Words of Wisdom Wednesday

"You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it.  You are jealous of what others have, but you can't get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them.  But you don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it." 
~James 4:2

"My life is too valuable, my calling is too great, and my God is too good to waste my life on things that do not matter!" ~Pastor Craig

"And though the odds say improbable, what do they know?? For in romance, all true love needs is a chance! And maybe with a chance, you will find you too like I am overjoyed, over love, over you!!"
~Overjoyed, Stevie Wonder

Happy Birthday today to my wonderful Mom!!  =) 
I'm driving to OKC after work tonight to celebrate with the fam and some of our close family friends at Joe's Pizza!  Then staying up with Mom to start making the Oreo balls for Rach's baby shower this weekend!  Fun times!! ❤

We found this picture a few days ago... of Mom and Dad on her 28th birthday (aka her at my age)!  Love it!!  =)

Tribute Sunday ~ Running!

This definition made me laugh...

"Marathoning: The triumph of desire over reason." ;-)

26.2 Reasons I'm Training for and Running a Marathon!

1 ~  To break through intimidation and excuses, knowing that I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength! :)

2 ~  It'll be cool to finally have a race number that says "Full Marathon!"  Not to mention the 26.2 sticker on my car!! =)

3 ~ Outdoor training runs at LaFortune and Riverside are invigorating, and actually something that I really enjoy!  (Better than treadmilling, but that can be fun too, depending on what's on TV.)

4 ~  As much as I don't typically enjoy the act of running, I know that I am happier and more energetic and feel more alive when I am training and working toward a goal!

5 ~ Almost every race you enter is also helping to raise money for a good cause, so it's not just good for you, but for others as well!!

6 ~ Running with friends who don't stop to walk forces you to push yourself and catch up so you can stay in the conversation!  And there is a great feeling of accomplishment every time I push myself to go farther or run longer than I thought I could!

7 ~ For the joy of getting the Finisher's Medal placed around my neck after the race!  And the joy of knowing for the rest of my life that I ran a full marathon!

8 ~  For the victorious post Finish Line pictures! =)

9 ~  Because life is a marathon. It requires endurance and is full of ups and downs, and it is all about having goals, taking it one step at a time, and keeping your eyes on Jesus (our finish line). So many metaphors and spiritual parallels, and it gives me so much blogging material! ;)

10 ~ Seriously, almost everyone I know is a runner... so there is motivation and positive peer pressure to join the club and be part of memorable race events!

11 ~ Because sometimes you get to see ducks or precious dogs along the way! =)

12 ~ You get a fun race T-shirt that you can wear with pride for years to come! :)  Or have made into an awesome quilt. ;)

13 ~ Because stretching and walk/jogging and talking about life with friends is a far better use of my time than watching reruns or facebook or blogging!

14 ~ I love the Saturday morning Riverside runs followed by Old School Bagel breakfast with friends! =)

15 ~ To accomplish something that only 0.01% of the world ever finds the motivation and discipline to do. To press through the hard parts and follow through on my committment and finish the race!!

16 ~ To be part of fun little racing events with friends!

17 ~ To "build my best me." =)  Seriously, I think running builds muscle and good habits and inner strength and confidence!!

18 ~ For the camaraderie you build during training runs and the new friendships you build during the actual race. Aside from being too out of breath, the conversation with other runners comes easily and is often inspiring!
19 ~ I seriously love wearing the cute runner's jackets and really feeling like a runner!

20 ~ Running is a safe and inexpensive sport that can be done almost anywhere at any time... it takes “I can’t” and other excuses out of my vocabulary!

21 ~ Weight loss -- to seriously train and cross-train to get ready for a marathon will significantly help me toward my weight loss goals... and running is the fastest and most effective way to burn calories!!  I lost half my weight training for the half, so this time... I'm going all the way! =)

22 ~ Getting to slap the blue marker every time we finish a 5k run around LaFortune Park! =)

23 ~ For the increased self-confidence and the beauty of the "runner's glow," as I like to call it!  It's better than anything I can buy at the makeup counter! :)

24 ~ The excitement of the starting line on race day... your adrenaline pumping, full of nervous anticipation. Then the gun and the confetti, and off you go!

25 ~ It helps me to naturally incorporate a more healthy lifestyle (like drinking more water and eating less sugar)... because I know it makes the running easier!

26 ~ Family pride... it's motivating to know that my parents and sister and aunts and cousins and nephews will all be cheering me on, proud of what I'm doing... that helps make all the long training runs worth it!

26.2  ~ When you can see the finish line in sight and you know you have made it, and the crowds are packed and screaming at the tops of their lungs, and you know that God is smiling down at you and your family and friends are cheering you on... it's an awesome feeling!  No matter how tired you are, you will float through the finish line with a smile! =)

YAY, running!!  I'm inspired today.  And I'm committed enough to keep going when that feeling fades!  You'll notice I've added the 2012 Marathon Training widget to the side of my blog.  I am keeping track of all the miles that I walk or jog in training this year!  (Not counting anything on the bike or elliptical.)  Just having that there has been motivating for me.  I'm excited to see how many miles I've run by the race and by the end of this year! 

I will run with perseverance and finish the race with joy!! ;)

Verse for 2012

"But as for me, I will look to the Lord,
And confident in Him I will keep watch;
I will wait with hope and expectancy
For the God of my salvation;
My God will hear me. 
Rejoice not against me, O my enemy!
When I fall, I shall arise;    
When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light to me."
~Micah 7:7-8

Never more than you can handle?

One of my FB friends has two special needs children.  I know that both of them have some severe medical problems and one suffers with seizures on a regular basis.  (They have four kids total, and two are toddlers.)  This friend is a strong Christian and great example in this situation, staying full of faith and hope in the midst of some things that would be exhausting and heartbreaking...

But everyone gets frustrated from time to time.  And today, her "status" was that she would love to be able to do something as simple as going to the grocery store without needing help.  There were several responses from people offering to come watch her kids or go and do her shopping for her.  But then there was a man who responded by misquoting the verse:  "The Lord never gives us more than we can handle." 

Seriously!?

It was a nice example of religious piousness versus genuine relationship.  My initial reaction was pretty unkind.  But then I calmed down and gave him the benefit of the doubt.  Maybe he is a good friend of hers who also has special needs children, and maybe he (like soooo many Christians today) has misinterpreted this verse and sincerely thought he was being encouraging.

This verse is in reference to temptation, NOT all the difficult circumstances and emotions we will face throughout our lives.  God never tempts anyone, but He does promise that we will never be tempted above what we are able to handle, and that He will give us a way out every time.  

...But to tell someone who is struggling to keep their head above water that God clearly must think they can handle all of it on their own or He wouldn't have "given" it to them is just insensitive and ignorant.  And not Scriptural.  So that is just some free advice. lol  Sometimes we desperately need the encouragement and support and tangible help of those around us (like the good Samaritan story), or need to delegate responsibility to others (like God told Moses to do when it became too much).  

So if ever you are tempted to use that verse as a way to "comfort" someone while doing nothing at all to help them, this might be a better choice for you:

"Carry each others burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ."  ~Galatians 6:2

Speak Life!

Totally random, but yesterday, on January 7th, I walk/jogged 7 miles and burned 777 calories.  And that kinda made my day!! =)

Okay, now moving on...

"And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him."  ~Hebrews 11:6

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."  ~Galatians 6:9

I am so thankful for this encouraging verse, and especially thankful when I see evidence of it!
It is easy and so common for single girls to get together and complain about men or rehash how they're upset over being single.  But every time I would hang out in a group with my friend, Kristin, no matter how cynical or negative others might be, she always spoke in faith and said that she knew God was preparing someone wonderful for us.  She had positive, uplifting things to say, and always stood in faith believing that God had great things in store for her future.  Awesome!  And encouraging.  And I'm certain it was not always easy for her.  But now, God has blessed her with the man of her dreams, someone who was worth the wait.  And I am so happy for them, but that's not really the point of this post...

Her faith through the hard years of waiting is inspiring, and something that I want to sincerely imitate and build in my life!!  It is not ever easy to wait on God's timing when you have such a strong desire for something.  But the power of life and death is in the tongue, and God has given us the choice.   So I apologize for any negative things I have said about men or any doubt-filled things I've said about marriage, and that is now in the past.  This year, I am choosing to speak life!  To build up the men around me, and to be full of faith in the God who loves me and wants good things for me and uses everything I've been through for good.  I believe that He is preparing the right man for me and continuing to change me and prepare me for him, and I trust that He knows the right timing to bring us together (and that I needed to make some of the recent changes before meeting the right person)!!  God loves me, and I trust Him. 

God loves me, and I trust Him.

And when others are having a rough time and speaking out of fear or bitterness or doubt, I pray that I will "not grow weary" in saying and doing what is right, that I will be an example and an encouragement, because we do serve a good God who rewards bold faith!  I believe He has great things in store for my life this year, and I believe that an amazing God-centered marriage is in my future!  Someone who will LOVE Jesus and love and encourage and faithfully partner with me through the rest of my life... a man who will share my desire to adopt a child!  And that is something to celebrate!! =)

Storyline

Thanks to Donald Miller's book, I've been thinking lately about my life story. 
It's nice enough, but a bit boring at the moment...

"Many of us are normal because we are afraid. We aren’t taking responsibility for the exceptional opportunities that are laid before us. We have failed to realize that God shares agency with us. He shares His power, and even His will. God is the Father sitting with His child at a giant, blank piece of butcher paper asking us what we want to draw. And within reason, we can draw whatever we want!"  ~Donald Miller

A good story = A character who wants something meaningful and is willing to overcome conflict to get it! 

So what do I want my life story to look like?  What really matters?  What makes the things I desire meaningful enough to fight for them?  What conflicts will I have to overcome in order to get there??  These questions led me to create this list... it is only six points at the moment, but I'm calling it the "Top 7" because I know that something else will eventually rise up as an important desire.  And of course, because 7 is the perfect number. ;-)

My Current Top 7 List:

1)  Communicate with God daily & do a monthly "surrender-check" on my heart and motives!
2)  Train for and run (and by run, I mean complete by mostly jogging and walking) a MARATHON!
3)  Lose 100 pounds (without surgery or any extreme diet)!
4)  Get my Masters Degree in Psychology!
5)  Adopt a Child!
6)  Write and lead a Bible study on healing from rejection!
7)  Still a mystery *

Why these desires are meaningful:
1)  Because I am nothing and can do nothing on this list apart from Jesus, so praying and/or reading my Bible every day is essential!  And because if my heart is not surrendered and trusting Him in some area, I want to deal with it before it does much damage, and be sure that I truly keep Him first!
2)  Because the 26.2 is a major accomplishment, and it's important to me to train hard and prove to myself that I can do it and gain some confidence through that!
3)  Because I belong to God, because I want to live a long, healthy life... so why not cut my risk for every deadly disease in half!? :)  Not to mention the increased health, self-confidence, and beauty that will naturally result!
4)  Yeah, did I not mention?  I'm going back to school!!  Probably this February, but definitely by the Fall!  I have thought long and hard about what I want to do and why, and this is the first major step in that direction.  It is meaningful because it will enable me to be a voice of restoration and healing, and will help me better understand and relate to people (including my future adopted daughter) on a deeper, heart level! 
5)  At first, this was mainly about my strong desire to be a mother, which will certainly be meaningful to me.  But lately, the desire to love and raise and forever change the life of an orphaned baby - that is strong on my heart.  I believe that God will bring the right man into my life, and I believe that marriage and adoption are in my future!
6)  Because the subject of rejection is most certainly a theme in my life, and God is continually bringing new insight and more healing there.  And because I want to take what Satan intended for evil and allow God to use it for good!!
7)  Hmmm... I'll let you know. :)

CONFLICT that I will have to OVERCOME: 
My own inner fear and self-doubt
Unforeseen life events
Spiritual opposition
Schedule difficulties with work and school
Challenging school work
Difficult adoption process
Negative opinions of others
Finances and student loans
Food cravings
Desire to be extreme and go too fast on weight loss
Hard running days
Passivity
Selfishness
Etc.

This is NOT a 2012 list.  It is a life story list.  All of these things have been on my heart in some form for a while.  Things that I believe God wants for me too, and things I will have to work and fight for!  I'm a little nervous even writing this, but I believe that overcoming the conflict will be worth the effort.  And God will help me through it all!!
So... GET EXCITED!!

*You'll notice I am not including marriage - I do desire that, but I do not see it as something that is in my power to control or obtain.  And I am not including any major vacation desires or anything creative/artsy because those things are fun, but not as significant to my heart or my life purpose!

I had a tearful emotional breakdown yesterday thinking through all of this and feeling incapable and overwhelmed -- particularly about going back to school and training for the marathon.  I fought myself on calling someone and opened the Bible instead.  This verse was clearer than anything I could have hoped for:

"I suggest that you finish what you started a year ago, for you were the first to propose this idea, and you were the first to begin doing something about it.  Now you should carry this project through to completion just as enthusiastically as you began it.  Give whatever you can according to what you have.  If you are really eager to give, it isn't important how much you are able to give.  God wants you to give what you have, not what you don't have." ~2 Corinthians 8:10-12

So there it is.  I'm ready to give what I have, and to FINISH what I have started!!

One more time:
"Don't put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there.  When their breathing stops, they return to the earth, and in a moment all their plans come to an end.    But happy are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the LORD their God."
~Psalm 146:3-5

"I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.  I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name."
~Isaiah 45:2,3

"You don’t have to do this life alone.  Jesus stands ready to advise you on every decision you have ahead of you today.  For every unknown variable that is overwhelming you today, you have access to consult the only truly wise Being in the Universe.  Take time today to seek His counsel."
~Fabs Harford

"When it's time to change, you've got to rearrange who you are into what you're gonna be!" 
~The "Silver Platters," aka the Brady kids ;-)

New Beginnings!

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."  ~Isaiah 43:18,19

"Those who become Christians become new persons.  They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone.  A new life has begun!"  ~2 Corinthians 5:17

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”  ~Lamentations 3:22-24

Today, I am thankful for new beginnings!!

...and for my adorable new blog layout and cute font! :)  LOVE it.

Last night, I had a great time celebrating with some of my good friends from Lifegroup.  We had a low-key pajama party at Nathan's house and rang in the new year with sparklers and silly string! :)

Chet attempted to make "chocolate gravy" -- the recipe was vague, so they kept adding more hot chocolate or pudding or flour, but it didn't really work out -- a funny memory, though, and what I'll probably remember most is that when Chet wrote the recipe from his aunt, he accidentally put "flower" instead of "flour."  

Chet: "Leave me alone.  I still live with my Mom; I don't know these things!" lol So funny. =)  

We also watched Black Sheep, which was as hilarious as ever!  "I got dibs on top bunk!" :)

On my drive out to Owasso, I put my iPod on random.  A bit silly, but sometimes I do that and pray that God will give me some sort of message or sign through whatever song comes next.  The first song it came to was Moving Forward by Israel Houghton.  Amazing lyrics that really speak to me, and I knew that was God.  I actually started crying, but I guess that's nothing new, as I cried during 3 different movie previews yesterday.  What on earth? lol

The second song got me laughing, though.  Laughing pretty hard!  It was this little gem from the Brady Bunch...

"When it's time to change, you've got to rearrange who you are into what you're gonna be!"
Okay.  Yep, I'm ready, God. :)

Third was Your Name is Above All Names:  "Teach our hearts to seek Your face, Father God, the Ancient of Days!"  Awesome.

So anyway, God is speaking. I am feeling more light and feeling more open, and I'm excited for what 2012 will bring!! ❤