Thankful Thursday

Yesterday was a major test for my patience. The morning was chaotic with the installation of a new phone system. Thankfully by the afternoon, I was settled and making phone calls.

Today I'm thankful for a warm cup of tea on a rainy morning. I'm thankful for God's wisdom and provision. Too bad I can't see His plan! That would certainly ease my inevitable anxiety.

Please stay tuned for high five for Friday.

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for good food, good nutrition, and the wisdom to eat right. This week, I have been on a personal cleanse. It's not over but I am over the half way point. I have used two websites as resources: here and here. I have snacked all day on good foods like strawberries and edamame.

I am also thankful that my mouth is healing. Once fully healed, I will be able to eat crunchy foods better, like carrots.

Finally, I am thankful for my support group. I have IRL friends and beautiful online friends. These people have pushed me in the right direction and encouraged me to be my best. I am truly blessed to have met these wonderful bloggers and tweeters. Most of my support system is found in social media and at the moment its almost all on twitter.

Kristine Mel The Get Fit Mom Marcy Erica Leslie

Please stay tuned for high five for Friday.

Thankful Thursday

Dear Lord,
Thank you for your mercy, grace, and patience. I am not deserving of your love but I'm so thankful you have given to me. I pray for wisdom and patience.
Amen.
E N D

I believe in Jesus Christ who died and rose again to pay for my sins. I believe in love and positivity.

Make a difference Monday

Today's post is a tough one to write. I want to share my passion for giving and I want to make my life better. These two concepts go hand in hand together but its challenging for me to articulate what I'm pondering.

Parts of my life are going smoothly and other parts feel stormy. It's the stormy parts that cause me to pause and wonder. How can I make a difference in my community when I want to be selfish and focus on my life? Is there space for both? I believe the answer to be yes and I am praying for God's wisdom to bring that balance to fruition.

If you have any ideas or thoughts, please share with me. The more the merrier is oh so true.
E N D

List

Today I wrote an interesting list of things I'd like to do for a paycheck. I got to 100 different ideas, some crazy and some not.

My prayer list includes peace, miracles, patience, and wisdom. I am in need and I know that God will give generously.  My timeframe may be off from God's unfortunately.

Understanding and cupcakes

Dear Lord,
Thank you for giving me the wisdom to know, that I will not understand the peace that I have and the reason for where you've placed me.  The desires of my heart will be mine in Your time and I will be ready when its time. Amen.

I have hope for the future. I continue to pray for things to change. But for now, I know I'm where I am supposed to be.

Nutrition has been off today. I ate a cupcake and a bag of fritos. I managed my extra calories though by not eating a second cupcake and choosing to eat fritos over the high calorie cookies. Tomorrows nutrition will be off as well but I'll find a way to manage.  Someday I will be able to announce weight loss and I look forward to it.

If today doesn't make sense, please let me know. Thanks!

Dedication

I've learned that playing the piano takes dedication and I can play any song that I put to lots of practice. It took several years of practice and slowly going through the measures but now I can play Fur Elise by Beethoven from memory.

If I can stay dedicated to learning one song, then I know I am strong enough to get through any variety of challenges that comes with life.

Dear Lord, Thank you for giving me the strength and wisdom to know all things can be done through You. Amen

Tundra

Out in the tundra, I feel as though I am the size of a tundra flower; so small and insignificant. The vastness is overwhelming and the beauty is unmatched. Life has a way of overwhelming us from time to time. My contributions to community, family, and friends feels tiny like a tundra flower. In the end, God takes our work and makes it full and complete. The tundra flower has a short but meaningful life and so do I.

Thank You Lord for bringing purpose to everything in my life. I pray that I have the wisdom to appreciate it.

Clean out the closet

It's time to get clean. Time to empty the closet and prepare for winter. Clutter can cause stress and keep us from our best. Take what you don't need and donate it to someone who could use it. You can use freecycle or Goodwill.

Dear Lord, Thank You for Your wisdom to see what we don't need any longer. I pray my donations will help someone in need. Amen

Contentment

I am content with what I have. My needs are met. I intend to enjoy what the good spoils in my life.

I've decided to no longer dwell on the past. I used to do that and it was not good for my health.

Accepting what we have with joy is the best attitude. This can reduce stress and increase happiness.

Its not easy but nothing in life ever is. It is worth it because life is too short to dwell on painful events or actions.

Dear Lord, Thank You for Your wisdom and patience. I am learning every day to be pleased with what I have because it all came from You as a gift. Amen.

Prepare for the weekend

There’s a chance I started the weekend last night since I enjoyed a rooftop party with some new friends. It was great talking about Portland, Oregon, public transit, and art. I am very excited to participate in this years Race for the Cure in Bricktown. I’ve been preparing by running most days for the past month.

My planning and preparations won’t end there. I am looking forward to participating in the local art community. I’ve been looking for a grant to present some of my best photos. Hopefully soon, I will add artist to my list of accomplishments.

Finally in honor of reducing stress, I recommend listening to music and doing a mindless relaxing activity. Yesterday was quite stressful and I look forward to my tunes, a good book at lunch, and a nice run after work. Today will be a good day because I decided it. We all have control over our own thoughts. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Dear Lord, Thank you for your wisdom and patience with me as I continue to learn how to honor you in my life. Amen!

One day at a time

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

Matthew 6:34

Sage advice.

There’s no need to get worked up about tomorrow. We need to take care of ourselves today.

Dear Lord, give me the wisdom to follow this advice every day and give me the patience when I get frustrated. Amen.

Dreaming

I’m a dreamer and that usually entails big dreams for an exciting future. I do my best to find a way to make it happen. I don’t stop at dreaming. I get out and get things accomplished.

I am dreaming of my perfect job. The days will feel so short because I enjoyed every part of it. I’ll get excited when I think about this job and on my way to work. I will feel energized and enthusiastic. My creativity will soar to new heights. This is a good future.

Dear Lord, please provide the wisdom, patience, and strength necessary to get to this bright future. I know its coming and at the same time I can get so impatient with what I have today. I am thankful that you have provided this opportunity and I pray doors open to more thrilling opportunities. Amen!

Today's accomplishment

It was a long day, full of internal struggles and challenges. I want to do a really good job but sometimes that is hard to do. Its especially hard for myself and any other first-born kids out there. Traditionally the first-born comes into the world with a certain amount of perfectionism.

Today’s accomplishment was going to Peoples Church and it was a great encouragement. I met some people and had a good conversation about humility. I am always praying for wisdom but tonight I am very thankful for all the goodness that God has given me and I was reminded of that tonight.

Surprise

Its fun to have surprises! The anticipation builds and the excitement keeps me energized. Excitement is a great stress reducer.

I’ve been through some stressful times and when I had something exciting to look forward to; I was able to find the strength to get through the tough times.

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom, patience, and strength. Qualities I need to perform well on future activities.

Love this week

1. 1 Pastor Herbert from Peoples Church talked about the greatest commandment was to Love God with all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.
2. 2 The second critical commandment is to Love your neighbor.
3. 3 There’s a lot of hurting people and many will come in contact with me and you.
4. 4 I’m praying for the wisdom and strength to represent God.
5. How will you be living this week?

Never give up

I had a tough workout today. I started out running but finished out walking. My abs were not ready for the run but I am very proud that I kept going at the same rate until the end of my workout. Initially, I was disappointed that I couldn’t run. I run most days, so why was today different? There is no answer to that question.

Dear Lord, Please give me the wisdom and strength to accept me the way you miraculously made me. Thanks.

Progress...not perfection

My current read is “Mind Over Money” by Brad Klontz and Ted Klontz. The best nugget of wisdom I found so far was this: The goal is progress, not perfection. As a first born, I am always striving for perfection. I know that is unreasonable but I still try.

Happy Friday!

Finding the right company to work for has become a very complicated task. The company I wanted to be at rejected me and two other companies are ready to offer me a job. I am praying for the wisdom to make the best decision.

Today, I am going to have some fun. I’ll be biking from home to McNellies and then to another place in Bricktown. This is all because I started a fun group called Pedals and Pints.

What is your favorite weekend activity?

Days of Studying

I’ve been studying for an exam. Its been a lot of work but I expect to pass the exam next week and be done. I’ve also done many interviews. There’s opportunity here and I am excited! I don’t know which job is the right opportunity. I’m praying for wisdom.

I went through a box of papers to see what to toss, keep, and shred. I found our marriage certificate and a ton of love notes. We used to be so lovey-dovey and now its not quite the same. We are in love over 10 years later too just not as sappy.

What was the toughest task you had to complete lately?