The Challenge: Read 12 books of 200 pages or more in 12 months. That's one book per month.
The Time frame: January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011
The Reason: Studies have shown that reading helps keep your mind healthy and active. The mind you save may be your own.
Books I've Read So Far:
January
Sisterchicks Say Ooh La La! - Robin Jones Gunn
Sisterchicks in Gondolas! - Robin Jones Gunn
Sisterchicks Go Brit! - Robin Jones Gunn
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
What I'm Currently Reading
One Tuesday Morning
Karen Kingsbury
Book Count 2011: 3
Not a great deal to say on this Monday start to a new week. Woke up early this morning, tried to stay awake to get Al up so we could go to the Y, wound up falling back asleep and woke up again too late for us to go anywhere. I'm not a happy camper about that. To top it off, it took me three tries to wake Al once *I* got up, and he didn't finally rouse from sleep until almost 10:30am. That didn't leave much time for him to get up and do the things he needed to do before leaving for work. He left me a sink full of last night's dishes to do, but he did at least manage to eat, shower, and shovel some snow before he left. And to think, HE wanted to go back to bed with me this morning. If we'd have done that, NOTHING would've gotten done. As it was, he had me empty the dryer and throw the clothes from the wash into the dryer and run them twice to dry, as well as throw in the load of towels and whites to be washed.
I don't mind doing the laundry, especially when I don't do much of anything else, but I'm a firm believer in the fact that if you start something, you should finish it if at all possible. Al spends so much time putzing and playing games on his computer or watching the SyFy channel, or one of his crime shows, that he lets a bunch of stuff go. He still hasn't gotten into Corri's room to work on the walls, and she's coming home next Sunday. The room is a total disaster area, and yet, she needs to sleep in there. She said she doesn't mind, but that's beside the point. He's had almost three months to work on it and he's done nothing. What's up with that?
I still haven't watched the Bears game yet, although I attempted to when I woke up this morning. I had to turn it off, but I did at least get to see that beautiful downfield pass from Cutler to Olsen for the first touchdown of the game. It wasn't long after that when I turned the game off to save it for when I was actually awake enough to see and enjoy it.
I've spent most of today trying to catch up on my soaps. I'm finishing up the first round as I type, and while watching, or more accurately listening, to them, I've been playing Cafe World, trying to finish one of those blasted catering orders that required I cook 300 dishes that took 30 minutes each to be ready. It was a pain in the butt, but I finished it. Was talking to Amy when I completed that goal and she told me I pretty much rock, so I said, "Well I'm going to finish my cigarette and then take my pretty much rockin' butt to the sofa to catch some ZzZzZz's." And that's exactly what I did. Slept for another two hours, give or take a few minutes.
Now I'm awake, just talked to my husband for our daily afternoon phone call, grabbed a shirt and tie for him for his interview tomorrow, thanked him for leaving all the dishes for me and updated him on the laundry situation, and then we ended the call. Snap. Forgot to tell him the library called and they have my last hold book in for me, finally. I really want to finish the one I'm reading though, so I'll probably forego anymore soaps or television shows tonight in favor of reading this book, which by the way is fantastic. I'm having a hard time putting it down as it is, but I have to have it finished and back at the library by the 19th. If I don't have it finished by then, I'll have to check it out again in order to get to the end.
What are some every day kind things that your family and friends do for you that you are thankful for but for which you have never actually thanked them?
That's not me. I always say thank you when people do kind things for me. I don't really have friends I spend time with every day, but like when Amy was staying here with us before and after Christmas, and she did nice things like driving me to pick up my pills, buying me cigarettes or other small things when I had no money, helping out by doing the dishes before I'd cook each night, I always said thank you. When Al does things for me, I always say thank you. I don't take people or their acts of kindness for granted. Not only that, but I think my mom raised me right and taught me to be polite. As a little girl, I always said "please" and "thank you," and have been told that my manners were impeccable. I like to think that's stuck with me into adulthood. If I ever do forget to say thank you, it's completely unintentional and likely because I'm either having a total brain fart, or am being pulled in a million different directions trying to put out fires all at the same time. Since I don't work anymore, the latter doesn't happen too often. Heck, I even always tell my sister thank you for emptying the cat box or cooking dinner, or contributing to the grocery bills. Like I said, never take kindnesses for granted. I'm always grateful for anything done for me, whether it's a big or small thing.
Point to Ponder: The Great Commission is my commission.
Verse to Remember: Psalm 67:2 - Send us around the world with the news of your saving power and your eternal plan for all mankind.
Question to Consider: What steps can I take to prepare to go on a short-term missions experience in the next year?
This chapter was on the Great Commission, which is to go forth and spread the Good News to all nations, and baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. It's our command from Jesus that tells us we are meant to not just share the Good News locally with people around us, but we should be thinking globally and trying to bring Jesus' message of love and his salvation to people of all nations.
The thing is, I kind of take issue with this chapter, just a little bit. It said that we shouldn't wait to feel called to do a missions trip, but at the same time, I really don't feel called to be global in my efforts to share the Good News of Christ. I guess, in this day and age of computers and emails and websites from all around the world, it would be possible for me to share my testimony and life experiences, my life mission with non-Christian believers. In a way, that's kind of what I've been doing. I know I have one friend from chat who reads my diary and he lives in India. That is if he's still reading me. I have no idea if he is or isn't. We don't talk about it. But he is the friend who turned me on to that other book I was writing about - The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari.
But I digress. I guess I could look for electronic means of sharing my faith and hopefully planting seeds for other new believers, so maybe I will start doing that. It's not something I am going to do today, however. Possibly tomorrow morning I'll start looking to see what I can find.
As far as going on a missions trip, however, even a short one, that takes a monetary resource I just don't have at my disposal right now. Not only that, I am fairly certain that Al would have objections to it. He doesn't mind me taking off and going on trips without him, but he might, depending on where I went, and considering my calling in life is to the married life and all the responsibilities that come along with it, I just don't see myself actually making a trip unless Al is able to go with me. We've never taken a trip together, just to go on vacation, other than to New Orleans to visit family. That's something else that needs to be rectified, but I'm not entirely positive he'd jump for joy about a "working" trip somewhere to "preach," as he calls it.
We'll see, I guess. I'll pray about it, and see what comes from it. I really do believe that we are called to things like this, even if we are all given this Commission. Taking actual trips to other countries to share faith is a true calling that isn't for everyone. At least, that's MY opinion on it.
God honestly does know what we suffer through when we try to lose weight. He sympathizes with us in all our suffering, but He can also see the prize that awaits us. He knows the inheritance that is to come. Even when we have difficulty keeping ou eyes focused on the goal, we can turn to God, who will strengthen us by His own strength. He always sees us as what we can potentially be: slim, trim, and healthy. It is important for us to try and see ourselves the same way God sees us. Remember, once weight is lost, the struggle is not completely over, but we need not ever return to obesity. The fruits of our labors, our inheritance, can last forever.
Today's thought: God wants to see us achieve our goal!
Right now I need God's strength just to stay awake, it would seem, so we can make our morning appointments at the YMCA. I feel guilty as sin, pardon the pun, and so does Al, that we haven't been going. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, as the saying goes, and we've had good intentions of going every morning, but we never quite make it there. Something always comes up. We're just going to have to force ourselves to do this, but with God's help, I know we'll make it and get into an exercising groove.
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