I am still just so excited to see what 2014 will bring. And it's a bonus that I haven't even gone back to work yet. Tomorrow is the day, but still... I've tried to make the most of my vacation and I certainly am more relaxed now that I was a couple of weeks ago. School starts again tomorrow, though, and for once, I'm feeling refreshed and kinda ready to go back. I figure from here on out, we are always one day closer to summer vacation... Woo hoo!
Anyhow, today I am really late on the link-up over at Happy Is a Choice but it's all about getting fit, feeling confident, and being healthy.
I've made it quite clear that my goal this year is to run a marathon.
Tonight my mom and I joined a boot camp at the local MMA gym. I'm all over the place on how to track progress with my fitness endeavors this year, but I do know that I want to get fit and stay fit. The easiest part of getting in shape is staying in shape. I don't want to be a yo-yo dieter and I don't want to be a yo-yo athlete either.
I'd like this year to be the year I make permanent changes that I maintain throughout my life. Tonight I started by joining an MMA gym. Yeah, I didn't see it coming either. But it actually was pretty fun. I'm not planning on taking up fighting any time soon... Or like ever... That's just not my gig.
I have one resolution this year and it is to run a marathon.
I have neither had time nor made time for this goal in the past, but I feel like this year is the year.
This spring promises to be a tough one between teaching full time, coaching, and taking nine credits, but such is life. Life isn't slowing down for awhile and I'm not getting any younger... And I'm ready to take charge and do something for myself. I feel like I have lost a piece of myself over the last couple of years and I want to figure out what that is.
Running 3 miles is not something that comes easy to me, so I know 26.2 miles will be the most difficult thing I've done in a long time. I'm excited to do something difficult.
I've gotten all to content with doing only the things I know I will be good at and/or those things that I know I will be able to finish without too much inconvenience to myself.
My baby steps to running my marathon are as follows:
- Run a 5k on Friday, January 31.
- Run the Fargo Half Marathon on May 10.
This year is going to be the year. As I've said before, I am looking forward to the changes 2014 is going to bring and I pray that one of those changes is a self-improved, more disciplined self.
Soli deo gloria.
As has become my usual, I am linking up with the ladies of The Good Life, A. Liz Adventures, Carolina Charm, and Hello Happiness for "5 on Friday." Please join us!
One. I love fun mail... Especially when it makes Christmas last a little longer. I also received a textbook order today, but I'm conveniently ignoring that.
Two. I made a cinnamon roll tree from scratch this week. I contributed baked goods to this week's holiday feasts and that was it. This was a new roll recipe and while it was pretty tasty overall, I know now what I will change for the next time go-around. Which probably won't happen until next year. In 2014. (How is 2014 only next week away??)
Three. I am in the midst of packing for a quick weekend trip to hit up Michele's engagement party tomorrow evening and to spend Sunday with Amy. After a couple of days of not feeling the greatest, I'm looking forward to a quick couple of days catching up with a couple of my favorite ladies.
Four. The first thing I accomplished today was finishing my tax binder. I moved some files around and made a space for this year's documents. Rarely do I stay on top of anything in life, but my tax binder is one less stress now!
Five. I love my new infinity scarf from Kelly! It just might be so fluffy that I could die! But it's also soft and ginormous and warm and I'm planning on wearing it tomorrow! Kelly's fun mail Christmas gift was a great way to end the week!
I've already fessed up to some my Scrooge-ish tendencies this year, so I was praying quite hard that Christmas Eve service would bring something new to my heart. After Pastor Brian promised Part 2 of his sermon for Tuesday evening, my sister and I were not so jokingly looking forward to possibly getting out of yet another well-intended, but still awkward, Yuletide monologue. The monologue was avoided and truth was spoken... I walked away blessed. I'll be working out of Luke 2:26-35, per Pastor Brian's teaching. These are my sermon notes over the last two service times. I don't promise eloquence and beauty, but I do promise truth and grace.
Simeon was told he would not die before he met the Lord's Christ (v. 26). However, Simeon knew it was safe to wait because he had Go'ds promise of an advent moment- that is, the Christ child. Like Simeon, we can live in the promise of an advent moment because God has promised us that Christ will return- that we too will have our advent moment and that the best is yet to come.
Like God will eventually do for us, God delivered on His promise to Simeon (v. 27). However, Simeon did not live his life only for that moment. Instead, he lived his live in anticpation of that moment while living as wholly and fruitfully as possible until that moment came.
Finally, Simeon realized that God had delivered and declared that he could die safely now (v. 29). Like Simeon, Jesus Christ came to earth, through His birth, to make it safe for us to die. Jesus came because each person has a soul to save and sin to be saved from. Simeon also understood that Jesus came to be a public savior (vv. 31 & 32). Jesus came so that we, as humans, could see two things: our Father God and our own sin. Jesus is a direct reflection of God in behavior, mind, spirit, etc. and it is only by Jesus' sinless life that we are able to see our own sinless, broken lives.
It is only by Jesus' birth that He was able to die on the cross which, ultimately, allows us to exchange our earthly, selfish glory for the eternal, selfess glory that God allows us to share with Him (v. 32).
Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Is. 9:6) who allows us to die at peace with our creator.
This is what I needed to hear last night. This made Christmas new for me last night. This brought my heart the touch I needed to gain a glimpse of understanding of the celebration of our Christ's birth. This, my friends, caused me to stop and to wonder about the ginormous blessing that is our salvation in Christ Jesus.
PS- If you're looking for another good Christmas read, I enjoyed this piece this morning as well. Consider, especially, her third point.
