen since the mid 70's!

From Robie's T-shirt to Arthur Blessitt's stickers, this message of God being proactive in reaching out to us is something that is overwhelming to me!  I am just humbled by His actions!

I want to be like Moses in front of the burning bush...

"With my feet on the ground!"

Simply Trey

p.s. I walked back from Westland and racked up more than 13 miles and felt good at the end!
To date, I have a cumulative total for the past 17 days of walking, 174 miles...
                   I MUST BE GETTING IN SHAPE!

Getting in Shape!...Day 16!

Today, I woke up late!  Gran' ma and Gran' pa Severance had spent the night with us after going to Church with us yesterday!  

Paul and Bekka were getting ready to drive to Springfield, MO to visit with Luke and Grace before they will be moving North.

Yesterday at church was an awesome time together with the folks who came to worship Jesus!  I preached on a very simple subject ..."Jesus loves you!"  Man... was it simple but boy was it powerful!

So after everyone left the house the morning, Becky reminded me that I needed to walk again, so I got my stuff together and did a brisk 8 mile circle in Dearborn.  It brought my total distance walked for 'Trey's Trek'  up to 160 miles.  Like I have said before... I want to walk 300 miles 'in practice' before we actually walk the 300 miles beginning on September 5th.  To date,  there are 5 weeks left for me to be able  stretch this mileage goal... on out.  I have still to break my record of 18 miles by pushing it out to 20... but maybe next week!

Tomorrow I will probably not walk at all, seeing that Becky and I are getting ready to go be with Ashleigh and Vesa for the birth of their first child and our first grand child!  For me this is the blessing of the Thousand!

With my feet on the Ground!

Simply Trey