Remembering My Intentions

Hard to believe two months of the new year are gone. Usually by this time I've forgotten about any resolutions I made. I thought it would be better for me to check in on my intentions every two months in order to hold myself more accountable. I've bolded the items I've already completed and written my comments in italics.

1. Read through the Bible (I am not doing well here...)
2. Play piano once a week (this also is not happening...)
3. Stay caught up with my Bible study (okay, I'm 0 for 3...)
4. Remember to take my vitamins everyday
5. Read 12 novels (I've read 4 already)
6. Read 12 non-fiction books (read none so far)
7. Run a half-marathon (coming up)
8. Run an Olympic triathlon (need to decide what I am doing with this...)
9. Beat my best time in sprint triathlon (again, need to decide what I am doing...)
10. Get out of debt (other than house) (doing well so far)
11. Save three months of emergency money
12. Drink 4-8 glasses of water a day
13. Cook once a week
14. Lose weight (10-15 lbs by May 17)
15. Win a tennis match (YES!)
16. Take one picture everyday (possibly scrapbook them) (this is NEVER going to happen. But it was a nice thought)
17. Blog at least once a week
18. Go on a road trip
19. Host a party (I've had people over, but it wasn't really for a "party")
20. Drink less than two pops a week
21. Develop core values sheet
22. Finish memorizing Romans 5
23. Refresh memorization of Ephesians 6
24. Refresh memorization of 2 Timothy 2
25. Memorize Romans 12
26. Memorize Luke 2
27. Learn to wakeboard
28. Organize photos
29. Clean out basement (SO intimidating...)
30. Save to pay for ticket to Lithuania in cash
31. Ski at least five times (almost...)
32. Complete unfinished quilts (two) (done with one...)
33. Organize Itunes
34. Be more disciplined with bedtime
35. Send cards to friends on birthdays (oy...I think I've failed)
36. Assemble and hang world map at cabin
37. Make a new email account (love it!)
38. Read instruction book for new car
39. Have a garage sale (again, SO intimidating...)
40. Lift weights consistently (not so far...)
41. Go to a Twins game
42. Go to a Vikings game
43. Get a tan (and it's gone already...)
44. Tithe
45. Clean out computer files
46. Sit in a hot tub (while watching a sunset in Hawaii. not bad)
47. Learn to bike better (possibly through spin class?)
48. Go on a date
49. Figure out the email function on my phone (LOVE IT!!#*$!&!#^!!)
50. Organize my blog reader
51. Visit Grandma in Iowa
52. Teach the dog to “come” (working on it...)

I've completed 29% of the list and we're not that far into the year, so that's encouraging (even though I clearly will not ever complete some of the things on this list - and that's okay).

Winning At Losing

We had our first check-in weigh-in for the Biggest Loser two weeks ago.

And I am winning at losing! 5% down, with my sisters close on my tail....

Two weeks ago I was already at my goal for the end of February, so that was very encouraging. I was halfway to my goal for our entire competition, and we definitely weren't at the halfway point yet. Again, encouraging.

But the last two weeks have been strange, and I am still where I was two weeks ago.

Even so, I am very happy that I am at my goal for the end of these two months - vacation and all. Now I just need to kick it into gear again - especially with my race three weeks away...

Gross

I've missed a few weeks of sermons while I was helping with children's ministry, so I was "catching up" a bit today online.

Here's what caught my attention in particular (studying James 1):

Rick Gamache: "External enticements only have power over us because of our internal desires. In other words, every sin is an inside job."

Or, as Calvin puts it: "James' goal is to teach us that there is in us the root of our own destruction."

So....we're gross.

Thank goodness Jesus purchased for us an escape from every temptation (1 Cor 10:13).

Serve Food and Serve Using Food

I love my church.

One thing I love about my church is how when people have babies or people are sick, lots of people pitch in and bring food to those families. It must help a lot for new moms (or moms with a couple kids and a new baby) or families who are fighting cancer to not have to worry about all the groceries and cooking for a few weeks.

Usually the meals get organized with a stream of emails, going back and forth. Though this process seems to work fine, a friend who moved out of state to another church that also does 'the meal thing' said that the women at her new church took care of things online. She loved it because she was able to put any food allergies or favorites right on the website. It also helps with delivery scheduling and meal planning (you are prompted to enter what meal you plan on bringing so that the receiving family has a better chance of not eating chicken for weeks on end). Also, those contributing to the effort of feeding a family aren't inundated with emails in the inbox, but rather are directed to one website. Pretty great. I ran across the website, and thought I'd pass it on: Food Tidings.

I hope this is helpful for anyone who is usually put in charge of things like this. Or maybe it will inspire you to be in charge of a thing like this. It is an awesome way to serve a family.

I Love the Heartland

Not the Heartland as in the Midwest, although I do love that as well.

I'm talking about omelets here, people.

This morning I had breakfast at Perkins (paid for by my boss) and I was really craving an omelet. I always just order my own version, but I realized how expensive that is when I choose to get seven ingredients. I had never really looked at what is in the omelets that are already on the menu (assuming I wouldn't like them anyway) but today I did, and I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN HAPPIER.

Let me tell you about the Heartland Omelet. It has HAM, BACON, SAUSAGE, cheese, and onion. Some are probably tempted to call it The Meat Omelet. And those people wouldn't be crazy. There was so much meaty deliciousness going on. And I was so happy.

I was also treated to Caribou today. I only treat myself to Caribou on Sundays and I always get a White Chocolate Mocha. Earlier this week I saw a new drink advertised at Caribou - a Vanilla White Chocolate Mocha. I knew my boss would buy me Caribou today, so I had been waiting all week to try the new drink. And I wasn't disappointed! YES! I LOVE new favorite drinks (though I highly doubt it is a "new" drink, but they simply are advertising it now)!

A Red Letter Day*

Today was a Red Letter Day.

Every spring there comes a day when I no longer have to wear a coat to work. And it has to be a very nice day for me to not take a coat, since I am in and out of my car all day. It's not like I just run into the building and run back out at the end of the day.

Yesterday afternoon I actually started SWEATING while wearing my coat, so I left it in the car for the rest of the day. And after taking one look at the forecast for today I LEFT MY COAT AT HOME (although I was wearing a suit coat, so there's that).

I don't think I've ever done that in February in my four years at this job.

So, yeah, RED LETTER AWESOMENESS.

It won't last long, however. Supposed to get hit with anywhere from four to ten inches of snow tonight (does anyone else think that is an awfully large margin of error...???).

But I definitely enjoyed the 40 degrees while it lasted and I will miss it until it returns.






*I had no idea what Red Letter Day meant, but I knew I was using it properly. Even so, I was curious enough to know it's original meaning that I Googled it. If you are curious as well, you can see for yourself.

Blessing in Disguise?

I was wondering what was going to happen next. Bad things come in threes, right? So first there was the stolen GPS, then the speeding ticket, and then....[holding my breath....]

MY PHONE BROKE.

Pretty much my phone is my life line. In my work life and my personal life.

If only you all knew me personally and knew how COMPLETELY OCD I am about making lists and keeping calendars and sending texts and checking email and.....OCD.

And it is ALL IN MY PHONE.

So I rushed to the Sprint store where they replaced my phone, but I had to make quick decisions (I don't do QUICK DECISIONS Y'ALL) on what color I would like (since they didn't have any black Centros at the store....does anyone else think that is SO STRANGE?) and I frankly sorta HATE the color I ended up with. Ugh. Also, they were only able to transfer some of my many lists and pics and contacts, so I am left recreating some of that stuff at a time to be announced later, I guess.

But it could be a blessing in disguise. I had a MASSIVE to do list that I had come up with over the last few months that is now lost. And since I never remember anything (that's why I WRITE IT DOWN) I guess the only things that will get done are the things that I know are urgent. And that's fine. It saves me some of the anxiety of having a list that never gets done. A clean slate for me.

Anyway, it's definitely not the end of the world. I just hope those were my three things for the next while.