Tory Farina

Coaching Call

Every week Elizabeth and I sit for one hour on the hone with a coach. We talk about life and work and family, but most of all he helps us gather strength, Hope and understand ourselves better. We have been meeting with him for the better part of this year and I can honestly say it has been the best thing for us.

I am in the process of working on my reaching to make it clearer and more effective while taking me less time to produce. We are talking out what it will take for us to become a church that reaches hundreds of people and beyond. We are also talking through how we are hard wired and how to make sure that we are taking that into account as we staff, grow and hire. We talk about our interaction with you and our interaction with te community. He helps us understand how to counsel people who are going through difficult times.

It is my favorite hour of the week and I am so glade that w found this person for our life. He feels called to support pastors. He used to be one and then God directed him into the support role for other pastors. He is one of the only relationships we have that we do not have to give anything to. Sometimes we voluntarily do but we don't have to meet his emotional, spiritual or physical needs. I can say anything to him and n ot have to worry if the idea is half backed and what are the consequences to that. E and I can bounce off the model we have in our heart of having a co leadership run church. He gets it, loves us and sees Gods greatest potential in us even when we have a hard time seeing it.

In a lot of ways he is more like a pastor to me. Everyone needs a coach/pastor/spiritual adviser/mentor. Do you? If not I encourage you to get one. It has changed my life.

Weekend Mind Dump!

I have a few minutes and a monster few weeks ahead of me... WOW! This summer is intense! Enjoy my thoughts in no particular order which is usually how they come.

• I ran further then I have ever run Monday! 6.3 miles!- I have a thought about this I want to blog on later... boldly going where I have never gone before. 
• I realized my car only gets 19 mpg the other day. Its time to think about a different one.
• We are cutting a lot of extra expenses out of the budget. It always amazes me how much can be cut.
• Worship was grrrrreat Sunday.
• Jordan is my new Hero for singing "Rhinestone Cowboy"- he did it perfectly
• I love preaching stories. Judas was a great story to tell.
• This week is an exciting passage to walk through as well... Mathew 6.
• The team is reading "The Next Generation Leader" by Andy Stanley- Good stuff
• I have put in over 15 miles since Sunday. It feels so good!
• Our Softball team is on a winning streak. They play Monday and if they win go to the championship. There is such great community happening their.
• I had an awesome conversation with a guy after church. He grew Up Catholic and could not believe High Point was what it was. He kept talking about how good it felt and how positively different it was to what he grew up in. I look forward to seeing him again.
• I had a great lunch with Paul Stewart yesterday... I love that Guy like a brother.
• My mind is a little scattered today... so much to do... so little time.
• The signs went back out. if you see one blown over or in the road pick it up or fix it so they don't look bad. THANKS! people come because of the signs!
• Pray for our kids area. Lots of changes happening their... Leah just let me know she is prego! Yeah! The Stitts are going to be missionaries and need to pull out and that means we need mass participation and new leaders to pick up the cause!

More to come!

Fuel crisis

I received this as many of you did from the airline industry. Somewhere our process for buying oil went wacky. Take a read and maybe we can help the process in the short run. I am still convinced that the long run solution is getting off oil. Maybe natural gas or methane... Imagine throwing your bio trash in your car like in "Back to the Future". That is the ticket!

An Open letter to All Airline Customers:

Our country is facing a possible sharp economic downturn because of skyrocketing oil and fuel prices, but by pulling together, we can all do something to help now. Visit www.StopOilSpeculationNow.com.

For airlines, ultra-expensive fuel means thousands of lost jobs and severe reductions in air service to both large and small communities. To the broader economy, oil prices mean slower activity and widespread economic pain. This pain can be alleviated, and that is why we are taking the extraordinary step of writing this joint letter to our customers.

Since high oil prices are partly a response to normal market forces, the nation needs to focus on increased energy supplies and conservation. However, there is another side to this story because normal market forces are being dangerously amplified by poorly regulated market speculation.

Twenty years ago, 21 percent of oil contracts were purchased by speculators who trade oil on paper with no intention of ever taking delivery. Today, oil speculators purchase 66 percent of all oil futures contracts, and that reflects just the transactions that are known. Speculators buy up large amounts of oil and then sell it to each other again and again. A barrel of oil may trade 20-plus times before it is delivered and used; the price goes up with each trade and consumers pick up the final tab. Some market experts estimate that current prices reflect as much as $30 to $60 per barrel in unnecessary speculative costs.

Over seventy years ago, Congress established regulations to control excessive, largely unchecked market speculation and manipulation. However, over the past two decades, these regulatory limits have been weakened or removed. We believe that restoring and enforcing these limits, along with several other modest measures, will provide more disclosure, transparency and sound market oversight. Together, these reforms will help cool the over-heated oil market and permit the economy to prosper.

The nation needs to pull together to reform the oil markets and solve this growing problem. We need your help. Get more information and contact Congress by visiting www.StopOilSpeculationNow.com.

Robert Fornaro
Chairman, President and CEO
AirTran Airways

Bill Ayer
Chairman, President and CEO
Alaska Airlines, Inc.

Gerard J. Arpey
Chairman, President and CEO
American Airlines, Inc.

Lawrence W. Kellner
Chairman and CEO
Continental Airlines, Inc.

Richard Anderson
CEO
Delta Air Lines, Inc.

Mark B. Dunkerley
President and CEO
Hawaiian Airlines, Inc.

Dave Barger
CEO
JetBlue Airways Corporation

Timothy E. Hoeksema
Chairman, President and CEO
Midwest Airlines

Douglas M. Steenland
President and CEO
Northwest Airlines, Inc.

Gary Kelly
Chairman and CEO
Southwest Airlines Co.

Glenn F. Tilton
Chairman, President and CEO
United Airlines, Inc.

Douglas Parker
Chairman and CEO
US Airways Group, Inc.

About an hour from now

Dad goes into surgery in about an hour. They are taking him down to prep now.

Pray for the DR
         Pray for Peace
                  Pray for a quick recovery

Please pray for my dad...

I spent the day with my today in Burnsville at a hospital. It is a scary and surreal thing to be in the hospital with your parent. They are not the ones supposed to be sick. They are the ones who are supposed to take care of you. At least that is how it has always been up until now for me. I suppose we all go through this shift at some time or another as eventually all children shift roles and care give for their parents. 

Please pray for him... his name is Sam for those who don't know.

He has something wrong in his abdomen. The surgeon isn't sure what it is and will do exploratory surgery around 2-3pm tomorrow.

Pray for:

• God guides us and the surgeon
• Healing is evident
• there is a quick recovery
• peace for Mom and I and my Grandma
• that my dad can rest tonight.

Thank you for your prayers.

5 weeks to a new ME!

Gopher to Badger Half Marathon & 5K

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Lake Front Park in Downtown Hudson, WI

8:00 a.m. Sharp!

The event centers around the classic rivalry between Minnesota and Wisconsin we have all come to Love!!??!? Water stops are every two miles and there will be Gatorade on the course!! This has become a hallmark run with over 1000 runners the last few years. One of the most scenic courses in the Upper Midwest, along the St. Croix River valley.

Location

Packet pickup and same-day registration at bathhouse at Lake Front Park (100 Walnut St.) in downtown Hudson, WI

Half marathon Course

Half marathoners will be bussed from Lakefront park in Hudson to the start in Stillwater. From there, runners will run into Stillwater and along many of the historic houses of Stillwater. Then they will run south along the St. Croix River valley to the 94 bridge. They will cross the bridge and finish at Lakefront park. This is the 11th year and sure to be the best. Please be sure to get to the park before 7:20 am so you don't miss the last bus!!!

5K Course

5K runners will start on the Minnesota side by the I94 bridge.
Busses will pick runners up at 7:50 am at Lake Front Park in Hudson and transports the runners to the start.

5K start is at 8:15 am
The runners will run back to the finish at Lake Front Park via the same route as the 1/2 marathon runners.

Date:

August 9, 2008

Races:

5K, 1/2 M

Prereg. Deadline:

Mail: August 2, 2008

Online at www.finalstretch.com: August 5, 2008

Race Merch:

• T-Shirt
• Post race food
• Goody bag
• Live entertainment!
• Announcer to insure ongoing updates of finishers and award times

Start Time:

Half Marathon: 8:00 am
5K: 8:10am

Sign in/Walk-up Reg:

6:15-7:15 am for 1/2 marathon
6:45-7:45 am for 5K

Last bus for Half Marathon leaves at 7:20 am

Awards

Awards for top three finishers in each age division.

Ceremony to immediately follow races.

Divisions (M&F):

Under 20; 20-29; 30-39; 40-49; 50-59; 60+

Entry Fees

Race	Through Aug. 3	Day of race.
Half Marathon Run	$28	$33
5K	$21	$26

Registration:

Print out, fill in and mail the registration form to

FINAL STRETCH, INC.
PO Box 121
Nerstrand, MN 55053

or register at any metropolitan Running Room by August 4.

Contact Us:

www.finalstretch.com

info@finalstretch.com

Info line: 507-664-9438 (local to metro area)

Return to home page.

Running Room

I visited the runners room for the first time ever today. I went to the one on grand and was amazed at the gear dedicated just to running. I got so fired up! I bought a pair of shoes and got the guy to drop the price 10% on a last years model. GOOD DEAL! He made me walk for him and then said I had some goofy walking rotation and I needed shoes that compensated for that. I got some socks and a stick of body glide and now I am ready to run. So I am starting slow this week but hitting it hard next. This is my big race idea. I want to run the Gopher to Badger race. It is a half marathon. I plan on registering this week so I have something to shoot for and I will most likely sign up for a warm up race sooner than that as well.

Who is in?

I am looking for runners or wanna be runners... I don't want to run alone. Let me know your comments and lets lose weight and run a long race together.

I ran 3.5 miles last night...

I am starting my training. I want to run a marathon and am excited about the challenge... here is my tentative plan from Hal Higdon. I think Ill have to work around this a little but... Lets give it a whirl!

Healer...

I shared this story a while back in one of my messages. WOW... it is so much better to hear him sing it!

His Blood is Powerful... Jesus is our Healer!

New Normal

Life was never meant to be lived so fast.

I am more and more convinced of that. We are to blame. I am to blame. Every bit of technology that was meant to ease ur life has one one level accomplished that but it has also caused more stress on the other. Everything happens fast now. Especially with a church and a baby.

I am learning that I have to adapt around my changing schedule and make sure that I unplug and slow down. That I hear from God. That I hear from Elizabeth my best friend and loving wife more than just hearing from my Co- Pastor. So I am realizing that this means me being intentional and focusing the times I have. I have been taking Olivia and Daisy on a walk every morning but I have not made that an intentional prayer time. I walk when I pray. It keeps me focused and nature stimulates me. So I am going to maximize that time in the morning and make it a little longer while also making sure that I come prepared to pray. Journal in hand and a route with few interruptions.

I am beginning to train for a marathon... I know... just writing that puts a shiver up my spin. This has to happen in my schedule as well... so i am blocking out the time that Olivia goes to sleep as my training time... that way I have my post run evening with E or for appointments... We lately are meeting people 2 and 3 nights a week after O goes to bed.

Blogging- I don't know when a good time for this is? I am reworking my prep style for writing. I am right now working on wk 1 of "Can you Hear me Know" and the "Going for Gold" series as well as next weeks message. This post and a few others have been sitting on my screen for a while so instead of working on my message I am writing to you. I love this outlet and want to figure out how to blog but also have time to write. So... any ideas?

Friendships are a big deal for me... lately i am finding myself to busy to get to know the neighbors. That is no good! My professional mission field is the South East corner of St. Paul. My personal mission field is The 10 houses on my street. If I am to busy to take O to the neighbors inflated pool in their driveway then that is not a good way to get to know them so that they can get to know me and Jesus. I need to work through this a little more but I think having Saturdays not be a message prep day will help.

I need to get working on my notes so Courtney can get the power point out for Sunday but these are some thoughts I am working through right now... This is my new normal and this new normal will change without notice. I talked with Scott Wilson the other day and he was telling me that as his kids grow and ministry grows he is constantly trying t figure this stuff out. He said, "once you do... everything will change again."