I spent some time on the internet last night researching the Greek origins of some key words from key verses and looking up Bible commentaries. Here's what I found.

Hebrews 12:1 (about taking off all that hinders my race for Him)....HINDER means impedes, encumbrance, whatever weighs us down or or damps the vigor of our Soul, burdens, that which pulls us back or makes duties and difficulties harder and heavier than they would be. SO the question now is: What things in my life, in my heart, on my task list match this definition? Because they need to be dealt with and removed. AND, what things in my life are part of the race? Which priorities are HIS priorities for me to pursue in a run?
Quench (what quenches the Spirit?)....to suppress, stifle, or extinguish
Grieves (what grieves the Spirit)...to be troubled, displeased, offended, pained, to cause to be worked up.
Just now, my Beth Moore homework had this EXACT sentence: "Judgment [of others] strangles patience and grieves the Holy Spirit."

So, for today, my answer is to evaluate--where do I need to weed out judgment? Because that is grieving the Holy Spirit, and keeping me from being filled by Him. (yuck--this self-examination is hard!!)

On another note, my Beth Moore homework yesterday challenged me to get up and watch the sunrise and read about His mercies being new every day (Lam. 3:22-23)....so I did. Here's what the Lord told me:
"This new thing (Is. 49:13) in your life is dawning. At first, it's black and unclear and a little frightening because you can't see it clearly. Then, slowly, I lift the blackness--pulling back the dark of confusion and uncertainty with small twinges of pink on the horizon--small glimpses of hope for what is to come. Then, the black sky will suddenly become blue--a brilliant sapphire and beautiful blue--still a bit unclear. Gradually, it will dawn bright and clear--obvious and easy to see. Trust your Maker to bring forth the dawn. Embrace the dark, the unknown--and wait with expectation for ME to reveal this new day, in great detail."