Finally ...a new post beginning here below

There are always at least a dozen excuses as to why my tardiness to blogging as of late. I just finished checking out the newly designed EPICMX.COM website. Looks amazing Chad! I am sure that you are the genius behind that re-design. WOW ... I sure miss all of you in CowTown.

I have been fairly reflective these days. Why is that, I don't know? Perhaps it is a mixture ... the 'coming down' from an insanely busy month of May along with an assortment of processing thoughts. We completed a live recording project with David Ruis and Indigika. I was out travelling 4 times the month of May. Preparing for Germany July '06 and all the details which ensue. We moved into our newly acquired LOFT Space, I had a few dear friends visit me the month of May. Let's just say it all was ahappenin'!

So, I'm kinda tired, been wrestling with my melancoly mind and heart for sometime. Some days are good and others the loneliness seem to great to bear. I have my survival tactics like we all do and lately they seem to be more healthy options than my past choices. Definate bonus! One being 'BARRY'S BOOTCAMP'! No, I have not joined the US Army. Ha! That is a scary thought ... However, for all you non- LA friends who read this blog (which is pretty much everyone) check out www.barrysbootcamp.com if interested. This will give you an accurate picture of what has my mind, body and soul focused on for the last 5 weeks.

Picture this ... My alarm goes off at 5:20AM 5 days a week ... I very slothfully roll out of bed, as I stumble through the dark to find my workout gear, I wash my face-throw my hair up and off I go with waterbottle and towel in hand. I take 4 freeways to Sherman Oaks and end up arriving into the entry way of Bootcamp at about 6:15am. Yes, the trip is approx. 30MIN.

At 6:30am the motley crew of us who definately are now all 'regulars' walk into a heat, sweat infested small room (the 5:30am class is just ending) with approx. 15 treadmills lining one wall of mirrors and benches, weights and rubber bands in the other half of the room. The room is dark black except for the colored pot lights aimed strategically on every piece of equipment. Your body temperature begins to rise as soon as the doors open. Every morning I am praying and asking the Lord to help me, cause it seems overwhelming the soreness and pain I am about to subject my body to. Nothing I have ever experienced before. The music starts pumping - LOUD and Nadia our trainer jumps up with enthusiasm. She is amazing! She is about 5 foot nothing and maybe 100 pounds. Honestly, I have never seen a woman so perfectly built, toned and sculpted like her. Seriously. She is really cool! Really energetic and knows when to push push push you past your boundaries each time. She starts yelling out in Bootcamp fashion the "plan" for the hour. Our class is 1 hour long. 30 minutes cardio (treadmill) and 30 minutes floor. Each day targets a certain muscle group.

Monday-ARMS
Tuesday-LEGS
Wednesday-ABS+CHEST
Thursday-BACK+SHOULDERS
Friday-5on5off (everything)

Off we go on the treadmill. And we are not talking run at the same speed for 30 minutes. All interval training to the core and your speeds decrease and increase intermittently.

Honestly, I have NEVER sweat so much in my entire life!!! Every pore is pouring out sweat! Even my ankles are sweating! So, now that you know what my morning's are like here -you can all pity me/or should I say ;) cheer me on in my recent obsession!

This has been really good for me in so many ways and not just the obvious! This definately is my most committed and closest relationship right now.

So, I pulled out a poem that Faye sent me about a month ago -that today I was meditating on as it brought life to my heart. I will write it here below. Also, I was meditating on Jeremiah 17:5-8 for the last couple days. Great passage of scripture! Check it out. It pretty much articulates where my heart has been of late.

My Birthday is coming quickly ...perhaps another reason why I have been reflective. hmmm... I will speak more to that at a later date.

Check out this poem :: by Catherine of Sienna
HIS LIPS UPON THE VEIL

He has never left you
It is just that your soul is so vast
that just like the earth in it's innocence
it may think,
"I do not feel my lover's warmth
against my face right now."

But look, dear,
is not the sun reaching down it's arms
and always holding a continent in His light?
God cannot leave us.
It is just that our soul is so vast,
we do not always feel His lips
upon the veil.

PS - I just realized that I should have called this post "A tribute to Barry and his bootcamp"! HAHAHAH ... oh well - now you have a peak into a fairly huge thing in my life right now. More details to follow on the rest of my happenin's. Need to head off to bed -to be ready for 5:20 tomorrow. ....groan....ugh!