June 1, 2011 - There are a few things to talk about today! First things first - the 31 days of extreme healthy eating came to an end at midnight last night! I am so proud to say that I did what I set out to do and felt really good about it. Now let me explain to you what happened at midnight last night. Jordan did this extreme healthy eating with me and so we were counting down the minutes until the clock struck midnight - it was so exciting! Laid out to eat were 2 chocolate truffles that my roommate had bought earlier in the month and we had put them in the freezer to save for this moment. There were also a couple of Godiva chocolate truffles as part of the chocolate of the month club. Finally, I made chocolate chip muffins last night to have for breakfast this morning and of course one had to be eaten at midnight as well. We counted down the last few seconds and as soon as the clock said 12:00am we each ate the first truffle. I cannot even begin to describe what it tasted like! It was as if I had never had chocolate before in my life - it was perfection! I felt my body come alive and I promise that I had a small tear coming down my face - yes, it was that good! They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder and I could not agree more. The truffles and the muffins were eaten along with a glass of cold milk - I wanted to slap somebody it was so great! Tonight is Mexican food and I can hardly wait - I hope the restaurant is stocked up on chips and salsa!
Next, we need to talk about these cicadas! Part of me is fascinated by the fact that they only surface every thirteen years. I have yet to learn what their true purpose in life is but it is kinda cool that they come out after thirteen years and do their thing. The negative side to these creatures would be that they are extremely loud, are such a nuisance, and well.... they scare the crap out of me! Those of you who keep up with me on facebook might have seen my post about getting into the car and one was in the floorboard and started flying around and making its noise! Well, you have never seen two guys jumping around or screaming like girls in your life! The other day, I was walking out of the movies and one landed on my shoulder. Jordan just froze (helpful, huh?!) and once I realized what had happened I did the manly thing and proceeded to scream and run! Then today, the nightmare of all nightmares happened. I was walking outside and I passed a tree and all of the sudden what seemed like thousands of cicadas (in reality probably hundreds... OK, maybe 25) jumped off the tree at the same time and started chasing me! I am telling the honest truth - they were chasing me down the sidewalk like I was under attack! I was yelling and running (seems to be my normal reaction) and finally they went away. I had just told someone the other day that it would be the absolute worst for a lot of these little monsters to start chasing me - I guess I should not have put those words out into the universe. People, it was scary!!! I will definitely be glad when their time here is over and we can all go back to living our lives like normal human beings.
I have started working on my new book and I really like the direction it is going in. In fact, after I finish this blog, I plan to spend a few hours working on it and see where it takes me. I love the process of writing because new ideas always come and you never know for sure what direction it will go in. As I continue to write sections I might post some of them on here to get some feedback from you. I am also considering two different titles for the book right now and will probably get opinions on that as well in the future. It is great to be writing about a topic that I am passionate about and love to share with other people: Truly living life to the fullest and overcoming any obstacles that get in the way of us fulfilling that goal.
I hope everyone has a great day! Enjoy a piece of chocolate, do something fun today, and if you see a cicada - run like crazy!
Today I am grateful for: 1. A very productive day yesterday 2. Having chocolate back in my life 3. An exciting morning of possibilities and humor 4. An afternoon off to write 5. Mexican food for dinner tonight
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
The Countdown Has Begun...
As of right now, there are 15.5 hours until the extreme healthy eating ends and some of the things that were given up will slowly make their way back into my life. I say "some" because I really hope to continue giving up things such as fast food and fried foods because we all know it is just bad for our bodies! However, chocolate is the most important "piece of perfection" that I have missed the most. So the plan is to stay up until midnight tonight and partake of chocolate truffles from Godiva as a reward! I can hardly wait! Tomorrow night, Mexican food will be the highlight of the day and you can bet that you will see some smiling faces at El Sombrero as we deplete their stock of chips and salsa!
Thirty-one days has been the longest I have gone without eating some of my favorite food items but I will say that it has been a great challenge for me and I am really glad that I did it. It was a lesson in self-control, a challenge for myself, and a way to clean out my body of "not so good things" and fill it up with "really good things." I did lose 10 pounds in the process - which was not my intention - but I am pretty sure I will gain part of that back pretty quickly, possibly by tomorrow night. This was not easy at times, but the goal was accomplished and my intention was achieved. I really like the concept of "giving up something in hope of something better to come."
Church this past Sunday was great! There were two songs that we sang that really stuck out for me. The first one was How He Loves Us. Every time I hear that song, I am reminded of the depth of God's love and how He is the only one who loves us unconditionally. And 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. If you haven't heard this song, look it up on iTunes. It is definitely one of my favorites.
The other song that really impacted me was the last song we sang. It is called Reign in Us and I wanted to write out part of the words here and hopefully you will look it up as well. You thought of us before the world began to breathe. You knew our names before we came to be. You saw the very day we'd fall away from You. And how desperately we need to be redeemed. Lord Jesus come lead us. We're desperate for Your touch. There is much more to the song but as I sat there listening to the words, I was once again blown away with the power of God's love and how grateful I truly am of all the things He has done in my life and will continue to do.
The pastor spoke on being a peacemaker in a continuing series called, Anything But Ordinary. As with most weeks, I learned a lot about what this scripture means and how it relates to my life and what I need to work on. The main points were that those who are peacemakers are 1. Ruthlessly committed to truth telling. 2. They are humble enough to pray for their enemies. 3. They pursue reconciliation at the risk of their own comfort. 4. Peacemaking isn't the same as peace achieving. One thing he said that I really knew to be true was that many times we will withhold the truth from someone in hopes that it will keep peace between us when in actuality it creates distance and frustration. As hard as it is sometimes, it is better to be honest with someone and work through that rather than choosing to hide the truth. In talking about it and confronting the issues, peace will come - or will eventually come in one way or another. I admit that I am not at the top of the list when it comes to being a peacemaker. I can be when I want to be, but it just does not always come natural to me. My sister, Christy, is a natural peacemaker so look to her for an example of how to do this. My other sister, Cara, well she and I have similar personalities when it comes to this characteristic so we will continue to work on improving ourselves in this area:)
My encouragement today would be to listen to those songs when you get a chance and the next time you are put into a situation where you want to seek revenge, try to make peace instead. The outcome is always better and it helps us to live the better life we are striving for. I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend and looking forward to a really great week!
Today I am grateful for: 1. A very fun, productive weekend 2. Church on Sunday - learning and reflecting 3. The power of songs 4. Completing the extreme healthy eating challenge 5. Only hours left until chocolate will be back in my life!
Thirty-one days has been the longest I have gone without eating some of my favorite food items but I will say that it has been a great challenge for me and I am really glad that I did it. It was a lesson in self-control, a challenge for myself, and a way to clean out my body of "not so good things" and fill it up with "really good things." I did lose 10 pounds in the process - which was not my intention - but I am pretty sure I will gain part of that back pretty quickly, possibly by tomorrow night. This was not easy at times, but the goal was accomplished and my intention was achieved. I really like the concept of "giving up something in hope of something better to come."
Church this past Sunday was great! There were two songs that we sang that really stuck out for me. The first one was How He Loves Us. Every time I hear that song, I am reminded of the depth of God's love and how He is the only one who loves us unconditionally. And 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. If you haven't heard this song, look it up on iTunes. It is definitely one of my favorites.
The other song that really impacted me was the last song we sang. It is called Reign in Us and I wanted to write out part of the words here and hopefully you will look it up as well. You thought of us before the world began to breathe. You knew our names before we came to be. You saw the very day we'd fall away from You. And how desperately we need to be redeemed. Lord Jesus come lead us. We're desperate for Your touch. There is much more to the song but as I sat there listening to the words, I was once again blown away with the power of God's love and how grateful I truly am of all the things He has done in my life and will continue to do.
The pastor spoke on being a peacemaker in a continuing series called, Anything But Ordinary. As with most weeks, I learned a lot about what this scripture means and how it relates to my life and what I need to work on. The main points were that those who are peacemakers are 1. Ruthlessly committed to truth telling. 2. They are humble enough to pray for their enemies. 3. They pursue reconciliation at the risk of their own comfort. 4. Peacemaking isn't the same as peace achieving. One thing he said that I really knew to be true was that many times we will withhold the truth from someone in hopes that it will keep peace between us when in actuality it creates distance and frustration. As hard as it is sometimes, it is better to be honest with someone and work through that rather than choosing to hide the truth. In talking about it and confronting the issues, peace will come - or will eventually come in one way or another. I admit that I am not at the top of the list when it comes to being a peacemaker. I can be when I want to be, but it just does not always come natural to me. My sister, Christy, is a natural peacemaker so look to her for an example of how to do this. My other sister, Cara, well she and I have similar personalities when it comes to this characteristic so we will continue to work on improving ourselves in this area:)
My encouragement today would be to listen to those songs when you get a chance and the next time you are put into a situation where you want to seek revenge, try to make peace instead. The outcome is always better and it helps us to live the better life we are striving for. I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend and looking forward to a really great week!
Today I am grateful for: 1. A very fun, productive weekend 2. Church on Sunday - learning and reflecting 3. The power of songs 4. Completing the extreme healthy eating challenge 5. Only hours left until chocolate will be back in my life!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Meant for More....
Yesterday was a really good day. I began my day with a meaningful focus time. I sat on my front porch and read scripture from Acts and spent some time in prayer and meditation. Instead of asking God for this and that and presenting my problems I chose to just focus on what I was grateful for. I thanked Him for all that He has done in my life and all that He will continue to do. One of my favorite scriptures came to mind - For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you; to give you a hope and a future. I have claimed that verse many times in my life and have seen it proven over and over again. There is something about being outside and spending a focused amount of time alone that really starts your day off right. In those moments, there was a quietness in my soul as well as a strong motivation to be open to the possibilities.
I love the life that I have been given and could write pages and pages about the amazing experiences I have had so far and the incredible people that are in my life. However, I strongly believe that my life is meant for much more. I desire to be used to really make a big difference in the world and some days I feel like I am standing on the edge of seeing that happen. Yes, part of this comes from watching Oprah's final show the other day. She allowed herself to be open to the possibilities and look at how she has made an impact around the world! It takes a lot of hard work and a strong vision for what is to come. The best part of that to me is that we can really only plan so much when it comes to our life. As we leave room for possibilities and allow things to happen organically, our journey can take us to places we never thought would happen. We all have our place in the world and we are not all called to make an "Oprah impact" but I do believe that my calling in life is meant for more than what I am doing now. It does cause a restlessness inside me but also a strong motivation to keep going. What I have been reminded of the last couple of mornings is that I do not want to waste any more time or just keep talking about making a difference. Each and every day I should put action to those desires. My goal today is to spend a lot of time working on my new book. I just want to sit down and start writing and see where it takes me. I do believe that writing this book is the next step in my journey.
One thing I do know is that each of us have a purpose in life and when we realize what that is, we can experience a deeper, more meaningful life. No one should settle for anything less.
Today I am grateful for: 1. A great focus time this morning 2. Running 3 miles yesterday 3. A productive day off 4. Being more focused on my calling in life 5. The chance to work on my book today
I love the life that I have been given and could write pages and pages about the amazing experiences I have had so far and the incredible people that are in my life. However, I strongly believe that my life is meant for much more. I desire to be used to really make a big difference in the world and some days I feel like I am standing on the edge of seeing that happen. Yes, part of this comes from watching Oprah's final show the other day. She allowed herself to be open to the possibilities and look at how she has made an impact around the world! It takes a lot of hard work and a strong vision for what is to come. The best part of that to me is that we can really only plan so much when it comes to our life. As we leave room for possibilities and allow things to happen organically, our journey can take us to places we never thought would happen. We all have our place in the world and we are not all called to make an "Oprah impact" but I do believe that my calling in life is meant for more than what I am doing now. It does cause a restlessness inside me but also a strong motivation to keep going. What I have been reminded of the last couple of mornings is that I do not want to waste any more time or just keep talking about making a difference. Each and every day I should put action to those desires. My goal today is to spend a lot of time working on my new book. I just want to sit down and start writing and see where it takes me. I do believe that writing this book is the next step in my journey.
One thing I do know is that each of us have a purpose in life and when we realize what that is, we can experience a deeper, more meaningful life. No one should settle for anything less.
Today I am grateful for: 1. A great focus time this morning 2. Running 3 miles yesterday 3. A productive day off 4. Being more focused on my calling in life 5. The chance to work on my book today
Thursday, May 26, 2011
A Perfect Ending to the Oprah Show...
So I sat down last night ready to watch the very last Oprah show. I wondered how she would end 25 years of her talk show and how she would wrap up all that has been done in the 4,561 shows (of which I have seen almost every one - I was 10 years old when it started so I may have missed a few of the early shows). I have to say that the last show could not have been more perfect and fitting. It was simply her and the audience and she spoke of what the show has meant for her and the gratitude that she feels for all that have been a part of her journey. I did good watching it and not getting emotional until the last 5 minutes of the show - and then yes, I went into "the ugly cry" and had to take a few moments for myself.
I do want to explain that although some of my friends would disagree - I am not obsessed with Oprah, I do not idolize her, nor do I think that she is some superhuman that we should bow down to. Yes, I am a big fan and have pretty much seen every show she has done but what I believe in is how she has used her life to truly make a difference in the world. I do not know of any other human being in my lifetime that has used their life to its fullest potential more than Oprah. It shows the depth of influence and impact that one person can make. At the heart of who she is, there is love for people, a heart of gratitude, and a sincere desire to be of service in the world. I have such respect for that. That motivates me, it inspires me, it challenges me, it encourages me that what we can experience here on Earth is limitless when we are open to the possibility. We all have people in our life that are inspirations and that without them, our lives would be different. I can say that Oprah is one of those people for me. I know that some of you feel very differently and that is OK. We all are entitled to our opinion and it really makes no difference to me how you feel about her. I am just saying what I have gotten from watching her show and since this is my blog, I am entitled to voice my opinion :)
I did want to point out just a few things that really struck me while watching the final show:
Everybody has a calling, and your real job in life is to figure out what that is and get about the business of doing it. That is what a calling is. It lights you up and lets you know that you are exactly where you're supposed to be doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing. This resonates with me so much and I completely agree with it. There have been times in my life that I knew that I was doing what I was called to do. In those moments it all felt clear and right. My prayer is that my life will line up even more with what my calling is and that I will not waste any more time pursuing anything else. The great thing to me is that no one's calling is more important than the other. We all have our role in the world and we need to pursue it with excellence.
In every way, in every day, you are showing people exactly who you are. You're letting your life speak for you. And when you do that, you will receive in direct proportion to how you give in whatever platform you have. What is my life telling other people about who I really am? Whether it is a brief encounter with a stranger, or hours spent with a good friend of family member - how we conduct ourselves really tells the truth of who we are. We never know how much of an impact we make on others and so we should live our lives in truth and with purpose. And yes I agree that what you put out into the world will come back to you many times over.
My great wish for all of you who have allowed me to honor my calling through this show is that you carry whatever you're supposed to be doing, carry that forward and don't waste any more time. Start embracing the life that is calling you and use your life to serve the world. Don't waste any more time! How often do we let a day go by without making some kind of difference in the world? It might be a small gesture or something big but I truly believe that every night when we go to bed, we should know that in some way we brought more good into the world and that through our lives - God is glorified.
Yes I am going to miss watching The Oprah Show everyday. I know that she has her own network now, but it will not be the same. How many times have I said, Did you watch Oprah today? I am sure that some of my friends will be glad to know that an "Oprah show moment" will not make it into most conversations that we have now, but I am sure I will find some way to keep it going! I have heard her say many times that God can dream a bigger dream for us than we could ever dream for ourselves. There is definite truth in that and my hope is that I will fulfill my calling in life and know that I have made a real difference in the world.
Today I am grateful for: 1. Starting my day off with a great focus time 2. The possibility of a solution 3. Help from a good friend 4. A day off to be productive 5. What the Oprah show has meant to me
I do want to explain that although some of my friends would disagree - I am not obsessed with Oprah, I do not idolize her, nor do I think that she is some superhuman that we should bow down to. Yes, I am a big fan and have pretty much seen every show she has done but what I believe in is how she has used her life to truly make a difference in the world. I do not know of any other human being in my lifetime that has used their life to its fullest potential more than Oprah. It shows the depth of influence and impact that one person can make. At the heart of who she is, there is love for people, a heart of gratitude, and a sincere desire to be of service in the world. I have such respect for that. That motivates me, it inspires me, it challenges me, it encourages me that what we can experience here on Earth is limitless when we are open to the possibility. We all have people in our life that are inspirations and that without them, our lives would be different. I can say that Oprah is one of those people for me. I know that some of you feel very differently and that is OK. We all are entitled to our opinion and it really makes no difference to me how you feel about her. I am just saying what I have gotten from watching her show and since this is my blog, I am entitled to voice my opinion :)
I did want to point out just a few things that really struck me while watching the final show:
Everybody has a calling, and your real job in life is to figure out what that is and get about the business of doing it. That is what a calling is. It lights you up and lets you know that you are exactly where you're supposed to be doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing. This resonates with me so much and I completely agree with it. There have been times in my life that I knew that I was doing what I was called to do. In those moments it all felt clear and right. My prayer is that my life will line up even more with what my calling is and that I will not waste any more time pursuing anything else. The great thing to me is that no one's calling is more important than the other. We all have our role in the world and we need to pursue it with excellence.
In every way, in every day, you are showing people exactly who you are. You're letting your life speak for you. And when you do that, you will receive in direct proportion to how you give in whatever platform you have. What is my life telling other people about who I really am? Whether it is a brief encounter with a stranger, or hours spent with a good friend of family member - how we conduct ourselves really tells the truth of who we are. We never know how much of an impact we make on others and so we should live our lives in truth and with purpose. And yes I agree that what you put out into the world will come back to you many times over.
My great wish for all of you who have allowed me to honor my calling through this show is that you carry whatever you're supposed to be doing, carry that forward and don't waste any more time. Start embracing the life that is calling you and use your life to serve the world. Don't waste any more time! How often do we let a day go by without making some kind of difference in the world? It might be a small gesture or something big but I truly believe that every night when we go to bed, we should know that in some way we brought more good into the world and that through our lives - God is glorified.
Yes I am going to miss watching The Oprah Show everyday. I know that she has her own network now, but it will not be the same. How many times have I said, Did you watch Oprah today? I am sure that some of my friends will be glad to know that an "Oprah show moment" will not make it into most conversations that we have now, but I am sure I will find some way to keep it going! I have heard her say many times that God can dream a bigger dream for us than we could ever dream for ourselves. There is definite truth in that and my hope is that I will fulfill my calling in life and know that I have made a real difference in the world.
Today I am grateful for: 1. Starting my day off with a great focus time 2. The possibility of a solution 3. Help from a good friend 4. A day off to be productive 5. What the Oprah show has meant to me
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Life is about Perspective - and mine has been a little off track...
I made a commitment to be honest and vulnerable in my writings and I want to admit that I have felt a little off recently. I strive to live my life every day with a driven purpose to succeed and make the most of that day. I let myself get distracted and have felt like I was not quite "in the zone." There are a few factors that could have contributed to this. It could be that I have not been running or exercising like I should. It could be that I have not started my day with a focus time in quite awhile. It could be that I have let petty circumstances rule my thoughts instead of remembering the bigger picture. At times I have let worry get the best of me instead of trusting in the answer. Maybe the fact that I have been off chocolate and Mexican food (and all things unhealthy) for almost a month has something to do with it. It also could be that the Oprah show is ending today and it is really affecting me... seriously, I am not looking forward to it! Even as I write all of this down I can see how off track I have really let myself get - I kinda want to slap myself actually. But I guess it is true what they say - the first step is admitting that you have a problem. So in front of all of my blog readers (the thousands... well hundreds.. well...) I will admit that I need to get back on track and get back to the kind of life I was meant to live!
So I will get back to a more productive, more focused morning routine. I will spend less time worrying and more time finding solutions. I will also focus on what is good in my life and remembering how grateful I truly am for the life I get to live each day. I also think that getting chocolate and Mexican food back into my life next week will help too :)
Today I am grateful for: 1. Learning life as I go 2. Motivation to do better 3. Pics of Martha Ann & Wylie that made my day yesterday 4. A good work day 5. Hopefully getting through the last Oprah show today
So I will get back to a more productive, more focused morning routine. I will spend less time worrying and more time finding solutions. I will also focus on what is good in my life and remembering how grateful I truly am for the life I get to live each day. I also think that getting chocolate and Mexican food back into my life next week will help too :)
Today I am grateful for: 1. Learning life as I go 2. Motivation to do better 3. Pics of Martha Ann & Wylie that made my day yesterday 4. A good work day 5. Hopefully getting through the last Oprah show today
Monday, May 23, 2011
Making progress, a little stupidity, and a new word = a great weekend!
It has definitely been a full and productive weekend! Let's start with my "I'm an idiot" part first. For those who do not know I work for a photography company and I travel to various churches and handle the sales part of everything. I have about five bags of supplies that I have to carry with me all the time. This past Saturday, I worked at a church in Chattanooga. In order to get there in time, I needed to leave my house at 6:30am, which I did. I had to rent a car for the weekend and they gave me a HHR, which I have to say that I am not a big fan of but it served its purpose. I drove the 2 hours it takes to get there and was enjoying my morning ride - the weather was nice and great songs were playing on the radio. When I arrived at the church, I went to unload everything out of my car and when I opened the back door I saw absolutely nothing! And then it hit me - because I had a rental car I had put all of my work bags in my garage and somehow I had walked right past them and drove all the way to Chattanooga without my much needed supplies! I felt like a complete idiot and just kept saying, "Kevin, how stupid can you be?!" Well, my saving grace was that I did have a couple of things that were essential to my sales and I was able to make do with that. It ended up being a good day, but I still could not believe that I drove all the way there - singing and having a good time - while my work supplies sat at home. That was a lesson in staying focused, staying present, and well... just not being stupid.
Yesterday was a better day! Church was really good. The pastor is continuing his series on, Anything But Ordinary, and yesterday he spoke on showing mercy. One thing that stuck out to me was the fact that many times we do not show mercy to others because we feel the need to control and manipulate them. I may or may not be guilty of this at times but the truth is - none of us are perfect and we are all in need of mercy. If we want to receive mercy, then we should show mercy. It was a really great message and as always, that hour is one of the highlights of my week. After church it was finally time to make some more progress on my courtyard in the back. This was a project I started last summer and I am determined to complete it this summer. Four bushes have now been planted and I know that does not seem like a lot, but it was - and there were two of us working on it! I would say that sweat, exhaustion, and the need for water means that we worked very hard, right? Small steps at a time, it will be completed and finally look like a real courtyard instead of just a pile of dirt and rocks.
Finally, the new word I learned yesterday was chutney. The recipe for dinner last night called for chutney and I had no idea what it was. So as we went shopping at Publix (my favorite grocery store by the way), we searched high and low for this mystery product and with the help of one of the workers we found it and it was really good in the chicken! And for anyone that does not know what it is - chutney is a relish, kind of jelly like substance. This particular kind had a mango base to it and it added a lot of flavor to the chicken - I recommend it!
Two final thoughts: There are nine days left in this extreme healthy eating month! I am definitely enjoying being more conscious of what I eat, exercising self-discipline, and knowing that my body is being filled with good things. I also am very much looking forward to June 1st when chocolate and chips & salsa will be a part of my day! My last comment is a sad one. There are only three more Oprah shows left. We all know how much of a fan I am of Oprah's show and I am a little concerned about how my state of mind will be on Wednesday of this week. I am working that day, so I will have to wait until that night to watch her final show - but I am warning you now, it will not be a pretty sight around my house. I will probably write more about that on Thursday :)
Today I am grateful for: 1. Making things work despite my forgetfulness. 2. Great service at church and being reminded to show mercy to others. 3. Making progress on the courtyard 4. Really good dinner last night 5. A full and productive weekend
Yesterday was a better day! Church was really good. The pastor is continuing his series on, Anything But Ordinary, and yesterday he spoke on showing mercy. One thing that stuck out to me was the fact that many times we do not show mercy to others because we feel the need to control and manipulate them. I may or may not be guilty of this at times but the truth is - none of us are perfect and we are all in need of mercy. If we want to receive mercy, then we should show mercy. It was a really great message and as always, that hour is one of the highlights of my week. After church it was finally time to make some more progress on my courtyard in the back. This was a project I started last summer and I am determined to complete it this summer. Four bushes have now been planted and I know that does not seem like a lot, but it was - and there were two of us working on it! I would say that sweat, exhaustion, and the need for water means that we worked very hard, right? Small steps at a time, it will be completed and finally look like a real courtyard instead of just a pile of dirt and rocks.
Finally, the new word I learned yesterday was chutney. The recipe for dinner last night called for chutney and I had no idea what it was. So as we went shopping at Publix (my favorite grocery store by the way), we searched high and low for this mystery product and with the help of one of the workers we found it and it was really good in the chicken! And for anyone that does not know what it is - chutney is a relish, kind of jelly like substance. This particular kind had a mango base to it and it added a lot of flavor to the chicken - I recommend it!
Two final thoughts: There are nine days left in this extreme healthy eating month! I am definitely enjoying being more conscious of what I eat, exercising self-discipline, and knowing that my body is being filled with good things. I also am very much looking forward to June 1st when chocolate and chips & salsa will be a part of my day! My last comment is a sad one. There are only three more Oprah shows left. We all know how much of a fan I am of Oprah's show and I am a little concerned about how my state of mind will be on Wednesday of this week. I am working that day, so I will have to wait until that night to watch her final show - but I am warning you now, it will not be a pretty sight around my house. I will probably write more about that on Thursday :)
Today I am grateful for: 1. Making things work despite my forgetfulness. 2. Great service at church and being reminded to show mercy to others. 3. Making progress on the courtyard 4. Really good dinner last night 5. A full and productive weekend
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Standing On The Edge...
I feel like now is a great time for me to start writing another book. I have spent the last few weeks and months wanting to be inspired as to what to write about. One day I would like to attempt to write a novel, but for now there is no motivation to do so. Instead, I am convinced that I should write about what is most on my mind these days and what I am constantly learning in my own life. A couple of weeks ago while at church, the pastor mentioned the phrase - Standing on the Edge. When he said that, it was like a light bulb went off because I knew that I should consider this as a title for my next book. I immediately wrote the phrase down and began thinking about that idea. It would encompass the concept of truly living life to the fullest and what holds us back from actually living the life of our dreams. I know that it is something that I am passionate about and have so many opinions, thoughts, and ideas that I do not think it would be hard to write an entire book on this subject. The topic may not be original but I believe that I can infuse stories from my own life and lessons I have learned to give it a unique twist.
I began working on an outline for the book and I came up with topics such as: Defining your life's purpose, the idea of surrender and giving up control, the laws of attraction, motivations in life, living the life of our dreams, the power of gratitude, and learning from others. For those of you that have read, The Journey, it would be expanding somewhat on the last chapter of the book. It is actually one of my favorite chapters and talks about making the most of each day, being grateful, and living out our faith. My intention for writing this new book would be to encourage, challenge, and motivate others but I also believe that the process of writing on this topic would keep my own life in check and keep me focused on my goals and living out my own life's purpose.
I am definitely in the very beginning stages of this so we will see where it takes me but I am excited about beginning a new project and being able to do something that I love - writing!
Update: It has been 17 days on my healthy eating month and there are a couple of observations I would like to make. 1. I have lost weight in the process, which was not my intention (except a flatter stomach is nice!) - so I am going to have to make sure that I still get enough food in each day. 2. Out of everything, I am craving 2 things more than anything else: chocolate and chips & salsa. I do think about them constantly but I am determined to make it for the next 14 days without giving in.
Today I am grateful for: 1. The gift of today 2. A great phone call last night with lots of laughter 3. Finding inspiration to write 4. Mom and Woody leaving today on the trip of a lifetime - Hawaii! 5. Only 14 more days until I can eat chocolate again!
I began working on an outline for the book and I came up with topics such as: Defining your life's purpose, the idea of surrender and giving up control, the laws of attraction, motivations in life, living the life of our dreams, the power of gratitude, and learning from others. For those of you that have read, The Journey, it would be expanding somewhat on the last chapter of the book. It is actually one of my favorite chapters and talks about making the most of each day, being grateful, and living out our faith. My intention for writing this new book would be to encourage, challenge, and motivate others but I also believe that the process of writing on this topic would keep my own life in check and keep me focused on my goals and living out my own life's purpose.
I am definitely in the very beginning stages of this so we will see where it takes me but I am excited about beginning a new project and being able to do something that I love - writing!
Update: It has been 17 days on my healthy eating month and there are a couple of observations I would like to make. 1. I have lost weight in the process, which was not my intention (except a flatter stomach is nice!) - so I am going to have to make sure that I still get enough food in each day. 2. Out of everything, I am craving 2 things more than anything else: chocolate and chips & salsa. I do think about them constantly but I am determined to make it for the next 14 days without giving in.
Today I am grateful for: 1. The gift of today 2. A great phone call last night with lots of laughter 3. Finding inspiration to write 4. Mom and Woody leaving today on the trip of a lifetime - Hawaii! 5. Only 14 more days until I can eat chocolate again!
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