Eyes on the Horizon

Ever get the feeling that something good is coming? I woke up this morning in the rainy, chilly dark. My furry children were stirring. My little boy cat's new trick is to jump to the top of the headboard, tight-rope walk, and then pounce! It's just thrilling at 6 a.m. All of this is beside the point. In spite of the gloomy morning, my heart feels sunny and sparkling bright.

Good things are coming. Good things are coming. I will keep my eyes on the horizon- I may not see over the hill I'm climbing, but I toss away all specks of worry because my Guider does. He knows the best way to lead me- all I have to do is put one foot in front of the other.

Faith is palpable when the edge of the unknown touches the tips of your toes. I step forward happily, readily... because I know good things are coming.

Image: http://joselgonzales.wordpress.com/

Managers of Grace

1 Peter 4:10
10 As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.

I manage all kinds of things in a day - budgets, technology, people, children, tasks and challenges. It is a gift to have the opportunity to begin each day with a new possibility to show and receive God's grace. Grace is loving, kind and full of patience. Grace is poised, ready and capable while remaining soft and strong. May this day be full of grace. May I be always mindful that I can be a manager of grace.

Grace –noun

1.	elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action.

2.	a pleasing or attractive quality or endowment.

Simplify

Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify. 
Henry David Thoreau

I feel the need to simplify my environment.
Tonight, I will clean out my closet. Again.

Clothes, shoes, scarves and purses... 
Can't find anything, curses! curses! 
In a clean closet you will find...
Everything orderly and peace of mind. 

Triathlete Update

I am still an baby triathlete. Last week I did:

Monday - 2 Mile Outdoor Run with Alex
Thursday - 1 attempted town lake run with Michele (We tried to meet during rush hour traffic. We got too frustrated that by the time we arrived through the mess of cars. We decided we were too hungry to run after a long day of work. We went to Whole Foods instead and bought a bottle of wine after a free tasting and an athlete-friendly portobella mushroom rice bowl. The girltalk was a much needed work out for my heart.)
Saturday - 6 miles on level 2 of the stationary bike, 15 Laps in the pool, 15 minutes of shooting drills with Neil, 20 of Neil's super-hard sit-ups

So, last week was 2 days of exercise. My goal is to do 3 days of exercise this week. It's okay to start small... I will get to that finish line. If I change my thinking, I will change my actions. I know I can do it!

Thought for the day:
"All things are created twice. There's a mental or first creation, and a physical or second creation of all things. You have to make sure that the blueprint, the first creation, is really what you want, that you've thought everything through. Then you put it into bricks and mortar. Each day you go to the construction shed and pull out the blueprint to get marching orders for the day. You begin with the end in mind." - Stephen Covey

Image: http://www.ricksenley.com/index/countymayo

Love days like these...

It is a blessing to enjoy what you do for a living. But it is a greater if your living can be a blessing to those around you.

Today I reflect on a great day at work. I am blessed beyond what I could ever earn or deserve. I have the privilege to work with teachers and students who are so bright- the gloom and doom of a world in trouble vanishes from my farthest thought. The future of our country and world are taking notes, discussing, discovering, learning and growing in school classrooms with leaders who love them. We cannot fail.

After a very busy semester of all the adjusting, racing, figuring, cramming and scrambling that come with a new job on a busy campus... I will remember to bring this goodness to work with me everyday. I will try to leave behind the lists, the clutter, and the distractions, and serve in a way that means something to someone. This is my mission. This is my calling. I cannot fail.

We are traveling in the footsteps
Of those who've gone before
But we'll all be reunited
On a new and sunlit shore

Oh when the saints go marching in
When the saints go marching in
Oh lord I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in

Mothers

If you are sad, if you are lost, if you just need to be heard by someone who knows you're not crazy, or silly, or whining. You can talk to your mother. She will tell you the loving truth, or just listen. Mothers magically have the patience to wait for you to figure out whatever it is they probably already know. They always act like they want to hear from you. Mothers always love their children. Mothers make you laugh. Mother's can still, make it better.
Thank you God for my mother. Thank you God for my husband's mother.

I love my mother as the trees love water and sunshine - she helps me grow, prosper, and reach great heights. ~Adabella Radici

Image http://mormonmd.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/treeoflight.jpeg

Friday

Rainy, Chilly Friday...
If I could have it my way...

I'd rush home and jump in bed...
Drink Champagne till I lose my head...

Instead the seconds tick by slow- slow- slow
I wish they'd hurry so I could go-go- go!


Clock image http://www.youdontsay.org/Clock.jpg

Thankful Heart Thankful Start

Lately, I have been trying to say a prayer of thanksgiving at the exact second I wake up... as the very first thing I do or think in the morning.

(Confession: I hate waking up early, and I am not a morning person. One of my favorite and most self-indulgent luxuries is sleeping late.)

So, I decided to pray before I could think in the wee hours of the morning. Most of the time my prayers sound like a child's prayer... Thank you for my family. Thank you for my home. Thank you for my job. Thank you for my animals. Thank you for my health.

Last night's devotion was about trials, difficult times, and stressful times. These situations help/force us to grow and understand what true faith is all about. In other words- through trials- we find truth and faith. So this morning- I was thankful for the trying times and the anxiety that accompanies them. (Confession: A small part of me did not want to say thanks because I was afraid God would give me more trails and anxiety to deal with.) Then I remembered I am only human- I continued my prayer of Thanksgiving and all iotas of fears subsided.

Thank You for the trails in my life. Thank you for revealing truth and faith to me. Please allow me to use these truths for Your glory. I can overcome because You are my strength. This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." James 1:2-3

Image created in Wordle

The time has come... May 16!

I have a list of things I'd like to do in my lifetime. You know, things like -
Travel to Europe - check!
Learn to scuba dive - check!
Marry the love of my life - check!
Catch a ginormous fish - check!
Tour the wine country - check!
Finish a master's degree - check!
Climb a mountain - check!
Learn to snowboard - check!
Sail the Bahamas - check!
Win a contest - check!
Finish a triathlon.... che.... not so fast! I started training for a triathlon in undergrad - but then I got too busy with finals, graduation, and graduation parties to run a race in May. After all, I felt I was already finishing one!

SO, THE TIME HAD COME! Yesterday, I decided I would do the Trek Women's Triathlon on May 16, 2010. My friends Alex and Ellen are going to join me. This is pretty sweet because Ellen is a superior and very serious runner. Alex is just an all-around excellent athlete. Me on the other hand.... well let's put it this way. Last time I rode my bike, I fell off of it in the middle of the street. A little kid had to come and ask me if I was okay. So, hopefully I will make it through this experience alive and well. I think I will. I think my awesome training partners will raise the bar for me! I think I will further embrace my inner athlete. Hopefully, I will sculpt my outer athlete as well!

Lately... Life is reminding me of how short it really is. So, if there's some thing you've always wanted to do... well- you better just grab it by the balls and get started!

Dear Triathlon,
12 mile bike
1/2 mile swim
3.1 mile run
Here I come!
Love, Melanie

P.S. - Last Night's Workout - .66 mile run, Abs, Arms, Lats & Shoulders, Leg Presses
P.P.S. - Feeling slightly sore and GREAT today!

Image Above: Emma Snowsill of Australia crosses the finish line in the Women's Final of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games triathlon event in Beijing, China, Aug. 18, 2008. Emma Snowsill won the gold medal with a time of 1 hour 58 minutes and 27.66 seconds.

Holidays in Hindsight...

Tonight, I am taking down my holiday decorations...
Yes, they are still up in our house. I will say this is because I love the spirit of the holiday season- the giving, loving, time with family and friends. I love the lights and sparkle of the festivities and of course, the wonderful food and drinks. It's just a cozy, loving season full of celebration. But, the other reason my tree is still dropping it's needles in my living room is because we have been too busy to take it down. These above sentences embody this year's holiday season. It was incredibly fun and incredibly busy.

Between the work parties, friend's parties and family parties... we hardly had one day off from parties. It was glorious and exhausting. I needed 2 sleep-in mornings to recover and was I ever-thankful to have them!

We stayed with Mike and Sallie for our family Christmas in Kyle. Festivities included - a lovely dinner at Mandola's Winery, scooters, lots of dogs and cats, kids and eggnog. Our gift exchange was a hit - everyone could spend $15 to create some thing creative. Between poems and potato guns - everyone came through brilliantly! It was a good time had by all.

This year, Mike and Sallie and Matt and Nichole joined up for Chirstmas Eve church and dinner. We had a family style dinner at our house, followed by a lively game of win-lose or draw. It was a blast. Baby A entertained all of the adults by displaying her 1.5 year-old somersaults. Christmas day at my parents' house was great - we broke though the exhaustion when we sat down to a seafood feast of crab legs and lobster. My favorite!

Christmas with Tom and Marian was great - they stayed at our house and we enjoyed another family dinner with B & A and the guys enjoyed watching football and the ladies talked and cooed over the littlest Boecking boys. The next morning we enjoyed the game and some good food at Cover 3, then gifts at B & A's house.

The last holiday event was a new one for me - the Dia del Reyes or Feast of the Kings. B & A's party was fantastic. Homemade tamales, hot chocolate and King's cake. I found the first baby Jesus so I have to through the next party on Feb 7! The little ones were adorable. Baby A entertained us all with his dancing and instruments. He ran 14 laps around the dining room table. It was a fantastic Wednesday evening.

Holidays in Hindsight
Days that Rush to Delight
Ornaments, Candlelight
Santa Claus and Eyes Bright
Savior born, Silent Night

Big Things and Little Things

Big things I am thankful for...
1. My Family
2. My Home
3. My Job
4. My Friends
5. My Faith

Little things I am thankful for...
1. Iced Tea & Breakfast Tacos
2. Dark Chocolate Covered Peanuts
3. A Comfortable Bed
4. Heated Car Seats
5. Pens That Work Well

My busy life is in the big things and the small things. On this Wednesday morning... they all seem equally crucial. ;) A delicate recipe for a successful day. Is it silly to thank God for a pen that actually works? Probably not. What are the "crucial" little things for you today?

Give thanks always and for everything to God
Ephesians 5:20