The talk went well....

 I guess I forgot what the ARC discussion midway through the year is about.  I was thinking, as you read yesterday, that I needed to have goals in place and what I was doing to get there, etc.  Well, it wasn't that, exactly.  It was just a conversation of what do I want to do and how am I getting there.... of course in years past Sue and I both said our mid-year goals were to 'retire'.  She is meeting that goal this year, albeit it has moved to August 31.  She reminded me yesterday.... she has 35 working days left.  Sigh.  Maybe I'll still shoot for 80.. which would be in three years.  Seems like such a long, long time, doesn't it?  Anyway, I don't get 'graded' and don't have to acknowledge this discussion like we do for the yearly one.  She said that she will just write that I'm on track for my goals and that I want to take on more responsibility.  And yes, I admitted, that right now if she doesn't give me work to do, I do get bored. Some days I have nothing to do.  Well, I DO have things to do, I just don't make them a priority.

Had a shoulder workout with Morgan yesterday.  Just remembered that I didn't write down the exercises in my book.  I'm hoping now that I can remember what I did so that I can get them written down. Some day I won't be able to afford personal training and will need to rely upon myself to do any workouts.  I have to keep working out and keep my body moving.  I loved my mama, I did, but I don't want to end my life sitting at a table all day long and waiting on someone to come visit.  You know people like that as well, don't you?  Go visit them. Encourage them to take a walk at the mall if it's too hot outside.  Keep them moving; keep them living.  

Life is too short to spend it sitting in one spot.  My mama died just short of 86.  I don't know that she ever really lived.  And that's sad.  Of course that is my opinion.  She did what her mama did.  Granny always sat on the front porch and rocked in the rocking chair.  I say I want to live to 103 - but live it healthy and strong.  I want to live life. Yeah, right now it is hard, with working and circumstances.  And I really don't know what I'd do if I wasn't working and didn't have circumstances to control my life.  But I would be living.  Not that I could travel a lot - I couldn't.  But... well, let's just leave this conversation here. I don't know what I'd do differently than now.  But I would feel I could fly, if I wanted to.  

My big brother's birthday is next week and he will be 81.  Hard to believe it because he is so active.  He is currently working on his snow-blower.  It's one of the powerful ones and last year with 10" of snow he said it wasn't working well.  So he is working on it now so that it will be ready for the snow this winter.  Now mind you, he could easily just buy a new one.  But he likes to tinker and fix things himself. (He recently built an entire computer innards by himself (with instructions, of course) and it is faster than anything he has had in the past.)  So he said by putting a new belt on the snowblower and a couple other parts, it is costing him $30 versus $300 if he bought a new one.  That is a big savings!  He recently had windows put in his screened porch so that they can sit out there.  I remember sitting in it when we were there last.  He's got it all fixed up with recliners, TV, etc.  Sent me a video the other day. He is always learning new things and fixing things and living life.  He just doesn't slow down.  And I want to be like that.  I want to keep moving and keep living and doing things, learning new things.

No workout today.  Hubby will be meeting with his friend (I think I have already shared they moved back to Tuesdays from Thursdays) and I will be taking Ms. Vicky out for an early birthday dinner.  When I visited the other day, I asked if her daughter was going to do anything. Ms. Vicky's birthday is next Monday.  She didn't they she would, unless it was on the weekend. So I offered to take her out - and the next thing I knew, it was decided on THIS Tuesday and not around her birthday. I know she wants company, so I agreed.  Not sure where I will take her yet.  Wherever she wants to go.  I ask myself 'What would Jesus do?" and know that He would help her enjoy the time.  Maybe I can bake a small cake over the weekend and take to her on Monday, so she won't feel forgotten.  She has one daughter here and one daughter in Nebraska.  Neither visit much, nor call.  I'm sorry she is alone most of the time, and does have some disability where she has to use a walker mostly, but can use a cane.  It's life. She is already bemoaning she will be 79 this year.  Another reason I push to work out.

Philippians 1:6 (NIV) He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Do you label yourself?  I know I label myself at times - and they usually are not positive labels.  You know what I'm talking about.  "I'm fat." "I'm lazy."  "I'm not smart enough to...." "I'm unorganized." "I just can't do it."  And so many more.  I'm sure you have labeled yourself many times as well.

And we need to stop that.  Why?

Because we are made in the image of God and He is none of those things.  Sure, we may procrastinate a bit too much, but that doesn't mean we need to wear that label.  Our desks or closet may be a mess, but that doesn't define who we are.  We are children of the Most High God.  We belong to Him.  Therefore, no label can be put upon us except that we are His children.  

God began a good work in you the day you were formed.  He knew what your future would be; Jesus knew what choices you would have to make - and which choices you did make.  Jesus knows all that from the very beginning - and yet He loves you with a love that is unfathomable.  Jesus began a good work in you, and He will continue to do that good work in you, until He returns again.  Sure, we don't know when that will be, but our 'job' is to be ready when He does return to claim us as His own.

Yes, sometimes life is hard.  Many people 'quit' and take the 'easy way out' of life because they just don't want to deal with it.  Life IS hard, but by the grace of God, He will always walk us through the tough times because He loves us so much.  Sometimes life is unbearable... but in Christ, all things are made perfect in Him.  

You are a gift from God.  You were made in His image. You are loved. You are valued. You are His child.  Nothing can come against you that has not first been filtered through Jesus.  He will walk with you through any battle you face.  Jesus loves you with a love that you have never been loved with.  Think about that!  I'm sure there are times many of us have felt unloved, unwanted.  But Jesus.  He loves us, and He wants us as His own.  Life is perfect in Him - no matter what comes against us.  Jesus will always be with us.

Some days that is what we hang on to.  Jesus is Lord, and nothing surprises Him.  I am His (and so are you).  Grab His hand; sometimes life is a ride.

Have an amazing day!

Blessings!

I did survive yesterday....

 with all three presentations for work.  And I still have more work to get done in that I was to run to Staples yesterday to pick up 225 envelopes that I will be addressing this weekend, stuffing, and getting in the mail, hopefully by Tuesday.  Staples offered to mail the special order to me, but no, I said I wanted to pick up, thinking I could just immediately start addressing them.  I forgot about the town halls being the same day - so now I am a date late and a dollar short; know what I mean?  I'm already behind my mental schedule of getting these completed.  225 isn't a lot, so other than a few hours, it shouldn't take long to do.

Immediately after the last town hall yesterday I had to get ready and get to the gym for my training workout.  Core last night.  My butt is still hurting from the leg workout the day before, so before this day is over (I can feel it starting), my core is going to be hurting as well.  But it's a 'good hurt', if you know what I mean.  Racing home after my workout, I changed shirts and we headed off to our bible study at our friend's house.  It was a nice session last night and we had good conversation about it.  

Hubby is insisting on taking me out to dinner tonight.  His MA plan sends him $50 in prepaid credit cards every time he does something for his health; can't think what this one is for - but he is determined to take us both out to dinner tonight.  I don't always look forward to his insistence on us going to dinner alone.  It gives him an opportunity to have my undivided attention and he proceeds at times to tell me what I am doing wrong, or asks me questions that I don't want to answer.  But the food is always good, right?  Maybe I'm over-reacting. Again. He just wants to do something for me.  I think we are going to JiMichaels - really good food and a lot of it.  Never leave hungry, for sure.  I wish he'd just take the cards and spend them on himself.

I am working today, but I was thinking I'd work in here and clean this room up - but that was before I remembered I need to get started on the Staples order.  But then, I can just start addressing the envelopes and get those done today.  I think I will run over to Staples when they open - I think it is 10am.  That gives me all day to address, then I can stuff, take to the post office, and be done with them.  Well, other than submitting an expense report for me buying the envelopes and paying for the postage.  I have high hopes of getting some tasks around her accomplished this upcoming weekend.

I just need to quit being lazy.  I easily talk myself out of doing things, and procrastinate .... am I the only one?  There is always 'another day' right?  What happened to all the discipline I had built into myself years ago?  I was so busy and enjoyed every moment of it.  Now I'm dying inside because I'm not doing anything.  But, little by little I am starting to take on more tasks - and in doing so, I'm hoping I come back to life.

Romans 8:1  There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

How often do we look at other people and ask ourselves why they always look so put together?  How is it that everything falls into place for them?  And why is it that I am the one that seems to always have so many issues?  You have read my struggles over these years of writing in here.  Many times I've said things and shared things in here I should not have.  I never want to put anyone down, and yet, I am sure that I have said enough that you have formed your own opinions about people I have mentioned.  People who have hurt me; people who have brought joy to my heart; people who are indifferent to me... these are real people and I judge them by how I am feeling towards them.  And you know that you do the same thing.  Judge people according to how they treat you, or treat someone you care about.

We want something, someone, to immediately fix our issues and our judgement calls.  And we want to stop calling ourselves names we would never let anyone else call us.  You know what I'm saying.  I sometimes hear people do something and then I hear them say "stupid!".  Yet, if you voiced that word to them they would be terribly offended.  (I once told hubby he was being lazy one time at a restaurant because he wouldn't return something and wouldn't let me - and he exploded on me, that I was calling him lazy!)  Just an example of how we label people and even label ourselves.  We tell ourselves we are stupid often enough, we begin to believe it.  

When do we celebrate ourselves?  When do we stop and believe we are able to accomplish some things - and do it?  When do we push ourselves to do more?

My big brother and I are close.  He has always encouraged me and inspires me to do better.  He never lets me sit on the sideline, but pours into me value. You have no idea how important that is to me with the way my life has been.  His words have always rung true to me and he always makes sure I know I am valued.  (When was the last time you showed someone they were valued?)

Recently my big brother has challenged me to 'learn something new every day'.  Keep the mind active.  He is taking an AI course at a university online so that he will just know something about it.  I mentioned I needed to learn more about PowerPoint, and DocuSign, and AI as well - all for work. I have shrugged it off because I don't want to work; I'm almost 77 and I want to live life.  (But I can't live life even if I retired, so I may as well keep working and have my play money, right?)  (I don't want to live my life just sitting in a chair and reading, or working on my little projects.  I want to get out and LIVE LIFE.  Does that make sense?  

And here I am again!  Had to jump off and get on the work computer as time got away from me. At least I am almost done here... maybe.... I seem to be a bit wordy today, as usual, I assume....

Anyway - back to learning something new every day... my brother sent me several links to free classes for powerpoint and has encouraged me to learn more - about anything!  I may as well learn something I can use for work, right?  

So what if I challenged you?  What is it that you have a (even a slight) interest in, that you put in the back of your mind that 'some day you would like to learn about'?  Maybe it is in putting your thoughts down on paper and writing that book?  Maybe it is learning how to crochet/knit?  Perhaps it is learning how to make a specific dish?  Yeah - these may be all things I've had in the back of my mind for years.  But, whatever I choose, and whatever you choose.... let it be something that you will enjoy doing.  Don't stop learning because you retired, or are unable to hold a full time job.  There are so many YouTube things, so many colleges that offer free classes, so many links to learn new things.

Let's make a pact!  It may be difficult to learn something 'new' every day, but let's make an effort to learn something new this week!  What shall it be?  Choose this day to keep your mind active and alive.

Blessings!