Looking to others for inspiration...

“I Don’t have the time! We don’t have the time! It’s not time. We don’t take the time. We let life gnaw away at our time, stealing it from us bit by bit. We’re slaves not masters. We must be masters of our time. I must control my life – and the obligations it imposes on me – not the other way around.”
Michael Quoist – With Open Heart (~Pastor Rod's Blog)

"Shall I not run faster now that the finish line is in site?"
(My man just called me and shared this with me - a pastor he listens to on the radio often hits a chord with him - this is what HE journalled today)

"The effective teacher always teaches from the overflow of a full life. ...
I, as a teacher, am primarily a learner, a student among students. ...
As long as you live, you learn, and as long as you learn, you live. ...
I would rather have my students drink from a running stream than a stagnant pool. ...
'Jesus grew,' we are told, in four areas:
He grew 'in wisdom' - intellectual development.
He grew 'in stature' - physical development.
He grew 'in favor with God' - spiritual development.
And he grew 'in favor with men' - social and emotional development. ...
You cannot neglect one of these areas without endangering your growth in all of them.
Likewise, you cannot grow in any oneof these areas without also having an effect on all the others. ... "
("Teaching to Change Lives" by Dr. Howard Hendricks - we will be discussing this first chapter on Friday during our staff meeting. He goes on to encourage you to examine your growth in ALL areas of your life, challenges you, and gives you tips on excelling further - this first chapter was a hard read)

"I will behave myself wisely and give heed to the blameless way - O when will You come to me? I will walk within my house in integrity and with a blameless heart. I will set no base or wicked thing before my eyes. ..." (Psalm 101:2,3a - read chapter yesterday morning and have been meditating on this ... more self examination!)

"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me ..." (Phil. 3:13-14)

Huh. I see the 'word' for me today now ... endeavour to persevere :)

Today? - I think I will 'forget what is behind' - thanks anyway!

Presumptions and Pondering

I don't want to be here typing right now, I am not in a happy place, and I only have presumptions why. I presume its because I'm not getting the sleep I need, I presume its because I am dehydrated from too much coffee and not enough water, I presume its because I am ashamed that I am over half way in this challenge and do not one day to say "well done!", I presume its because I feel uncomfortable in my own skin. I presume part of my glum and heaviness is spiritual stress - there seems to be a lot of turmoil going around.
If it wasn't 10:30pm already I would have gone on the the Treadmill - just so I could log it in here - but I am once again going to miss out on the exercise too.

So ... good things? A call from a friend re lit my fire to get on my knees. My nieces are amazing and I loved seeing them again. I enjoyed the sound of the rain on the kindergarten room when everyone was out (I probably shouldn't mention that I missed the sun...). I enjoyed saving some money at Sobey's 10% + 5% off Tuesday. I am thankful for Thanksgiving weekend. I am thankful that I will have some time Friday morning before the staff meeting to get a few of my ducks in a row. I am thankful for my friend who invited me to play bells this evening - I had fun, but I kind of wonder if a couple of the church ladies thought I was a little too boisterous. :) I am still working on my church unity paper - I think I have decided to call it the Messenger... what do you think? My one niece helped me out. I am thankful my loving husband and three great kids are here in our safe home, relatively healthy and happy. ...

I need to spend more time with my kids ... I'm around them all the time, but I mean WITH them. I am pondering dedicating some time to them, and perhaps over the Thanksgiving weekend it would be even better! ;D

So today?
.. I really have to think about it!
I had coffee, and no breakfast. I came home at lunch time and had left over chicken stir fry. At the school I began having a killer headache and tried to abate it with a couple chocolate balls (which were yucky). I got home and WALKED TUCKER in the rain. Then I went and got groceries and picked up KFC for supper - had 2 small breasts, about 20 fried with vinegar and salt and half a tomato. Then I went back to Sobey's for some stuff Roger wanted. Split up the meat and froze it. Went and played bells with Christine, came home and dealt with family 'emergency' again, showered up and, after some time with my man, came to the computer. OH! And I had a Pepsi throughout the day.

Doubt I'll meet my 2 pound goal THIS week!

Delays and Interruptions...

Today I was in a negative daze. It took me a while to actually get home, I was about to take Tucker out when the phone rang, due to the nature of the call I stayed on, and by the time I got off it was time to make supper. I then washed Tucker and did some laundry, and then had to deal with a family 'emergency' issue. It is now 8:30pm, my daughter just asked for help with her homework, and I am no more energized by the junk I ate ...
TODAY?
no breakfast
2 coffee
left over rice, chicken and salad, plus a banana
water
chicken stir fry, plus a bunch of other stuff that I am not sure what all I ate...
No walking Tucker, and no Treadmill...
Today's goal - get through the day and hope for a better sleep tonight...