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Walking contradiction

I'm a walking contradiction. Ask any of my friends and they will tell you that I'm a detail-oriented person, one that pays attention to the small things in a project. They will tell you that I'm dependable and trustworthy. They will tell you I will finish a project given to me. I remember details most people don't even notice.

But at the same time I am forgetful. I start many a project that I never finish. I start something with good intentions then leave it. How can someone be so opposite in her ways? Well, while walking this morning (I've started something here...we'll see how long it lasts) these were the thoughts running through my mind.

I walked a 5K last Saturday with some friends from church. Our choir director hosted an invitational run/walk. We got a cool t-shirt :) A 5K is just over three miles, that's it. But those three miles showed me how out of shape I am. That's where the walking this morning comes into play. I've decided, and I think with help from the 5K, that I need to get out of bed and exercise in the morning. I've allowed myself to gain too much weight over the last nine years. The scale has slowing but surely gone up.

One of the pictures from the walk on Saturday showed me with a major double chin. I DON'T WANT A DOUBLE CHIN! So, as of yesterday I started walking around my neighborhood. Mind you, I've done this before. It lasted about a week. This time I am hoping for a longer run.

Why can't I keep up with exercise? I know part of the problem is doing it alone. Guess I need to find someone who will walk with me. But most of my friends run. I can't ask them to walk. That would be unfair to them.

Here's to sticking with something that doesn't really have an end to it. I need to exercise my whole life, not just until a certain amount of weight comes off.

Self talk

Last Thursday, I started a new Bible study with some ladies from church. It's all about what we tell ourselves day in and day out. You know, those things you speak to yourself - I'm stupid, I'll never finish that project, I'm not pretty enough for him, I'm so behind, I'm a failure. I could go on and on with so many things we speak to ourselves in the privacy of our minds.

The problem with that is the majority of those things are negative. We, in turn, use those thoughts to build a life. We label ourselves according to the contents of those thoughts. And usually, they are not what God knows about us or says we are.

I'm being reminded that I must tell myself the truth. God's truth. If I listen to not just the world around me but myself, I will have a mind full of lies and junk. God wants me to build a life on His truth, His power, His provision, His grace and mercy. Most of the things I tell myself are not based on God's truth. I have to change that.

I'll go with that one...with a side of that

Let us pick from the thoughts floating through my head right now. Like a cafeteria, I'll randomly select some things to tell you.

Last week was the opener for many sitcoms and shows. Two of my favorites came back last Thursday night, Fringe and The Office. As always, The Office gave me some awkward moments to live through and silly situations. I'm reminded all the time of my real workplace. Fringe did not let me down, either. The writer have set up a great season. I love the cow. If you watch the show, you know exactly what I mean.

A Ladies Bible study started last Thursday night, as well. Everything happens all at once, doesn't it? This study is called Me, Myself and Lies. I look forward to getting to know the ladies in the group. A small group like this allows me to get past a simple hello in the hallway at church. Once again, God has brought a random group of women together for this one. But, as we all know, nothing is random with God!

My dear friend Mandy will celebrate her thirty-first birthday next Thursday! I've planned some fun stuff for her this Friday night. I have to pay her back for the awesome birthday present - Heart in concert! I promise you Mandy, you will LOVE Friday night.

I just want to say again that I love my church and especially the choir and orchestra. Never have I been in a church where the musicians were so close with each other and desired to minister to the rest of the members as passionately as this group does. I look forward to rehearsals on Wednesday nights. And truly feel like we minister to the congregation on Sunday mornings. Last night, the orchestra blessed us with a concert. They filled the stage area. Actually, they are growing and pushing the choir out of the loft! This is a great problem to have.

Has Nashville, Tennessee moved to Seattle, Washington? This constant rain sure seems like it. The sun is out today for the first time since Friday afternoon.

Flu vaccination

Just a quick question: how many of you, my few readers, get a flu shot each year? I've never taken a flu shot, nor have I had the flu. I'm not saying that to gloat or challenge luck/fate/health. Maybe I'm one of those that is less susceptible to illness. That could have to do with all the germs and dirt I ate as a child ;)

I'm simply curious about who of my friends takes the shot yearly, or occasionally.

Respect versus stupidity

I'm rather disgusted with Kayne West's behavior at the VMA's last night. I didn't watch the award show, but while checking facebook, I saw all the people commenting on him. So I went to youtube and found what they were talking about. If you have not seen or heard what Kayne did and said while Taylor Swift was accepting her award, you can easily find it all over the internet.

The incident: Taylor Swift won the Female Video of the Year award, beating out Beyonce. Halfway through her acceptance speech, Kayne walks up to the stage and take the microphone out of Taylor's hand. "I am really happy for you," West said. "But Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time." Then he hands the microphone back to Taylor and walks off the stage.

What?!?*%&^(#$*~#?! Who acts that way? Oh, yeah...Kayne West does, all the time. We have come to expect him to react when he is not the winner or doesn't like the outcome. I'm sure there were many people who thought other videos should have won, but they didn't storm the stage and take away a new artist's thunder! Grow up!

And to Beyonce, thank you for showing us you are a mature, grown up woman. You allowed Taylor to enjoy her moment when you won the Video of the Year award. Thank you for being the better and respectful person. Kayne's actions just show how immature and selfish and disrespectful he is.

Remembering my Grandma New

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. My Grandma New passed away from it in 1991. I was fourteen. I was devastated. My Grandma Smith passed away in 1969, right before my oldest brother was born. None of us knew her. Maybe that's why I was so affected by Grandpa New's passing. I had a great-grandma that was alive until I was in late elementary/early junior high, but I still had only the one grandma.

I miss her, still. She made the best pies. You know the kind, homemade crust, custard filling, meringue on top. She would make a pie for your birthday. She made really yummy biscuits, which was a staple in the house. That or cornbread. She introduced me to coffee. Yuck! Or at least that is what I thought at a young age. It's rather delicious now.

She kept a strawberry patch. I remember helping weed that stupid thing. But I loved the time spent with grandma. I remember one day in particular. We may have been weeding, we could have been picking berries. I don't recall. What I do remember is this: grandma's phone kept ringing. The first couple of times she didn't care. She walked back into the house and answered the phone. It must have been picking time, people were probably calling to check if she still had berries to pick. Anyway, she came back outside each time. When the phone rang one time she straightened herself, looked back at the house and said, "Well shit!" I looked up at her in such disbelief! My grandma had just cussed! I still laugh about it.

I also remember her singing. She had an old hymnal at the house and she would sit at the window and sing. Maybe that's where I learned some older songs, ones we don't sing anymore. Thank you grandma for giving me a love for singing.

One time while spending the night, my cousin Christa and I slept in grandma's bed while she slept on the couch. That couch was not comfortable for sleep. But she still gave up her bed. I remember her telling us a scary story, we laid there scared to go to sleep! Thanks grandma...maybe that's where my overactive brain comes from.

You know the powder that you get in a round container? My grandma had that. And whenever I see or smell those, I remember her. And I miss her all over again. I love you grandma and am ready to see you again!