Half Marathon Training and Make a Difference Monday

Hello Friends! My first half of 2015 will be March 22nd and I've started training today. I have had a cold lingering for almost a week so I started out slow today. I completed 3 miles in 45 minutes. I know I can go faster but I wanted to "take it easy" since I wasn't feeling 100%. That seemed to work out well because I didn't feel worse after the run. Of course, I can't say I'm all better but I know its working its way out. Good riddance!

It is officially 95 days until my trip to Sandals. The excitement is building! We will be buying our plane tickets in the next 2 to 4 weeks. Once that's done, we will request a private luxury car transfer. We haven't done this before and it adds a little something extra special to look forward to.

Sorry for the repeat on the photos but I'm slim pickings on new material. I wanted to leave you with a final thought about giving back to the community. I am a huge fan of volunteering because its a great ego boost (especially during difficult times) and it helps others. I am still going strong at church and while leadership is asking for more, I know my limits. I am at my max volunteering capacity. I spend one Sunday a month hosting the online service. I spend nearly every Monday night preparing for Wednesday night service. I play piano every Wednesday night for the youth group. I thought about volunteering at the Oklahoma City Animal Shelter but realistically, there's not enough time (besides the fact that I'd probably want to bring every kitten home with me. Chomps and Kirby would be quite angry at me for that.) So, I will continue to volunteer where I am now and I would like to encourage you to find your place to volunteer as well.

Make A Difference Monday

I have a new committee I have joined and I am thrilled to share it with you, next week. It's been such a long time since I have written a list on my blog. Personally, I love lists and I thought it would be fun to do a list everyday of the week.  
Today's list is my Top 5 Reasons For Giving Back 
5) While helping others, you can meet new friends.
4) It helps improve the community and environment.
3) Other people feel good.
2) You can help out doing fun things.
1) Volunteering helps you feel better about yourself.
My number one reason is selfish. A couple of years ago I was stressed out of my mind and depressed. I read from Cosmo that if I gave back, I would feel better about myself. It was an effective therapy for me and I have been giving back ever since.
Tomorrow: look forward to a Top Pick Tuesday, where I'll share one of my favorite photos.
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Day of Thinking

Today’s rating is Positive.

It has been a dizzying day of thinking about moving, volunteering at a food bank for an hour, and wasting time with survey’s on the computer. I feel as though very little was actually accomplished which doesn’t help.

I wish I could say that I am very strong and very patient. That is most definitely not true. I am second guessing every step I take. I am looking for support from everyone around me. I know to lean on God’s strength and His timing but that’s not so easy to do completely. I will keep meditating on God’s promise. Somehow things work out. Maybe later, I could say it was a miracle.

Yummy Thursday

Today’s rating is positive.

I gave back to my community by giving blood today and I treated myself to a lot of food. I enjoyed two breakfasts, nachos, and cookies. I am also drinking plenty of water. One of my favorite ways to reduce stress is to help out others. It is a strong self-esteem booster. I plan on volunteering regularly again. I am on a break to create a new strategy but I will be helping the community again soon. How do you give back to your community? If you haven’t tried, do something small. It will make a big difference in your perspective.

I hate blood, needles, and pain. I only give blood to help others and eat cookies. The cookies ease the pain a little bit. Thanks Bonfils!