i thought i would post a video of a great worship singer. her name is kim walker, and she is based out of california. anyway, if you enjoy this song, look her up on youtube and listen to some more of her worship songs. i love unbridled praise and worship. it's hard to find these days....

random thoughts

1. steve, my boss, heads to burma on saturday and will be gone for a week. i am curious to hear what his thoughts are about the country when he gets back.
   
2. my friend stefanie is booking her ticket to come visit us in april. i miss stefanie. i'm excited to see her.
3. eu-mi was spastic last night, when sam and britt brought rustie over. i think being cooped up inside made her go crazy. intense dislike for her lack of restraint.
4. i'm fighting a cold. tired. eyes hurt. draining. must not lose my voice.
5. have decided that maybe colorado is not good for me. or maybe it's just winter weather. hard to fight discouragement and depression when it's always grey, gloomy and cold outside.
6. i have this dashboard jesus sitting on my desk... won it in a white elephant gift exchange. it's slightly sacreligious but OH so funny. haven't gotten the courage to put it anywhere, though. what would you recommend?? :)
   
7. i am not a good event coordinator. i hate major planning and volunteer/detail coordination. it stresses me so much my stomach shakes and gets sick. *sigh*
8. jody made the most wonderful stew dinner last night. i am continually amazed by his brilliant and creative cooking skills. i praise God for him.
9. it snowed last night, but i decided to wear my black flats to work anyway. that meant i was running around my car scraping and sweeping snow off my car... all the while the freezing cold snow was getting in my shoes and freezing my toes (thankfully it was only a couple of inches deep). i just didn't care. lol.
10. been meditating on this verse from lamentations: "I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope; Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." lamentations 3, 19-24
    

.training.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27

This was the theme for the past month's sermon series at church. As everyone sets New Year's resolutions and goals for the next year, our pastor TJ encouraged our church to be focused, to set eternal goals and to run the race of life with our eyes fixed on Jesus. It is also interesting, because this passage can now also be applied to the physical conditioning in my life. At my job, there is a financial incentive at the end of the calendar year if an individual tracks his/her exercise throughout the year.

The details are basically: varying amounts of exercise qualify for 1 point, 3 points or 5 points. For example, walking for 15+ minutes a day counts for 1 point. Running on the treadmill for 30 minutes a day counts for 3 points and running a half-marathon counts for 5 points. Any kind of exercise could count towards it, though - helping a friend move, riding horses, hiking, or swimming laps; really, the goal is just to get the staff members to get their heart rates up and their bodies in shape. There's a little disparity between the points, I feel, but I am willing to do the exercise to qualify for the 1 or 3 points, so I figure I won't quibble over details. And besides, I pretty much exercise on a semi-regular basis anyway. So this incentive is enough for me to just track my efforts and to work out more consistently, which has been my desire for a long time. In short, I must exercise enough to earn more at least 30 points each month for 12 months in order to earn the bonus at the end of the year.

As of today (February 2nd), I have turned in my Exercise tracker for the month of January, and yesterday I ran... so 3 points for me! Woohoo! Jody is teasing me that I sound like I'm in Weight Watchers, but I don't care. It feels good to hold myself accountable, and I am enjoying the challenge to stay in shape.

As I run, bike, use the elliptical, lift weights or just take a walk with Eu-mi, I am reminded that exercise takes focus, discipline, perseverance and lots of prayer. I am also reminded that things in the physical realm always mirror what is happening in the spiritual. The same principles apply in my walk with the Lord. May He give me (and you!) the strength, self-discipline and grace to run the race that is set before me.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race that is marked out for us.

Hebrews 12:1