Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends. Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!! Just copy this entire post and paste it into your own post. Change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then tag someone else!
I tag Summer, DeAnna, Cricker, and Aunt Kathy!!!
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Paper – what’s the fun in gift bags??
2. Real or artificial tree? Real this year, but what a mess!
3. When do you put up the tree? Weekend following Thanksgiving. This year we waited until the following weekend, because Thanksgiving came so early.
4. When do you take the tree down? January 2nd most likely, although this year our tree is sooo dry, so it might come down sooner.
5. Do you like eggnog? That’s a big no.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Gretchen, my mini-schnauzer. I remember getting out of Girl Scouts and coming to the car and seeing my coat in the back seat with a lump under it. Under the coat was this tiny little fluff of a little sweet puppy!!!
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yep, over the last several years Geoff has collected for me all of the pieces to the nativity from Willow Tree. It is (and will likely always be) my absolute favorite Christmas decoration. Putting up the nativity was my favorite part of Christmas decorating growing up, and it still is.
8. Hardest person to buy for? Um, hmmm. I actually have a knack for gifts. I guess my father-in-law is probably my hardest person, but I usually let Geoff pick something for him. Geoff, on the other hand, is the easiest person in the world for me to shop for. In fact, the hard part with Geoff is to put a limit on the buying, because every time I go out I find some other little something that he would like.
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? In junior high school, some of the guys (from church, mind you) thought it would be funny to give me an (anonymous – ha!) gift (in my mailbox) of a tshirt with a rather lewd comment on it. Lovely, really! (Cricker, do you remember that??)
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, email, whatever, just send them to me!
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Toss up between "Charlie Brown Christmas" and “A Christmas Story”
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? This year I had all of the kids on my list done in June/July! I have been known to grab a Christmas gift for one year at the after-Christmas sales the previous year. The problem with those gifts is that it’s so hard to hold onto them until Christmas!
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Sure. And I’ve been the gracious recipient of quite a few recycled gifts – a lot of times these come from my sister, and I use them and love them!
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Mom’s chocolate pie and Liz’s sweet potato casserole, I also like green bean casserole
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? I usually do the small white lights on the tree and the big colored bulbs on the house. Since we have the construction project going on right now, I decided to use the big colored bulbs on the tree, and it was fun for this year, but I think I’ll go back to clear white next year. I’d like to get one of the timers that causes the lights to twinkle.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Have yourself a merry little Christmas
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Usually travel because family lives away, but this year we decided to stay home. We’ll probably be having more home Christmases in the coming years given that we’re trying to start our own family and it’s nice to have Christmas at home when your kids are small.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Comet Cupid Donner Blitzen Dasher Dancer Prancer Vixon Rudolph (Now see, this is going to be cheating because when you copy and paste, you don’t have to think about it – I’ve got them all laid out for you!)
20. What's on the tree top? A cross. An unusual choice for a Christmas Tree topper it seems, but totally appropriate. I loved it when I found it a few years ago, and have used it ever since.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Christmas morning. Early Christmas morning!
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Not necessarily this time of year, but it annoys me when I find Christmas decorations up and Christmas music playing in OCTOBER (or earlier)!
23. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme or color? No, I like it to look like a hodge-podge of kids decorations. “All things merry and bright”
24. What do/did you leave for Santa? Cookies and milk – I think oreo’s are his favorite!
25. What were any traditions you had growing up? Any that you do as an adult now? Fondue on Christmas Eve. I want to start doing that now that I’m an adult as well, but I don’t have a fondue set – Christmas gift idea for me if you’re still shopping!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
House Project Update
So I've lost count of the number of days we've had this project going on. The roof is complete, and it's a beaute! We've got to sit down and go over the remainder of the billing this evening, and unfortunately, only Geoff will be there for that. Hope it goes well. I'll be at rehearsal for Sunday morning praise team...
The brick layers will be here tomorrow to start the front of the porch foundation. We decided to pour over the entire existing slab because it was so poorly done the first time. This will cover all of the flaws and will leave a seamless and straight and level porch. They're going to stain the concrete to match the bricks and we'll never have to paint it!!! The bricks are a new choice too, and will tie in nicely with the new steps at the side of the house. (Advice to others considering a remodel - always plan to spend more than your estimate, not because your contractor doesn't do you right, but because you end up with all of these great choices you didn't consider at first and suddenly think you can't live without)!
We're getting a print out on the cost difference between columns and cast iron, and since they raised the roof, this is a bigger deal than before. (Initially, they had factored into the cost reusing some of our existing cast iron, so now none of it will work - meaning this cost will be added-on cost, so the cheaper choice will likely win the vote). Thanks, everyone, for voting!
This might be wishful thinking, but it is possible that we will have a porch by Christmas. I've seen these brick guys work, and the bricks, at the very least, will be done, so from the street, the porch will look awesome (even if there is a gaping hole in the middle where the concrete goes). I'll post pictures on Thursday or Friday. I have not had a chance to take many because I'm getting home so late. I have to make up all of that sick leave I took the other week, and that requires working until it's too dark for pictures.
Anyway, I need to finish getting ready for work, but I felt like updating on my blog, so there, I've done it! :)
The brick layers will be here tomorrow to start the front of the porch foundation. We decided to pour over the entire existing slab because it was so poorly done the first time. This will cover all of the flaws and will leave a seamless and straight and level porch. They're going to stain the concrete to match the bricks and we'll never have to paint it!!! The bricks are a new choice too, and will tie in nicely with the new steps at the side of the house. (Advice to others considering a remodel - always plan to spend more than your estimate, not because your contractor doesn't do you right, but because you end up with all of these great choices you didn't consider at first and suddenly think you can't live without)!
We're getting a print out on the cost difference between columns and cast iron, and since they raised the roof, this is a bigger deal than before. (Initially, they had factored into the cost reusing some of our existing cast iron, so now none of it will work - meaning this cost will be added-on cost, so the cheaper choice will likely win the vote). Thanks, everyone, for voting!
This might be wishful thinking, but it is possible that we will have a porch by Christmas. I've seen these brick guys work, and the bricks, at the very least, will be done, so from the street, the porch will look awesome (even if there is a gaping hole in the middle where the concrete goes). I'll post pictures on Thursday or Friday. I have not had a chance to take many because I'm getting home so late. I have to make up all of that sick leave I took the other week, and that requires working until it's too dark for pictures.
Anyway, I need to finish getting ready for work, but I felt like updating on my blog, so there, I've done it! :)
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
While the cat's away...
Okay, I'm alive. Most of you know that I've been out sick for quite some time, which means you have missed out on a whole lot of the work going on. I was too sick to even notice the work was being done, let alone to get pictures of it and put them up here. I wish I had had the energy, but oh well.Geoff took this photo today. So you can see that the porch roof is done and that the porch pad area has been dug out for concrete. They're going to start laying bricks across the outside of the pad area tomorrow, and the shingles are here and ready to be put on tomorrow as well. Once the bricks are done, they will pour the concrete pad and fill in the concrete area at the back walkway.
You can see that some of our fence is now missing as well. Also, we're trying to come to a decision about whether we'll be putting up white columns or black cast iron railing to support the roof over the porch. I'm going to put up a poll, so be sure to vote!
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Tried It
Okay, I've seen a bunch of you bloggers using these nifty little video things, and I figured that this would be a good way to share some of the house project pictures without totally cluttering my blog with picture after picture.
So I tried it. I've posted my first slideshow below (with Smilebox). I think there's a way to click on them and view it bigger which should help. it is hard to give anyone an idea of a house picture in so small a form.
Some of the pictures you've seen, but I put a few of Day five up there and they're pretty dramatic, I think.
Anyway, I'm home sick today (thanks, G - think I got it from you). Feeling pretty cruddy but hoping it will pass quickly since we're going to try to do our Christmas decorating this weekend.
We keep going back and forth on the roof material choice. We have plenty of needs and wants requiring our money - it's hard work to determine how to best spend it. Anyway, I'm headed back to sleep off some more of this sore throat...
So I tried it. I've posted my first slideshow below (with Smilebox). I think there's a way to click on them and view it bigger which should help. it is hard to give anyone an idea of a house picture in so small a form.
Some of the pictures you've seen, but I put a few of Day five up there and they're pretty dramatic, I think.
Anyway, I'm home sick today (thanks, G - think I got it from you). Feeling pretty cruddy but hoping it will pass quickly since we're going to try to do our Christmas decorating this weekend.
We keep going back and forth on the roof material choice. We have plenty of needs and wants requiring our money - it's hard work to determine how to best spend it. Anyway, I'm headed back to sleep off some more of this sore throat...
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Day Four Made a Difference
Here's a photo that's probably a bit more dramatic than those I've posted so far. They knocked off the roof covering the porch!! We had kind of figured that they would do this, but weren't 100% certain.We've got the second payment coming up this week - they've done a lot of the work already, so it's time to give them a little more $$ for materials. We've been really pleased so far - especially considering they were initially planning on starting our project this week and they've already finished the roof rebuild, which was a big part.
We're going to sit down this week and discuss where we are in the budgeting and try to break down the remaining costs so that we can make the final decision on the roofing materials. I know it's probably too much to hope for, but I am really really really wanting that red metal roof (I know, there's an echo in here, I've already said that!).
House Project - Day Three
In some of these pictures, it's really hard to tell what's been done. The entire roof has now been rebuilt - meaning new beams, new wood panels and tar paper (except for the portion over the porch). There will be no water coming in this house under this roof! Now all we have to do is make the big decision between shingles and metal. Of course, metal is about 3 times the cost of shingles, and as we're now faced with having to buy Geoff a car, we'll probably have to go with shingles, but we'll do it up nicely... I really really really want that red metal roof!!!Monday, November 26, 2007
Snow - War Eagle Style
Celebrating a white Thanksgiving. A little Auburn University tradition for those unfamiliar with our SEC town: when AU wins a football game folks come out and roll Toomer's Corner - one of the main entrances to the AU campus. There's a huge party with the band and locals and folks celebrate into the night.
Above is a picture of me the morning after our most recent win (6 years in a row) against our number one rivalry, University of Alabama. Below is a wider angle picture of the magnitude of the rolling...
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
House Project Day Two
Between a rainy forecast (of which we had only sprinkles) and it's being the day before a holiday, the crew did not come to work today. They cleaned up pretty well yesterday and wrapped everything in tar paper, so I was not surprised to not see them. Their next major project sure doesn't need to be done just before rain, because next they will be digging out the foundation for the porch extension.
I didn't post pics of the work from Day two. I hope these pictures will give you a better idea of what they've done to the roof. The first pics I posted of the house were really to give an idea of all the mess everywhere, more than to show the roof itself. It's not a drastic looking change on the back of the house in pictures, but it looks amazingly different when you're up close to it...
Where the siding looks black is how much the roof was raised. That's new boards covered in tar paper.
The second picture is standing a little further back. If I had to guess, I'd say there's about a foot difference between the slope of the new boards as opposed to the old roof. It was very nearly flat and dipped in places. Now there's a nice clean line straight from the peak down the back.
It's exceptionally difficult to take pictures of the roof, actually. Hard to get enough distance to see what's been done and hard to get close enough to show a little detail. But I can tell you when you're standing next to it, it looks fantastic!
The picture of the stoop/steps does not come close to doing it justice. The steps really look great, and dress up the entire patio area. Our outdoor living spaces - this side porch and the new covered front porch - are really going to add value to the house!
And finally, my post would not be complete without a picture of the "Auburn Throne" sitting just outside our fence in the front yard. What Alabama home would be complete without the old outhouse?
On a side note, we had a bit of bad luck hit today (just pre-holidays of course). Geoff's dad's van, which we've been borrowing temporarily to replace Geoff's van, is officially dead. Not only do we not have enough to put the metal roof on the house like we wanted, we also don't really have what we need to take care of his transportation situation.
For the last year or so, his van has been in our back yard in need of a transmission/motor/something or other that costs a lot. Also for the past year, a friend has been tinkering on his motorcycle (still not done). So he's been driving the old VW van that finally is kaputz. I hate to take out ANOTHER loan, since we're already paying on something for all of this construction, but it would figure that while we're working on this, we'd end up with another major expense. Such is life!
I didn't post pics of the work from Day two. I hope these pictures will give you a better idea of what they've done to the roof. The first pics I posted of the house were really to give an idea of all the mess everywhere, more than to show the roof itself. It's not a drastic looking change on the back of the house in pictures, but it looks amazingly different when you're up close to it...Where the siding looks black is how much the roof was raised. That's new boards covered in tar paper.
The second picture is standing a little further back. If I had to guess, I'd say there's about a foot difference between the slope of the new boards as opposed to the old roof. It was very nearly flat and dipped in places. Now there's a nice clean line straight from the peak down the back.It's exceptionally difficult to take pictures of the roof, actually. Hard to get enough distance to see what's been done and hard to get close enough to show a little detail. But I can tell you when you're standing next to it, it looks fantastic!
The picture of the stoop/steps does not come close to doing it justice. The steps really look great, and dress up the entire patio area. Our outdoor living spaces - this side porch and the new covered front porch - are really going to add value to the house!And finally, my post would not be complete without a picture of the "Auburn Throne" sitting just outside our fence in the front yard. What Alabama home would be complete without the old outhouse?
On a side note, we had a bit of bad luck hit today (just pre-holidays of course). Geoff's dad's van, which we've been borrowing temporarily to replace Geoff's van, is officially dead. Not only do we not have enough to put the metal roof on the house like we wanted, we also don't really have what we need to take care of his transportation situation.
For the last year or so, his van has been in our back yard in need of a transmission/motor/something or other that costs a lot. Also for the past year, a friend has been tinkering on his motorcycle (still not done). So he's been driving the old VW van that finally is kaputz. I hate to take out ANOTHER loan, since we're already paying on something for all of this construction, but it would figure that while we're working on this, we'd end up with another major expense. Such is life!
Weight Loss - Then and Now Pics
I'm posting embarrassing pictures of myself because people who haven't seen me in awhile might not be able to appreciate how much weight I gained and then THANKFULLY lost! 
The first one was taken in June, when I was wearing a 14 to a 12. I barely look like I can fit in the picture! No, I didn't widen the angle or alter the picture in any way. That's just how much of a weight problem I allowed myself to get into... I got to where I could not wear that shirt. Now it's a staple of my daily wear.
The second one was taken in September. Down to a 10 there, and I know not the best pictures, but I honestly don't have that many to choose from. I guess I got a bit camera shy after gaining all of that weight. I know my hair is longer in the second picture, and that might be all that you can notice from it, but if I had better close ups of the face, you could definitely tell the difference.
Side by side below I've put pictures of my face - the first in June - just before the Hallquist family fourth of July reunion. I took it on my cell phone myself, so it's not the best image ever, but hopefully you can tell a big difference between that one and the one next to it (besides that I had curled my hair for the second picture). The difference is actually about 20 lbs! The second picture was taken in October, and you'll recognize it as my sidebar pic from my blog.
I wish I could show more of the final picture that's down there, because you can really tell in that pic just how much I've lost, but Geoff managed to take a picture that shows entirely too much uncovered chest with the angle, so I've had to crop it.
Anyway, enough embarrassing photos for one day. I didn't get a chance to do an update of the work completed on day two yesterday because I went and got my hair and nails done and got home too late to take pictures (no daylight left). I'll try to slip outside this morning and snap a few before the guys get started again.Geoff's got the day off for Turkey weekend, so he might take some of the work in progress. As long as it doesn't rain...
Monday, November 19, 2007
End of Day One
Before & after of the back of the house. I took the first picture last week, and the second picture today after the contractors finished up day one on the roof. No more saggy roof, yeah! The contractor said that there were actually already two roofs on the house. Not two layers of roofing shingles, but a roof with a layer of shingles, and then a second roof with two more layers of shingles. You probably can't see this but there is a massive pile of shingles behind the house. We're having to walk the dogs out front.The dogs are not thrilled about all of these strange noises and strange people. They were pretty scared this morning. But I'm hoping that maybe this will desensitize them to every little noise they hear. Colson barks a lot, so it will be good for him to chill a bit. The other reason we have to walk them out front is below.
The steps were definitely far from "code." They have a date etched in them of 4-21-1975 and had been broken up at the top to make room for a deck that we tore off when we bought the house. As you can see, we're getting a new stoop out back - a brick one. Stairs will come down either side and we will have a handrail! The contractor says the stairs will be done tomorrow (but will need to set before use), as will the back of the roof. Man, these guys work fast!Weekend Project
My folks came down to help me celebrate passing the Series Seven. Geoff and I took them to Hamilton's, fine dining here in Auburn. Mom also helped me put together two weekend projects for my friend Summer who is having a little boy in Februar
y - a changing pad and diaper bag.
y - a changing pad and diaper bag.
Study Buddies
Colson was a willing accomplice during my long hours of studying over the last several weeks. He loved it especially when I got sick of sitting at the desk and would sprawl out on the floor instead. He's a great little study buddy. Oh, and yes I know I was wearing two different socks. Geoff really enjoyed taking this picture because he thought that was funny. They were both fuzzy socks and I needed the warmth.
:)
Catch Up
Okay, here we go. It's time to play catch up between studying. Yes, that's right - I have more studying to do. But today I'm taking a break and using the opportunity to catch up my blog from the last few weeks.
So here we go...
So here we go...
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Portrait of a Stockbroker
This is the post you have all been waiting for and I have been desparately wanting to write for the past eight to ten weeks. It is official - I have passed the Series Seven!!!I know you're all wondering how I did it, especially since I only studied an average of 6 to 8 hours a day for the past ten weeks, and only took around 300 pages of notes, and only did around 50 practice exams - HA! Seriously, though, if I had not studied that much, I don't think I would have passed. I made an 82% (needed a 70% to pass). It's certainly not the highest score I've ever made on a test before, but it's probably my new favorite number.
I can't wait to finish up on all of this and get back to having a life again. I've forgotten what that is like. On a nice note, though, I just think it's awesome how everything is falling into place right now. My husband's sister and husband have found jobs in the area and are moving here mid-December. I passed the first leg of my licensing requirements in a field and for a job that I absolutely could not be happier about having! My sister is expecting again!
There's always a little something to wish for though. Fo me it's that my parents' situation would be resolved and that Geoff and I would get to the other side of fertility issues with little expense, pain, or much effort. You know you're enjoying life when all you can think of that is missing is another little someone to share it with!
Thanks to Zac Henderson, my boss's son, for the great professional photo (taken on 11.12.07). (I should have taken off the jacket - now that I wear my hair so long and dark, it's hard to see that it comes way down in the front because it blends in with the jacket - still, Zac did a fantastic job)!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
A New Favorite Picture
I have some better pictures of Colson, better meaning that he's looking dead-on at the camera. I even have a great one I took the same day as this one. But I just love the look on his face here! I figured this could fall under the category of favorites, this being a favorite picture. I'll share some other pictures soon.
I took this one because I was outside trying to take some before pictures of the house before the contractor gets started. The official start date for all of the building and repair is November 27th, just two weeks away!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Favorite Things
anyone lived in a pretty how town
I was thinking it might be nice to share some of my favorite things - maybe I'll try to occasionally come back to something that I think is worth sharing. Tonight it's my favorite poem:
A Pretty How Town
by E.E. Cummings
anyone lived in a pretty how town
(with up so floating many bells down)
spring summer autumn winter
he sang his didn't he danced his did.
Women and men (both little and small)
cared for anyone not at all
they sowed their isn't they reaped their same
sun moon stars rain
children guessed (but only a few
and down they forgot as up they grew
autumn winter spring summer)
that noone loved him more by more
when by now and tree by leaf
she laughed his joy she cried his grief
bird by snow and stir by still
anyone's any was all to her
someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hope and then)
they said their nevers they slept their dream
stars rain sun moon
(and only the snow can begin to explain
how children are apt to forget to remember
with up so floating many bells down)
one day anyone died i guess
(and noone stooped to kiss his face)
busy folk buried them side by side
little by little and was by was
all by all and deep by deep
and more by more they dream their sleep
noone and anyone earth by april
with by spirit and if by yes.
Women and men (both dong and ding)
summer autumn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their came
sun moon stars rain
I was thinking it might be nice to share some of my favorite things - maybe I'll try to occasionally come back to something that I think is worth sharing. Tonight it's my favorite poem:
A Pretty How Town
by E.E. Cummings
anyone lived in a pretty how town
(with up so floating many bells down)
spring summer autumn winter
he sang his didn't he danced his did.
Women and men (both little and small)
cared for anyone not at all
they sowed their isn't they reaped their same
sun moon stars rain
children guessed (but only a few
and down they forgot as up they grew
autumn winter spring summer)
that noone loved him more by more
when by now and tree by leaf
she laughed his joy she cried his grief
bird by snow and stir by still
anyone's any was all to her
someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hope and then)
they said their nevers they slept their dream
stars rain sun moon
(and only the snow can begin to explain
how children are apt to forget to remember
with up so floating many bells down)
one day anyone died i guess
(and noone stooped to kiss his face)
busy folk buried them side by side
little by little and was by was
all by all and deep by deep
and more by more they dream their sleep
noone and anyone earth by april
with by spirit and if by yes.
Women and men (both dong and ding)
summer autumn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their came
sun moon stars rain
This is Fabulous - Check it out!
Summer sent me this link to a 12 question survey that helps you choose the 2008 Presidential Candidate who most closely aligns with your views on big issues:
http://www.wqad.com/Global/link.asp?L=259460
My candidate was Mike Huckabee - who's yours? (According to the survey and if you've actually chosen someone). I'd be interested to hear if anyone got a different survey result than the person they're actually thinking of supporting...
http://www.wqad.com/Global/link.asp?L=259460
My candidate was Mike Huckabee - who's yours? (According to the survey and if you've actually chosen someone). I'd be interested to hear if anyone got a different survey result than the person they're actually thinking of supporting...
Sunday, November 11, 2007
How do you spell S-T-R-E-S-S???
S
E
R
I
E
S
S
E
V
E
N
I CANNOT SEEM TO WRAP MY BRAIN AROUND OPTIONS TRADING, MARGIN CALLS, BOND MATURITIES, ETC., ETC., ETC. ! ! !
Why oh why did I not take more math classes in college? It has been far too long since I used basic mathematical logic!
E
R
I
E
S
S
E
V
E
N
I CANNOT SEEM TO WRAP MY BRAIN AROUND OPTIONS TRADING, MARGIN CALLS, BOND MATURITIES, ETC., ETC., ETC. ! ! !
Why oh why did I not take more math classes in college? It has been far too long since I used basic mathematical logic!
Thursday, November 08, 2007
And Away We Go!
We checked some references and contractor # 3 passed with flying colors - FINALLY. He's preparing the contract and we will be signing up on Monday or Tuesday to get started on our home improvements. Now all we have to do is pray that he doesn't run into any problems on the roof repairs so that we can (maybe) actually afford that metal roof we've been wanting. Take one last look. This place will sure look different with an entire roof rebuild and new looooong front porch!
I'll post some before and after pictures when we get this project started...
GREAT TO BE AN EIGHT!
This morning I realized that I had lost enough weight now to consider trying something. So I went to the closet and pulled out my navy pin-stripe suit, which I haven't worn in nearly 2 years. In fact, I only got about 3 wears out of this thing because I bought it too snug since I really liked it (wanted it for an interview) and they didn't really have it in my size.
I am thrilled to report that this morning I put it on easily and am now wearing it comfortably. My main goal has been officially reached - Size EIGHT and LOVING IT! I would still love to lose about 10 more pounds before the year is out and then I will be in a weight range that is comfortable for me to maintain indefinitely. Still, today is for a little celebration (not talking about cake and ice cream here).
I am thrilled to report that this morning I put it on easily and am now wearing it comfortably. My main goal has been officially reached - Size EIGHT and LOVING IT! I would still love to lose about 10 more pounds before the year is out and then I will be in a weight range that is comfortable for me to maintain indefinitely. Still, today is for a little celebration (not talking about cake and ice cream here).
Monday, November 05, 2007
Series 7 - YIKES!
Here we go. The test is scheduled and now I have to see what I've learned over the last eight weeks of studying. November 15th I'll go to Montgomery bright and early with my calculator and drivers license and whatever my little brain can hold. Pray hard! I'm going to pass, but a seven hour test sounds frightful!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
A Practical Tip
Okay, so anyone who regularly reads my blog is probably wondering when I'll be done studying and come back and post, right?
Well, the answer is, Not yet.
I hope to take my test November 15. I may blog sporadically between early next week and the 15th, but this week I am definitely still in hard-core study mode.
However - I'm taking a brief little break to share a helpful tidbit to anyone who might find it as useful as I did.
Get out a pen and piece of paper or have your phone handy.
Okay, are you ready?
Write this down: 1-888-5-OPTOUT.
This is the number you call to register in the system which will put you on a block list for all pre-screened credit card offers.
Most of us hate junk mail, but why should we bother to call (other than saving the time it takes to throw the offers in the trash)? Well, these offers can be stolen and with them, your identity if you don't dispose of them properly (i.e., shred or burn them before disposing). Someone could take that offer of a $5,000 pre-approved loan and fill it out under your name and qualifying information and go on a shopping spree. So go ahead and take a moment to opt out.
Another hint: this is also a great way to help that member in your household who has trouble holding onto his/her money not fall prey to easy credit card offers. I mean, if you're not having anyone send the offers to your home, then they'll have to work a little harder to get another credit card, right?
Anyway, hope you find that tidbit helpful. I'll post again when I get a little further along in my studies...
Well, the answer is, Not yet.
I hope to take my test November 15. I may blog sporadically between early next week and the 15th, but this week I am definitely still in hard-core study mode.
However - I'm taking a brief little break to share a helpful tidbit to anyone who might find it as useful as I did.
Get out a pen and piece of paper or have your phone handy.
Okay, are you ready?
Write this down: 1-888-5-OPTOUT.
This is the number you call to register in the system which will put you on a block list for all pre-screened credit card offers.
Most of us hate junk mail, but why should we bother to call (other than saving the time it takes to throw the offers in the trash)? Well, these offers can be stolen and with them, your identity if you don't dispose of them properly (i.e., shred or burn them before disposing). Someone could take that offer of a $5,000 pre-approved loan and fill it out under your name and qualifying information and go on a shopping spree. So go ahead and take a moment to opt out.
Another hint: this is also a great way to help that member in your household who has trouble holding onto his/her money not fall prey to easy credit card offers. I mean, if you're not having anyone send the offers to your home, then they'll have to work a little harder to get another credit card, right?
Anyway, hope you find that tidbit helpful. I'll post again when I get a little further along in my studies...
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Almost Forgot (and too funny not to share!)
Two nights ago I was awakened deep in my sleep by a weird sensation. My husband was "honking" my nose! I woke up startled and my sudden cry woke him up too. He was sound asleep! We can't figure out how in the world he managed to just grab my nose while he was sound asleep. He couldn't close his eyes and reach his mark again. That was too funny not to share! (Back to studying...).
Friday, October 12, 2007
Leaving You with a Thought
Okay, I am literally 19 days away from test-taking time for my certification as a general securities representative/investment advisor representative. So that means I need to get off the blog and hit the books some. I have really been enjoying posting because I've been getting on a few soapboxes and have actually had some responses lately, but I've got to take a break.
I have one more thing I want to post on before I go, that follows the train of thought I started a couple of days ago, and I want to get a picture up if my camera will work today.
My husband and I were reading this morning and he came across a passage in one of his books about "triumphalism" or triumphalist christianity. This is the type of religion that suggests that being a true Christian means that we will be prosperous, healthy, and happy in this life. I think a lot more people believe this than will admit to it. As I stated earlier, we believe the kinds of sacrifices God calls us to make for Him are the little things, like choosing not to hit someone that makes us mad, or not cheating on a test, or only going 5 over the speed limit, or taking the time to go to church, or tithing our 10%. And we believe (whether we admit to it or not) that God will reward us with the creature comforts of things and stuff in this life.
We followed our personal reading time by reading together in Ephesians, and check out verse three of chapter one:
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every SPIRITUAL belssing in the heavenly places IN CHRIST."
Paul seems to believe that our blessings are not granted us on this earth in worldly forms. I think scripture supports the idea that if we would prefer all of the blessings on this earth, we could probably have these and miss out on the blessings awaiting us in heaven. Paul's belief is that God's blessing is Christ Himself. The life of Christ. A life of true sacrifice. This is the paradox: this life which might seem devoid of the types of "triumphs" that we like to use to measure success by (health, wealth, happiness), is the very life that is truly triumphant.
Anyway, I've blogged enough and now I will most likely be offline for a few weeks in preparation for this test. I may try to get on once in awhile, but I will need to be brief...
I have one more thing I want to post on before I go, that follows the train of thought I started a couple of days ago, and I want to get a picture up if my camera will work today.
My husband and I were reading this morning and he came across a passage in one of his books about "triumphalism" or triumphalist christianity. This is the type of religion that suggests that being a true Christian means that we will be prosperous, healthy, and happy in this life. I think a lot more people believe this than will admit to it. As I stated earlier, we believe the kinds of sacrifices God calls us to make for Him are the little things, like choosing not to hit someone that makes us mad, or not cheating on a test, or only going 5 over the speed limit, or taking the time to go to church, or tithing our 10%. And we believe (whether we admit to it or not) that God will reward us with the creature comforts of things and stuff in this life.
We followed our personal reading time by reading together in Ephesians, and check out verse three of chapter one:
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every SPIRITUAL belssing in the heavenly places IN CHRIST."
Paul seems to believe that our blessings are not granted us on this earth in worldly forms. I think scripture supports the idea that if we would prefer all of the blessings on this earth, we could probably have these and miss out on the blessings awaiting us in heaven. Paul's belief is that God's blessing is Christ Himself. The life of Christ. A life of true sacrifice. This is the paradox: this life which might seem devoid of the types of "triumphs" that we like to use to measure success by (health, wealth, happiness), is the very life that is truly triumphant.
Anyway, I've blogged enough and now I will most likely be offline for a few weeks in preparation for this test. I may try to get on once in awhile, but I will need to be brief...
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Bod for God
In light of what I have been discussing today (diet), I came across this on another blog. I thought it was quite interesting, even though the author takes a pretty strong stand against God/God-dependency/Christianity at the end. What is interesting about it is the picture that "christian" fads are giving to the world. I found myself agreeing with the writer up to the last few paragraphs. I am trying to come up with an appropriate response (the blogger invites comments), but I thought it would be interesting to share...
http://www.blog4brains.com/2007/02/11/bod-for-god/
http://www.blog4brains.com/2007/02/11/bod-for-god/
Self-Evaluation
Would you rather eat a slightly burnt cookie or a juicy ripe apple?
Would you rather eat stale potato chips or fresh baby carrots?
Would you rather drink a warm soda or ice cold water?
Too often I find myself going for the soda, cookie, and chips, no matter what kind of condition they're in. I went on this diet and lost weight and I have some more weight I want to lose. I have been exercising as well. But recent events (since the beginning of September) have really thrown me off my game.
I have been reaching for those temporary comforts which also happen to be the things that kill me (see my previous post). I have not been consistent in either diet or exercise, and I have been making excuses for myself. My last post was as much for me as for anyone who might be reading this, because I need the encouragement right now, not to fall prey to the same old sinful habits that so easily trip me up.
Why is it that we choose to settle so often for what is not good for us? I'm not just talking about food here. I was thinking about my sister's blog on "lip service" that "christians" pay to their faith/God. Dallas Willard says that we so often consider ourselves to be Christians simply because we "believe" what every demon knows to be true! We sell ourselves short. We settle for what seems close enough to doing the right thing, even though we know that something better exists. We have a comfortable cultural christianity that has very little to do with true faith.
It's a redundant question. The truth of the matter is, we are LAZY. We don't want the difficulty. We see someone take a stand - like my father, who has lost his severance and has had his morality called into question (ironically for asking his boss to be truthful) - and we see them face trials and persecutions from so-called christians and non-christians alike, simply for speaking the truth. And we close ourselves off in fear that we too might be called to lay it all on the line if we were to give ourselves fully to God.
We are content to view our choice to go to church on Sunday morning (over sleeping in) as a SACRIFICE on our part, something that makes us Holy and acceptable to God. When we make this easy living out to be a sacrifice, we belittle the sacrifice that God Himself made as our example. He DIED so that we can LIVE! And we choose to pollute our bodies and parcel off only a tiny portion of our thoughts and feelings for Him.
The real work of Satan isn't to convince us not to believe in Christ - it's to convince us that this is all God asks of us - this "chicken poop for the soul" type Christianity that my sister was reading/blogging about. Satan has done his work when we would rather eat freezer-burned ice cream than have fresh yogurt, and when we would rather unthinkingly swallow every word that comes out of a pastor's mouth than dig through His word and find the answer for ourselves.
So, which would you rather have - a vague hope that you might go to heaven when you die or a vibrant, intimate relationship with your Creator?
Would you rather eat stale potato chips or fresh baby carrots?
Would you rather drink a warm soda or ice cold water?
Too often I find myself going for the soda, cookie, and chips, no matter what kind of condition they're in. I went on this diet and lost weight and I have some more weight I want to lose. I have been exercising as well. But recent events (since the beginning of September) have really thrown me off my game.
I have been reaching for those temporary comforts which also happen to be the things that kill me (see my previous post). I have not been consistent in either diet or exercise, and I have been making excuses for myself. My last post was as much for me as for anyone who might be reading this, because I need the encouragement right now, not to fall prey to the same old sinful habits that so easily trip me up.
Why is it that we choose to settle so often for what is not good for us? I'm not just talking about food here. I was thinking about my sister's blog on "lip service" that "christians" pay to their faith/God. Dallas Willard says that we so often consider ourselves to be Christians simply because we "believe" what every demon knows to be true! We sell ourselves short. We settle for what seems close enough to doing the right thing, even though we know that something better exists. We have a comfortable cultural christianity that has very little to do with true faith.
It's a redundant question. The truth of the matter is, we are LAZY. We don't want the difficulty. We see someone take a stand - like my father, who has lost his severance and has had his morality called into question (ironically for asking his boss to be truthful) - and we see them face trials and persecutions from so-called christians and non-christians alike, simply for speaking the truth. And we close ourselves off in fear that we too might be called to lay it all on the line if we were to give ourselves fully to God.
We are content to view our choice to go to church on Sunday morning (over sleeping in) as a SACRIFICE on our part, something that makes us Holy and acceptable to God. When we make this easy living out to be a sacrifice, we belittle the sacrifice that God Himself made as our example. He DIED so that we can LIVE! And we choose to pollute our bodies and parcel off only a tiny portion of our thoughts and feelings for Him.
The real work of Satan isn't to convince us not to believe in Christ - it's to convince us that this is all God asks of us - this "chicken poop for the soul" type Christianity that my sister was reading/blogging about. Satan has done his work when we would rather eat freezer-burned ice cream than have fresh yogurt, and when we would rather unthinkingly swallow every word that comes out of a pastor's mouth than dig through His word and find the answer for ourselves.
So, which would you rather have - a vague hope that you might go to heaven when you die or a vibrant, intimate relationship with your Creator?
Every Good Intention
I had every good intention of spending the morning writing a bit more on Willard, but as many good intentions go...
I did have a thought last night which I thought would be interesting to share. I was out getting dog food and the literal thought that went through my head was "I'm dying for some ice cream." It's a thought I have sometimes while trying to remain disciplined with this dieting thing, "I'm dying for some macaroni and cheese." "I'm dying for some fried pickles." "I'm dying for some chocolate." It occured to me that this could become a sort of mantra that instead of hurting my chances of sticking to my diet, could actually assist me in achieving my goals.
I was talking to my brother about this very thing the other day. About how what I put in my mouth determines whether I will live or I will die. So I asked myself last night, what is it I'm dying for? Would I rather have one more day of health and happiness with my husband and life here, or would I rather eat this ___?
Obesity is a disease and in more than 90% of the cases, it is self-inflicted. Just as abstinance from sex can protect us from venereal disease, abstinance from certain foods can protect us from obesity. When a doctor says someone is morbidly obese, it literally means, you are dying from what you are eating every day.
There is an addiction issue when you get to a certain point with food. When I treat my eating as an extension of my mood - "what do I feel like eating today?" - I quickly start back into a downhill slope of wanting the fried foods, the salty foods, the sweets, the sugars. Just like the person who smokes realizes that he is probably inflicting cancer on himself and bringing death one day closer, so also the person who makes poor choices about eating is bring death one day closer with every bite.
Gluttony is a deadly sin, one that we very often overlook (myself included). I have tried to recondition my thinking about food - to say that my body is like a machine. We put into the machine oil, gas, things that are good for it and make it run properly. We are constantly wary of things that will clog the engine and make it perform poorly (which is why we by more highly refined gas for our vehicles). We should treat our bodies with the same sort of dignity.
What do I need to fuel me? Vitamins and minerals, proteins and carbohydrates. Water, water, and more water. What slows me down, clogs me up, makes me perform poorly and shortens the life of my "engine"? Sugars and oils and fats (oh my!).
So here is a challenge for those of you, like me, who struggle with what you put into your mouth. Next time you grab a snickers bar for breakfast, literally say this to yourself, "I am DYING for this Snickers bar." Next time you pull up to order at a fast food window, say, "I am DYING for this chicken sandwich." And then ask yourself, is it worth it?
Anyone interested in knowing how I've managed to lose 25 lbs in the last four months is free to email me and ask. I'll give you a hint - no sugars, no caffeine, and WATER, WATER, and MORE WATER. Don't die for your food. God gave us food to fuel us and help us live!
I did have a thought last night which I thought would be interesting to share. I was out getting dog food and the literal thought that went through my head was "I'm dying for some ice cream." It's a thought I have sometimes while trying to remain disciplined with this dieting thing, "I'm dying for some macaroni and cheese." "I'm dying for some fried pickles." "I'm dying for some chocolate." It occured to me that this could become a sort of mantra that instead of hurting my chances of sticking to my diet, could actually assist me in achieving my goals.
I was talking to my brother about this very thing the other day. About how what I put in my mouth determines whether I will live or I will die. So I asked myself last night, what is it I'm dying for? Would I rather have one more day of health and happiness with my husband and life here, or would I rather eat this ___?
Obesity is a disease and in more than 90% of the cases, it is self-inflicted. Just as abstinance from sex can protect us from venereal disease, abstinance from certain foods can protect us from obesity. When a doctor says someone is morbidly obese, it literally means, you are dying from what you are eating every day.
There is an addiction issue when you get to a certain point with food. When I treat my eating as an extension of my mood - "what do I feel like eating today?" - I quickly start back into a downhill slope of wanting the fried foods, the salty foods, the sweets, the sugars. Just like the person who smokes realizes that he is probably inflicting cancer on himself and bringing death one day closer, so also the person who makes poor choices about eating is bring death one day closer with every bite.
Gluttony is a deadly sin, one that we very often overlook (myself included). I have tried to recondition my thinking about food - to say that my body is like a machine. We put into the machine oil, gas, things that are good for it and make it run properly. We are constantly wary of things that will clog the engine and make it perform poorly (which is why we by more highly refined gas for our vehicles). We should treat our bodies with the same sort of dignity.
What do I need to fuel me? Vitamins and minerals, proteins and carbohydrates. Water, water, and more water. What slows me down, clogs me up, makes me perform poorly and shortens the life of my "engine"? Sugars and oils and fats (oh my!).
So here is a challenge for those of you, like me, who struggle with what you put into your mouth. Next time you grab a snickers bar for breakfast, literally say this to yourself, "I am DYING for this Snickers bar." Next time you pull up to order at a fast food window, say, "I am DYING for this chicken sandwich." And then ask yourself, is it worth it?
Anyone interested in knowing how I've managed to lose 25 lbs in the last four months is free to email me and ask. I'll give you a hint - no sugars, no caffeine, and WATER, WATER, and MORE WATER. Don't die for your food. God gave us food to fuel us and help us live!
Friday, October 05, 2007
The Out of Towner
Once again I find myself being the Out of Towner. I wish I had Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn around to lighten things up a bit, but not this time. I'm hanging out in SC with my foo. So, I had started this routine of daily (or near daily) posting, and I wanted my few and far between readers who might not know why I dropped off to know where I am at the moment.
I don't really feel like sitting down to post right now, so I'm going to eat some breakfast with my Dad. But I'll be back...
I don't really feel like sitting down to post right now, so I'm going to eat some breakfast with my Dad. But I'll be back...
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Beyond Blind Faith (Hearing God Ch. 3)
Hear this promise of the Lord:
"God is able to penetrate and intertwine himself within the fibers of the human self in such a way that those who are enveloped in his loving companionship will never be alone (HG 43)".
Emmanuel. God is with us. The Lord be with you. I will never be forsaken. We are promised repeatedly through God's word that we will never be alone in this life. Christ Himself says He will never leave us or forsake us. I don't have any profound insight into this for today. I can only think on all of the times in my life that I feel utterly and completely alone. It is a powerful truth to realize that God is not only WITH us, if we belong to Him, He INDWELLS us. He is WITHIN us.
For me this means that when I don't even understand why I feel what I feel or where to begin in pouring out my worries and desires to Him, I have the confidence to say that He has so deeply ingrained Himself in me, that even without my telling Him, He has a full grasp of my every need. This is confidence itself, because it is ONLY He who can fulfill my needs. As the ultimate source of all good things in my life, God is with me.
How do I know that He is with me (beyond what is told to me in scripture and by theologians like Willard)? Willard says, "Our conviction – willing it to be so – is our only proof that God is present in our lives (HG 46)." We often scoff at this blind faith as being rudimentary. Perhaps it is - in the sense that a rudimentary understanding of Him is needed as a foundation for futher understanding of Him. We start here, with the faith that wills us to accept that God is who He says He is. But we don't stop here.
It is dangerous for anyone to assume that blind faith is the only type of faith we need when approaching God. In order to understand the mysteries He wishes to impart to His children, we must always be striving to push beyond a blind acceptance. Willard says that the call to Christ involves the discipline of constant study. We are all made to be theologians. We will not all be Calvin, but we should all use our God-given brains to try and know Him more.
Willard points out one last "proof" that we can have of God's constant presence. He says, "Life with effects beyond the natural always depends upon intimate interactions between us and God, who is therefore present (HG 50)." We, as believers, can SEE God move in this world. We are voyeurs of miracles every day. Any time that we see a life moving in an unnatural direction, we should recognize God at work (God's presence). When a man of God chooses to swallow his pride and admit his wrong before the body of Christ, we KNOW that God has moved and is therefore present. When we follow Christ's example, we KNOW that God has done this in us, because we are incapable of doing this without God.
Choose to see Him act, believers, and choose to "envelop [yourself] in His loving companionship (HG 43)."
"God is able to penetrate and intertwine himself within the fibers of the human self in such a way that those who are enveloped in his loving companionship will never be alone (HG 43)".
Emmanuel. God is with us. The Lord be with you. I will never be forsaken. We are promised repeatedly through God's word that we will never be alone in this life. Christ Himself says He will never leave us or forsake us. I don't have any profound insight into this for today. I can only think on all of the times in my life that I feel utterly and completely alone. It is a powerful truth to realize that God is not only WITH us, if we belong to Him, He INDWELLS us. He is WITHIN us.
For me this means that when I don't even understand why I feel what I feel or where to begin in pouring out my worries and desires to Him, I have the confidence to say that He has so deeply ingrained Himself in me, that even without my telling Him, He has a full grasp of my every need. This is confidence itself, because it is ONLY He who can fulfill my needs. As the ultimate source of all good things in my life, God is with me.
How do I know that He is with me (beyond what is told to me in scripture and by theologians like Willard)? Willard says, "Our conviction – willing it to be so – is our only proof that God is present in our lives (HG 46)." We often scoff at this blind faith as being rudimentary. Perhaps it is - in the sense that a rudimentary understanding of Him is needed as a foundation for futher understanding of Him. We start here, with the faith that wills us to accept that God is who He says He is. But we don't stop here.
It is dangerous for anyone to assume that blind faith is the only type of faith we need when approaching God. In order to understand the mysteries He wishes to impart to His children, we must always be striving to push beyond a blind acceptance. Willard says that the call to Christ involves the discipline of constant study. We are all made to be theologians. We will not all be Calvin, but we should all use our God-given brains to try and know Him more.
Willard points out one last "proof" that we can have of God's constant presence. He says, "Life with effects beyond the natural always depends upon intimate interactions between us and God, who is therefore present (HG 50)." We, as believers, can SEE God move in this world. We are voyeurs of miracles every day. Any time that we see a life moving in an unnatural direction, we should recognize God at work (God's presence). When a man of God chooses to swallow his pride and admit his wrong before the body of Christ, we KNOW that God has moved and is therefore present. When we follow Christ's example, we KNOW that God has done this in us, because we are incapable of doing this without God.
Choose to see Him act, believers, and choose to "envelop [yourself] in His loving companionship (HG 43)."
Monday, October 01, 2007
Pressing Onward - Hearing God Chapter Two
It was interesting for me to go back and read over the beginnings of this book study on my blog and realize that I had been inclined to focus on very different points in my first reading. Now, I suppose I take some of the earlier truths that I learned for granted and am beginning to be able to find new truths to grapple with in my reading. I think this is the way that God intends to reveal Himself to us through scriptures, giving us layer upon layer of Himself, unfolding Himself one truth at a time.
Yesterday in church, I played "How Firm a Foundation" on my violin. Building this foundation through "His excellent Word" as the hymn sings, is this process of accepting one truth and then stacking upon it another... and another... and another. I used to think that the need to review something I'd already read was a weakness I should not allow myself. What a know-it-all! I now find that I love to reread novels and literary classics and passages of scripture. It's amazing what you can glean the second and third time through!
Now onto chapter two of Willard...
This second chapter led me to think about the role of marriage in God's kingdom. I'm probably not the only one who has ever wondered why in the world Christ would say that marriage does not exist in heaven. I think about how much time and effort goes into this primary relationship of our lives, and I wonder what is it all for if it is not eternal? Well, scripture answers this by referring to marriage as a mysterious earthly example of Christ's relationship to the church.
Willard says that "God’s speaking is intended to develop into an intelligent freely cooperative relationship between mature people who love each other [with agape love] (HG 31)." This cancels out what I was blogging about yesterday, the idea that we can simply go to God to receive our daily list of to do's, and an answer for all of our questions. This relationship with God is RECIPROCAL. It is a marriage relationship.
The ladies of my church are studying Debbie Pearl's Helpmeet, a book on the role of the wife in marriage. It occurred to me yesterday in Sunday school that it would be quite possible to go all of my married life doing all the things that the book suggests that I am meant to do (based on Debbie's interpretation of scripture). I could do these things and generate the APPEARANCE of a great marriage without ever really having a REAL marriage, a real relationship with my husband. By never really stopping long enough to seek to understand my husband - who he is, what his dreams are, what drives him to do what he does - I could in fact be married without having a marriage.
This is what we so often do to God, however. When we approach Him simply as someone to be obeyed and not questioned, someone who cannot be understood, someone who will always be out of reach, we are truly saying that he is UNREASONABLE. Willard often points out in Hearing God that one of our biggest drawbacks in our faith is the assumptions we have about God. He writes about one such assumption in the fact that we often approach scripture with the mindset that we are reading "a book of doctrine, abstract truth about God." This creates a barrier between the reader and God so that "one can search endlessly without encountering God himself or hearing his voice (HG 35)."
It is not until we begin to value the revelation of the character of God through His word, until we truly pray for the desire to know God intimately, that we will begin to journey toward the union that God so earnestly desires to have with us as His creation - that normal life of God's indwelling.
Willard leaves us with two reminders in chapter two regarding our attitude when God does begin to reveal Himself to us. First, he writes that "God’s speaking to us does not in itself make us important (HG 38)." When we receive direct communication from someone of importance, it is often difficult for us not to share this information with others in a way that indicates our own significance in the eyes of our audience. We tend to like to "be in the know," and to make others feel our importance. God's communication, however, should always encourage not our pride, but our humility. We are important to God, but He does not choose to speak to us because we are important.
Lastly, Willard reminds us that "God’s speaking to us does not prove us either righteous or right (HG 39)." I think that this may be hard to grasp, because it seems that God's speaking to us would be a way in which He imparts His will to us. If I follow that will, then it would seem that I were acting in a right way, that I were living righteously even. However, I think the attitude that Willard is exposing in this statement is one we might have when we begin to, again, puff ourselves up with the idea that we are somehow deserving of God's communication because of our own righteousness.
I do not think that God's overtures of communication toward us are conditional on our attitudes, our assumptions, or the general condition of our hearts. God called me when I was in sin, He can speak to any of us whenever and however He chooses. What is conditional on our attitudes, our assumptions, and the general condition of our hearts is our own ability to perceive God's voice and what He is saying to us.
Okay, I'd better get ready for work, before I follow another tangent of conversation on this topic. Feel free to comment...
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Back to Hearing God - Chapter One
Okay, since it's been a long, long time since I posted anything on this book study, I've decided to start back at the beginning. After putting the book aside for quite some time, I decided there was more to be gleaned from finishing it. But here on the blog, I'm starting back with chapter one, hoping it might be helpful to me and to others to make some basic observations (bringing Willard out of the clouds and hopefully putting some of his ideas in laymen's terms)...
In looking at what I've hi-lighted, the first thing I saw as being important to reiterate is what Willard expresses as "the blasphemous idea that everything that happens in this world is caused by God (HG 18)." Not to delve deeply into what could quickly become a Calvinist/Armenian debate, there is a point at which a believer must realize that though nothing in life can escape God's control, yet not all things are DIRECTLY caused by God. If you look at the classic story of Job, I think this fact is fairly clearly evidenced.
God ALLOWED Job to suffer, but God was not the CAUSE of this suffering. In fact, contrary to what Job's friends believed, Job's suffering was not even a result of Job's own sin. There are times that we must recognize that God is not to be blamed for certain events in our lives, though He retains control of both our lives and the situations which effect them. I think parenthood might give us the easiest approach toward grasping this idea.
As a parent, my actions assist in bringing my child into existence (and facilitate its continuance). There are times that I directly intervene in my child's life, even cause what seems like suffering to my child as a means of discipline or protection. There are other times when my child suffers by his or her own hand, reaping the consequences of his own sin or poor choices. At times I may have the opportunity to step in to stop my child from experiencing the consequence, but I choose to ALLOW this peril to befall him or her, knowing that as James says in scripture, "the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
This may seem like a tangential conversation, but it is essential that the believer understand that God is not to be blamed in suffering, which Paul tells us is the NORMAL existence for the Christian. Actually, I would venture to say that to be devoid of trials and suffering is to be devoid of Christ himself. In fact, what Dillard speaks about as "The normal human life God intended for us: God’s indwelling his people through personal presence and fellowship (HG 18)" has everything to do with trial and will involve its fair share of pain.
Willard laments (and I do with him), that far too often "Our relationship with God is treated as no more than a mere arrangement or understanding that Jesus and his Father have about us (HG 22)." I know I am guilty of thinking that way from time to time. With this attitude, we relegate God to an adopted philosophy, in turn not only missing out on the fellowship we could experience with Him, but also starving ourselves of what both Willard and scripture refer to as the "daily bread" of "personal communion and communication with God (HG 23)."
Out of the midst of trial and suffering so common in the Christian faith comes the instinctual desire to reach out to God Himself as the source of our comfort, relief, and REST. We cannot reach out to a mere god who is the central figure of our life philosophy. He is no more than the one on whom we can cast blame when events turn against us. Besides this, continually treating God in this non-relational manner will lead us "to abandon faith in our ability to hear from God," an action that Willard declares "is to abandon the reality of a personal relationship with God" entirely (HG 26).
Blasphemy of this sort is far more dangerous than blatant disbelief. Buy into the idea that communication with God is simply something that happened in the Old Testament and therefore no longer relevant in our day and age, and you have effectively ripped the very heart out of your own spiritual life. Perhaps as dangerous, though, is approaching communication with God as a means of determining every direction for your own life. Willard bluntly states: "Extreme pre-occupation with knowing God’s will for me only indicates my overconcern for myself (HG 28)."
Our goal then is not only to recognize that God has the power and desire to communicate with us as His creation regularly and intimately, but it is also to recognize that God desires much more than to provide a daily dictation of directions for our lives. Even more, it is not until we take the focus off of our selves and dedicate our full attention to God's greater purpose that we can fully accept the suffering that has been granted to us on behalf of Christ. This is what God wishes to communicate to all who long to have the normal life He intended - His indwelling of His creation on a daily basis, providing for every need, fulfilling every created purpose in human life.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Lamentations
I was just lamenting the fact that a friend had not posted since September 19 (or was it the 16th?). Anyway, I suddenly realized how hypocritical that was coming from someone whose last post was on the 5th of the month that is now nearly over!
This month has been a, well, a HELL OF A MONTH. And I don't necessarily mean that in a good way. Right now I am lamenting the loss of this month, because I have only a few weeks left before I head to Montgomery to take my Series Seven licensing exam.
So much has happened in the past month. Geoff and I went through a harrowing trial of the progress we've made in our marriage relationship - and came through with a sense that what God builds, nothing can destroy. That was both a hardship and a blessing. Also this month, a friend of mine was sent to jail on murder charges. Definitely not an easy thing to deal with. And in the midst of it, another major hardship has befallen my foo (family of origin).
I am impressed by some of what I've been reading lately in Dallas Willard (I plan to update the blog with some of my learnings soon). Willard says, wisely I think, that it is only the immature believer who thinks that to be in God's will means to live a life that is devoid of risk and hardship. Like Job's friends, we too often look on from the outside at those who are suffering and wag our tongues about what that person should have done differently. We too often assume that they must be acting apart from God's will if these trials are upon them. It is just as likely, if not more likely when the sufferer is a growing believer, that they ARE in the midst of God's perfect will and that it is BECAUSE they have chosen to stay within his will that they are living in these trials.
This is certainly not the easiest theology to swallow, especially when you or a loved one are/is the one who suffers. More on this later. For now, it's off to work I go...
This month has been a, well, a HELL OF A MONTH. And I don't necessarily mean that in a good way. Right now I am lamenting the loss of this month, because I have only a few weeks left before I head to Montgomery to take my Series Seven licensing exam.
So much has happened in the past month. Geoff and I went through a harrowing trial of the progress we've made in our marriage relationship - and came through with a sense that what God builds, nothing can destroy. That was both a hardship and a blessing. Also this month, a friend of mine was sent to jail on murder charges. Definitely not an easy thing to deal with. And in the midst of it, another major hardship has befallen my foo (family of origin).
I am impressed by some of what I've been reading lately in Dallas Willard (I plan to update the blog with some of my learnings soon). Willard says, wisely I think, that it is only the immature believer who thinks that to be in God's will means to live a life that is devoid of risk and hardship. Like Job's friends, we too often look on from the outside at those who are suffering and wag our tongues about what that person should have done differently. We too often assume that they must be acting apart from God's will if these trials are upon them. It is just as likely, if not more likely when the sufferer is a growing believer, that they ARE in the midst of God's perfect will and that it is BECAUSE they have chosen to stay within his will that they are living in these trials.
This is certainly not the easiest theology to swallow, especially when you or a loved one are/is the one who suffers. More on this later. For now, it's off to work I go...
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Last But Not Least (More Pics...)
This barn was one of the first things that we saw as we entered Serenbe. I would love to go back and ride there. The surrouding land is beautiful. The barn is magnificent.
And if you're impressed by the barn, check out the gate to the entryway. Yes, it actually works!
And the end of it is full of horseshoes. I'm sure it has some sort of significance (luck?). At any rate, we were properly amazed by the thing...
Our final destination was the aquarium in Atlanta, where we met up with my sister and her brood. I tried to get pics in there, but only one turned out somewhat decently, so here is M checking out the fishies.
More Trip Pics
This old barn was the Welcome Center for our trip. Most of the buildings on the farm were at least 100 years old....
This was the back entry to the main house. I didn't get a good picture of the whole house, but our bedroom was right off this entry way.
Here was the view from our room. This place was charmingly landscaped!Truly a Happy Anniversary
So we started the day out right. Happy Anniversary #4. A beautiful end to an entirely conflict-free August (the first, I might add, in our marriage). And hub was off to a great start - who could go wrong with red roses?N
ext it was off for a little R & R at a B & B. If the picture looks like we went to a farm, that's because we did. Check out Serenbe at serenbe.com. If you live anywhere near Atlanta and want to get away for a night or two, here's your spot.
ext it was off for a little R & R at a B & B. If the picture looks like we went to a farm, that's because we did. Check out Serenbe at serenbe.com. If you live anywhere near Atlanta and want to get away for a night or two, here's your spot. 
We stayed in the honeymoon suite, a first for us, and I am trying to include several photos, so we might have more than one blog entry. You can see from the pictures that it was a rainy weekend, but that was okay since we had more to do indoors than out.
We entered our room in the main house through this lovely little entry way. We adjoined the restaurant and the food smells were tantalizing (the food itself was even better than it smelled).
Anyway, my apologies for taking a picture of the room after we messed it up and with poor lighting. I totally forgot my camera and all of the picture I'm sharing are from my camera phone. However, the room was all in white and was enormous. And we had a great time and I can't wait for the opportunity to do something like this again.Check the next posts for some more pics of our trip...
Monday, August 27, 2007
Fond Memory & Good Buy
Years ago my Dad used to take us to a restaurant called "Teddy's." They had great burgers (I liked the chili cheese burger) and the whole place was decked out with Gloria Vanderbears. You could buy the bears from the North American Bear Company there, but they were waaay too expensive (even in the early 80's) for us to have ever gone home with them.
I remember Gini's favorite was Scarlett O'Beara. Well, I found a good buy the other day while antiquing with my husband. Scarlett O'Beara (79) and Rhett Beartler (84). I have their tags in a drawer, and they're in great original condition. The pair is worth around $400. I bought the pair for $40.
Of course, for me the value is more sentimental than monetary, but all in all, I'm thrilled to have them.
(The pair of bears is featured here on my anniversary gift to Geoff. We celebrate 4 years of marriage on Thursday, and I got him two porch rockers).
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Back to School - SERIOUSLY
This is not a meme. I am in a sense, back in school. I am studying my little heart out to obtain my Series 7 License (or Serious 7 as Geoff calls it). At the end of October I will take a test; if I pass (and take another test for the state level), I will be able to trade securities. In case I haven't said it in awhile, I LOVE MY JOB!
I'm a little rusty on the studying and I really want to do well on this stuff since I use it daily, so I'm having to apply myself more than I have in a long time. But this is great for me. I'm excited about the possibility to further myself in my new field. I told my boss before I was hired that I needed my job to have meaning and a purpose, and this field does that for me. Not only can I help others manage their finances, I can do it for myself and my family.
So wish me luck as I prepare for this test!
I'm a little rusty on the studying and I really want to do well on this stuff since I use it daily, so I'm having to apply myself more than I have in a long time. But this is great for me. I'm excited about the possibility to further myself in my new field. I told my boss before I was hired that I needed my job to have meaning and a purpose, and this field does that for me. Not only can I help others manage their finances, I can do it for myself and my family.
So wish me luck as I prepare for this test!
The Big 2-0
No, I'm not celebrating a birthday... Or my 20th felony indictment... Or my 20th tattoo.
I'm celebrating being
20
pounds
lighter!!!
Every time I pass back down into a different decade of weight I drawing a line and saying "never again." My new diet is great, easy to follow, and more of a change of lifestyle than a diet-diet. That on top of the exercise is working for me. It's slower than I had hoped, but I continue to keep it off, which is the important part of the progress.
I've entered my name in a competition at our gym that is somewhat like a mini-biggest-loser competition. I'm not sure when it starts, but I think maybe the end of the month. If I win, I get 10 full weeks of personal training for FREE, so I'm hoping for that extra boost. My goal is to lose 17 more pounds by Thanksgiving. Depending on what the nutritionist says at that point I'll either have 10 or 20 to go.
Just for the record, once I lose the final 17 I will weigh what I did when I started college. If I lose 10 on top of that it will put me back to my starting high school weight, which seems to be my highest goal. But for some reason that weight is actually at the top end of my class for bone structure/height, so I may need to try to drop another 10, which would put me at Junior High Weight. I have never been skinny, skinny, but I was never really huge either, so I'm not sure it's realistic for me to weigh at 26 what I weighed at 12. But I'm doing what I can do to get to that next 17. For now, I'm just thrilled to be down by 20.
I'm celebrating being
20
pounds
lighter!!!
Every time I pass back down into a different decade of weight I drawing a line and saying "never again." My new diet is great, easy to follow, and more of a change of lifestyle than a diet-diet. That on top of the exercise is working for me. It's slower than I had hoped, but I continue to keep it off, which is the important part of the progress.
I've entered my name in a competition at our gym that is somewhat like a mini-biggest-loser competition. I'm not sure when it starts, but I think maybe the end of the month. If I win, I get 10 full weeks of personal training for FREE, so I'm hoping for that extra boost. My goal is to lose 17 more pounds by Thanksgiving. Depending on what the nutritionist says at that point I'll either have 10 or 20 to go.
Just for the record, once I lose the final 17 I will weigh what I did when I started college. If I lose 10 on top of that it will put me back to my starting high school weight, which seems to be my highest goal. But for some reason that weight is actually at the top end of my class for bone structure/height, so I may need to try to drop another 10, which would put me at Junior High Weight. I have never been skinny, skinny, but I was never really huge either, so I'm not sure it's realistic for me to weigh at 26 what I weighed at 12. But I'm doing what I can do to get to that next 17. For now, I'm just thrilled to be down by 20.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
High School meme
1. Who was your best friend?
Cheryl Ponder. Still is one of the best friends I have ever had! She's in Germany now (married military) and I think about her at least once a week. It's not the same only catching up over the web!
2. Did you play any sports?
JV Soccer in 9th, then we moved to Vestavia and the Coach was a bit, um, creepy to put it gently. Glad I didn't continue to play, though. I heard the team there was not the type of crowd I wanted to be influenced by.
3. What kind of car did you drive?
I was lucky to miss out on the family hand me down 80's Oldsmobile. I took my driver's test in my Dad's 84 Dodge Ram Pickup Prospector series (UGLY). But I mostly drove a 91 Camry handed down from my grandmother - a car I drove through college and grad school and early marriage until it tried to catch fire in my driveway.
4. It’s Friday night. Where were you?
With the marching band at a football game, at opening night of a school play (backstage working of course), or at home grounded (again)
5. Were you a party animal?
Nope.
6. Were you considered a flirt?
Yes, but not as much as my sister. :) (Just kidding, Gini)
7. Were you in the band, orchestra or choir?
Yes, yes and yes (and theater)
8. Were you a nerd?
Probably. Not the biggest nerd, but a little bit of one. Still am I guess.
9. Were you ever suspended or expelled?
Close once to being suspended, but no.
10. Can you sing the fight song?
Don't know that we had one, but I can do all of the cheers still ("Waaaaave yooooouuuuur hands!...") AND I can sing the Alma Mater!
11. Who was your favorite teacher?
Too hard to choose. Though we started out kind of rough, and she was a tough teacher, I simply loved Ms. B (Brasell) the theater teacher (my senior prophecy was that I would become the next Ms. B which I took as a compliment though I think some of the folks thought that was scary). I also liked both of my English teachers, Ms. Quin and Mrs. Rainer. I actually still write to them from time to time. And who could forget Mrs. Lovoy - AP American History? As a senior prank some friends and I camped out in her front lawn. Her neighbor woke us up with a shot gun.
12. What was your school mascot?
Stan the Rebel Man
13. Did you go to the Prom?
Yeah, senior year was way more fun than junior, though!
14. If you could go back, would you?
Are you kidding?!!? The nightmares are bad enough!
15. What do you remember most about graduation?
Having Jeremy Darabaris (my prom date, one of my sister's college friends) and my friend Daniel Axsom (also a college boy from Louisiana) come and surprise me at graduation lunch at my house. Also, I graduated from high school the same weekend as my brother graduated from college, so my grandparents were there too.
16. Where were you on Senior Skip Day?
At Cher's house watching "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" (although I think this was actually a bomb threat day and her mother came and picked us up from the stadium).
17. Did you have a job your senior year?
I was a soda jerk at Green Valley Drug Store
18. Where did you go most often for lunch?
the Senior Patio or the Theater shop
19. Have you gained weight since then?
WAAAAY too much. And I haven't been happy with my weight since 9th grade. But I'm on the way back down. I won't say how much I've lost so far here, but the numbers are in the double digits!
20. What did you do after graduation?
Went on a senior trip with some girls from church (we went to a friend's grandparents' lakehouse). Then went to Samford University.
21. What year did you graduate?
1999
22. Who was your Senior Prom Date?
Jeremy Darabaris, one of my sister's college friends. My date's grandmother died and he couldn't come (he was from Mississippi), so Gini asked two of her guy friends if they would go, and one of them was fairly condescending about it, but Jeremy was thrilled. We had a blast!
23. Are you going/did you go to your 10 year reunion?
I've told my friend Cher (who's in Germany) that I'll only go if she does. Don't know how likely that is...
24. What is your biggest regret in high school?
Don't think I want to go there.... (I have a few).
MEME: Now you jump in and tell me about you in high school!! You're it: Summer
Cheryl Ponder. Still is one of the best friends I have ever had! She's in Germany now (married military) and I think about her at least once a week. It's not the same only catching up over the web!
2. Did you play any sports?
JV Soccer in 9th, then we moved to Vestavia and the Coach was a bit, um, creepy to put it gently. Glad I didn't continue to play, though. I heard the team there was not the type of crowd I wanted to be influenced by.
3. What kind of car did you drive?
I was lucky to miss out on the family hand me down 80's Oldsmobile. I took my driver's test in my Dad's 84 Dodge Ram Pickup Prospector series (UGLY). But I mostly drove a 91 Camry handed down from my grandmother - a car I drove through college and grad school and early marriage until it tried to catch fire in my driveway.
4. It’s Friday night. Where were you?
With the marching band at a football game, at opening night of a school play (backstage working of course), or at home grounded (again)
5. Were you a party animal?
Nope.
6. Were you considered a flirt?
Yes, but not as much as my sister. :) (Just kidding, Gini)
7. Were you in the band, orchestra or choir?
Yes, yes and yes (and theater)
8. Were you a nerd?
Probably. Not the biggest nerd, but a little bit of one. Still am I guess.
9. Were you ever suspended or expelled?
Close once to being suspended, but no.
10. Can you sing the fight song?
Don't know that we had one, but I can do all of the cheers still ("Waaaaave yooooouuuuur hands!...") AND I can sing the Alma Mater!
11. Who was your favorite teacher?
Too hard to choose. Though we started out kind of rough, and she was a tough teacher, I simply loved Ms. B (Brasell) the theater teacher (my senior prophecy was that I would become the next Ms. B which I took as a compliment though I think some of the folks thought that was scary). I also liked both of my English teachers, Ms. Quin and Mrs. Rainer. I actually still write to them from time to time. And who could forget Mrs. Lovoy - AP American History? As a senior prank some friends and I camped out in her front lawn. Her neighbor woke us up with a shot gun.
12. What was your school mascot?
Stan the Rebel Man
13. Did you go to the Prom?
Yeah, senior year was way more fun than junior, though!
14. If you could go back, would you?
Are you kidding?!!? The nightmares are bad enough!
15. What do you remember most about graduation?
Having Jeremy Darabaris (my prom date, one of my sister's college friends) and my friend Daniel Axsom (also a college boy from Louisiana) come and surprise me at graduation lunch at my house. Also, I graduated from high school the same weekend as my brother graduated from college, so my grandparents were there too.
16. Where were you on Senior Skip Day?
At Cher's house watching "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" (although I think this was actually a bomb threat day and her mother came and picked us up from the stadium).
17. Did you have a job your senior year?
I was a soda jerk at Green Valley Drug Store
18. Where did you go most often for lunch?
the Senior Patio or the Theater shop
19. Have you gained weight since then?
WAAAAY too much. And I haven't been happy with my weight since 9th grade. But I'm on the way back down. I won't say how much I've lost so far here, but the numbers are in the double digits!
20. What did you do after graduation?
Went on a senior trip with some girls from church (we went to a friend's grandparents' lakehouse). Then went to Samford University.
21. What year did you graduate?
1999
22. Who was your Senior Prom Date?
Jeremy Darabaris, one of my sister's college friends. My date's grandmother died and he couldn't come (he was from Mississippi), so Gini asked two of her guy friends if they would go, and one of them was fairly condescending about it, but Jeremy was thrilled. We had a blast!
23. Are you going/did you go to your 10 year reunion?
I've told my friend Cher (who's in Germany) that I'll only go if she does. Don't know how likely that is...
24. What is your biggest regret in high school?
Don't think I want to go there.... (I have a few).
MEME: Now you jump in and tell me about you in high school!! You're it: Summer
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Every Dog Has It's Day
Today was a great day for the dogs. It was hot Hot HOT! So we all went out to the national forest nearby and let the dogs take a swim. I think the pictures speak for themselves... 
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Ice Ice Baby
Don't know how this happened, but I went to pull ice out of the freezer this afternoon and, well, the picture speaks for itself...
Weekend Projects
A new gateway to the garden...
Keeping the dogs at bay...
And a moat fit for a castle.
Well, the last few weekends for me have been BUSY! No doubt about it, summer is here, and all those projects we should have done in the cool of spring have caught up with us. Last weekend it was the front yard - trying to fix the problem of what happens with the water when you build a house with a downward sloping front yard. The yard is so shady, it's hard to get a good picture, but there is now a stream bed with river pebbles leading under the fence. We did a lot of digging and filled some gaps in the foundation with concrete and dug up the flower bed and built the stream bed. With any luck we'll keep any after-the-rain rivers from going under the house from now on.
This weekend we've been working on the back yard. A few weeks ago we built the fence to keep the dogs out of the garden area. Then I pulled out this beautiful arbor which we have been storing and gave it a fresh paint job and a new place to call home. It was a gift from Geoff's mom when we bought our house three years ago.
Anyway, I haven't posted in a pretty good while, but this is what I have to show for all of my time off...
Meri Meri
Quite contrary - how does your garden grow?? With cannas and strawberries and lilies galore! Oh and don't forget the sunflowers!
As you can see, we've been growing quite a garden. More pics to follow.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Random Meme
I was tagged by my sister for this "random meme."
Here are the rules: Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. You need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!
1. After seeing a ventriloquist special, I taught myself to sing two parts of Row Row Row Your Boat in a round by myself.
2. From Halloween until Christmas as a little kid, I used to make sure that I slept with every toy that I had received from the previous Christmas so that Santa would know that I was a grateful kid and would love all of the new things I wanted for the next Christmas.
3. If I could do/be anything in the world, I think I would most like to be a songwriter. (I sort of am, but I would love to do it professionally - and actually get some things out there).
4. On a college trip to the basketball championship playoffs in Cleveland, Ohio, I drove a car with no defrost through a snowstorm.
5. If I could live anywhere in the continental US, I would like to live in the Ozark Mountains (either in Arkansas or Missouri).
6. My most cherished possession is my violin.
7. Every day I make a new origami creation from a day-to-day origami calendar.
Here are the rules: Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. You need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!
1. After seeing a ventriloquist special, I taught myself to sing two parts of Row Row Row Your Boat in a round by myself.
2. From Halloween until Christmas as a little kid, I used to make sure that I slept with every toy that I had received from the previous Christmas so that Santa would know that I was a grateful kid and would love all of the new things I wanted for the next Christmas.
3. If I could do/be anything in the world, I think I would most like to be a songwriter. (I sort of am, but I would love to do it professionally - and actually get some things out there).
4. On a college trip to the basketball championship playoffs in Cleveland, Ohio, I drove a car with no defrost through a snowstorm.
5. If I could live anywhere in the continental US, I would like to live in the Ozark Mountains (either in Arkansas or Missouri).
6. My most cherished possession is my violin.
7. Every day I make a new origami creation from a day-to-day origami calendar.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Update of Sorts
It's been awhile since I've posted anything or felt like I had anything to post about. Exercising keeps me busy and TIRED, but I'm actually enjoying it. Isn't it funny though how you can skip one day and suddenly not want to go ever again, no matter how much you know it will benefit you to go, no matter how much better you feel when you do it.
I haven't really been keeping up with my posts or anything, but tomorrow I'm going to go to my first Body Pump class, where you lift weights and do cardio at the same time. I'll post on how it goes at some point.
In other news, my computer hard drive crashed last night, so I'm using Geoff's to type this post. Also, I've been told by my sister that I've been tagged by a meme, but I haven't a clue what to do, so G when you read this, let me know what I need to do?!?
Mom and I are going to ANOTHER Cirque du Soleil show in June. My 6th, her 5th. At the end of this one, we will have seen all of the shows that are touring and we'll have to start saving money for trips to Las Vegas and Orlando to see the shows that are stationary.
I've been asked to play an original song two weeks from now in a church service, so I'm looking forward to that. And most importantly, a week from tomorrow I'm having company - my sister and niece! (I was hoping for my nephew as well, but beggars can't be choosers). I'm so excited! No one has visited me in awhile, so this is going to be fun.
Anyway, by way of an update, I think I covered the basics. I'll try to post something again sooner rather than later, but my life needs to get a bit more interesting (in a good way please) before I have anything worthwhile to post about...
I haven't really been keeping up with my posts or anything, but tomorrow I'm going to go to my first Body Pump class, where you lift weights and do cardio at the same time. I'll post on how it goes at some point.
In other news, my computer hard drive crashed last night, so I'm using Geoff's to type this post. Also, I've been told by my sister that I've been tagged by a meme, but I haven't a clue what to do, so G when you read this, let me know what I need to do?!?
Mom and I are going to ANOTHER Cirque du Soleil show in June. My 6th, her 5th. At the end of this one, we will have seen all of the shows that are touring and we'll have to start saving money for trips to Las Vegas and Orlando to see the shows that are stationary.
I've been asked to play an original song two weeks from now in a church service, so I'm looking forward to that. And most importantly, a week from tomorrow I'm having company - my sister and niece! (I was hoping for my nephew as well, but beggars can't be choosers). I'm so excited! No one has visited me in awhile, so this is going to be fun.
Anyway, by way of an update, I think I covered the basics. I'll try to post something again sooner rather than later, but my life needs to get a bit more interesting (in a good way please) before I have anything worthwhile to post about...
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Exercise Update
So I ended week one of my new routine today, and since I said I would post about it, I thought I'd better stick with that. So, no weight loss yet, but I didn't really expect any. I did exercise every day this week, including today (Saturday morning)! I worked with the personal trainer, Catherine, one day on arms and the next on legs and developed my first routine which I will continue for the next six weeks.
I learned to do my strength training before my cardio every day. I thought I would share my routine in case anyone else wants to try what I do. So first is legs -
I start with squats. I use a pilates ball against the wall, which helps to keep the form and helps me balance. I also hold 8 lb free weights as I do my squats. I do three sets of ten, breaking between each set for a short 20-30 seconds.
Next I use a machine - but I don't know what it's called. It's for your quads - there are four different muscles in the upper leg and it works well for all of them. Again that's three sets of 10 (this is the same for all my exercises, so I won't repeat that again). After the machine I do something that is a substitute for the lunge. Holding 8 lb weights again, I go to a bench and I put one foot up. I pull myself up onto the bench on that leg and touch my other toe on the bench and then go back down. After sets with one leg, I do sets with the other, so this exercise takes a little while.
Last I get on the floor with a pilates ball. I make a T shape with my arms and lay flat on my back. I dig my heels into the ball and lift my butt off the ground. I roll the ball towards me with my feet, and then roll it back out, so each time my legs go from straight to making a 90 degree angle with my knees. This is the hardest and best part of my workout on legs!
So I do those four things on legs day, and then I spend 30 minutes on a cardio machine. I tried the treadmill, but got horrible shin splints, so I switched to a cross-country trek kind of machine, or a ski machine or a stair master and all of those are fine on my legs (and I think more involved because a bunch of them have arms as well). I do 30 minutes of cardio on one of the machines every day, so I won't go over that again.
For arms/abs day, my routine takes somewhat longer. I use two different machines, one that does my lateral muscles (upper back) and one that does my triceps (hangy down part of the arm). Triceps are hardest for me. On free weights I get on an inverted bench (where my head is lower than my butt and I use a bench press bar and bench over my chest. This strengthens the part of the pecs that support your boobs, which is great for someone who is large-chested. Makes you perkier :). I also do another tricep excercise where you make a T with your arms at your sides and raise and lower 8 lb weights. I do this while balanced on a half pilates ball. (Those balls have a specific name but I don't remember what it is).
For abs I do a bunch of hard things. One is like making snow angels, except you lift your legs and your upper back/shoulders off the floor. If you can get that visual, you can probably figure out how to do this. Another is called the plank. This is the hardest for me. You lay on your stomach, then lift yourself up on your arms and toes. Your arms should rest on the ground to your elbow (make an L with your arm on the floor. Flatten out your body (tuck your tummy and butt) and hold for 30 seconds. Do it again, lifting one leg. Again, lift the other leg. And one last time with both feet on the floor. That is the hardest thing I've had to do so far! The last ab exercise is to lay on your back with legs and shoulders off the ground (like in the first exercise) and grab one knee to your chest. Switch legs back and forth letting one kick straight out and up and the other come in to your chest. Do some slow and some fast like this.
Anyway, pretty organized workout system. I feel great doing it, and I really like my gym and the trainer. Sorry the blog was so long, but I thought it would give you an idea of what all I'm doing...
I learned to do my strength training before my cardio every day. I thought I would share my routine in case anyone else wants to try what I do. So first is legs -
I start with squats. I use a pilates ball against the wall, which helps to keep the form and helps me balance. I also hold 8 lb free weights as I do my squats. I do three sets of ten, breaking between each set for a short 20-30 seconds.
Next I use a machine - but I don't know what it's called. It's for your quads - there are four different muscles in the upper leg and it works well for all of them. Again that's three sets of 10 (this is the same for all my exercises, so I won't repeat that again). After the machine I do something that is a substitute for the lunge. Holding 8 lb weights again, I go to a bench and I put one foot up. I pull myself up onto the bench on that leg and touch my other toe on the bench and then go back down. After sets with one leg, I do sets with the other, so this exercise takes a little while.
Last I get on the floor with a pilates ball. I make a T shape with my arms and lay flat on my back. I dig my heels into the ball and lift my butt off the ground. I roll the ball towards me with my feet, and then roll it back out, so each time my legs go from straight to making a 90 degree angle with my knees. This is the hardest and best part of my workout on legs!
So I do those four things on legs day, and then I spend 30 minutes on a cardio machine. I tried the treadmill, but got horrible shin splints, so I switched to a cross-country trek kind of machine, or a ski machine or a stair master and all of those are fine on my legs (and I think more involved because a bunch of them have arms as well). I do 30 minutes of cardio on one of the machines every day, so I won't go over that again.
For arms/abs day, my routine takes somewhat longer. I use two different machines, one that does my lateral muscles (upper back) and one that does my triceps (hangy down part of the arm). Triceps are hardest for me. On free weights I get on an inverted bench (where my head is lower than my butt and I use a bench press bar and bench over my chest. This strengthens the part of the pecs that support your boobs, which is great for someone who is large-chested. Makes you perkier :). I also do another tricep excercise where you make a T with your arms at your sides and raise and lower 8 lb weights. I do this while balanced on a half pilates ball. (Those balls have a specific name but I don't remember what it is).
For abs I do a bunch of hard things. One is like making snow angels, except you lift your legs and your upper back/shoulders off the floor. If you can get that visual, you can probably figure out how to do this. Another is called the plank. This is the hardest for me. You lay on your stomach, then lift yourself up on your arms and toes. Your arms should rest on the ground to your elbow (make an L with your arm on the floor. Flatten out your body (tuck your tummy and butt) and hold for 30 seconds. Do it again, lifting one leg. Again, lift the other leg. And one last time with both feet on the floor. That is the hardest thing I've had to do so far! The last ab exercise is to lay on your back with legs and shoulders off the ground (like in the first exercise) and grab one knee to your chest. Switch legs back and forth letting one kick straight out and up and the other come in to your chest. Do some slow and some fast like this.
Anyway, pretty organized workout system. I feel great doing it, and I really like my gym and the trainer. Sorry the blog was so long, but I thought it would give you an idea of what all I'm doing...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)