Shutting it Down Saturday

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Saturday, June 2nd

Second day and going strong! I got up a little earlier, and we went all day long! The run was good, but the wind was strong, slowing Mom and me both down some.

PS, Mom is now addicted to Starbucks Triple Mocha Frappuccino. So if you want to get her anything, this would be the winner. You could also call this a "hack" I guess, not to be trendy, I hate that, but she would get them in the morning and freeze them until afternoon! When I went up to get some food from the room I would bring it down and it was like eating ice cream! For my afternoon treats, I tried lots of new drinks I had bought over time. I need to hydrate, especially running and tanning in the heat and humidity all day every day, so flavor helps me! Today was a Neuro.

My Bible Study for today was tying up some loose ends of an old daily devotion and a Daniel Plan that I had gotten in my email. The last day of the month was the best one and so encouraging to my place in life.

"Keep Improving"

"No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:27.

Not that I haven't heard and read this verse many times, but it means something different in different situations. That's why you can never get enough of the Bible, because God is always at work.

I admit that I am way too hard on myself both physically and mentally. But why do I push myself so hard? Rather than get caught up in the moment, I need to think about the future. Will this small mistake I made (that no one even notices but myself) matter tomorrow? I might spend "5 more minutes" on something, then "5 more" and so on because it's never good enough, but who cares!? I could be missing things or draining energy and motivation for things that God has in store for me here and in the future. If I wear myself out being a perfectionist, I won't have the focus or energy to give to other works, family, friends, and fun. I have a difficult time doing what I need to do now so I can do what I want to do later, but that is something God is teaching me to discipline myself in.

Second was a Daniel Plan devotion titled "Real Life" with the verse in John 10:10 where Jesus says that He has come so that we can have full life. LIFE is found in Him, not in my daily pursuits. I find that when I struggle emotionally, I have gotten caught up in trying to do more than be satisfied in what Jesus has already done. Even before we left for vacation, I had a hard time thinking things like, "What if it rains? What if I can't run as much as I want? What if we don't get to go shop here or there?" I had to remind myself that my joy does not depend on this beach trip. It will be over and done before I can feel like I've been there. Then we will be back home. That was a depressing thought. Not getting to go to the beach last year has made this a huge anticipation in my mom's and my mind, but it is just a thing that will come and go. I will always have Jesus. He has an ongoing plan for my life, and everything else is just details!

For the day on the beach, I read some comics and a part of a book and some word searches. It was a great day on the beach, and by the time we got to the big Coastal Grand Mall and sat for dinner, we were much quieter than we had been. We laughed at ourselves being so tired! We also joke about how "fancy" we eat at the beach; we use gift cards from over the year, and we go cheap! But that's how we enjoy it. We enjoy the beach and simply being there, so we don't have to spend so much money eating out at the places like Margaritaville. Tonight was Chick-fil-a! We hadn't been there in a long time, and it was very satisfying.

 

Mom and I split up to shop since the mall closed at 9, so that way we could do more faster. I looked around more than I bought (which is kind of a good thing!), but I did get some good stuff at GNC! I had a rebate for Optimum Nutrition Cake Bites, which look really good, so I got a few flavors as well as a carrot cake No Cow Bar. (PS, if you are interested in the rebate app I use, I can send you my referral link so we can both get extra points! I love it and currently have around $100 stored up) I also had an American Eagle giftcard from a return from my birthday I think, and I have not been able to get rid of it! I am highly disappointed in the quality of clothes over time. Prices go up, and quality goes down. Not just quality, but also coverage. Why should I pay so much money for clothes that look like they came out of the trash, are paper thin and/or have holes, paint splatter, whatever!? They're ugly. I could go on, but I'll stop. Finally I found some jeggings on the clearance rack to take care of one of the items on my "wish list" and a decent and cute shirt also on sale at Aerie! Before we knew it, the doors were starting to close all around us, and we had to head out. I can't believe how time flies. I used to think we shopped for hours and would run out of places to look. Well, tonight we shut the place down, literally!

On the way out, we heard some thunder and saw lightning off in the distance, but little did we know of the rain that was coming! I got drenched in the parking lot, even though I only had to walk two steps from under the awning... In the hotel, I had seen a brochure paper for a new ice cream and candy shop that was between the mall and the hotel, so Mom took me by! I got some great chocolates from the do-it-yourself section and tried lots of new flavors! For the chocolates, I got dark chocolate covered pretzels, espresso beans, and pomegranates, chocolate coconut almonds! I love the places that aren't so generic. These flavors I got were banana pudding, salted caramel cheesecake, rum raisin, maple nut, white chocolate raspberry truffle, heath yogurt, and peanut butter pretzel! Their to-go containers were so good! The styrofoam kept it cold already, but when I got back to the hotel and opened it, there were Yeti brand paper things on top! All that goodness and care for packaging, and it still wasn't expensive.

Longish Weekend, Longish Post

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Slippery and Slower (Metaphor for the Day, too)
9:12 AM on Monday, May 28th

I wanted to go to the park one last time before the beach, and this was my best bet to avoid rain. It had rained some the previous days and there was rain in the forecast starting later that day. I made it through with just some light drizzle at times and some wind, only slipped once. It was on the grass, too, so I didn't get any cuts or muddy! However, from a combination of my tiredness and putting safety before speed, it was much slower than I have been going. My whole morning was slow; I didn't get started until almost 9:15!

On the way home, I went by the old house to see Mom and Dad who were set up in the garage trying to yard sale some last few things. I went through a box from my room of lots of old stuff that I am going to mostly part with. There are such great memories of my childhood passions in there...I took some pictures, although there are some things that I've already gotten rid of, because I am going to make some memory scrapbook pages this summer (I hope...I have lots of projects on my list...).

After the sale was done, Mom added up the money, and I will proudly say that I earned them $208 extra dollars (they only made less than $50 from the actual sale) from posting things on Facebook and talking with people on there. I wanted to get paid commission, and they didn't like that idea.

More slippery: back and forth on our plans for the beach. The weather looks pretty rough for the next couple days, and Mom doesn't want to drive through downpours nor do our check-in and grocery shopping in it, so she is thinking about waiting a day. This got me so sad! I have been wanting this vacation so bad...we didn't get to go last year, and our family just needs a good time away! Mom is having surgery right after we get back home, so there is no chance of us extending our stay like we did the last time. But again, I have to remind myself that my joy in life does not depend on where I am or when, the weather, or anything else. I just need Jesus.
So the final verdict? Taking a day from the beginning...but I will make the most of it! I hope it pours all it can the next day or so, so when we get there, there will be no rain left! Sorry for all my Manley Church friends there at beach camp!

After the yard sale I stopped in GB to check on how my friend's first solo shift was going, then had a core workout to do when I got home, so I didn't get to the shower until after 1:00! Also being tired, I was moving slow. I got stuff done around the house, but it just took a long time!

In my Bible study today, it hit two things that I encountered today: the glory of God's creation and doing every little thing, even the daily mundane tasks, to the glory of the Lord. Even though the weather at the park for my run this morning wasn't the best, it was still so refreshing to get out there in nature to run rather than on the roads again. I go to the park when I need an extra boost. "The whole earth is full of His glory." Isaiah 6:3

The second page of today's devotion was with 1 Corinthians 10:31, "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God." Simple, but so meaningful in that God gives us ways that we can use things we already do every day to bring Him glory. So no matter where I am or what I'm doing, I have purpose. For my running, I can be thankful that I have the opportunity, in my eating, I can fuel myself to have energy to do what He brings me to each day. I have to eat well to be able to live well! I believe that is why this verse begins with eating and drinking. If I am not healthy, I can't do anything else. Even on days like today when I do seemingly menial tasks like help my parents at a yard sale, unload the dishwasher, or chat with someone on Facebook, I have the opportunity to do something positive.

This was not planned at all, but it is National Hamburger Day! Dad grilled for us after he got done working on the old house. It was really late, but I am getting used to that by now. It was a great coincidence that this holiday fell on Memorial Day this year, since so many people celebrate with cookouts. Just unfortunate that it was not good weather. I am not a big burger fan, mainly just the plan/premade kind (I need more flavor), so Mom let me buy some of my own choosing! These were chipotle salmon burgers from Aldi! She wants me to eat salmon because of the more fatty acids it has compared to other fish, but she hates the smell. So here we found compromise. I didn't have to eat a cardboard-tasting burger, and she didn't have to smell salmon in the kitchen!

Now for the end of the weekend!

I got an email from both Elli Quark and Aldi, that for a limited time, Aldi would be carrying Quark! None of the stores around here have it! Aldi is one of my favorite places anyways, so I had to go check it out. FOMO is real in my life. Now you may be asking, "What is Quark?" and I don't blame you. It's yogurt, kind of, but it's not. It's actually cheese. So rather than yogurt, it's like cheesecake in a cup! It is German-style, which takes a lot longer, but it has a unique taste and texture, along with cleaner ingredients, no added sugar (no added anything actually), and 12-17 grams of protein! This is one of those times when I take an opportunity to treat myself with something special even if it costs a little more.

New waffle again! I am also in the process of finishing many leftovers so I don't have to throw away or freeze much before vacation, so that encourages me to get creative! I am so happy that I've been able to get my waffle fluffiness back like I used to. I do better with the waffle iron than the pancake skillet, too, for now. This one was banana, avocado, and a new natural chocolate peanut butter that I picked up at the wholesale store. I really wish I had gotten more packets of it now! I used to not like avocado or guac much, but one day I got this sudden craving for it, and now I can't get rid of it. I think it is my body craving higher-quality fuel for my training. Adding moisture to waffle and pancake batter is key to getting the right consistency, too, so this is a win-win!

Finally, my Daniel Plan book that I ordered on eBay finally came! I have gotten the emails for a long time, but they have been so encouraging that I decided to get the book to read while I am at the beach. With this second opportunity at a great life and competitive running, I want to make more effort to take care of my mind, body, and spirit the way God intended so that I can live out my full potential!

Resilience

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Over the Hump (fluffy dog, burnt backside)
9:09 AM on Wednesday, May 23

This day started out rough, but I got over the hump. It was also hump day, Wednesday, so I guess that fit. I've been super tired, and this run was tough, especially since there was a lot of wind one direction compared to what it has been being. I told myself during the run that it was good prep for the beach next week. I was glad to have more time at home before going to work later in the afternoon, so I went over to the old house and did one of those routes. I was feeling down and discouraged all morning, but on the run, I started getting over that hump, too. Mental energy affects physical energy, which didn't help me then, but once I got motivated, it got better. (There is also this huge fluffy dog in the neighborhood, and the past few times I've been there, he has followed me home. He's like a bear; I could cuddle him, but he is basically as big as I am.) I really need to change some things if I want to be able to have more productive days, keep my job while still doing all my cross country training, eat well, sleep well, and have time for family and friends.

Mom made dinner while I was gone running (yes, in the morning) because she was going to the old house to mow and get stuff ready for the yard sale. This let me have some time to myself and have a good meal to take with me. Thanks to Mom for making sure I get the fuel!

It was a beautiful day, so I was determined to take advantage of it! This week I've finally gotten to start working on my tan and getting used to the heat, but I know the beach will still kill me this year! I always tend to lay/sit more where my front gets more sun, so I laid on my belly all I could. That ended up being the whole time I was outside...hours! It was the hottest day I've had so far and the most sun I've gotten, hence the "burnt backside," but it wasn't bad. 

The (second) best part of the day was my fort! I was a creative kid, and it came back out today. I wanted to be outside, but also had so many things to do and look at on my laptop or iPad (emails, articles, calendars, Bible study, etc). As you probably know, you can't see those things well in the sun. BUT I made a cover for my head, papers, books, snacks, etc, while my body was still in the sun! That also helped me keep myself from overheating. To make it even better, there was an outlet right there, too. This was one of the greatest ideas I've had.

My Bible study that I did here today added to this day getting better! It was like a direct answer to my prayers. I've been so indecisive over what to do for my job and balancing my life, asking God to show me what to do. I have gotten so many little messages from God along the way the past few months, I had no doubt that He would somehow guide me, but I didn't know when. This Daniel Plan devotion started with Isaiah 48:17. WOW. The theme of the devotion was resilience. Dictionary definition-the ability to bounce back and recover from illness, adversity, depression, and the like. WOW. It kept on, hitting at simple things like if you don't eat a good breakfast, you can still eat a good lunch. If you make a wrong decision, you can learn from it and start fresh each day. When we face challenges, we can see them as opportunities. These are the things that I have been keeping in my mind to help me through the tough days. Yeah, the day may have started out rough, but every step of the day is a new opportunity.

I also worked from 4:45-10:30, training two new employees, but it was good, so at least that wasn't too stressful. My job is more tiring than you would think! But good coworkers make it so much better. Then I got to watch NBA on the couch and eat some more dinner with mom and dad. That is my favorite way to end the day.

Life-Giving Energy

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Strava:

I started out this day drained even though there were good things ahead. I had a lot to do before a wedding, grocery shopping, and work, but I ended up having a lot more time than I expected, so I took a devotion that I had gotten in an email out on the back deck. It was such a beautiful day that really helped set my mind and heart on a better track. God's Word has an amazing way of doing that.

I get the emails and follow on social media The Daniel Plan, because it is just so encouraging to living a healthy life for the glory of the Lord. This week's email was titled "Life Giving Energy" and that devotion was just what I needed! I have also been wanting to get my own health habits better, especially now that school is out, it's summer, and I'll be going away for school again next year, and running collegiality! I've always gone up and down with my health with a huge issue this time last year, so right now is a perfect time for God to really help me get it together. It's one of those inner motivations that you know can't come from anywhere else!

The opening verse was Genesis 1:29, "God said to them, 'I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of the earth and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food." Since the very beginning of time, God created the world for us to live in and live off of. He gives us all that we need. You think nature is good now? Imagine when it was perfect, and we were in perfect peace with it and God. Because of our own sins, trying to take things into our own hands (life and food), we are never fully satisfied, and our relationship with God isn't perfect (but that's why we get grace). To enjoy nature is to enjoy the simplest form of God's blessings.

This is why when you eat healthy, real food, you start to crave it more and more. It's satisfying. You feel good and good about it. Same with God. The more time you spend with Him, the more you want to and the more you learn. Just like with sin or any bad habit, with food, you have to take out the bad and replace it with good. You can't just get rid of something. It's always a struggle, but struggle is necessary to change, and it's necessary to grow closer to God. If everything was easy, we wouldn't need Him.

Change is a big fear of mine, and I have so many little habits. I like routine and comfort. But to better myself physically and mentally, I have to try new things. To be of better use to God, I have to go outside of my comfort zone, go new places, do new things, talk to new people, do things that I don't really want to but know that He is telling me to. One of the best things to keep me going is to remember that God has been faithful to give me success, safety, and joy in the past, and He will surely do it again.

I also have a hard time doing things just for me; I always want others to benefit too, so if I was going to do something to help myself just for me, I would usually put it off. To counter this, I remember that God knows our hearts and rewards accordingly. I need to take care of myself in order to take care of others. He wants me to be my best so that He can use me more and more.

"How abundant are the good things that You have stored up for those who fear You!" Psalm 31:19
He always provides! We don't have to worry. As long as we put in the effort to follow God's plans, He will fill in the blanks (or change things when we mess up because He's in charge anyways).

So now I am even more motivated to get and keep myself healthier! For myself, for God, for my family, for Chattanooga, to be a positive influence on all those that see me. I can't pour from an empty cup.
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So about this day ahead that I mentioned earlier! Turns out it could've been way different, but work is disorganized, so I never totally know until it happens.
I went to a friend's wedding at 2, and it was so great! I don't know how I am going to make it through my own wedding. The past few I've been to I almost cry thinking of walking down the isle with my dad. He has my heart already. I didn't get to go to the reception later that day, but I ran in the store real quick, grabbed something to eat at home, and went right back out the door to work. It was supposed to be at Mayo Garden Center in Knoxville. Long story short, the schedule got changed, no one told me, I was totally unprepared to take everything down there by myself, a relatively new employee was by herself in the shop on a hot Saturday night...you see many things wrong here?? So I stayed and worked the night shift with her. That was another little way God was at work. I got to help someone out, and we had a great time. That's one of the best things about my job; I get to connect with people.

Finally, there were some holidays today! National dog mom's day and national babysitter's day, and I am both! Two more things that give me joy, those kiddos and my doggo.