There are 5k events in Tulsa that would be alot of fun for families. Here are some examples:
August 16
Riverside 5000
August 23
GetFitTulsa Mud Run
September 6
Walk/Run For a Drug-free Life
Still more 5ks @ OkRunner.com~ The list gets longer from week to week.

Did you know you can go Kayaking in Tulsa, Oklahoma?
@ the Riverside Parks website you can learn some details.
People like to kayak on the Zink Lake which is located near the Zink Dam. It is an impoundment pool between 29th street and 11 street/Southwest Boulevard. Along the west bank of the river south of Zink Dam is an area of whitewater that is created by a rock jetty.
There is also a Zink Island that you could go by on your little adventure. This man-made island in Zink Lake is used by the endangered Interior Least Tern for nesting. The island may be observed from the River Parks area near 15th Street, which features a bench dedicated to the late Fred Pianalto, a Tulsa Audubon member who first publicized the Least Terns on the River and was known as the “Birdman of River Parks”. Here’s it is on Google Maps.

Continue reading →

I found this excellent advice on the Oprah Winfrey site

If you have an interest in learning about birds in Tulsa check out the Tulsa Audobon Society website. On the site they have a guide to birding in Oklahoma.

Taken from Joy and Strength @ OnePlace.com
PEACE of heart lies in perfect resignation to the will of God.
What you need is true simplicity,
a certain calmness of spirit which comes from entire surrender to all that God wills,
patience and toleration for your neighbor’s faults,
and a certain candor and childlike docility in acknowledging your own faults.
The trouble you feel about so many things comes from your not accepting everything which may happen to you, with sufficient resignation to God.
Put all things, then, in His hands, and offer them beforehand to Him in your heart, as a sacrifice.
From the moment when you cease to want things to be according to your own judgment,
and accept unconditionally whatever He sends,
you will be free from all your uneasy retrospects and anxieties about your own concerns.
~Francois De La Mother F? Nelson

“We have very little, so we have nothing to be preoccupied with. The more you have, the more you are occupied, the less you give. But the less you have, the more free you are.”
— Mother Teresa
“There can be no doubt that possessive clinging to things is one of the most harmful habits in the Christian life. Because it is so natural, it is rarely recognized for the evil that it is. But its outworkings are tragic.”
— A. W. Tozer

Taken from Leaves of Life @ Oneplace.com.
So frail is the youth and beauty of men,
Though they bloom and look gay like the rose;
But all our fond cares to preserve them is vain,
Time kills them as fast as he goes.
Then I’ll not be proud of my youth nor my beauty,
Since both of them wither and fade;
But gain a good name by well doing my duty;
For this will scent like the rose when I’m dead.
—Isaac Watts.

My husband found this on the web. He couldn’t find who said it.
Watch your thoughts,
they become words.
Watch your words,
they become actions.
Watch your actions,
they become habits.
Watch your habits,
they become character.
Watch your character,
they become destiny.

Taken from Streams In The Desert @ Oneplace.com
It is easy to love Him when the blue is in the sky,
When summer winds are blowing, and we smell the roses nigh;
There is little effort needed to obey His precious will
When it leads through flower-decked valley, or over sun-kissed hill.
It is when the rain is falling, or the mist hangs in the air,
When the road is dark and rugged, and the wind no longer fair,
When the rosy dawn has settled in a shadowland of gray,
That we find it hard to trust Him, and are slower to obey.
It is easy to trust Him when the singing birds have come,
And their canticles are echoed in our heart and in our home;
But ’tis when we miss the music, and the days are dull and drear,
That we need a faith triumphant over every doubt and fear.
And our blessed Lord will give it; what we lack He will supply;
Let us ask in faith believing–on His promises rely;
He will ever be our Leader, whether smooth or rough the way,
And will prove Himself sufficient for the needs of every day.
To trust in spite of the look of being forsaken; to keep crying out into the vast, whence comes no returning voice, and where seems no hearing; to see the machinery of the world pauselessly grinding on as if self-moved, caring for no life, nor shifting a hair-breadth for all entreaty, and yet believe that God is awake and utterly loving; to desire nothing but what comes meant for us from His hand; to wait patiently, ready to die of hunger, fearing only lest faith should fail–such is the victory that overcometh the world, such is faith indeed. –George MacDonald
The public domain version of this classic devotional is the unabridged edition of Streams in the Desert. This first edition was published in 1925 and the wording is preserved as originally written. Connotations of words may have changed over the

Zucchinis are a boring squash to eat. You really need to find some simple recipes filled with strategic spices that will bring this vegetable to life.
Zucchini Parmesan
2 large zucchini, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a large pot boil the zucchini until tender; drain. Meanwhile, in a medium frying pan heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the onion and garlic until the onion is tender.
Combine the zucchini, onion and garlic in a 9×12 inch casserole dish, and mix well. Pour the spaghetti sauce over the mixture and stir well. Top with mozzarella cheese (use more or less depending on your preference).
Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is bubbly.
THE best easy recipe I have ever tried!
Grate zucchini
Sprinkle with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper
Stir to combine.
Dish onto plates, and top with shredded parmesan cheese and ENJOY. Light, refreshing, and uses up TONS of zuicchini. All my kids love it too – yum!
Taken from GardenWeb.com
Tomato Zucchini Skillet
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sliced green onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 small bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds zucchini, unpeeled, sliced 1/2-inch thick
3 tomatoes, peeled and each cut in 8 wedges
Preparation:
Directions for tomato and zucchini recipe. Cook onion and garlic in oil until onion is tender. Add sugar, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and zucchini. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes; heat through. Remove bay leaf before serving tomato zucchini recipe. Tomato zucchini recipe serves 8 to 10.
Taken from About.com Southern Foods