Refocusing...

A statement in my morning devotional jumped off my "smarter-than-me" phone screen & practically slapped me in the face:

"If you know how to worry, you know how to meditate!  All you need to do is change what you think about and you will be practicing Christian meditation." (Nicky & Pippa Gumbel from HTB in London)

Wow... this rocked me back on my heels.  I've often thought if worry was an occupation, I could be a CEO - if it were an Olympic event, I'd have gold medals lining my trophy shelf.

As a Christ follower, when I worry I feel guilt = "Why isn't my faith strong enough to overcome this?" I question myself... "Do I know love Jesus enough?"  or "I'm doing it wrong" I complain to myself.

A simple shift in focus is in order.  Instead of giving power to whatever it is I'm worrying about at the moment, I need to remember the fact that Jesus gave His life on the cross for me.  He paid it all.

A New Day...

I've been struggling with a less than congenial attitude as of late.  I've blamed it on various factors: the never-ending winter here in the Northeast; aches / pains / headaches; the unpredictability of my work flow...

To be honest, I've just been making a choice to put on my crabby pants and be snippy with my beloved husband.  I was doing some serious wallowing in my prolonged pity party.

Today I chose differently...

I got out of bed shortly after our alarm starting playing hits from the 70's & 80's and started a new morning routine:  I sat myself down at my desk and cracked open one of my devotional books and then another; next, I pressed play on one of my Leslie Sansone Walk At Home DVDs and did a mile while never leaving the house.  The rest of my morning played out as normal with a shower, breakfast, coffee and a twenty-minute drive to work.

After a full day at the office and some time updating our worship backgrounds on the multi-media computer, I'm feeling tired - but not exhausted (like I have been feeling for the last several months).  Tonight I get to hang out with my musical friends in the Worship Team Life Group.

Venturing Into Another Bloggy Adventure...

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What's an Echo?

Until recently, I thought an echo was "a sound or series of sounds caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface back to the listener" (as defined by my trusty resource Google) - but I found out there is an amazing device called an Amazon Echo  

My friend Kristina explained what this puppy can do, but I felt I had to do a little more research on my own.  So of course, I headed over to Amazon to check it out.  In short, it is an amazing device which made me think we are beginning to live in a Star Trek-like world.  

While reading through the reviews, I stumbled upon an entertaining entry from a sci-fi author & now I'm off to fire up my Kindle to download his e-book... Live Long & Prosper

Choices

The intent for today = arrive at the office 1/2 early to get "a jump" on things.


The mistake = leaving my office key in my blue bag & taking my brown bag


The discovery of said mistake = when I pulled into the parking lot at work.


The choice = kick myself in the butt all day, turning the oversight into a grand tragedy or suck it up and enjoy a daytime drive home to retrieve my office key.

Death to Procrastination

Today, I engaged in various activities to end my natural tendency toward procrastination and it felt great!

First, I completed today's reading - my church has a corporate reading program where we all read the same Bible verses during the week.  (My previous mode of operation is to read the entire weeks worth on Saturday.)  Today we read Psalm 4 which sent me on a trip down memory lane to when I was a member of a Lutheran Youth choir called "Sing for Joy".  Ahhhh, those were the "good ole days" when we all had matching outfits and put on concerts for the folks in the convalescent home.

On my way to work, I made a stop that I've been meaning to do since before Christmas. I delivered my Christmas Jar.  For the last several years, our pastors have encouraged us to fill our mason jar with spare change during the year.  The intent is to give the jar away as a way to bless others and remind them that God is thinking of them.  I was fairly certain of the neighbor who was to be the recipient of my jar, but I just couldn't get my guts up to stop by to give it to them.  Prompted by Sunday's sermon "Procrastination - One of the Rocks in our Shoes", I ignored my fear & pulled into the driveway, knocked on the door and said "This is for you."  The lady of the house was leery at first, but was very thankful. It was a blessing for me too.

After a full and productive day at the office, I headed over to my local YMCA and turned in my membership application.  In 2011, I started my fitness journey and developed a steady at home workout schedule with my resistance bands & my Chalene Extreme DVD's.  I was a consistent until I April of 2012 and I fell off the fitness bandwagon.  Today, the inactivity came to a close - I paid my prorated membership fee, found out that the normal sign up fee was waived (BONUS), got a tour of the facility, borrowed a combination lock & signed myself up for a spin class. I thought I was going to just keel over half way through, but I toughed it out and completed 11 miles - Wooo Hooo!

Playing with Google

Tonight, I stumbled upon a website which clued me in on several cool Google tricks.  I fell in love with #2 on the list (probably because I've always thought #2 tries harder) = Goglogo

I proceeded to create some custom logos...

I did have to engage in some "monkey work" to get these puppies saved as image files - but the cutting and pasting of the characters was worth it.

Side Effects

As a rule, the thoughts rampaging through my brain are diverse and abundant.  Since attending the Relay for Life Eastern Region Divisional Summit this weekend in Secaucus, New Jersey, my brain has exploded.  The ideas and concepts presented set me on fire.  NOT just for Relay, but for all phases of my life.

Be warned!  All synapses are firing at an alarming rate and I am exuding an abundance of passion for life in general.

Has this ever happened to you?

I had a line from a movie pop into my head this morning:  Listen to it here

I had to Google to remember the source of the quote (because the coffee has yet to kick in this morning).  When the You Tube link popped up I was amazed at myself for not remembering that these words were uttered through Clint Eastwood's clenched teeth.  (We are HUGE Clint fans in this house).

The hubster was concerned that I was attempting to send him a subtle message about something he did - or was thinking about doing.  I quickly reassured him that this advice was for me: I am on the verge of spreading myself too thin (as is my habit, because I have a speech impediment which makes it difficult for me to say the word "No" to people).

I am a habitual people-pleaser who avoids conflict and hard feelings at all costs.  As a result, I easily over-commit myself to help friends when I should be taking care of myself or my family.  Well, that buck stops here today!  For once, I actually saw it coming before it happened.  (Hooray for me!)

So - What's it gonna be?

Today is yet another opportunity to make choices:

• what do I eat for breakfast?
• dark magic or donut shop coffee from the Keurig?
• does the dog get a crunchy dog biscuit or one of her special bacon treats after performing her morning constitutional?
• oh, and can't forget the wardrobe for the day - will I be leaving the house (which forces a certain level of decorum) or do I get to just hang around the house for the day?
• then there is the all important attitude... will I pattern my outlook after the concept "the glass is half full" or will I be more like Eeyore?

Circumstances come and go. I can moan about the rain or think of it as "liquid sunshine."  We all have the chance to make choices in our lives.  So, what's it gonna be?

Is it just me?

When someone says to me "you can't miss it.", I think to myself, "you don't know me very well."

When told NOT to do something, THAT thing is the ONLY thing I want to do.

When someone tells me to "forget about it" - I find it impossible to do so.

Just wondering...

How Quickly Things Can (and Do) Change

My Friday dawned to find me in full blown anticipation for the start of the Relay for Life event.  My team mates from Team Tied Together have been fundraising since the beginning of the year and tonight at six the opening ceremonies for the 2012 Saratoga Springs Relay for Life - Time for a Cure will start.

My morning at the office was quiet and uneventful.  I was starting to think I would be able to call it a day earlier than usual, so I could go help get tables set up for the Survivor reception, but then the phone rang.  A sheriff was on the line calling to inform the pastors that one of our member had been killed in a motorcycle accident today.  He was the one who went to the house to break the news to the wife and had volunteered to make calls and stay with her until other family members could get to the house. 

Both of the pastors took off for the house, so I am left struggling to process the emotions raging within me.  My heart aches for the wife and daughters he left behind.  The swiftness of their tragic loss is mind boggling.  My stomach is in knots and yet my eyes are dry.

I am struck by the thought that this area has been inundated with motorcyclists due to the annual Americade gathering. There are warning signs along the highway remindig the motorists to watch out for the riders.  It just seems inconceivable that this has happened.

Products I Would Love to Have - NOW

Ever see the movie "Fifth Element"?  It has flying cars & space travel and intergallactic opera singers and such.  The scene which sticks in my head shows Zorg's (the bad guy) secretary sitting at her desk changing her nail color just by inserting her fingertips into a chubby little container which vaguely resembles a lip stick case.  Presto, chang-o new pretty nails.

My Very Own Time Capsule

Today I was the lucky recipient of a package sent by my sister. Inside was a collection of photos (spanning early childhood to me with my newborn son), my year book from eighth grade, old report cards, some of my artwork (one item documenting my first day of first grade), plus a bunch of letters I wrote to my mom over the years along with a few other items of sentimental value.

Talk about a blast from the past!

Getting Into a New Groove

Three short weeks ago, I started a new job and I LOVE it!  I get to work with some great people, doing things I love to do, and so far, it really doesn't feel like "work."  (I know, I know, it has only been three weeks, but I'm still driving to work each morning with a goofy smile on my face and I come home happy every day!)

Now that I am feeling more secure with my job duties, I need to get myself back into an exercise routine.  (I fell off the fitness wagon a couple of months ago due to a bout with a sinus infection which knocked me on my butt.)  I've been able to get back to semi-regular crafting sessions - which really contributes to my outlook, but I have yet to lace up the sneakers and don my workout gear.  While I don't believe my husband would join in my workouts, but I think I need to draft him as a motivatoring force to get me back into the groove of hopping out of bed, mixing up a recovery shake & making my fat cells cry for 20 to 45 minutes in the morning.

I am Grateful for...

• My Faith = it is the foundation of my existence.
• My Health:  this coming week promises to be busy and filled with diverse activities.  I am so thankful that the sinus infection that knocked me on my butt is out of my system.
• My Husband:  Mike is the most understanding man I've ever had in my life.  He supports me in all my endeavors (even when he secretly thinks they could be hare-brained schemes).
• My Family and Friends:  they have been and always will be a fabulous support system for me.
• My technical abilities and my love of learning.  These really go hand-in-hand because so much of my computer skills have been gleaned from watching techies tinker with my computers and the premise that "if it is already broken, what harm could come from messing with it?"

I am a firm believer in keeping a gratitude journal.  Each evening, right before I hit the sack, I take a few minutes to jot down items from my day for which I am grateful.  Saturday evening I made an entry:  "I am grateful Steve has a check for Mike."  (Steve is the contractor my hubby sub-contracts under).  The very next day, the hubster picked up a check from the guy.

Handshakes

I believe I have an overblown expectation when it comes to handshakes, thanks in no small part to my dear departed mother. She taught her daughters to have a firm handshake "You want someone to know you are THERE" she would tell us as we practiced with her.  Knuckle-busting was discouraged, while the full palm to palm contact was the goal.

As a female of the species, I don't have a ton of occasions where the handshake is practiced.  (I more of a hugger anyway.)  But when the opportunity arises, I strive to live up to the lesson my mother bestowed upon me so long ago.  That is why I get so frustrated when I am met with a half shake or the "dead fish".  Let me explain.

The half shake = your opponent grabs hold of your hand prematurely and you only have a grasp on their fingers. This could be a sign of commitment issues on the part of the half-shaker. While the "dead fish" has the appearance of a great handshake, except there is absolutely NO pressure or resistance offered.   YUCK - I really despise those!

[rant complete]

thanks....I feel better now

meanwhile....a story gets posted on Yahoo: 

What Your Handshake Says About Your Health


kinda cool that my need to rant about this topic happened this morning...

A Couple of my Favorite Quotes

"Everything is easy, when you know how" ~ Joe Walden

"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'!" ~ Audrey Hepburn

Hope Is Never Lost

Hope is the basis of my faith.  

Sometimes it can be hidden from view, obscured by our daily toils, but it must never be abandoned.

Behave Like a Christian

⁹ Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;¹¹ not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;¹² rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; ¹³ distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. 

~ Romans 12:9-13 (NKJV)

Happy February!

Ground Hog Day has always been a favorite of mine.  I guess because it seems to give me a reason to start celebrating my birthday month.  I wonder how many times the movie will be shown in the next 24 hours.

I got curious about some other important happenings in February and I found the following at www.entourages.com/barbs/february.htm

France surrendered Canada to Great Britain by the Treaty of Paris, February 10, 1763.

English essayist and critic Charles Lamb born February 10, 1775.

There are a bunch of other facts, plus she has pages for all twelve months too.

My Google search also turned up http://familycrafts.about.com/library/spdays/blfebdayslong.htm which enlightened me that.....

• February is International Friendship Month
  Check out my page for this special day!
• February is National Cherry Month
• February is National Embroidery Month
• February is National Grapefruit Month

among other things.