Sunshine.

Today was absolutely gorgious outside so I took the liberty of doing some spring cleaning! I didn't get too much done, but I was able to sweep and clean out the garage floor and cleaned up that old fluorescent light bulb that Bill the handy man thought would be cool to leave here for us to take care of..interesting fellow (and not in the positive reference)! Then I scrubbed the garage door and the front windows/shutters and front door. It's crazy how much dirt builds up over time! Then I unwound the hoses and took them around back to scrub down the doors of the shed and sprayed them down. After that I raked up some of those nasty spike-like things that fall from trees and then raked the leaves out of my herb garden. It's so exciting that there's already things popping up! [Lambs ear, peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm, oregano, sage, chives, lavender, and chamomile!] There is still so much to be done, but at least the work is begun.
Tomorrow will be an early start..I'm working for my g-rents at 6am! So I better hit the sack.

Proverb of the day: Proverbs 11
12"A man who lacks judgement derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue."
13"A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret."
14"For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure."

Project Runway

I was just watching Project Runway. Despite the drama between the contestants, I love this show! It is great to see up and coming designers and provides inspiration that any person can make it. I do not mean that any person can make it in the fashion market specifically or particularly. Rather, I mean the general concept. If you throw all of your chips on the table, and all of yourself into something there is a pay day and most of the time those efforts pay back. There is no room for ineptness, apathy, and most certainly not fear. A really helpful quote I just came across on someone's face book was the following:
"Have no fear of perfection--- you'll never reach it."

Initiative.

I was just reading "My Utmost For His Highest" and Chambers spoke on initiative. I need to take more initiative in my life and stop being paralyzed by the fear of the realization of my hopes, dreams, and goals. It is as though I'm afraid that if I give my best, I will me utter failure and ruin. This however is a risk I must take in whatever I do.
I need to take initiative and stop the daydreaming and procrastination.

Interestingly enough Oswald also included a strange bit at the end of his devotional for the 20th of February:
"If you are in love with someone, you don't sit and daydream about that person all the time-- you go and do something for him. That is what Jesus Christ expects us to do. Daydreaming after God has spoken is an indication that we do not trust Him."

Though this is example is meant simply to parallel non-initiative after our Lord has spoken, I need to keep the former in mind as well.

School.

This semester was suppose to be my last easy semester, but I suppose I was terribly mistaken. It is all starting to pile up like a hundred people trying to get through a single door all at once. On top of trying to conquer my homework, I am suppose to find a pt job! I am going to be worn out by the end of this semester!

It is quite fortunate though because my classes are exceptionally interesting. Online "western civ.", Chem, and bio. Oh, and GNED :)

I need to start focusing on how I am projecting myself with regard to how I pay attention to my studies. I need to be learning this information now so I can be a better ambassador for Christ in the future ministry that He has prepared for me to serve. In complaining and half-studying/studying for the test I am not glorifying my Maker, and am not reaching the full potential that He has gifted me with.

So I guess that is my new years resolution..To be a better ambassador for Christ through how I handle the daily affairs of my life.

Quiet Time Reflections

II Timothy 2:1-13

Be Strong in Grace

• must endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ
• don't entangle yourself with things of this life that way you may please He who enlisted you
• play by the rules
• Paul says that he endured all things to take the gospel to the elect

It has been a long day and am exceedingly tired. Hence I need to sleep.

A beautiful, dreary autumn day..

The light seeped through the five inches of space that I had left open the night before to allow for a breeze, but no breeze passed by, my window being on the lee side. I restlessly roll over slowing gaining consciousness to my surroundings. The strength of the light at my window indicates it is later, maybe, than I should normally wake on a saturday morn. Alas, all is well for I have always everything to get done but never reach an end; never see the light at the end of the tunnel. Rather, i see the hole darkening as the semester progresses and am loaded with increasingly more and more projects and homework and tests to study for and lessons to plan and a life to live on the side. The latter has almost been extinguished by the former, but I am today indulging the latter. The light slowly fades and the sky grows darker. Then that slight coolness that is felt when an autumn shower blows through passes my window and a slow, beautiful melodic constant stirs outside ever increasing, seemingly never to cease. How beautiful! the golden maples shine in the background with a rising humid mist about the mountain.

This day, once fresh, is now waning.

Living in the moment and Red Jello.

Living in the moment..

It seems our society widely promotes this concept which may be interpreted in radically different ways. On one hand one may interpret that statement as the need to appreciate each moment as it comes and to live each moment that we're blessed with to the fullest of our comprehension and capability.

Though I would prefer to live by this interpretation of the statement, I frequently find myself living by this concept, "Live life in the moment, don't worry about tomorrow, you don't have to finish your work now because there's always tomorrow, and enjoy yourself now in this moment."
This is a great problem, and requires immediate attention. Lately I have trying to find a greater sense of focus and discipline and have been successful on a greater number of occasions than previously. However, that's not to say that I have had entire success.

Today I struggle finding that focus to take on the plethora of homework and organization that awaits me. Am I the type B perfectionist who throws up their arms because they are unable to achieve pure perfection in all areas?

Or maybe, just possibly, I have developed a case of ADHD and so that red jello i had at lunch (with the red 40) was not beneficial nor profitable for sincere focus.

For now,
-c