It's a Daily Choice

Getting up early to spend time with the Lord instead of pressing snooze...it's a daily choice.

Working out when I really really really don't feel like it...it's a daily choice. 

Making a fruit smoothie instead of eating something chocolate...it's a daily choice. 

Cooking dinner at home instead of driving through a drive-thru on the way home...it's a daily choice. 

Loving people when they hurt you instead of getting frustrated/mad/angry/bitter...it's a daily choice.

I know I should have learned this lesson a long time ago but in the past couple of weeks it's really started hitting me. All decisions have to be made daily. I may fail one day but the next day is a new day and I have the chance to make the right choice. Today, I chose to get up early to be with the Lord. I chose to work out. I chose to eat at home. I chose to make a fruit smoothie. Tomorrow might be completely different. Selfishness or laziness might take over. But, it's okay because Saturday will be a new day. All I can do is make choices for the day I'm in. Good choices day after day after day will turn into good habits and long-lasting change. This is what I'm going for. 

Happy (almost) Friday! Remember, if you messed up today, tomorrow is a new day!

My Favorite Spot

My favorite spot in my apartment is the right side of my couch. Weird? Maybe! Let me tell you why...

The right side of my couch is where I sit in the mornings with my coffee and my Jesus. This is where I sit with my Bible, my praise music, my journal, my colored pens, and my scripture memory. I love my times here in the morning. I love sitting here and reading chapters and chapters of God's Word. I love writing in my prayer journal and pouring my heart out to Jesus. I get up from the right side of the couch and I am refreshed and ready for the day. Thank you Jesus for meeting me each morning!!!

F.R.I.E.N.D.S

I have the best friends ever!!! Huge thanks to Chris & Melissa and Nick & Megan for letting me use one of their cars while mine was in the shop!! Holy cow are my friends servants. Their willingness to let me use a car for 1-2 days at a time is such a blessing. Even in the midst of frustrating car problems, God reminded me of His faithfulness and provision through these amazing friends! Love them!

And...skyping with friends in India always reminds me of how blessed I am too! I got to Skype with Alison this a.m. and Grant, Nicole, & Baby Jack and Kelsey tonight. Love my friends!!

Basking in God's faithfulness and His blessings as I drift off to sleep...

Good Friday

Tomorrow is good in many ways.

1 - I'm pumped to have a day off to clean my apartment  before the next 2 months of my life are insane. Yes, you heard read that right...I'm pumped to clean my apartment. I love a great deep clean. The process looks like this: windows open, blinds open, fans on, candles burning, music blaring, me dancing whilst cleaning. I cannot wait.

2 - It will be the first day I work out since last Friday! I know I've needed physical rest after being sick, but it's been mentally driving me crazy to not work out! I got in the habit & love the way it feels & can't wait to start up again. I plan on going for a walk/jog & starting Jillian No More Trouble Zones. So excited.

3 - Most importantly, the day is good because it's the day Jesus Christ died and saved us from eternal condemnation. It's the day He suffered death on the cross for me & for you. It's the day His own Father could not even look at Him because my sins were placed on Him. It's the day He breathed His last breath & died so that we may be with Him for eternity. What an incredible sacrifice He made. What an incredible day to remember Him & honor Him & love Him.

This Easter, please remember the real reason. It's not about candy & baskets & eggs & bunnies. It's about the death & resurrection of our Savior. His death on Good Friday was undeserved. His resurrection 3 days later proved that He is God, cancelled out all of our sins, & allows us to have a relationship with Him. Please remember this & believe this & apply it to your life. A relationship with God is the only thing that saves & is the most satisfying relationship you will ever have. If you don't know Jesus, please please contact me. I would love nothing more than to tell you about Him & the love He has for YOU.

Cheat Days

Running after a cheat day is HARD. I gave myself a cheat day last Friday because friends were in town & I had a wedding shower to go to that night (cake...duh). Saturday, I was regretting that cheat day. I had the worst run I've had in a long time. I could barely run 5 minutes. TERR.I.BLE. No more cheat days for me. I'm increasing the fruits, veggies, & lean meats & getting strict again!

I only have 5 days of 30 Day Shred left. Woo hoo! I can't believe it! I am obsessed with Jillian now...can't wait to get more DVDs!

This weekend is Ganson's wedding!!!!! YAY! Cannot wait...I've been waiting for this since the summer of 2010 ;)

I found a dress yesterday for the Rehearsal Dinner. I ran to TJ Maxx on my way back into cway & tried on like 9 dresses. None of those were screaming "buy me!" As I handed them to the worker, a random dress on the dressing room "no thanks" rack caught my eye. I tried it on & LOVED it! I brought it home & figured out I literally have like 11 different jewelry options. This dress will probably end up being one of the best purchases ever. Score. I'll try to post some pics from Friday - or you might have to wait until Easter (yes, I already know I'm wearing that dress for Easter too).

God & I are getting close. As an almost 25 year old single girl whose future is only known by God & who is coming up on the end of her 2nd year of her 3 year contract, I'm going to God with questions & requests for wisdom, clarity, understanding, discernment, etc. to know what the next step is. It's scary. It's exciting. It's weird. It's faith building. It's trust building. It's mysterious. It's part of life. It's drawing me nearer to Him. I love it.


Other than the storms in the middle...I'm loving this 10-day. Bring on summer!

Partly Cloudy

Mostly Sunny

Isolated T-Storms

Isolated T-Storms

Isolated T-Storms

Sunny

Partly Cloudy

Sunny

Sunny

85°

86°

86°

82°

79°

83°

81°

77°

78°

Pi Day

Yesterday was great! I got a lot accomplished at work. It was sunny & 80* out. God met me in my quiet time & I enjoyed His company. I made some support calls & got a few appts lined up! Some Fay friends came down for a cookout. We hung out & had delicious pie afterwards (you have to have pie on pi day!) We drove around to see some of the cway trademarks (Stoby's & the Hendrix tunnel). Then....at 11:00 pm...I went home & did 30 Day Shred because I hadn't done it yet! Holy Cow. I'm just going to toot my own horn & say I'm so proud of myself & feel so accomplished. Haha. Not only was I just up hanging out past my bedtime...I actually worked out past my bedtime! Wow. Ok, enough about that. I failed at getting up to SHRED this morning (I had only gotten 5 hrs of sleep when my original alarm went off-who can blame me?!) so it will be another late night of shredding (after 501) but I'm okay with that! I'm just excited that I actually desire to work out & crave doing it everyday! Haven & I even agreed that we could give ourselves yesterday off if we wanted to because we were hanging out so late...but I just couldn't do it. I committed to 30 days in a row & I'm going to finish my commitment!

In other news, I'm obsessed with this weather. I plan on being outside as much as possible this weekend (except that I just looked at the weather & there are clouds & lightning on each day...boooo). Maybe I'll just have to shop for some new jeans instead (my old ones are too big! woo hoo!)

Next week, my youngest bro turns 20. What?!?! None of us will be teenagers anymore - we are ALL in our 20's! Time is flying. But, I sure do love how my relationships with my bros mature/grow as we get older & in more similar phases of life. (they still treat me like I'm the younger sister that they think is an idiot...but, hey, I know it's all in love). I love my fam!

Happy Thursday, friends! 1 day closer to the weekend!

Leap Day

There isn't much to write about today except that it's LEAP DAY! A day that only comes once every 4 years deserves it's own post, right? I kind of think it should be some kind of holiday ;) It's been a great Leap Day!!

I had some great time with God this morning.

I'm wearing my new leopard flats & a scarf and bangle from India today (any day I wear an India item is a great day!).

I got to Skype with Kels & get some great updates on life.

There have been some great convos/hang out seshes around the office today.

There is an Adam Hambrick/Andy Davis Leap Day Concert in LR tonight that me & the girls are going to! Fun times are def ahead.

It's also the last day before the 30 Day Shred. Which might warrant me eating something sweet ;) but probably not, since I'm trying to be disciplined.

Happy Leap Day!! I wonder what I'll have to write about on Feb29,2016?! That's fun to think about :)

Oh Valentine's Day

The day of love. The day of flowers. The day of chocolates. The day of cards. The day of balloons. The day you're made aware of your singleness. The day you want to rebel and wear black instead of red & pink (oh, that's just me?) Seriously though, for those of us who God has chosen to keep single thus far, this is not the best of days. Our culture creates this into a big ordeal and a super special day that leaves single girls (and maybe guys) feeling left out, sad, lonely, and unvalued.

while I don't feel alone, I do agree that v-day is no different than any other day. every day is a gift from God and a day that I'm loved and valued by Him!

I am loved by my family, friends, and most importantly, the King of the Universe!

 

God has graciously given me a new perspective this year. Instead of feeling sorry for myself and wondering why I'm single (again) this year, I am choosing to bask in the love my Father has for me! And you know what? He loves me everyday! Not just on this corporate, cultural holiday. And, my future husband will love my everyday and will show me how much he loves me on many more days than just February 14th! So, tonight, instead of renting a chick-flick, eating lots of chocolate, and crying because I'm single (I may or may not have had a few breakdowns over the years), I'll spend some time with my one true love, my maker, and my first husband, while eating chocolate (I'm still a fan of chocolate!). I'll also spend some time praying for my future "Valentine" - praying for his walk with God, his ability to love me, my ability to love him, our marriage, etc. Why not spend my single v-days praying for the man I'll spend many v-days with in the future?

Happy Valentine's Day! I love you! More importantly, God loves you!!!