I sometimes think that I am self absorbed, "population me". I talk to a friend and only half listen, interjecting what's going on in my life (because that's way more important) and not really paying attention to what's going on in theirs. I pride myself on being a good listener (unless I'm so absorbed into something and not paying attention), so this is difficult for me to admit.
I heard this song, "My Own Little World" by Matthew West, and thought, that's how I feel sometimes. The world revolves around me, and all I have to do is look up and help the person standing next to me and it won't just be about me..."my own little world is not about me."
This song ties in a bit to my previous post "Damaged goods - what will you become?" Listen to the chorus of the song, "What if there's a bigger picture? What if I'm missing out? What if there's a greater purpose that I could be livin' right now? Outside my own little world."
Matthew West "My Own Little World"
Matthew West is a great artist, I highly recommend his music. Another song that often convicts me, which ties into being self-absorbed, is The Motions. The song talks about just living your life and the routine of things, not feeling anything (emotionless), "'Cuz just okay's not enough, help me fight through the nothingness of this life." Listen to the chorus: "I don't wanna go through the motions, I don't wanna go one more day without your all consuming passion inside of me. I don't wanna spend my whole life asking what if I given everything, instead of going through the motions."
"The Motions"
I apologize, I had problems embedding the videoes.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Damaged Goods - what will you become?
I'm borrowing part of my title from this devotion from Proverbs 31 ministry. It's over a week old, but I just read this last night and it really stuck with me. The message in this devotion is really good and a small bit of it can relate to my nephew's blog post about Support Your Troops. Quoting from the Proverbs 31 devo, "Look around you. Is there someone in your life, your family or your church that you consider "damaged goods"? Don't miss an opportunity to reach out to them, to love them. You just might find a friendship that is good...and sweet."
Anyway, what stuck with me, from this devo, was the part about not living the life I dreamed of as a kid. This message was also repeated at our church last night, when a missionary from Gabon Africa spoke about her calling and when she knew that she had to go into the mission field. I'll get into more detail momentarily.
I don't normally talk about my faith, I kind of keep it to myself - afraid you'll judge me, call me a Bible thumper or something like that - but I'm going to step out in faith and hope that you'll still keep reading, despite if I get preachy. I don't mean to be, and if you know me, you know it's not like me to be preachy.
Back on topic... The message at church was that this girl felt God was calling her in high school, to go into missions. When it was time for college, she knew she had to do something to make a difference. I'm not exactly what kind of doctor she is, but she's at the Bongolo Hospital in Gabon, Africa (as I mentioned earlier), serving God as He called her to do when she was younger.
I often think about what I was called to do. I grew up in a Christian Reformed Church (CRC) and they have an all girls group that was called Calvinettes. I believe I was in 6th grade when they decided to pair us up with an adult to be kind of our mentor, friend, whatever it was called. My mentor was a woman at our church who did the Sign Language for one deaf lady, which I thought was really cool.
I used to help out in nursery and I always felt bad because I could not communicate with the deaf mother when she came to pick up her daughter. She was hard to understand and I felt I had to talk slow and loud (cause that helps, right?), so she could understand me.
Anyway, by the time I went to college, I knew I wanted to work with the disabled, afterall, I had worked 7 years at a residential facility for the handicapped and loved my work. Special Ed was my declared major going into school. Part of the reason I chose the school I went to was because their education program put me in the classroom one day a week as a teacher aid...I hated it! I was in a regular classroom of 30 kindergartners...I just wanted to play with them and could not teach them how to write the letter B - I mean it's really not that hard, is it? Well, obviously, I realized that I did not have the patience for teaching. I changed my major to computer programming - figuring there's good money there...you really need some serious math skills there - something I lacked. I went one semester undeclared, then transferred schools to go into Speech Pathology. I didn't do very well in Phoenetics, and really the only reason I went into Speech Pathology was because I could take Sign Language 1 & 2, that was the right reason, wasn't it? Needless to say, I changed my major again, to English, which is what I ultimately got my degree in.
After graduating from college, I moved half way across the country to IL, from NJ, in case you didn't already know that.
After getting a job as an editorial assistant/production editor, I realized I wanted to do more than just rewrite press releases, so I changed jobs, where I would have the opportunity to write more articles. I was there for 1.5 years when I began to reconsider my career choice, sign language always coming to the forefront of my mind. September 2000, I was registered for classes at Harper College for Sign Language. I took 3 semesters of classes - although in October 2000, my now husband, proposed. I took 2 classes in the Spring semester, then the wedding in July and I never went back.
A year ago I was unemployed and considering going back to school for Special Ed again. But, again, Sign Language kept coming up. My sister asked me, what will make you happy? I remember when I was taking Sign Language classes, I was happy. I still catch myself signing sometimes. I know I still remember a bunch of stuff. Weird thing is, I'll be in my car, listening to the radio and I'll just start trying to sign the song on the radio, same thing happens at church (although I don't do full hand motions, but you can see my hands moving ever so slightly - I mean, I don't want to draw attention to myself). :)
Early last week on the KLove morning show, Lisa (one of the DJs) was talking about how in her daughter's dance class there is a deaf mom, if she hadn't taken some sign language classes, she would not be able to talk to this other mother. How learning sign language opened this door for her and how she doesn't have to alienate this mother because she can communicate with her.
So, to tie it all together, the devo, the sermon and the message on the radio continue to convict me that I am not doing what I was called to do. What were you called to do? Or, the more secular question, which applies no matter how old you are: What do you want to be when you grow up?
Some verses from last night's sermon:
I Peter 2:9: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Matthew 4:16: the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."
Matthew 4:23: Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
Matthew 4:23 is what the mission of the Bongolo Hospital is - to follow and do as Jesus did in this verse.
Anyway, what stuck with me, from this devo, was the part about not living the life I dreamed of as a kid. This message was also repeated at our church last night, when a missionary from Gabon Africa spoke about her calling and when she knew that she had to go into the mission field. I'll get into more detail momentarily.
I don't normally talk about my faith, I kind of keep it to myself - afraid you'll judge me, call me a Bible thumper or something like that - but I'm going to step out in faith and hope that you'll still keep reading, despite if I get preachy. I don't mean to be, and if you know me, you know it's not like me to be preachy.
Back on topic... The message at church was that this girl felt God was calling her in high school, to go into missions. When it was time for college, she knew she had to do something to make a difference. I'm not exactly what kind of doctor she is, but she's at the Bongolo Hospital in Gabon, Africa (as I mentioned earlier), serving God as He called her to do when she was younger.
I often think about what I was called to do. I grew up in a Christian Reformed Church (CRC) and they have an all girls group that was called Calvinettes. I believe I was in 6th grade when they decided to pair us up with an adult to be kind of our mentor, friend, whatever it was called. My mentor was a woman at our church who did the Sign Language for one deaf lady, which I thought was really cool.
I used to help out in nursery and I always felt bad because I could not communicate with the deaf mother when she came to pick up her daughter. She was hard to understand and I felt I had to talk slow and loud (cause that helps, right?), so she could understand me.
Anyway, by the time I went to college, I knew I wanted to work with the disabled, afterall, I had worked 7 years at a residential facility for the handicapped and loved my work. Special Ed was my declared major going into school. Part of the reason I chose the school I went to was because their education program put me in the classroom one day a week as a teacher aid...I hated it! I was in a regular classroom of 30 kindergartners...I just wanted to play with them and could not teach them how to write the letter B - I mean it's really not that hard, is it? Well, obviously, I realized that I did not have the patience for teaching. I changed my major to computer programming - figuring there's good money there...you really need some serious math skills there - something I lacked. I went one semester undeclared, then transferred schools to go into Speech Pathology. I didn't do very well in Phoenetics, and really the only reason I went into Speech Pathology was because I could take Sign Language 1 & 2, that was the right reason, wasn't it? Needless to say, I changed my major again, to English, which is what I ultimately got my degree in.
After graduating from college, I moved half way across the country to IL, from NJ, in case you didn't already know that.
After getting a job as an editorial assistant/production editor, I realized I wanted to do more than just rewrite press releases, so I changed jobs, where I would have the opportunity to write more articles. I was there for 1.5 years when I began to reconsider my career choice, sign language always coming to the forefront of my mind. September 2000, I was registered for classes at Harper College for Sign Language. I took 3 semesters of classes - although in October 2000, my now husband, proposed. I took 2 classes in the Spring semester, then the wedding in July and I never went back.
A year ago I was unemployed and considering going back to school for Special Ed again. But, again, Sign Language kept coming up. My sister asked me, what will make you happy? I remember when I was taking Sign Language classes, I was happy. I still catch myself signing sometimes. I know I still remember a bunch of stuff. Weird thing is, I'll be in my car, listening to the radio and I'll just start trying to sign the song on the radio, same thing happens at church (although I don't do full hand motions, but you can see my hands moving ever so slightly - I mean, I don't want to draw attention to myself). :)
Early last week on the KLove morning show, Lisa (one of the DJs) was talking about how in her daughter's dance class there is a deaf mom, if she hadn't taken some sign language classes, she would not be able to talk to this other mother. How learning sign language opened this door for her and how she doesn't have to alienate this mother because she can communicate with her.
So, to tie it all together, the devo, the sermon and the message on the radio continue to convict me that I am not doing what I was called to do. What were you called to do? Or, the more secular question, which applies no matter how old you are: What do you want to be when you grow up?
Some verses from last night's sermon:
I Peter 2:9: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Matthew 4:16: the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."
Matthew 4:23: Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
Matthew 4:23 is what the mission of the Bongolo Hospital is - to follow and do as Jesus did in this verse.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Get Running
So, I weighed myself this a.m. and I was 188.2. I know you're not supposed to weigh yourself every day 'cause your weight fluctuates so much. So, I need to figure out what day of the week I'm going to weigh in. Maybe Friday, before the weekend weight gain and after I've had a chance to work it off? :)
I picked up this app, Get Running, for my iPod - it was only $0.99 - I haven't gotten any app for more than that on my iPod...what can I say, I'm cheap. Looks like a good app, reviews are good. I'll keep you posted.
Now I need to get running shoes and to figure out what days I want to run. I figured until I get that all figured out, I'll at least start walking, like they suggest at Get Running's website. Walk briskly for 30 minutes - I can do that! Taz will love it too.
One of these next posts will be a list of my goals. Like I pointed out in yesterday's post, my nephew has a blog and he has a post about goals, which got me thinking about what my goals are. So, they're not all exercise related, but you're going to hear them all anyway. Until next time.
I picked up this app, Get Running, for my iPod - it was only $0.99 - I haven't gotten any app for more than that on my iPod...what can I say, I'm cheap. Looks like a good app, reviews are good. I'll keep you posted.
Now I need to get running shoes and to figure out what days I want to run. I figured until I get that all figured out, I'll at least start walking, like they suggest at Get Running's website. Walk briskly for 30 minutes - I can do that! Taz will love it too.
One of these next posts will be a list of my goals. Like I pointed out in yesterday's post, my nephew has a blog and he has a post about goals, which got me thinking about what my goals are. So, they're not all exercise related, but you're going to hear them all anyway. Until next time.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Update - 3.5 months too late?
So, it's been about 3.5 months since my last post. Sorry.
I've been hearing a lot about this C25K (Couch to 5K) and my nephew now has a blog about running (you really should check it out). A few friends, earlier this year, trained and ran a 5K. I'm really starting to consider running. My golden retriever would love it. The app, C25K, is only $2.99 in the iTunes Store - it allows you to listen to your own music and gives audio prompts when it's time to change...perfect! You can't go wrong with something like that. First, according to my nephew, is to get a good pair of running shoes - they can be over $100, but shoes are important.
Anyway, I'll keep you posted.
My weight, yesterday, was 187.4. I certainly need to do something. I need to take a picture of myself in tight clothes - you know how people who want to lose weight always take pictures of themselves in baggy clothes to hide, well, I just hate that. I'm going to take a pic of myself in tight clothes and watch my progress as those clothes get too big.
I've been hearing a lot about this C25K (Couch to 5K) and my nephew now has a blog about running (you really should check it out). A few friends, earlier this year, trained and ran a 5K. I'm really starting to consider running. My golden retriever would love it. The app, C25K, is only $2.99 in the iTunes Store - it allows you to listen to your own music and gives audio prompts when it's time to change...perfect! You can't go wrong with something like that. First, according to my nephew, is to get a good pair of running shoes - they can be over $100, but shoes are important.
Anyway, I'll keep you posted.
My weight, yesterday, was 187.4. I certainly need to do something. I need to take a picture of myself in tight clothes - you know how people who want to lose weight always take pictures of themselves in baggy clothes to hide, well, I just hate that. I'm going to take a pic of myself in tight clothes and watch my progress as those clothes get too big.
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