Hey Girl!

Hey Girl,

I know you don't do New Year's Resolutions, but I thought you might like a few suggestions for 2011. Don't freak out, I'm not about to list everything you're doing wrong, in fact quite the opposite. And that brings me to my first point.

Stop being so hard on yourself. People have been telling you this for years; listen to them :)

In line with that, have some fun! Your 2010 highlights are the times you choose to be with those you love doing something you really enjoyed. Yeah, sometimes it costs a bit more than you'd like to spend, but the dividends are unreal.

Now speaking of money, I know you aren't exactly rolling in it right now, but chillax. Things won't always be like this. Remember how you pulled a muscle and thought you wouldn't be able to do the half -marathon, but you did. Or remember that nasty virus that felt like it sidelined you forever, but 2 weeks later you were better than normal? Uh-huh, the bad stuff rarely lasts as long as it feels it will.

You know as a matter of fact, all of life is a vapor. The bad stuff doesn't last that long; but the good stuff doesn't either. Remember how your best friends once lived in the same city but now you're all states apart? Or how you really loved the tea at that other place, but you and the sis only went there maybe 2x before they closed down? Yep, life is brief babe, so soak in the good stuff and don't sweat the bad stuff. It's all fleeting.

While life is passing, you want to enjoy it while it's here. So take some time to eat some greens and browns that aren't chocolate or festive colored chips. Your sixty year old body will thank you for it. You've been given some healthy genes take care of them.

By the way the colors brown and green also look really good on you, so the next time you're out shopping, skip the black and go for some color!

I'm really proud of you for joining a gym by the way. Watching you bop around in Zumba is highly entertaining, but what I love the most is the goofy happy grin on your face.

In fact you should smile and laugh more period. I know, I know, you hate it when people tell you that, but girl, you look good when you do it. And it never hurts to be looking good ;)

About looking good, I am really proud of how far you've come in taking care of yourself. Sometimes I barely recognize you. The other day I saw you with lip gloss on (gasp). I'm shocked that you actually used one of those 25 tubes of the same exact color that you collect. It looked real nice ;) And did I smell some designer fragrance on you too? Yeah, I thought I did. Do that some more this year :)

While you're taking care of your body, don't forget to care for your mind. You don't want that brain of yours to turn to mush. So sometimes, turn off the tube, step away from the computer, and engage in something that will challenge you mentally mind.

Speaking of challenges, when people say a four letter f-word, they don't mean fast. Say no to food every now and then. It's Biblical :)

About the Bible, you've grown in how you dig in to God's word for yourself. I'm proud of you for that. Keep it up. More of Him, less of you is always a good thing.

Ah let's see, what else have I been meaning to tell you? Oooh, how could I forget the career. I'm excited that you have something so big to sink your teeth into. I know it's scary, but don't be afraid to fail. God wants more for you than easy success.

And I know it is so tempting to take time to do just one more thing to get ahead instead of spending quality time with those you care about, but when you breathe your last breath you won't regret not getting out one more job. You will wish you'd spend time with those who give you life, so take that time now.

You know I'm not gonna forget the whole single thing :) Enjoy being a single lady. Someday you'll have the hubby and kids, and there will be things about this season of life you'll desperately miss. So show some gratitude for the gift of singleness, and if you want to go out on a date or two, I ain't gonna be mad atchya! Just make sure to wear the cute jeans, lip gloss, and squirt on some of the good stuff!

Lastly, you're a smart cookie so you may have noticed that sprinkled throughout this letter is the phrase "I'm proud of you." I'm kind of fond of those words, and I think you should use them genuinely and liberally for yourself and others. It's like giving the gift of confidence. And as the old commercial says, confidence is very sexy don't you think?

Alright girl, 2011 is going to be a good year. Enjoy it to the fullest!

Who else,

Me

ZUMBA!

So, this blog has been neglected a bit lately. Life has been doing that crazy busy thing again. So busy that it's easy to neglect not only my blog but working out too. Fortunately for me, I've discovered Zumba classes at the gym, and my workouts have received a boost of fun, energy and creativity. I love dancing and grooving around getting to feel like a kid, but it's cool. Actually it's better than cool; it's a workout. Win, win! Now if only Zumba could also help me resist my newest food discovery: peanut butter fudge!

Book Quote

I really enjoyed the following quotes from Genoa Bay by Bette Nordberg.

"Something--was it fear, or grief, or some other, unknown force?--kept me circling, indecisive, uncertain. While I circled, unwilling to let go of my past, I forfeited my present. I knew in that instant. It was time to make a decision. He had prepared me for this moment, for this question, for this decision. . . . And though most people would see the whole progression as nothing more than coincidence mixed with my own vivid imagination, I knew then exactly what God wanted me to do.

Jump!"

"I've discovered, in the course of my life, that these moments, these surprising moments of pain, usually hide some deeper secret, some meaningful moment of self-recognition. On my own, I rarely distinguish truth from the discomfort. But when I invite God into the mess, I sometimes find the answer."

The In Between

I was watching a show yesterday where a baseball player's wife was interviewed. She was talking about her husband's journey from the minor leagues to the major leagues. He was playing in the minors and a major league team was interested in him. He gave it his all, knew he did the best he could, and in the end the team decided not to pick him. He was devastated and thought his career might be over. But then, 5 days later he got a call from another major league team wanting to recruit him.

I couldn't get past the phrase 5 days. Watching her tell the story in retrospect, it seemed like it was no big deal at all. But I know those 5 days of waiting were torture. However most of our lives are lived in that in between phase.

I find myself revisiting the waiting room more often than I would like. I know that a year from now, even a few months from now this in between time will seem so minor. But right now, waiting for that one phone call, email, or ____ event to take place feels like FOREVER.

, I guess the Lord is growing my patience and long suffering; you know the fruit of the spirit you always pray to have more of. As my sister reminded me, He disciplines those He loves. Right now I'm feeling stupendous amounts of God's love :)

Cheese, Chocolate, and Friends

No doubt about it, I've experienced some discouraging times of late. I confess, I do run to Jesus, but I also have been running to some comfort foods. I find myself indulging in either cheese or chocolate, sometimes even in the same meal!

Saturday night, I was feeling particularly low and my only desire was to devour some sort of chocolate brownie ice cream creation. I was even dreaming of how I might accomplish this when I got off of work....at 12 midnight. Trust me, it was one of those days. Fortunately God led a friend to invite me out for a post-work dinner that included cheese :) Bless God for places that stay open until the wee hours of the morning! It was sweet to chat over chips, queso, and spicy salsa.

Sunday, I was still determined to find that chocolate creation, and was pleased as punch that my brother decided to join me. Friends don't let friends eat chocolate alone....especially if one is fully capable of inhaling the entire dish! As I sat there devouring the chocolate creation, I was encouraged by God's love for me. It would have been very easy for me to retreat into myself and have some food therapy. Instead God gave me a weekend filled with challenges, but also reminded me that He's placed people in my life to walk with me through those challenges. That my friends, is better than cheese and chocolate combined!

A New Season

So the twenties have come and gone, and a new season of life has begun. I am excited to see all that God has in store for me in the next season. Thanks to all my friends who called, emailed, texted, or facebooked me birthday wishes. It's nice to be remembered :)

I did not make my weight loss goal of being my ideal weight by 30. It's a little disappointing, but 60 lbs is nothing to sneeze at either. Besides, 30 isn't the end, it's just another beginning! So here's to another year of life. It's a gift that I'm grateful to have!

She's done it again!

I love Francine Rivers, and her latest book Her Mother's Hope did not disappoint. I loved, loved, loved her perspective on relationships; mother daughter relationships in particular. It made me think of how we are so affected by our life experiences and how we project those experiences on to others, knowingly and unknowingly. I also was reminded afresh of how deep a mother's love can go. No matter how it manifests, most moms really do love their children and really are doing the very best they can.

If you are looking for a good read that will make you ponder a bit, I highly recommend checking this out. And the best part is the book is one of two. Her Daughter's Dream the sequel just came out on Tuesday!

Happy reading!