Sunday, February 27, 2011

And the Oscar goes to....

I always like watching the Oscars and this year is no exception!  I'm excited to see how Anne Hathaway and James Franco do -the commercials have been hilarious - especially the wardrobe malfunction one haha!  I definitely have my favorite movies and so I thought I would do my own Oscar predictions and see how close I get:

Best Picture:  Unfortunately, I haven't seen every movie nominated (I normally do) but I do think it's either going to be between The King's Speech or The Social Network.  I loved The Social Network and it did get the Golden Globe, but there's been lots of talk about The King's Speech (which I haven't seen).  I would love it if The Social Network wins, but my prediction is that The King's Speech will get the Oscar.

Actor in a Leading Role:  I believe that Colin Firth will win for The King's Speech.  I thought all of the actors did a great job in each of the movies nominated but I would be surprised if Colin Firth did not win. 

Actor in a Supporting Role:  Geoffrey Rush will win for The King's Speech.  I really wish I had seen this movie before tonight ugh! 

Actress in a Leading Role:  Natalie Portman was really amazing in Black Swan and I'm sure she will win the Oscar.  Part of me wishes that Jennifer Lawrence would win for Winter's Bone because it was such a great movie and she did a really good job as well. 

Actress in a Supporting Role:   I am going to go out and say that Hailee Steinfeld will win this for True Grit.  It might come as a surprise if she wins, but I think it would be great because she is so young and this was her first big role. 

Animated Feature FilmToy Story 3 will win!  It was such a good way to end the movie franchise and I know I am not the only one who got teary eyed at the end! Or am I...

Writing:  Aaron Sorkin will for sure take home the Oscar for The Social Network.  The movie was so good and the writing was brilliant!

Music (Original Song):  It will be between Country Strong and We Belong Together.  Honestly, I am not sure which one will win, but to make a prediction, I will say We Belong Together

There are many other categories, but these are the ones I feel informed enough to make a prediction about.  I do have to say that my favorite movie of last year was The Social Network but I also really enjoyed Inception (even though I didn't fully understand it) and Winter's Bone.  There's really not one on the list that I didn't like and hopefully I will be able to see the full list over the next couple of weeks. 

Enjoy the Oscars tonight!  Oh yeah, and guess who one of the presenters will be?  You'll know who I am talking about as soon as she walks out on stage :)

Today I am grateful for:  1.  Great church service this morning  2.  A lady who spoke about living financially free at church today.  3.  Running 4 miles   4.  Beautiful weather (before the storms hit tonight)  5.  Hanging with friends tonight.   

Friday, February 25, 2011

Snotty noses, Mexican food, and a nice surprise...

Yes, these three things were all parts of a really great day for me!  I was off work today, so I went to Christy's house to hang out, help clean, and see my two favorite little people who greeted me with sneezing, coughing, and runny noses.  I usually run from sick people but of course with Martha Ann and Wylie, I just got in there amidst all the snotty noses and played and hugged and hung out.  Martha Ann and I have really become great buddies and I love how she just stays right with me and makes me laugh a lot.  And I got more smiles and giggles from Wylie today than I have ever seen.  Christy and I worked on cleaning her house (she used a coupon from Kevin's favorite things!) while Martha Ann did a little dancing and pulling out toys that we were trying to put up.  Wylie, of course, laid around and watched all that was going on. 

As we were cleaning, I noticed Christy starting to cough and sneeze too.  The germs were spreading quickly but I was staying strong.  We decided it was time for lunch and so we went to one of our favorite Mexican restaurants which always makes for a great day for both of us!  There was a moment of excitement while we were there when Martha Ann started saying a new word.  She said "ball!"  We congratulated her every time and she then went on to say it quite often in between our fajitas and chips and salsa which was delicious!  She also ate most of K-K's tortillas while dipping chips into the salsa and feeding them to me.  Isn't she the sweetest :)

On the drive home, I noticed myself sniffling and coughing some.  The germs had got me.  So basically we were a Suburban full of snot heading down the highway ha!  We did make it home and I have to say by the end of the day, we were all feeling a little better.  Hopefully they all get better soon, especially Christy - who as a mom, isn't really allowed to ever get sick anyway :)

My nice surprise happened after I got home.  I checked my mail and saw a letter from Bethel University, where I got my MBA from.  I opened it up and the letter said that occasionally the school goes through their financial records and noticed that I had a credit on my account.  They attached a check for what I was owed and when I saw the check, I have to say I jumped up and down.  It was for a substantial amount and as you know in my earlier blogs, I have had minor financial struggles this year and this will definitely get me caught up and back on track!!  In fact, my "frustrated conversation" that I had with Christy yesterday dealt with this and little did I know the answer was in my mailbox the entire time.  The crazy part was that it has been over a year since I attended Bethel but this check came at the perfect time! 

So yes, snotty noses, Mexican food, and a perfectly-timed surprise made for a really great day!

Today I am grateful for:  1.  Hanging out with Christy  2.  Martha Ann's new word  3.  Wylie's smiles  4.  An answer in perfect timing  5.  A really good day

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Is it bad that I'm a little disappointed?

Tonight, severe storms came through Tennessee.  The news had talked about it all day.  They would interrupt programming to say where it was and how bad it was going to get.  I kept seeing posts on facebook about how bad it was and I knew it was heading our way.  I was prepared with my tennis shoes and flashlight.  I had almost eaten an entire can of Pringles watching the weather report.  I guess I thought I needed to fill up on food in case I was stranded after the storm.  I was supposed to go to the movies tonight to see 127 Hours but we decided to not go because of the weather which I was disappointed in but didn't really want to drive in the bad weather.  Then the time came.  There was a flash of lightning and the power went out for a minute.  I did jump a little when that happened (possibly a slight scream) but was ready for the big storm.  I waited.... and waited... and waited a little bit longer.  The news was reporting of a possible tornado touchdown at a mall that is only a couple miles from my house.  I saw on facebook that a friend posted her fence was blown away and she only lives a couple of miles from my house as well.  I kept looking outside and wondering where the storm was.  After awhile, the news said that the worst of it was over and I barely saw any wind.  I am not making light of the fact that it did get bad in some places and of course, I pray that no one was hurt tonight - but I was a little disappointed that my neighborhood saw nothing.  Oh well, I should probably be thankful instead of let down, right?  My sister, Cara shares this "weird thinking" with me and she sent me a text tonight to tell me she was a little disappointed as well haha! 

I do have to give a shout-out to my sister, Christy.  I called her today to "rant and rave" about a frustration I was having.  She, of course, listened and sympathized with me.  The way I work is this - if I get really frustrated about something, I have a "Kevin moment" where I either vent my frustration to myself or to the unlucky person that is nearby and then after a little while, I'm over it and work on making the most of that moment.  (Some of you are familiar with this).  So, today Christy was that unlucky person - and I am thankful that she listened and let me vent.  Afterwards I went for my 3-mile run and as usual, things were better afterwards.

Oh, I heard from one of my publishing contacts today and I am sending in a copy of my book so we will see how that goes!  No matter what the outcome is, the possibilities are exciting!  Tomorrow I will be spending time with Christy, Martha Ann, and Wylie so it will for sure be a good day! 

I guess I should be getting to bed... and I think I hear distant thunder... fingers crossed :)

Today I am grateful for:  1.  An unexpected day off from work  2.  My 3-mile run  3.  Working on my vision board  4.  Staying safe through the storms  5.  Hearing about other people's good news!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

A few random thoughts...

I really just have a few random thoughts to share tonight -

The last two days have consisted of 2 main events for me:  Work and TV.  I had quite a few shows to catch up on, so I spent the last two mornings cleaning out my DVR.  I have to say the favorites I've watched recently would be Modern Family (the funniest show on TV!), Who Do You Think You Are (I really want to trace my family history every time I watch this show), and Our America (a show on OWN where Lisa Ling explores fascinating and controversial people in America).  I am a self-proclaimed lover of TV shows and make no apology for it.  Maybe one day I will list all the shows I keep up with during the year - it's a little overwhelming at times.  Work has also kept me busy the last couple of days.  Yesterday, I went to the wrong church... in the wrong town!  It wasn't the best way to start my day but I did finally make it to the right place and made the most of it.

I would also like to say that today is my best friend's birthday!  Her name is Autumn and we've been best friends for about six years now.  Since we live in separate cities, we don't get to see each other enough but she truly is my best friend and I'm very thankful that she is in my life.  She owns her own salon in Jackson (any Jackson residents should go to Bliss - it's the best!) and her cutting my hair is actually how we met.  I could tell stories of the time she died my hair blond... it looked awful... or the time she messed up waxing my eyebrows and I ended up with little scabs and lots of tears and choice words!  But besides that, she is the best and definitely fulfills the role of best friend by telling me what I need to hear.  She is a wife and mother and does a great job at both.  Happy Birthday Autumn!!

I wanted to also give an update on the book publishing project.  Because of some great friends, I now have 3 different contacts in the publishing world and I will be sending them emails tomorrow to see what advice, information, or possible help they could give!  I am still writing in to Oprah everyday as well so hope to have some good news on this soon!

I also started yesterday training for the 1/2 marathon.  The race is in April and so I will be training over the next couple of months to prepare.  I ran my 3 miles yesterday and will do it again tomorrow morning. 

Hope everyone has had a great day!

Today I am grateful for:  1.  Starting my training for 1/2 marathon  2.  Great focus time this morning  3.  My best friend, Autumn  4.  Progress being made on the book  5.  Lots of laughter tonight   

Monday, February 21, 2011

Goals and Dreams for 2011...

I should have done this earlier in the year, but since one of my desires for this blog is to be honest, candid, and vulnerable - I wanted to list the goals I made for 2011.  I believe that this will not only give you insight into what I am focusing my energy on this year, but it will also keep me accountable to know that I have put these goals out there for those who read it.  There are 10 goals so here we go:

1.  Become a published author.  I want to see, The Journey, published.  To one day see my book on store shelves, to experience a book signing to connect with those who read it, and to even have the opportunity for speaking engagements to encourage others to truly live out their own unique journeys. 

2.  Start "Pay It Forward" in Nashville.  I would like to hold monthly events in Nashville that surprise a very deserving person, family, or group of people.  This goal comes from my experience on the Oprah show where my sister, Cara. and I were able to surprise a very deserving family with groceries, a Target shopping spree, and paying off some of their bills.  This will take a lot of work but I know that it can happen and can really make a difference in other people's lives. 

3.  Begin "The Kevin Buchanan Show" on Youtube.  This idea actually came to me while watching others who have a daily show on Youtube.  I love having this blog, and having my own show on Youtube would let me share in an even more creative way.  I have a lot of ideas for this so hoping to start it in the next couple of months.

4.  Start working on a new book.  I loved the entire process of writing The Journey - from the ideas, to the actual writing process, working with an editor, and seeing it become a reality.  Although I do not know exactly what the topic would be, I definitely want to write another book.

5.  Get control of my finances, raise my credit score, and make more money than I ever have.  Financially, I am doing ok right now but I want to do better.  My goal is to be financially free and to really make smart financial choices.  To make a lot of money is not a matter of greed, it is just to have more opportunity to experience other things in life. 

6.  Mark 12 items off of my bucket list.  I did make a list of things I want to do before I die.  Have you ever seen the show, My Buried Life?  It's crazy sometimes, but what I like about it is that they make a list and then put action to that list.  Why sit around wishing and hoping - put some action to it and see things happen!

7.  Blog everyday.  Well, my original goal was to blog 365 times this year.  We all know that is not going to happen but I know that it will be a priority for me since I have really enjoyed doing it so far. 

8.  Run a 1/2 Marathon.  I have run 2 marathons in my life and this year I have decided to run a 1/2 marathon.  I will be doing the Country Music 1/2 Marathon here in Nashville on April 30th.  My training actually starts this week so you will hear how it goes... the good, bad, and ugly ha!  My sister, Cara, is going to run as well. 

9.  Be the healthiest and most in shape I have ever been.  This speaks for itself but I have a strong desire to really have healthy eating habits and to feel great about how I look and feel with my own body.

10.  Live out my true authentic self.  There's a lot I could say about this and I will save it for another blog, but it simply has to do with being comfortable in your own skin, having confidence, and really living out your purpose for being on the earth. 

So there they are - my 10 goals for the year.  I can say that I am currently doing some type of work on each of these goals.  If you haven't already, I strongly encourage everyone to make goals and write them down.  There is something about writing it down that not only makes it real, but serves as a reminder to keep pursuing it until that goal is accomplished.  My prayer would be that on December 31st of this year, I am able to blog and say that all 10 of these goals are now a reality!!

Today I am grateful for:  1.  Fun with friends last night  2.  A day off to relax and enjoy  3.  Good phone conversations with Christy and Cara today - start training with Cara for the 1/2 Marathon and hearing about 2 of Christy's goals for the spring  4.  Really good food today on Meatless Monday  5.  Getting refocused on my goals for the year. 

Friday, February 18, 2011

I need everyone's help!!

OK, so I am asking for everyone's help to get me on a future Oprah show!  One of the topics on her website is about Harpo Hook-ups.  The show is looking to help make one last group of people's dreams come true and I really want to be considered for this.  My deepest desire right now is to have a bigger platform to do more good in the world.  I really think that "being known" is one way to really make a broader difference and to have more opportunities to fulfill your dreams.  Of course it's not the only way, but in my life it is just something I have always wanted to see happen. 

I believe that the first step in getting me to that level is to be a published author.  The book I wrote, The  Journey, is a project I am passionate about and would love to see made available to a wider audience.  This book is so personal to me because it tells of my dad's life and I know that his life can encourage others to make the most of their journeys.  I have been seeking out book publishers and have quickly learned that it is harder to be considered for publication than I realized.  I am asking Oprah to help get me a book deal!  I have been writing in to her website and am asking any of you to help me out and write in as well.  I have attached the link to her site and would really appreciate any help in this endeavor!  I just know that having this dream come true could literally change the trajectory of my life and that is what I am seeking right now. 

Some would say this is crazy, but what I have learned in life is that you can never experience something you have always wanted to do unless you get out there and really try.  That is common sense I know, but so many people just talk about wishing something would happen and they never try to pursue it - so I am putting some action to my talk!  If you have any questions, feel free to email me at kbuchanan01@gmail.com

Here is the link to her site:  https://www.oprah.com/ownshow/plug_form.html?plug_id=7289698
Again, I am simply asking Oprah to help me get a book deal and be able to turn this into a career that connects with what I believe to be my purpose in life. 

Today I am grateful for:  1.  Great weather today  2.  Good work day  3.  A special needs girl named Tess that I met tonight at work  4.  Jeremiah 29:11  5.  The desire to pursue more in life

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Keeping it short and sweet...

It's late and I need to get to bed so this one is going to be shorter than normal.  I did however want to at least say something since I didn't get to blog last night.  I'm working in East Tennessee right now and today's work schedule was cancelled so I had the day off.  Well, I'm in a small town and there's not a lot going on so I did make it over to the mall, which took about 10 minutes to walk through and then I went  and saw a movie.  I did however find a cafe to eat at for lunch and it was really good.  Since I travel a lot, I like finding unique places to eat - and this was one of them.  I can't remember the name of it (something cafe lol) but the food was good and healthy too! 

Funny story for today - I went and used the elliptical machine here at the hotel earlier this afternoon.  Those of you who use those know how great of a cardio workout it is.  I only did 20 minutes today but afterwards, I was a sweaty mess.  As I walked past the lady at the front desk, she did a double take - I just kept walking proudly (dripping sweat, messed up hair, and red-faced).  I can only imagine what she was thinking!

So tomorrow it's back to work for a couple of days and then heading back home to Nashville.  Loving this weather and enjoyed a day off today!  Oh, and in a few days I will be asking all of you to help get me on a future Oprah show!  More details to come....

Today I am grateful for:  1.  Awesome weather outside  2.  Really good, healthy lunch  3.  A great pic of Martha Ann / Wylie I got today  4.  Good exercise  5.  Hearing good news from other friends

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Keeping the right perspective...

This morning I threw myself a pity party.  It doesn't happen often because I don't really like whiners; therefore, I try not to whine myself.  However, this morning I went there.  Nothing too dramatic, just a little discontent with where my life is.  Part of it has to do with wanting to do so much in the world and really make a difference - part of it has to do with not having enough money right now and really desiring to be financially free - and the other part would simply be losing perspective and focusing on the negative instead of the positive.  So a little while into this "party of one" I stopped myself and thought - whoa!  This is not me!  Pity gets me nowhere so I decided to go for a run and get rid of this negative energy.

Running is always good for me.  It clears my head.  So I started focusing on all the good things in my life.  The good definitely outweighs the bad and it instantly puts me in a better frame of mind.  However, there are some areas in my life that I want to change and move forward in, so instead of complaining I started putting my energy into how to change things and do better in life.  As I have said before, one of my goals is to get the book I wrote, The Journey, published.  I know this is going to take a lot of work and I have been contacting a few publishers but I need to try even more.  I did hear from a friend of mine who gave me a name to contact that might be able to give me some great advice so I'm looking forward to hearing back on that.  Another idea I have involves YouTube and starting to put some videos on there that would allow me to be even more creative as well as fulfilling a dream to have my own show!  I am going to start working on those and seeing how they turn out.  I do like the sound of - The Kevin Buchanan show!!

As I kept thinking about these things and coming up with ideas and what I can do next, my entire attitude changed.  Instead of a pity party, I was motivated and excited about pursuing goals and believing that it would become a reality.  I am a firm believer in visualizing your dreams and I can see the end result.  All of this also ties into my focus times the past few mornings.  In The Purpose Driven Life I am reading about our unique gifts and abilities and what we are truly passionate about and using that to fulfill the calling in each of our lives.  I know that I am most happy when I am helping others to make the most of their lives.  My goals in life center around that - it is one of the main motivations for having my book published. 

I'm not sure that I have conveyed everything that I thought about today, but the main point is that what started out as a pity party quickly turned into motivation and more positive energy - and that is a much better place to be!  Because of the type of dreams I have for my life, I think it lends itself to being discontent because I always want to do more.  But when I focus on what I do have in life and the good things in my life - I have much to be thankful for and I can continue to be motivated to do more, accomplish more, and life the better life that I know God has for me.  Jeremiah 29:11 is a great reminder of that.

Today I am grateful for:  1.  Another beautiful day outside  2.  Remembering the good things in life  3.  Going from pity to gratefulness  4.  Encouragement from friends  5.  Refining the vision

Monday, February 14, 2011

A little Ben & Jerry's makes for a good night...

So it's Valentine's and I am sure that many of you enjoyed a romantic day and candlelit dinners tonight.  I, on the other hand, enjoyed a "single person's" night!  I got a pizza (no meat since it's meatless Monday for me), watched some TV shows I had recorded and then enjoyed Ben & Jerry's Half Baked ice cream!  I have to say it's been a great night and the ice cream was very yummy!  Some might say - aww, that sounds so sad - but I think it's a matter of perspective.  I am very independent so being single is OK with me and since it was Valentine's, I thought Ben & Jerry's would be a treat for myself (that justifies the ice cream, right?).  It is impressive how much you can eat though, when you are watching some of your favorite shows ha!

I did go for a run today.  I am going to run a 1/2 marathon in April so I am trying to get back into the groove of running long distances.  It has been awhile since I have consistently run and I can definitely tell it.  Today after 3 miles I was gasping for breath so we have a ways to go before I can run 13.2 miles!  I do enjoy running though.  The weather has been awesome lately and lots of people have been out and about in my neighborhood.  I always run with my iPod on and one of my favorite songs right now is Adele's Rolling in the Deep!  I listened to it quite a few times and I'm sure that anyone that passed me heard me singing along with Adele!  Running is another time where my thoughts are in overdrive and I always dream about life and the direction mine is going.  I plan on sharing more of that this week in my blog - there's plenty to talk about when it comes to my thoughts. 

Oh, and I did get to see Martha Ann & Wylie (my niece and nephew) over the weekend.  I felt like it had been a really long time and it was great to see them!  At first Martha Ann could have cared less that I was there (in my head I thought she would get so happy to see me - it didn't quite go that way) but it wasn't long before she was giving me hugs and kisses and just chilling with Uncle K-K... and I love those times!  Wylie has changed so much.  He still pretty much just lays around (he's only 2 months old) but he's smiling a lot now and we are definitely becoming buddies now.  We all hung out at Christy's house and it was fun to be with the siblings and some of our friends.  And just like most sibling times with us - there was lots of laughter and crazy conversations.  And we sat around the table eating like there was no tomorrow - but it was healthy foods... for the most part :)

So for all you couples out there - I hope you had a great Valentine's Day and were able to be all "weird and gross" with the one you love.  And for all the singles - I hope you had a great day as well and treated yourself to something extra... like Ben & Jerry's Half Baked ice cream!!

Today I am grateful for:  1.  This morning's focus time dealing with life goals  2.  Beautiful weather today  3.  A decent run  4.  Spending time with family over the weekend  5.  Ben & Jerry's ice cream

Thursday, February 10, 2011

One mile an hour...

For anyone living in the Nashville area, you can probably relate to my story last night.  I was working around downtown Nashville yesterday when it started snowing.  Within a short period of time the snow and ice had covered the streets and made driving very difficult.  I finished up with my customers, packed my car up, looked at my clock and it was 5:45pm.  I was only 10 miles from home and knew that I was going to hit rush hour traffic and in the snow it would take a little longer to get home.  I had no idea.

The first couple of miles weren't bad.  Traffic moved slowly but consistently.  Then I turned on Nolensville Pike.  For those who don't live here just know that I really despise this road because it is normally busy and everyone seems to drive really slow but it is one of those roads that I normally need to take to get home.  As soon as I turned onto the street, all I could see was lines of red brake lights in front of me.  I looked at my TomTom and it said I had 8 miles to go and I would be home.  I knew it might take a little longer than usual but again I had no idea.  After one hour I looked at TomTom again and it said I had 7 miles to go!  I had literally gone only one mile in one hour!  Oh, and I forgot to say that I had started this journey a little frustrated because it had not been the greatest work day for me.  I was also hungry and again, for those who may not know - me and hunger do not go well together!  (Some call it a "Kevin Mood" but I wouldn't say it's that extreme)  I looked at my gas gage and I was getting close to empty so all of this mixed together was not a good combo for me.  Of course, there was nothing I could do about it and I was certainly not the only one going through this - and so I tried singing to the music on the radio and laughing at my ownself - but after another hour went by I looked at TomTom and I had 6 miles to go!  Two miles in two hours!  People that were walking were going faster than we were.  I called my sister, Cara, because I needed some human interaction to calm me down and as usual, we were laughing a lot about the situation and she was able to keep my spirits high despite the hunger issue and threat of running out of gas and being stranded in the freezing cold!  Of course, Cara had made it into her warm home and was enjoying dinner as she tried to give me sympathy.  Oh, and I did call my other sister, Christy.  No answer, but when she did call me back, she gave me a 3 minute time limit on our conversation because it was a commecial break during Modern Family!  (I actually understand though - I would have done the same ha!) 

All I could think was - I have 6 miles to go and at this rate, it will take me 6 more hours before I get home!  Ummm heck no!!  I made my way through a few backroads and found my way to the interstate.  It was moving slowly but traffic was at least moving.   I finally made it home after 3 hours of driving!  It was insane, but once I got home I started hearing other people's horror stories.  It took some people 5 hours to drive a 10-15 mile commute and many people had wrecks or slid off into ditches - so I had to be thankful to even make it home.  It just goes to show that we southerners are not used to all of this snow we've been getting and I also learned that my patience level is not quite what it used to be :) 

In other news, it's been 4 days since I've had a coke of any kind and I'm doing pretty good!  I've also cut back on meat consumption and fast food.  I do have to confess that on the way home I did stop at McDonald's to get food but I felt I deserved it - and I didn't get a coke (although in my opinion, McDonald's has the best coke)

Today was a much better day.  I didn't work because of the snow and so I got a lot of house cleaning done and laundry.  House-cleaning is much more fun with your iPod and dancing around!  I have to say that one of my favorite things is to sit down on the couch knowing my house is very clean!  It's a great feeling!  Let's see what tomorrow brings...

Today I am grateful for:  1.  Getting home safely last night  2.  Cara (and Christy) helping to keep me in a good mood while driving  3.  This morning's focus time talking about serving others  4.  A clean house  5.  My Blue Coast Burrito dinner tonight (it had been awhile) 

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

The love of God...

One of my favorite CD's right now is Passion: Awakening.  It's a great worship CD and I usually start my day off listening to it.  One of the songs is by David Crowder entitled, How He Loves.  I think the lyrics are so descriptive, visual, and profound.  The love between two people is deep, but for those who believe in God, you know that the love between us and our Creator is really deeper than words can express.  I love how this song captures that and I wanted to share the lyrics with each of you: 

He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane, I am a tree


Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.


When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory


And I realize just how beautiful You are, and how great Your affections are for me.




And oh, how He loves us so,


Oh how He loves us,


How He loves us all




We are His portion and He is our prize, drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes


If His grace is an ocean, we're all sinking.


And Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss, and my heart turns violently inside of my chest


I don't have time to maintain these regrets, when I think about, the way He loves us.


Today I am grateful for:  1.  Waking up in a really good mood  2.  Lots of laughter this morning  3.  A $500 gift card for customer service scores last quarter  4.  Enjoying interactions with customers at work  5.  The love of God

Monday, February 7, 2011

Could I ever be a vegan?

Well, first of all, it's been almost a week since I blogged!  I was out of town last week for work and always got back to the hotel so late each night, but that's no excuse.  So here's to getting back to a regular blog and getting these thoughts out there for the world to read :)

Tonight, I want to talk about healthy eating.  It's something that has really become more of a conscious thing for me the past few years.  About three years ago, I did become a vegetarian for almost a year.  That was one of my goals for that year - and I stuck with it and actually enjoyed it.  My goal was to do it for a year and after that was over, I went back to eating meat - but still enjoy vegetarian meals whenever I can. 

With my new job, I travel a lot and dinner time is usually late at night so it has become very convenient to eat more fast food than I normally would.  I also seemed to pick up the habit of drinking more cokes as well.  Of course I know this isn't good for me, but like I said - it was easier while traveling and then it seems to become more of a habit.  Don't get me wrong, I still ate healthy when I could but fast food at 10pm every night for a week just makes you feel gross after awhile! 

I know most of my conversations start this way (and it drives one of my friends crazy ha), but I was watching an Oprah show from the other day and it talked about becoming a more conscious eater.  Robert Kenner, who made the documentary, Food Inc. was on as well as Kathy Freston who is a well-known veganist.  I watched Food, Inc.  about a year ago and highly recommend it.  It will definitely change the way you grocery shop and think about the food you eat.  Kathy Freston talked about the vegan lifestyle and how it's becoming more popular as people educate themselves.  I can say that the idea of eating vegan (which is no animal products of any kind) sounds appealing to me, but I do not believe that I could fully commit to it because I like chocolate too much!  I really do not eat much red meat but I do enjoy chicken and fish.  However, I do want to try and lean into a more vegetarian / vegan lifestyle whenever possible. 

I decided to incorporate Meatless Mondays into my schedule.  I also made the decision to go off coke products for a week.  I started today and it went great!  I had a veggie sandwich from Subway for lunch as well as apples and a bottled water.  For dinner tonight, I made whole grain pasta with lots of fresh vegetables and it was delicious! 

For me, being more conscious of what I eat is all about living a better life.  It's not about trying to lose weight (although I'm starting to see a little extra from those french fries) but it's about being healthier, having more energy, feeling better, and caring about the long term consequences of what I eat now.  So many health problems in later years can be traced back to poor eating choices.  Although I don't think that I could be a full vegan, I can make smart choices whenever possible and feel the good results that will come from that.  I love Cherry Coke and Dr Pepper but maybe they will be more of a treat for me rather than a daily need (yes, I might have been a borderline addict ha!)  I think that we can enjoy some of the "junk foods" but just in moderation.  I do not believe that meat is necessarily bad for us, but again - in moderation.  The idea that every meal has to include a meat is really not necessary. 

If you have any thoughts, experiences, or suggestions- feel free to leave them!  I'm sure I will have more to say on how all of this goes as days go by... especially when I'm craving a Dr Pepper in a couple of days :)

Today I am grateful for:  1.  A great week working in North Carolina  2.  My best work day so far last week  3.  A day off today to get things done  4.  Really good eating choices today  5.  Being out in the snow for a little while   

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Just checking in...

So I only have a few minutes before midnight, so I wanted to check in since I didn't blog last night.  I'm in North Carolina for work this week and really like it here!  It was a great drive up here and really pretty once I got to the Carolinas (that's how we locals refer to it). 

I attended a work meeting yesterday and it was very motivating.  I'm in sales so we have goals that we have to meet and the past few weeks haven't gone as well for me.  However the meeting gave us some great ideas and the final speaker was all about motivation and positive thinking so you know I was all about that topic!  Well, the meeting definitely paid off for me because today was a great work day!  I met my goal and then some!  By nature, I'm really not a salesman so I'm learning as I go - and this type of work is really not high pressure sales so I enjoy that.  Working in churches always makes for great stories and working with all kinds of people.  I need to start writing down some of my experiences during the day so I'll remember to blog about them - people are so funny! 

I did have a unique experience today while working.  I met a little baby boy who was born with a very serious heart condition.  As his mother told me the story, it was definitely a miracle that he was alive.  All parents love their children, but seeing this family together was so encouraging because you could tell how grateful they were to have this incredible baby in their lives.  On the opposite end - I met an older couple, the wife was in a wheelchair, and as the husband began talking, it became evident that his wife was terminally ill and may not live much longer.  For those who don't know, my job is selling pictures with Olan Mills.  I realized that this would probably be the last professional pictures that this couple would have.  It was a humbling moment and even saw my job in a different way.  To see one person beginning life and another coming to the end of their life just motivates me to continue making the most of my time here on earth. 

Well, I'm laying here in a Holiday Inn Express and I have to say - it's really nice!  The rooms are modern and this bed is very very comfortable - I might just sleep in a little while tomorrow!  I am going to sign off here and get to sleep but will hopefully write more during the week.  Oh, and I'm also making a video of my trip so maybe it will turn out good enough to post on facebook this weekend!

Today I am grateful for:  1.  The scenery on the drive up here  2.  Great work meeting and feeling encouraged  3.  Seeing the results of learning today at work  4.  Two very special people I met today  5.  This really comfortable bed!