Communicating Joy

Author: janicekpurnell@gmail.com

  • Post Honeymoon Cycling

    Previously published: Monday May 14, 2014

    The Honeymoon is over, the pain has begun. My hips, my side, and why are my arms hurting? Yesterday, I pushed myself out of bed early to eat something before my ride, and an hour later it began to rain and rain hard. I felt that was a legitimate excuse for not riding my bike today, after all, I was sore. As the sun came out and dried away the roads and excuses, I refused to listen to the aches and pains while preparing for my morning ride.

    It’s funny, I wanted to ride to be alone with my thoughts, yet each time I pull up into the parking lot outside of the track, my heart sinks just a little when I realize I’m the only person riding today. There are other miscellaneous riders, but we just nod in acknowledgment as we ride past each other. It’s not the same as riding with David’s cycling group at night. As, I began my morning ride, quite prepared with my music, headphones, cotton balls for nose bleeds, water bottle, and helmet. I was quite proud of myself until I saw another cyclist in their matching kit.

    You know, the multi-colored shirt and shorts with letters and numbers all over, a mental note made to make that a goal before my first competition. Content for the moment I started riding on the five-mile track around the Pompano Airport and then the music started jumping around. Ugh, I must get that fixed how can I ride to music that’s jumping around? The wind was no less relentless this morning as it put me through the test, the more I peddled the more it blew against me. I had originally planned to ride around the park twice. However, with all the challenges that morning, by the time I had completed a full circle, I was feeling uneasy, a little lightheaded, and just not in the mood. I packed up my bike. Gave myself a pat on the back for making it through the first day of wind and pain. Reality is starting to set in, do I really want to do this? That’s what my body was saying, my brain was already trying to coordinate the next day’s ride.

  • A Companion for the Ride

    Previously published: Monday, May 7, 2012

    Slightly, discouraged that I was placed on a 12-9 shift three nights in a row, I had given up the thought of riding more than once this week. My niece texted me to let me know she was coming down later that day and asked if she could come stay with me for a while. I welcomed her precious presence.

    Around 5:00 pm she texted me that she was stranded about 30 miles north of my place of employment. I took off early to go pick her up and it was a welcome sight to see her. Halfway home I realized that I was off early enough to go riding. I asked her if she would like to join me, and to my delight she said yes. We arrive in time for David and his son to prepare a Specialized bike for her to ride. Off we went around the five-mile track. The breeze was just right and twenty minutes later, she was hooked. Even though her bottom and a few muscles would be sore she thanked me for sharing the experience with her. “Aunt Jan you always do fun stuff!” I was thankful to have her ride with me so that we could share the joy of accomplishment together.

  • Preparation of the ride

    Previously published: Saturday, May 5, 2012

    Getting ready for my long-awaited bike ride has become more of a chore than I could have imagined. Even though I had just purchased some gym shoes before my surgery, the swelling in my toe wouldn’t allow me to wear them. Just having a bike to ride hasn’t been enough. After two months of sitting, the air had seeped out of the tires. I discovered after I placed a dollar’s worth of quarters into the air machine at a local gas station, that it didn’t have the correct air pump needle. Egad! What is this? I had to purchase a helmet, front and back lights, and new earphones. What happened to the ones I bought last month? Cinco de Mayo for me was riding around the five-mile track twice in 45 minutes. It seemed easy enough until I stopped. My hamstrings were singing a new song called “Oh nothing but the pain of hamstrings,” (sung to the tune of Nothing but the blood of Jesus) As I contemplated what I had just accomplished. I looked around and there was no one to share it with, At that triumphant moment I wished that there was at least one person to share this amazing experience with.

  • Back in the Saddle

    Previously published: Thursday, May 3, 2012

    I’m riding my bike now. Very exhilarating, freeing. Yesterday I rode 5 miles. With my big toe, still very sore I was very careful about putting my gym shoes on. I met with David, the captain of the AA cycling riding team. He adjusted the handlebars, sprayed my chain will lubrication, and showed me how to properly use the gears on my bike. He reminded me to breathe through my nose, which could eventually cause my nose to bleed I was aware of. But he said it would stop after I was breathing regularly through my nose. I met two other AA cycling women, it was inspiring to see other AA women cycling as well. I have my helmet, lights, seat, and some sports glasses now. My next goal is to purchase the black riding shorts, get a pump for my bike, a tool kit, gloves, and a good water bottle for my bike. I don’t know if I need a kickstand or not.

    8:30 am Today, I’m going riding before work. I had a bowl of oatmeal with a few sprinkles of almonds and cranberries and a bottle of water. I will be back in an hour. Shower for work, and leave for work about 11:00 a.m. I don’t know what happened to my headphones but it seems like I need to buy another pair AGAIN. UGH! 10:24 am Wow! I’m back. I rode eight miles on my Trek this morning, Had I used the Roadmaster it would have taken me an hour, today 30 minutes! And I was riding slowly, huffing and puffing all the way!

  • Heart of Cycling

    Previously published: circa February 2012

    John Bingham captures my heart very well in this quote from an article he wrote:

    “A race doesn’t allow you to hide from the challenges of the event or from your own limitations. You can lie all you want before the race but when the gun goes off, the truth comes out and you can’t be anything other than what you are.”

    For a quarter of a century, I have hidden in the shadow of another person’s goals and dreams. On my sash of pride, I have collected supporting badges from persons to agencies. Weekly, I receive calls from people thanking me for being there for them and loyally supporting their cause.

    It didn’t make a difference if it was a start-up church or business, I was supportive. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good to help others out. Yet, my level of help was unbalanced as a flat tire. I never valued myself enough to believe in completing my own dreams and goals. I prided myself on being a helpful servant to others, all the while denying myself the same sense of accomplishment that others were establishing. My dreams sat on the bench of life, waiting to be called into the game. There was always a reason an excuse for why they just sat there. Oh my work hours, oh the kids are too young, oh I’m busy helping out…

    Today It’s different. For once in my life I’ve thrown my dreams out into the cold water. Sink or swim. I’ve spoken it to enough people, and I can’t back down without shame or excuses. My fears, and doubts of my decision to participate in a triathlon were confirmed by Ironman Chef Joe Bastianich.

    “Once you get into endurance sports, especially triathlon, it becomes a lifestyle. It’s a different way of looking at work, life and relationships. There’s perseverance, patience, focus, and a goal-oriented disposition. It plays into the same formula for success, whatever you apply it to in life.”

  • Trayvon Martin, Hoodie March

    Previously published: Friday, March 23, 2012

    17-year-old Trayvon Martin was killed unmercifully as he was returning home with Skittles and an Arizona Tea, in Sanford Florida. The unacceptable reality is the person who shot him is still walking the streets of Sanford freely as if the Police are rewarding him for killing a fugitive. The community of Sanford has rallied against this injustice. I say it’s about time.

    My heart grieves for this family, yet I’m thankful that my young adult children no longer live there. The horrid reality is that this isn’t the only case of injustice in Sanford. I have experienced it firsthand before and have been a witness to friends who have suffered the injustice there, It is a crying shame a another child had to die before the light was brought to injustice in Sanford.

  • Untechnical, Jesus

    Previously published: Tuesday, January 11, 2011

    I really enjoy expressing myself through the art of written communication. My goal this year is to be consistent with my blogging entries. I am quite proud of myself for forging through this mountain of procrastination. However, it has occurred to me that blogging is not for the technically challenged. I would have written sooner, but we were having “technical difficulties” with the Internet service at home. Even though the Internet service was down, I was determined to get online to make an entry on my blog. I accidentally discovered that I have Internet access on my cell phone! My cell phone still has buttons and from what my children are telling me, buttons are old fashion. Yet, because of the smaller screen, I was not able to see the full screen for my email or Facebook. Before this year, I did not see the need to update my phone every time a new color or new style came out. Since this recent technical interruption, I have purposed to upgrade my cell phone and knowledge of the technology used today. So, many things are changing every day, the gas and milk prices are going up; birds, bees, and fish are dying without cause and who knows what will be unhealthy to eat tomorrow! Even though technology is changing rapidly, I know that Jesus is not. I am so thankful that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NIV) I need to have something that is stable in my life. I need more than a computer or an iPhone, I need Jesus. Thankfully, I do not have to rely on text messages, Internet services, or Facebook to communicate with him. He is within my every heartbeat. He is in each breath that I breathe, I love my Jesus.

  • Five, Five! How many is Five?Fastest workflow

    Previously Published: Thursday, May, 5 2016

    Five, five how many is five? (Sung from the tune of a counting song from Sesame St tune)

    Five fingers and toes,

    The Torah, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy

    How many is five? My parents met while they were in the USAF, and my father was eventually stationed in Indiana where my siblings and I were raised. I am the second to the oldest of six children, yet I am still my father’s baby daughter. One day I overheard my mother, “I’m not having any more children after this one is born!” Recognizing that the odds were against me, boys 4, girls 1, I quickly made a final plea, “ Can I please have a sister? Finally, the day came, my father came excitedly rushing through the house…..”It’s a boy!”

    “No, no not another brother, God didn’t you hear me?”

    I eventually accepted my fate 5 boys to 1 girl.

    My parents encouraged me to go to college to get an education, so I went to college and mastered partying, with a minor in how not to finish your class. I was convinced that neither of my parents knew what they were talking about after all, they could not make another baby girl, so I decided to follow in their footsteps and enter the USAF.

    It was while I proudly served my country on the beautiful island for Japanese Honeymooners, that I met my “baby daddy” He was one of five ah, he must be the one! We were wed on the isle of Guam, the sun shining, palm trees everywhere, and an ocean in the background. Heaven must be like this! Three kids and two states later, we moved back to Indiana. “No more kids,” he said. I told him that I understood, however, I wanted to consult with the master planner. “ God.

    Statistics say the average American family consists of 2.5 children. I believe we have filled that quota and besides the daddy isn’t too excited about having any more, is it all right to shut down the baby factor now?” His answer was “I will not give you more than you can responsibly handle” Relieved, that I had received approval from on high, we relaxed too much because number four was on the way. I believe she ran under the radar scope because surely God would have seen her coming. When we brought her home his father shouted “Yeah, no more kids!” and I heard God clearly say…”No, there is one more.” By now I was sure I had God figured out he likes the number five. My children were born on the 10th, 20th, 15th and the 10th surely the last one would be born on the 20th!

    Aaron was born on August 22, and my mother’s best friend cried with pity and she went before God…”Why, Why did you give this poor woman five children!” God quietly and confidently told her to “Leave me alone, she is raising five prayer warriors!”

    Somewhere along the line, I decided to go back to college to finish what my parents told me to do from the beginning. It was during this time the baby’s daddy confidently said “I can leave because I know God will take care of you and the children.” As I walked across the stage to receive my bachelor’s degree in Business Management I also walked in and out of the divorce court. With one house and five children, later we moved to Florida.

    Upon realizing I have five children, People ask me all the time how I handle them, I confidently tell them one day at a time and I also let them know that God has reassured me that since I can only handle three with confidence, he will handle all of the rest for me. How many is five? Five is the number for a basketball team, five is the number for the fivefold ministry, five is the number of brothers I have and I am the proud single mom of five.

  • God and The Chinese Take Out Menu

    Previously Published: Monday January 18, 2016

    Just as if Matthew Henson was starting out on his first expedition to the North Pole, my eyes slowly yet intently scanned over a Chinese Food take-out menu. Starting at the top left from appetizers to combination plates, carefully musing over each item as if I were studying for a college final exam. I gently turned to the back page where the Luncheon Specials were listed. I knew I needed to make a decision sometime this year, but what? What would I choose? Okay, okay…ummm. Oh, I will have….ummm. Oh, I know! I’ll take the Sweet and Sour Chicken with fried rice and an egg roll!

    If it were possible for scientists to track the DNA of the food I have consumed over the course of thirty years, they would discover my chromosomes are actually made up of Sweet and Sour Chicken with fried rice and an egg roll. So why do I have a hard time deciding which item will I select on a menu that has over eight choices of appetizers, six choices of soup, 30 combination plates, 42 luncheon specials and I won’t tell you how many Chef’s Specialties are listed. In fact, why is my choice always the same?

    There are a host of exotic dishes which I have not experienced as of yet, for instance; “Dragon meets Phoenix, Bean Sprout Egg Foo Young, Beef with Szechuan Style or Roast Pork with Oyster Sauce.” As is my relationship with God lately, I have come to a place where I only request of him the basic ‘keep my family and myself healthy, and safe and help us pay our bills blessings’. It’s working, we are happy and God is happy so why rock the boat?

    Although our God is the same God that we can trust in daily, “His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.” Lamentations 3:22-23 KJV. Our struggles and challenges may be the same, yet “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”Isaiah 43:19 Reluctantly, I recently visited the predominantly black Baptist church I grew up in over 20 years ago. I remember each Sunday service you could expect the same course of events. Two or three hymnals, women losing their wig piece during a Holy Ghost shout, a scripture reading, offering plate, and the hooping and groaning of the preacher’s sermon, that you could set a clock by indicating the end of the service. The outer core of the building was the same, yet the inside had expanded with the extension of an east and west wing, a basketball court with an additional kitchen. However, it was just not the inner physical appearance that had been updated. The landscape of people had changed. No longer was the totality of leadership, held by white-haired black men, growing slowly out of touch with how to apply scripture to the present-day realities. There were young black and white men leading the services, on the deacon board, on the usher board, and in the choir! As I glanced through the congregation I saw white and black couples, Asians, young, and old intertwined with black people, all worshiping the same God, within the same walls. The biblical messages were taught with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and with love as the speakers applied the scriptures to our present situations.

    I have been challenged to continue revisiting situations and places of my past with an open mind to discover things I have missed initially. Our God is doing a new thing, He wants us to pray with a refreshed mind and attitude, “However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him.”

    1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV I have even decided to try a different entrée at the Chinese restaurant, to discover what else I have been missing.

  • Just do me. Recovering of the Big Toe

    Previously published: Tuesday, March 8, 2012

    Last year, as I proceeded to set out on my new journey, I ran smack into life’s detour. Which included a promotion, a move, and a divorce. Once, settled in my new home. I began my training again. My goal was to participate in a triathlon within the next year. (2011)

    Before I moved from Lake Mary, last year I found an Aqua Trek 7.2 FX. My heart and mind were set on buying a Trek as my first professional bike. I joined a local gym and started running and swimming. After 15 minutes of that type of exercise, my big toe began to hurt. A very dear friend, allowed me to use his bike. With that bike, I began riding up to eight miles a day, before the weather turned cold and the chain came off of the spokes. By January, I had become complacent about my new lofty goals and to get back on the road again, I vowed to myself that this would be the year. My next step was to see a doctor about my toe.

    I met with a really nice orthopedic doctor who said I needed surgery to correct two problems. He also informed me that he road in triathlons and needed the very same surgery! Just a week later I discovered an African American riding club, which met only four miles from my home. Excited, I explained to the leader, David, of the club that I would be having surgery soon and that I wanted to purchase a Trek.

    Two days before my surgery, David informed me that he had a bike for me. Time and inconvenience prevented us from the bike exchange before my surgery. As soon as I was able to hop up, I met with David about the Trek. It was a purple Trek 1220 ZX, an older model road bike! I have the bike sitting outside my bedroom door as a motivator for why I must stay focused on eating and healing properly. I’m just as excited and can’t wait to start riding again.

    The Bible teaches us to ” Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, so he may run that reads it.” Habakkuk 2:2 (KJV) I am writing the vision down and it is truly amazing to me how God is orchestrating the fulfillment of this goal!