A little over a week ago, my husband surprised me with a birthday party. I'm still 30-something, just higher in the decade. :-) It was really a wonderful affair. Family and friends came out to wish me well and thank God for another year. Words cannot express my gratitude. I am very blessed with a wonderful husband, beautiful children, a family I treasure and true and good friends. What more can a girl ask for?
Being the human that I am, I'm sure I could think of a few things. This flesh never seems to be satisfied. Yet, what's it all for? There are so many "things" I want. But the question I must ask myself is will it bring me joy, peace or fulfillment? More importantly, is it God's will for my life? Is it in His plan. Pardon me if I get too deep, but when I think of some of the things I want, it is rather comical:
A nice body. I mean really, what for? I'm married with children and I'm not someone who wears revealing clothes. Yet, I would love to look good in a bathing suit.
Higher pay. There is a whole volume of blogs behind this topic. Let's be real everyone wants more money. Poor people, middle class people and greedy AIG execs (I had to go there, LOL!). But I could use a raise.
Naturally black hair. I have been growing gray hair for several years now and I AM JUST TOO YOUNG FOR THAT!!!!
These things are a bit superficial. But there are things I want that are deeper:
A quiet spirit. It's definitely something Godly to desire. Sometimes I wish I could just be a quiet person. Not that I am all chatty and everything, but I guess we always want to be what we're not.
I want to please God. Yet it seems the more I try, the less I do. I'm grateful for His grace. I don't have to compete for His love or salvation. Yet, sometimes, it seems that everything in me is contrary to what God loves or appreciates. There are people I know with the qualities I admire as Godly. I don't always see myself as being on level with them.
To do work in a career that has my heart. Don't get me wrong. I like my job and what I do. I'm grateful to have one. But it's my job. My mother doesn't understand that because she sees it as a career. But I guess I want more.
Truth be known, I want to be perfect in every way. It's such a vain pursuit when one considers the perfection of God and how much He has made available to us. Frankly, it's rather daunting to think of what it would take to make me perfect."...Vanity of vanity, all is vanity" (Ecclesiastes 1:2).
When I ponder on God's love and faithfulness, I realize He doesn't love me less because I'm not perfect. I am so grateful for that. And he has blessed me so mightily that the fact is whether or not any of these things happen in my life I will forever praise and thank Him.
Go back to the top of this post. My husband, my children, my family, my friends and most of all my God. What can I say? I have it all. Thank You so, so much Lord.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Pump up the Volume? NOT!
Doctor's visits are a real toss these days. Why do they give you an appointment of 11:45, have you sit there forever and see you at one o'clock? Why didn't they just say come at one? Or better yet sign in by 11:45 and come back at one.
I know many would say they can't tell exactly when you'll be seen. But still. Sometimes it’s work sitting in those waiting rooms.
Recently, I sat in my doctor’s office patiently waiting to see the doctor. The waiting room was full. There were a few bugs going around and people filled the place coughing, sneezing etc. Now there are certain places where an ‘inside’ voice is appropriate: sitting on a commuter train, standing in an elevator and sitting in a doctor’s office waiting room. The only people I know who don’t get the concept of ‘inside’ versus ‘outside’ voice are children. (I have never understood why people tell children to talk in their inside voice. Their voices are all the same volume: LOUD!!)
There were a couple of people who apparently thought their ‘outside’ voice was necessary to communicate. They proceeded to discuss various topics. Now my doctor’s office is large and the waiting room is a good size. But when people are talking to each other like someone on a cell phone with a bad signal, the rest of us are subjected to the pain of having to endure their uninteresting conversation. It was not cool.
I texted one of my friends about the whole ordeal. It got to a point where I wanted to run out of there. Mind you, I was on the one hour until your real appointment schedule. So I sat. I couldn’t distinguish between the pain that brought me to the doctor’s office and the pain I was experiencing in being trapped and forced to endure these people’s conversation. On top of all that, the battery power on my MP3 player was gone. Aaarrrggghhhh!
At last, the nurse called my name and sweet salvation. I was free of the outside voice talking adults with no volume control. Thank you!
I know many would say they can't tell exactly when you'll be seen. But still. Sometimes it’s work sitting in those waiting rooms.
Recently, I sat in my doctor’s office patiently waiting to see the doctor. The waiting room was full. There were a few bugs going around and people filled the place coughing, sneezing etc. Now there are certain places where an ‘inside’ voice is appropriate: sitting on a commuter train, standing in an elevator and sitting in a doctor’s office waiting room. The only people I know who don’t get the concept of ‘inside’ versus ‘outside’ voice are children. (I have never understood why people tell children to talk in their inside voice. Their voices are all the same volume: LOUD!!)
There were a couple of people who apparently thought their ‘outside’ voice was necessary to communicate. They proceeded to discuss various topics. Now my doctor’s office is large and the waiting room is a good size. But when people are talking to each other like someone on a cell phone with a bad signal, the rest of us are subjected to the pain of having to endure their uninteresting conversation. It was not cool.
I texted one of my friends about the whole ordeal. It got to a point where I wanted to run out of there. Mind you, I was on the one hour until your real appointment schedule. So I sat. I couldn’t distinguish between the pain that brought me to the doctor’s office and the pain I was experiencing in being trapped and forced to endure these people’s conversation. On top of all that, the battery power on my MP3 player was gone. Aaarrrggghhhh!
At last, the nurse called my name and sweet salvation. I was free of the outside voice talking adults with no volume control. Thank you!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Birds fly south for Spring? My take on the weather.
I was driving this evening heading east on the highway. I saw a huge flock of birds flying south. It is now March 3rd. Granted it's just too cold. But winter is almost over. Thank God.
Let me digress a bit. I am not a cold-weather person. I am so tropical it's ridiculous. Give me 90-degree high humidity day I will sweat, complain a little, cool off in the AC, go out again and have a ball. But today it was 18 degrees when I left the house this morning. And windy. That wind is like insult to injury. The only good thing about cold weather to me is staying warm. When I get cold, like today, the cold gets into my bones and it takes a while to warm up. I'd rather cool off than warm up.
It is said that March comes in like a lion. It came in roaring yesterday with a snowstorm. Great way to start the work week. Anyway, it became horribly cold since then. Fortunately, they're predicting 60+ degrees this weekend. I hope they're right. We all know how that can go.
So I'm driving on the highway, enjoying the fact that at 6pm the sun is just going down. Then I hear on radio that daylight savings is this weekend and that I and all affected by it will lose an hour's sleep. Great! I still owe myself at least three.
ANYWAY, as I'm enjoying the dusk of the day, I see this flock of birds heading south (I know it was south because I was headed east and south was to my right. I have a great sense of direction). There were hundreds of them. I guess they figured winter was just starting with this crazy cold air. They're confused. Like the rest of us who thought, surely some sign of spring would begin to show by now. For goodness sake, it's March!
Actually, those birds have the right idea. The Bahamas sound pretty good about now.
Let me digress a bit. I am not a cold-weather person. I am so tropical it's ridiculous. Give me 90-degree high humidity day I will sweat, complain a little, cool off in the AC, go out again and have a ball. But today it was 18 degrees when I left the house this morning. And windy. That wind is like insult to injury. The only good thing about cold weather to me is staying warm. When I get cold, like today, the cold gets into my bones and it takes a while to warm up. I'd rather cool off than warm up.
It is said that March comes in like a lion. It came in roaring yesterday with a snowstorm. Great way to start the work week. Anyway, it became horribly cold since then. Fortunately, they're predicting 60+ degrees this weekend. I hope they're right. We all know how that can go.
So I'm driving on the highway, enjoying the fact that at 6pm the sun is just going down. Then I hear on radio that daylight savings is this weekend and that I and all affected by it will lose an hour's sleep. Great! I still owe myself at least three.
ANYWAY, as I'm enjoying the dusk of the day, I see this flock of birds heading south (I know it was south because I was headed east and south was to my right. I have a great sense of direction). There were hundreds of them. I guess they figured winter was just starting with this crazy cold air. They're confused. Like the rest of us who thought, surely some sign of spring would begin to show by now. For goodness sake, it's March!
Actually, those birds have the right idea. The Bahamas sound pretty good about now.
Monday, March 2, 2009
20-Minute Workout
So I have decided to workout. THIS time, I'm starting slow and building my endurance. In times past, I'd hit the ground running and burn out quickly. But I'm determined to start fresh, change my lifestyle and live better. I have people around me inspiring and encouraging me. Besides 20 minutes is not a lot of time. I believe this is going to be good. But snack time, runs into my efforts.
I have a sweet tooth. I admit it. Admission is the first step to recovery. I like sweets. I'm working at it. I have succeeded in not drinking a soda in the last 10 days. Every day that goes by is another day I succeed at numbing the sweet tooth. But tonight, I had a bit of slip up.
Well maybe not a slip up but as my friend said, I was driving up my energy levels for that oh-so-intense workout. I had some vanilla Oreo cookies. They are so good! I figured I'd eat one. But one turned to three. Yet to show how good I am at multi-tasking, I munched the cookies, downed 8 ounces of water, texted one of my girls and watched one of my favorite wedding shows all while working out for 20 minutes on the treadmill. Wow.
I walked .85 of a mile. I burned 132 calories. The cookies were 170. I owe myself 38 calories. Hmmm...I guess I'll make it a point to run to the train or bus tomorrow. You have to give it to me for making the best use of my time. LOL! The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
I have a sweet tooth. I admit it. Admission is the first step to recovery. I like sweets. I'm working at it. I have succeeded in not drinking a soda in the last 10 days. Every day that goes by is another day I succeed at numbing the sweet tooth. But tonight, I had a bit of slip up.
Well maybe not a slip up but as my friend said, I was driving up my energy levels for that oh-so-intense workout. I had some vanilla Oreo cookies. They are so good! I figured I'd eat one. But one turned to three. Yet to show how good I am at multi-tasking, I munched the cookies, downed 8 ounces of water, texted one of my girls and watched one of my favorite wedding shows all while working out for 20 minutes on the treadmill. Wow.
I walked .85 of a mile. I burned 132 calories. The cookies were 170. I owe myself 38 calories. Hmmm...I guess I'll make it a point to run to the train or bus tomorrow. You have to give it to me for making the best use of my time. LOL! The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
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