What really matters...

Sidelined.  So I have been meaning to write posts for a couple days now and I haven't actually even turned my computer on until today - I've just been checking stuff on my Kindle.  But between Wednesday (4) Thursday (5), and Saturday(6), I ran 15 miles, and I now have 13 miles to go.  And I had this great plan - I was going to run another 6 today and then 4 in the morning tomorrow, and 3 in the evening to arrive at Bethlehem right at midnight.  It was a great plan, until I spent most of last night dealing with a stomach bug, which led to spending most of today in bed.  So I am going to be a little late arriving in Bethlehem.  But it's still pretty impressive that I was able to run 67 miles in 19 days.

Goals.  We all have them, but this running to Bethlehem has reminded me how much easy they are when specific and clearly defined.  Yesterday I finished the book Not a Fan  by Kyle Idleman.  I know I have talked about this study several times in my blog, and there is another blog post processing, but the basic premise is that many people who call themselves Christian are not actually following Jesus.  They are more like fans cheering for Jesus from the sidelines. So yesterday as I was running, I was thinking about how having a specific goal of running 80 miles has spurred me to be more consistent in my running and to run longer distances.  Through all of September, October, and November, I ran about once a week, occasionally twice, and there were 2 weeks in there I didn't run at all. I also never ran more than 4 miles, and I only ran 4 a handful of times.  Most of the times I ran it was around a 5k distance (3.1 miles).  In contrast,  I have run 11 of the past 15 days (it will b

Sorry I didn't manage a post the past couple of days.  I wish I could say I was busy running and didn't have time or energy to do both, but the truth was I didn't do either on Saturday or Sunday.   Saturday was a crazy day and Sunday I was exhausted.  But today (I consider it the same day until I go to bed for the night unless I'm at a lock-in), I am finally back to both. I ran 4 miles today (that brings me up to 46.5, 33.5 to go - yikes!), and as I ran I was reminded of the importance of water.  I did not hydrate well today, or over the weekend, and I definitely felt that as I ran tonight. And I was reminded that there is more to running than the running itself.  Sleep, nutrition, and hydration all play important roles.  And I haven't been doing a super great job on any of those, so when I ran tonight, I felt tired and draggy and had a dehydration cramp that I had to push through.  I managed to still do 4 miles, but it wasn't pretty. As we run through life,

Today was kind of a crazy day for me, so this morning as I was trying to figure out my schedule for the rest of the day and the best way to fit everything in, I decided that my best option was to run to the church, do the work I needed to do, and then finish my run with whatever time I still had after that.   I usually can't run to the church because I have things to take with me or people to meet, but today I had a very specific list of things that I needed to do which required nothing I had at home and were all about getting organized for tomorrow and finishing up a couple tasks I started yesterday. So that's what I did.  And as I decided to interweave my work and running schedules, and I thought about my post from yesterday, I started thinking about how sometimes we think we need to set aside time for God.  I'm not saying that's a bad thing - in fact, I do think setting aside time to pray and read the Bible is important, even though I freely admit I struggle with t

I really did run this morning.  It wasn't early morning because, well, I avoid those as much as possible, but I did run before noon.  However, I was busy the rest of the day, and am just now getting around to writing this blog post.  I needed to clarify that because my thought this morning as I was running was how much better I felt running this morning than I felt running in the evening earlier in the week because earlier in the week I was running at the end of crazy busy days. As I considered that, I realized that is why God wants our first and best.  God doesn't just want what's left over after we finish with everything else on our schedule.  Which is what I tend to do - it's pretty clear just from how late I'm writing this post.  I've been home more than 2 hours and am just now getting around to the writing of it. But God wants all of us - our best and even what's left after we have given our best.

I have a quote somewhere that says, "I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several of them attack me at once."  That is how I have felt the last 2 days.   There is far too much to do, and far too little time to do it all.  So I remind myself to do what I can, focusing on what absolutely needs done and prioritizing the rest, remembering that tomorrow is a new day and the world will not end if that one thing does not get accomplished.   Yesterday, I prioritized my run at the end of my day because I needed a stress relief, but decided not to take the time for the blog.  Today I am prioritizing cleaning, then attempting to get to bed early so I can run in the morning.  So this holiday season, when the craziness hits you, remember that things don't have to be perfect. Don't hold yourself to impossible standards.  Do what you can, and let go of what you can't.  And don't forget to take some time to just breathe and appreciate the miracle that is Christma

Today was another day with a lack of motivation.   I had a busy afternoon at the office, followed by finishing up some things at home, heading to the middle school band concert, and grocery shopping.  By the time I got home, it was almost 10pm, and I was exhausted.  But I was already 2 miles behind since I didn't run yesterday, and I didn't want to be 6 miles behind tomorrow, so I got my butt in gear and went to the treadmill. Unlike other nights, I didn't have something in mind to watch on tv while I ran, so I spent the first bit of my run flipping through channels.  And by the time I found something to watch, I had gone a half mile, and I found myself thinking about focus.  See I rarely actually enjoy running.  I enjoy the after effects of running - my body feels better, I feel better about myself, and I look better when I run on a regular basis.  But the actual running is only occasionally enjoyable, and with the level of exhaustion, tonight was definitely not one of

Rest is not something we do very well in our modern culture.  We find ourselves constantly on the go and overextended in our schedules - especially this time of year with all of the shopping, parties, concerts, and other things to do on top of our normal busy schedules.   I know that I have come to a point where I try to schedule rest in my life, but even doing that, I am not great at protecting that time.  I am going on a retreat in February that is focused on refueling and reenergizing for youth pastors. But the thing I have noticed is that when I make time to rest, I actually get more done when I am trying to do productive.  Most notably for me is that when I actually take my day off on Monday and rest, I am significantly more productive on Tuesdays than I am when I am incredibly busy on Mondays.  And did you know it's easier to eat healthy when you get enough sleep because you get your energy from sleeping rather than your body wanting more and more calories to get it's

Today was a late run and filled with lots of stops and starts for various reasons - too hot, too cold, my shoe untied, planning to stop and then deciding to go another mile.  And as I kept stopping and starting the treadmill, I realized that I do the same thing in my faith journey.  I get going on a good path and then I get distracted.  For me, it's usually "good" things that end up distracting me, like getting busy with work or saying yes to too many things people ask of me.  But when I say yes to so many things, I stretch myself too thin and neglect things like sleep, cleaning, me time, and time for me and God tend to fall by the wayside.   But the good news is that God allows me to get back on track - as many times as I need.  I just need to keep paying attention to where my priorities are, see if they line up with what I want them to be, and keep working toward those goals. 22 miles in, 58 miles to go.

Surprisingly, motivation wasn't as challenging today despite running less than 12 hours after finishing a 5 mile run.  Part of it was probably that I knew I only wanted to do a short run since I didn't have a lot of time and I plan to do a long run tomorrow.  And part of it was probably just that it was morning, and I was rested.  At any rate, I did my first outdoor run of this journey despite the not so great weather.  It was just drizzling, not full on raining, so that was good.  But it was still cold and wet.  And I took Tinkerbell.  As I was running, I found myself wondering what people driving past me were thinking.  Did they think I was crazy? But then I'm sure a lot of people thought Mary and Joseph were crazy while they were on their journey.  I mean, they had been visited by angels, but their friends and family (other than Zechariah and Elizabeth) hadn't.  But then there are a lot of people who were thought to be crazy because they were doing what God told th

So today I decided to lighten things up a bit - but don't worry, I'll blow your mind at the end by taking it serious :-P. Ok so today while running I was watching the Big Bang Theory.  I have been thinking whether the fact that I have been watching TV while running will cause me to focus less on the purpose.  But I really can't handle the treadmill without the tv.  One of these days I'll run at a reasonable hour so that I can run outside, but in the meantime, TV it is.  So anyway, I was watching Big Bang Theory which reminded me of my all time favorite scene from the Big Bang Theory - which happens to be a Christmas scene.  Here it is because there is no way I could describe it in all it's amazingness:  I love that scene.  Everytime I watch it, it makes me laugh.  But when I was thinking about this while running and thinking whether I could possibly tie it into my blog (because hey - what else did I have to do during commercial breaks while running?)  And h

So today I really didn't want to run.  After the 5 miles yesterday, my legs were tired.  Then I had a full day today as Wednesdays are one of my crazy days at the church.  I had an afternoon full of 5th and 6th graders.  And Taco Bell for dinner.  So no, I didn't really want to run. But I had 75 miles to go before Christmas.  So I put it off as long as I could, then changed into running clothes and went to the gym.  I'm not gonna lie - I was hoping the fitness center at my apartment was closed when I went over there. I know it closes but I couldn't remember if it was 10 or 11 when it did.  It's 11.  I went at 10:15 so I got in no problem. And I ran.  I didn't run fast.  I set a nice easy pace of a 10:30 mile on the treadmill (who would have thought I would say that was an easy pace), and went for it.  And I ended up going farther than I planned, because once I got started it felt good to move, and I figured I might as well keep going. I can imagine feeling

So today one of my Facebook friends issued a challenge to take the 80 mile journey to Bethlehem in the days leading up to Christmas, and I decided to take her up on it.  But in an effort to make it more than simply motivation to get back into my running (even though that is also a good thing), I want to make sure I am thinking about what Mary and Joseph went through on the journey to the arrival of their baby boy. So the beginning.  As I thought about this challenge this afternoon before I committed to it (by telling my roommate who is also my running buddy - there's no coming back from that!), it felt a little overwhelming.  My schedule is kind of crazy and I have not been running very consistently lately.  In fact, tonight's run was my first since Thanksgiving.  So averaging about 4 miles a day between now and Christmas seems like A LOT. But then I think about how overwhelming it must have been for Mary and Joseph.  I mean in the midst of all the rest of the craziness of

Sermon: Inscrutable By Katy Wright November 18, 2012 Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13 I just heard that song for the first time last weekend.  I was at Fort Rapids with a group of youth and the band who sings that song was there for a concert and they sang that song which resonated with me. And each time I listen to it, I am more convicted and reminded of what we are called to be as the people of God.   We are called to be the proof of God’s love in the world today.   The question is, are we?  Are we the proof of God’s love? Because the world needs love.  I remember during camp training talking about how kids who are acting out are often the ones who are hurting the most.  The ones who are being bullies are doing so because they are trying to distract you from the ways they are hurting but what they really need is someone to tell them they are worth loving just the way they are.  And there are a lot of people like this in the world today – people who are hard to love

It has definitely been interesting living in Ohio during this election season.  And by interesting, I mean frustrating, annoying, and all sorts of other not so happy things.  But tomorrow is election day.  I have come close to the point where I really am just excited for it to be over so that all the political ads will end.  But the damage that was done during the campaign is really not so easy to fix.  So here are a few things I believe are important for tomorrow and beyond. 1.  Whoever wins, God is still sovereign.  I have done my research and I know how I am voting for each office and issue that will be on my ballot.  But let's just focus on president because that is the one that all registered voters have on the ballot.    Please remember that  Mitt Romney and Barack Obama are both people, created by the same loving God who created you.  And perhaps more importantly, the people who voted for them are also people that God created and loves. I think all the negativity and att

I used to be a treadmill runner.  When I went for a run, I went to the little fitness center in my apartment complex and got on the treadmill for 30+ minutes.  It worked.  I could watch tv while I did it, so I was multitasking.  But I never really went anywhere.  Then I started running outside - where there are real things to see, where I can tell how far I am going based on the things that I pass instead of numbers on a screen.  And I'll be honest, I have a hard time running on a treadmill now.  It's a lot prettier outside. A lot of us are spending our lives running on treadmills.  I know because I spend a lot of time on what I am going to call the "To do list treadmill."  I said to someone recently that I am on one of those people movers at the airport, but I'm going the wrong way, and someone keeps speeding it up, so I keep running faster and faster, but all I do is lose ground.  Do you feel that way?  Do you feel like for each thing you cross off your to do

I have seen this dog's diary/cat's diary many times, and laughed in remembering it even more times.   Tinkerbell, my roommate's dog, definitely is represented in the dog's diary.  She is so excited when someone gets home that despite her small size she bounces to waist height over and over again.  And if you mention the word walk, more bouncing ensues.  She likes to chase her toy all over the apartment - as many times as you throw it she will chase it.  But she is also content to sit beside one of her human friends and just relax, like she is right now as I write this.  But I know that if I were to get up and go back to my bedroom for something, she would get up and follow me.   Earlier today, after my devotions, I was watching Tinkerbell and this diary of a dog and cat came into my mind again.  And I started wondering, which one better represents me in my life?  Am I excited and joyful to be alive?  Do I truly appreciate all the amazing things that I am ab

That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.  ~ 2 Corinthians 12:10 But now that you know God - or rather are known by God - how is that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces?  Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? ~  Galatians 4:9 My devotional today had both of these verses in it, which got me thinking.  I am a very self-sufficient person. I always have been.  As a young child, I once disappeared from where I was playing (while at my aunt and uncle's house) and my parents found me in sleeping in the bedroom they told me was mine while we were there.  And when I got older, if I got sick in the middle of the night, I would often change my own sheets without waking my parents up.  So you can imagine that weakness and relying on someone else doesn't really come easily to me - even when that someone is the one who created me. I had

So this past weekend I decided that I should start actually making a few of the things I have pinned on Pinterest.  And I have done quite a few - so I thought I'd share some reviews here: Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies We'll start with the most recent first - I made these just today because I had some brown bananas to use - and I just made a variation of  banana bread over the weekend (which I will tell you about below), so I didn't want to make that.  These cookies are quite delish.  I have eaten 3 of them since I made them and really want another one, but am trying to resist the urge. The only modification I made was that I used more banana than it called for because I had to use all the brown bananas, but that turned out well because the banana flavor was definitely there. Roasted Sweet Potato Sunday for dinner I decided to roast some veggies.  I used this low and slow recipe to cook the sweet potatoes and they were quite good.  I usually do something simila

What are you afraid of?  Me, I'm a people pleaser.  I want people to like me. I posted this link  on Facebook last week to a blog about the necessity of saying no sometimes - something I very much need to learn.  But my people pleasing doesn't stop at just not wanting to say no to people.  It's an overall need to be liked.  I think far too much about what other people will think of me if I do this or wear that.  I want to be noticed, but in a positive way. This morning in my devotions the scripture was Psalm 46, and verses 1-2 were the most impactful: God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.  Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give away and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.   Now maybe it's because we have a better understanding of science than the psalmist did, but I don't really connect with the fear of the earth giving way or the mountains falling into the sea.  Or maybe it's simply because I've lived

I am in love with the new Tenth Avenue North single, "Losing."  If you haven't heard it yet, I highly recommend checking it out. This part particularly sticks out to me:  "Why do we think that hate's gonna change their heart? We're up in arms over wars that don't need to be fought But pride won't let us lay our weapons on the ground We build our bridges up, but just to burn them down We think pain is owed apologies and then it'll stop But truth be told it doesn't matter if they're sorry or not Freedom comes when we surrender to the sound Of Mercy and Your Grace, Father, send Your angels down (singin') Oh, Father, won't you forgive them? They don't know what they've been doing (oh, no) Oh, Father, give me grace to forgive them Cause I feel like the one losing I feel like I've been losing" (Emphasis mine) After my blog post the other day, I was thinking about what we, as the church, are doing.

In the past few days, I have seen more about Chick-Fil-A then I maybe ever have - and I went to college on campus with one. And much of what I have seen disturbs me in many ways. I first want to clarify that there are a variety of perspectives among my Facebook friends, and there are many people that I respect, even when I don't agree with them, on the issue of gay marriage. But to me, the scary thing about this "debate," if we can even call it that, has nothing to do with homosexuality. Here are some thoughts that I have (and also some I have read) about this debate, and others like it: 1. I keep hearing that this is a matter of Christians standing up against an government that is trying to force something on them. Now whether that is actually true is another matter of debate, but I would just like to point out that Jesus did not tell the Jews to stand up when the Roman government was oppressing them. In fact, he told them to turn the other cheek and to walk a

So I am down here in North Carolina with the SUMC Youth Work Mission Team. There are 39 of. So far it has been what I am referring to as a "Comedy of Plan B," but we have been managing quite well. It all started Friday night when major storms went through Ohio, just as we were getting ready to pack. It put us a little behind schedule to start with, but honestly, I felt like the packing process went smoother than any other work mission I have been on. Saturday morning, the goal was to leave at 4 and it was about 4:20 that we got on the road - not bad for as many people as we had. A few hours later the challenges began. When we got to southern Ohio, we hit a detour due to a bridge out that added an hour to our drive, but more than that we learned how expansive the power outages were as we saw long lines at the gas stations and many were without power. We also learned that many rest areas were without power - and when they don't have power the bathroom is closed. For

So I had good intentions of accomplishing something small everyday. But last week - well it was crazy and I simply did not have the brain power to even think about what my 30 day countdown activities would be between moving, working at Heartland, and having a cold. So I concentrated on doing what needed done. And then as I was thinking about what I wanted to do moving forward, I decided I wanted to simplify things and have a weekly goal instead, with occasional daily things in addition to my weekly goals. So last week, the goal was the move. I also ran my sub-30 5k on Saturday. This week the goal is to run at least 30 minutes every day. So far so good - I ran both yesterday and today. And I have been doing ab work too - maybe for the first time in my life I will be able to see my abs. And then I can wear that bikini I bought! I may do some other things on the side for myself this week too, but the main goal is simply running those 30 minutes and keeping up with the ab workout

Post 7: So yesterday was the first semi-relaxing day I've had since the quarter marathon. I had an absolutely insane week. So yesterday, the goal was simply to accomplish what needed to be done, and otherwise to have some "me" time. So I went grocery shopping, I did some laundry and a little unpacking, and I went to the church for a meeting. Otherwise, yesterday was just for me. And it was wonderful! Post 8: Today was the Walk 4 Faith at the zoo and my goal of the day was to complete it in less than 30 minutes. Now I admit that it did not seem like a full 5k when I was running it, and my time seems to indicate that as well. But I'm going to take it anyway - I was around 26:30 if I recall correctly. So even if it wasn't a full 5k, I had more than 3 minutes to spare, so I'm sure I could have done it. So goal achieved!!

So originally I had counted moving as just one item on my list, but after the last 3 days, I definitely thinks it counts as 3 (maybe even 4 depending how tomorrow goes). I have been going pretty much non-stop since the quarter marathon. And since I developed a cold on top of my hectic schedule, accomplishing anything other than what absolutely needed done has been pretty much impossible. You know I've been working hard when I have been in bed before midnight every night since Friday. Which I guess combines with something else I have been putting off - having a more adult schedule. I don't know if that one will stick once I'm not running myself ragged, but we'll see. As for right now, I am off to bed.

29 days to go: For today's new thing I bought 2 items that I would never have purchased 18 months ago before I began losing weight: a maxi dress (of the style that would have made me look pregnant in the past) and a bikini. Not sure I am quite ready to wear the bikini yet, but that's another goal. I'm not done with the work that I have to do, but I have come a long way. I also truly believe that the fact that it has been this slow a process has been good for me because it has truly been a lifestyle change that I can maintain. And that was the primary goal in the first place :-)

Today it is 30 days until my 30th birthday. As a countdown I am doing something new everyday for the next 30 days. And it worked out perfectly, because today, to kick off my "Countdown to 30," I ran the quarter marathon as part of the Capital City Half. That's 6.55 miles. My longest race prior to today was the Flying Feather 4-miler on Thanksgiving last November, and I had only run 6 miles once during my training - about 2 months ago. But I felt pretty good going into the race. And I was able to run all of it!! I don't know an official time yet, but my best estimate is somewhere in the neighborhood of 1:10, which would be about a 10:40 mile. So there it is, the first day of my countdown for 30... stay tuned for what the other 29 days hold... (though I may not actually blog every day, just fyi - some goals are just for me)

So today it is 45 days until my 30th birthday... or as I have referred to it sometimes, the 1st anniversary of my 29th birthday. But the 6th graders found that confusing and thought it meant I was 58, so that was not ideal... Anyway, the point behind bring all this up is I want to come up with a list of 30 things to accomplish in the 30 days leading up to my birthday. It works out well because exactly 30 days before my birthday is the quarter marathon. Other things already on the list are party like I'm 29, and moving to my new apartment. I took the plunge and joined pinterest today, so I have also been getting ideas there, though I have not started my goal list yet. Some thoughts I have from pinterest include trying a new recipe and creating some of my own art work. But I need more ideas - so let's brainstorm! What ideas do you have?

I started reading Forgotten God by Francis Chan recently. The book is about the holy spirit and how we as the western church are missing the holy spirit. So far all I've really read is the introduction and the first part of chapter 1, but there are already parts that have stuck out to me. Here are some quotes... "The church becomes irrelevant when it becomes purely a human creation. We are not all we were made to be when everything in our lives and churches can be explained apart from the work and presence of the Spirit of God. "Perhaps it's not theology we're missing, but rather theological integrity. Many have the knowledge but lack the courage to admit the discrepancy between what we know and how we live." "And perhaps the core issue is really about our holding back from giving ourselves to God, rather than our getting 'too much' of Him. Perhaps when a person says, 'I'd just like a little God, thank you very much,' she or he

Well Easter Sunday has passed. Lent is over. My daily blogging clearly is over too. I actually intended to write a post on Sunday, but my computer power cord is dead and the only internet I have at home right now is on my Kindle. Which is fine for the occasional Facebook status, but not really functional for writing anything of length. (I'm writing this at my office computer) So what happens from here? Basically I will continue posting as I feel inspired to do so. I don't know how often that will be, and I may or may not post on Facebook when I do it, but that's what will happen next... In that spirit, I read this today, and think it's an important message. Charity or justice? I should add, perhaps, that posting this on my blog seems a little like "liking" something on Facebook. But it puts into words something I have thought for awhile now, so I'm sharing anyway :-)

Thought I'd share this skit that was the inspiration for tomorrow's sunrise service. A preview for those of you who may attend, but of course the youth will do it better, right??? :-) And on that note, I'm going to try for an early night (as in before midnight) of sleep, so that I can be up dark and early to celebrate the resurrection... Sunday's coming!

"A love unlike any other. A God unlike any other." (N.T. Wright in Lent for Everyone, Good Friday) These words closed out my Lenten devotional today, and I was struck by how true they are. On this day, when we remember the crucifixion... it's easy to jump to the end of the story. We know how it turns out - the amazing things that happen on Sunday. But can you imagine the confusion and sorrow of those who lived it? They didn't know what Jesus was doing on that cross. They expected a completely different God. We also often want to make Jesus fit our understanding. I read an article today that resonated with me. It's called "I'm Christian, unless you're gay." I don't want to get into the issue of homosexuality here, and that wasn't the author's point either. His point was that we tend to be "Christian" towards those who are like us, but when people are different or don't fit into our understanding of what it mean

Hey when I keep reading things by other people that have something to say, sometimes adding a lot of my own words seems excessive. So today I continue the trend of sharing something I read... 15 things you should give up to be happy... I found it to be some good insight - hope you find the same!

I'm not really sure why I am so tired this week, but I know I am. This is the second night in a row that I have fallen asleep without really meaning to, and then woken up around 1 am, finished stuff that needs done, and will be going to bed for real shortly. Because I don't want to spend a long time thinking about something to write about, I am again going to share something I read. Your passion is not my passion I read this article, and it really struck me because I think it is important to know what our passions are, and how that will work in ministry. Whether we are on church staff, or just members, we need to know what gets us excited about being in ministry. That doesn't mean those are the only things we should do. Sometimes we need to do things outside our passions - that's just life. But those things that are our passions will keep us excited and revitalized to continue doing ministries, and we need to make those a priority. I know that for me, I am always

I read this today and found it insightful. Hope you enjoy as well! http://www.youthspecialties.com/blog/did-you-just-say-flakes1 Just a reminder that it is important to think and ask questions before we react because things are not always what they seem at first glance...

I have been doing zumba for about a month and a half now. I only go once a week since I am still trying to run a few times a week as well (though that doesn't always happen). For me, zumba is good cross-training, and that's a lot of the reason I go. I definitely don't go because I'm good at it. I have no sense of rhythm, and my coordination leaves much to be desired. Plus I am easily distracted and just lose my place in the steps. But you know, despite all of that, I also go because I enjoy it. Sometimes we think we should only do those things we are good at. Or we're scared to try things because we know we won't be good at them. I could have told you before I tried zumba that I would not be good at it. I have known for a long time that I have no rhythm. And that did make me hesitant to go at first. Fortunately for me, I have friends who had done zumba before me and going with them got me over my hesitancy. So what is that thing you're scared to t

Back when I created this blog, I titled it "What really matters..." because I wanted to write about real things. But sometimes in life we get caught up in the stress and the busyness that we forget about the bigger picture of what really matters. After a really stressful and busy weekend where I know that God was working through me despite my exhaustion and eagerness for down time, this song seemed particularly apt for tonight's post. Enjoy!

I get really annoyed with commercials for 5-hour energy because of the tagline "Every day is a 5-hour energy day." Because every day should not be a 5-hour energy day. Yes, there are times that we need an extra boost of energy to complete what needs done - but if that's every day, you need to rethink the amount of commitments you have, and ask for help where you can. God did not create us to run non-stop. In fact he commanded us to rest. "We must learn to recognize our own limits and be willing to ask for help. It is better to do something small and do it well than to attempt everything and accomplish nothing. Slowing down to reflect can be painful, but it is always helpful." ~ Amy Jacober I wrote just the other day about my bad habit of staying up later than I should. And let me tell you, I am feeling it right now, after an early (for me) morning, and a quite busy day. I need sleep, especially since tomorrow is just as busy, if not busier. So I am going to

Sometimes we forget that the little things matter. Yesterday when I was working at Heartland, the second group I had for team building was the same group I had been with for rock climbing on Wednesday. After the team building session (which was somewhat frustrating since not all the kids wanted to pay attention) one of the girls came back just as her group was leaving and thanked me for helping her get up the wall the night before. That thank you was good to hear. It reminded me why I love my part time job. The little stuff matters, and sometimes we forget that. But sometimes we also forget the big things God can do with the little stuff. One organization that does a lot of good and has a great message is To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA). I heard Jamie Tworkowski speak in Atlanta and he told the story of how he accidentally started TWLOHA. He tells the story in this video as well... So the point is - don't forget to do the small stuff, whether it's a thank you, or tryi