Race!

So, this past Saturday, I ran in a 5K race! It was on the Greenways and fundraiser to support the Greenways! It has a great course! Unfortunately, I was feeling horrible and it was FREEZING outside! At least the rain held off!! It was predicted to rain all day but it held off and didn't rain on us at all! Of course Melissa kicked my butt and I contribute part of that to my sickness. I will say that I finished under my goal! I was not able to run the whole time but that's OK. That'll be my goal for the next race.

Here are some fun pics of the day:

Bright and early!

Waiting for the start!

Sprinting for the finish!

Mel-dawg, Hooray for us accomplishing that goal!

Day Dream Sundays

Today I'm day dreaming of "my pefect job".

The one that I would do if I could do anything in the world and money was no object.

Lately people have been asking me "What are you passionate about?" I cannot tell you how many people have asked me that in the last year or two. Really in regard to what I want to do with my life or where I want to work or how I want to spend my free time. I have really struggled with this question and I've been frustrated with being asked it so often. In a different form, my cousin asked me "What are you doing when you lose track of time?" Hmm...I liked that better. After much consideration and thought, I've decided that there are two things that I'm really passionate about: Food and People.

Food: I love, love, love to cook. I love to be in the kitchen. I love to find new recipes and try them out. If I had endless money - I would eat insanely good and rich foods every meal. And I would live at the gym! I particularly love eating baking and sweets. I just love good food. There's nothing better at the end of the day than a good meal. I lose track of time when I'm in the kitchen or when I'm sharing a meal with friends.

People: I love people. I love talking to them and learning about them and their personalities. I like to eavesdrop on conversations. Not necessarily to gossip (although I do LOVE to gossip) I just think it's so interesting to listen to others conversations. I am a people watcher. I could sit in a crowded room and just watch people. It's so entertaining. I lose track of time doing this people watching.

So taking both of these "passions" into consideration, my dream job would be to own a bakery or cafe or restaurant of some sort. I'm not sure what form that takes yet but I think that doing this kind of "job" would give me the opportunity to interact with all kinds of people and spend time cooking and baking.

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There are other things that I am really interested in and enjoy but don't know enough about: exercise - running and working out; art - how to make it and be creative (although I'm not creative); fashion - if only money were no object, I would shop every day!

Mr. Paisley

I really like Brad Paisley. His songs are usually pretty cheesy but every once in awhile he has one that I just really like! He's an amazingly talented guitar player - I'd say one of the best of our time, especially as far as country music goes. I'm liking his newest song and I LOVE that he has Alabama singing with him!

Unbelievable

The images here are unbelievable. 

It's amazing how powerful water is. I don't usually think about water, other than to know that I don't drink enough of it. But when a body of water makes up its mind to do something, it is extremely powerful and usually destructive. The destruction that occurred in Japan is unreal. I feel like I could look at these pictures all day and never really understand what is going on there. I know very, very little about the culture and community there but I am praying for the people there, the leadership and others who are coming to their aid.

This has been a hard week for a lot of different reasons. I think just coming to the realization of settling into this job that I've taken. I'm so tired. The week has gotten continually better as it has gone on. I think that the job will get better as I settle into my routine there and get on my own schedule and figure out what I'm doing. At least that's what I'm hoping! I know "it's a great place to work" and all that and it may be more my attitude than anything else. Going through training/orientation this week has been interesting to learn about the company and the legacy that has been created by these innovative, ambitious people who just want to do things better. It really is inspiring! And then I go back to my table in the hallway (I dont have a desk) and realize that I'm getting paid too little to live on and working while 600 other people try to talk to each other and try to figure out the connection between innovation and this job that I seem to have settled for. Like I said, I'm trying SO hard to be positive and look for the good things in this situation. One good thing is that it looks like there is no lack of work! I'll at least be busy while we work on this audit!

I really hope that I can REST this weekend. I'm planning to take it easy tomorrow night and hoping to sleep late on Saturday. I'm going to do the first of the "long" runs in my training program for the 5K. It's supposed to be gorgeous on Saturday and I'm looking forward to running outside. Running for 25 minutes on the treadmill is almost unbearable. It just gets really boring. The race is only 2 weeks away! Yikes! I hope I'll be ready. The week before the race I'm going to try to eat healthy and light and drink lots of water! I really want to be able to run the whole time!

Oh, on a side note: I received good news this past week. The thief that broke into our apartment last August, has been sent to prison for 5 years!

New Job

Today was the first day of my NEW job!

I wish that I was more excited about it. I feel guilty for not being more excited about it. I'm exhausted and stressed and anxious about it - for a number of reasons. BUT, generally, I think that after I get over this initial anxiety, I'll enjoy it. It is interesting work. I am working for a division of Marriott Hotels that houses around 600 accountants. Ever since I started my job search, all I've heard is what a great place this is to work. I'm looking forward to getting more involved and really getting into the work I'll be doing. The first couple of days of a new job are always hard, but I know that this will get better.

Last week, my post about anxiety, was in regard to a full time permanent job offer from the bank that I've been working at. AHhhh!!! I already had accepted the job at Marriott and turned in my notice to the bank (even though the job there was temporary). In an incredibly difficult decision, I turned the bank down! Who does that? Who turns down a certain job offer for an uncertain opportunity? Me, that's who. Sometimes I wonder what I am thinking?! However, I feel like this was the right decision. Even though I am uncertain about the possibilities of my new job, I know that it was the right decision to stay there. If I had turned down Marriott that bridge would have been totally burned. I didn't burn any bridges at the bank. In fact, my boss told me if this job didn't work out, to give him a call! And, on an incredibly pathetic side note, it was so nice to leave a job of my own accord. To walk out of the door on my own free will and know that I made the decision to leave, rather than be told to leave!

And with all of this uncertainty going on in my head and in my heart, I'm going to leave you with this, a quote from my good friend and fellow blogger, Nellie....(her post was about something entirely different than what a new job or uncertainty about her life in general. Her words were just so encouraging and really spoke to me, for right here, right now....) I am encouraged to know that He is in control.

The unanswered questions (and even sometimes only half formed ones!) don't meant there aren't answers. The Answer is mighty, and I believe He will answer mightily both in the coming days, as well as in the ultimate restoration of our broken world. 

"The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever." - Psalm 29:10

Day Dream Sundays

So, since my blog is called Reverie - as in day dreams - I thought that I'd write about some of my day dreams. Just once a week, I'll write about something that I've been day dreaming about, both fun and serious...like my fellow blogging friend Lindsey, I want to be able to get personal and share my life with you, and I thought this might be a good way to do it.

Recently I've been day dreaming about being able to run. I mean really run, for a couple miles, without feeling like I want to die! I'd be OK comfortably running for 3 miles. To be honest, I get bored after more than 30 minutes, so if 3 miles were easy for me to run, I'd be satisfied with that. Maybe I'll run a 10K one day but I don't really see myself doing a half marathon or a whole marathon. Maybe once I get to be a better runner, I'll get more into it and be interested in doing longer races. But already, I'm enjoying it. It's changing my body shape and I'm losing weight and I'm getting better. Slowly but surely!

My friend Melissa and I are running a 5K at the end of March. I'd be happy if I could run the whole time and finish in under 45 minutes. I think that I could walk it in 45, so for my first race, I'm thinking that this'll be do-able. Right now, I couldn't run the whole 3.1 miles. I could get close. I'm up to about 2 miles. I'm doing an 8 week training program and the race is about 3 weeks away! I'll be sure to let you know how it goes, for both of us. We haven't been able to train together and I know she's going to kick my butt, but I know it'll be something fun that we can do together. I hope that even after the race, and a short training break, that I'll keep running. Especially since the weather is beginning to get nicer and I'm hoping to be able to get outside more and more!

Perfect Timing

Why, hello there March...you sneaked up on me!

So, after a long and anxious day (for several reasons that I may explain later), I came home and opened up a daily devotional that my mom gave me last year called Jesus Calling. It's an interesting little book with just a short paragraph or a single verse. It's based on scripture but written from Jesus' perspective, like He's talking directly to me. I don't usually read it every day but I was feeling like I should open it up tonight and this is what I found:

"When something in your life or thoughts makes you anxious, comes to Me and talk about it. Bring me your prayer and petition with thanksgiving saying "Thank you Jesus for this opportunity to trust you more". Though the lessons of trust that I send you come wrapped in difficulties, the benefits far outweigh the cost.  

Well-developed trust will bring you many blessings, not the least of which is My Peace. I have promised to keep you in perfect Peace to the extent that you trust me. The world has it backwards teaching that peace is the result of having enough money, possessions, insurance and security systems. My peace, however, is such an all encompassing gift that it is independent of all circumstances. Though you lose everything else, if you gain my peace, you are rich indeed"

Philippians 4:6; Isaiah 26:3 

I honestly don't think that I needed to hear any other words tonight, more than I needed to hear this. I have received and listened to the advice and counsel of wise and wonderful friends in the past few hours and I am now taking my concerns to Jesus, with thanksgiving, (often difficult for me, but once the theme of this blog), asking for His Perfect Peace.

This is also just another reminder of His perfect timeline. These last few weeks/months have just been such a great reminder that He is in control and that there's not a whole lot I can do about it so I might as well trust him.