mlk day

Can you tell I'm resistant to discipline? I haven't posted a "daily" update on here in 5 days... :)


While I'm so thankful for GRACE, I'm even more aware of this real need in my life...so I'm going to just keep going here, steady on...

It's been a pretty busy week. And the coming one holds even more:

In the next 10 days I will be moving, starting a brand new job (full time with benefits, whee!), and introducing the 3 most important people in my life to each other. (!) I've been mentally preparing for all of those things for months now, it seems. So now that it's happening it's a joyful relief, to go forward. I'm much more excited than stressed (my favorite kind of planning is for the new & exciting things...) but I still see a huge need for:

• seeing grace each day
• trusting that God has me & delighting in Him
• being diligent (i.e.: working my butt off) :)

My most pressing need right now seems to be just sorting all of my stuff into 3 categories: sell/give away, use right now (move with me into Amanda's house), & store "for the future" in Matt's garage. Since I tend to bounce between being overly sentimental & stubborn about things & overly calculating & minimalistic, it's a pretty big task to judge things by their importance and usefulness. I foresee a lot of caffeine-fueled evenings this week... At least I don't have the luxury of procrastination to hinder me. I've gotta just do it.

So! Today being resourceful looks like finding moving boxes. (And filling at least 4 of them. Probably with books. I love my books...)

Pursuing growth in my relationships/community by talking to my Mama for an hour before work this morning (check!), making specific plans for the future with some of my Seattle/West Seattle darlings, & going to the women's bible study at Lifehouse thursday night...

I know me. I need people around me. I'm very aware of the amazing community I've been a part of through Mars Hill/West Seattle. And as I (well, 'we'...) go forward with this new church, I'm excited both to jump in with both feet to what's available there & maintain friendships & community in Seattle.

Today there's sunshine in the Junction & I'm soaking in my second-to-last day of work in solitude, appreciating the ability to do some much-needed planning.

The question I'm chewing on today is: 'what kind of relationship do grace & diligence play in my life? what's an appropriate balance of the two, so that I can actually grow?'

le premiere

Okay so I can already anticipate the dread of accountability...it's amazing how what's good for us can be so uncomfortable (just at first though, right? yes...that's always how it works.)

I got my first taste of the reality of this accountability today when Leah suggested a 5k for February (!!). My first thought was "oh crap...how serious am I about these goals?? I can't be ready in a month!" But I know I could... if I'm disciplined about it (there's the kicker) & run 4x a week. So I'm faced with the need to honestly assess this goal (and really, all of them...) is this going to be just hypothetical- am I just making resolutions so I don't actually have to follow through with them or am I going for it?

(the fact that I made this post at all should serve as an answer.)

Realistically speaking, I know I can at least commit to a 5k in March...which means umm...I'd better be up & running (hehe-i love puns...) tomorrow. Because that? Didn't happen today. And it wasn't even raining when I woke up, so I really don't have an excuse other than the delicious warmth of my bed this morning. Umm any tips from other runners/a.m. exercisers on how to just GET OUT OF BED & do it??

After work today I walked 1.66 miles (mapped it! everything counts!) to the library (in the rain!) and then met Leah for a movie. One way I love to spend time with my friends is by enjoying experiences with them individually that few other people in my life would appreciate. Today this meant geeking out with Leah over Chanel & the lovely Audrey Tatou...she just makes me clasp my hands and sigh...

so...enjoyed my roommate time. walking in the rain was good for the soul. saved $$ by walking (& we hit the Admiral Theater -cheap).

Today Have I:

Done something good for my body?
- disciplined with points & water today (with peanut m&m exception at the movie) & despite not running, still logged 4 miles walking to work & to the theater & home.

Done something good for my mind?
- NYtimes.com (Haiti! ow, my soul...); French with subtitles.

Water today: 64/64oz. (but the last 8 were gulped right before bed...)
Points today: 20/20 (plus weekly extra 5/35 used)

I seriously need to give myself a shot at waking up in time to run...

But first some thankfuls...
I'm thankful for bosses who are interested in my life...those two ladies have been a joy to work for these past 7 months. And yet I'm thankful in anticipation for the busyness when I start the new job (in a week- yay!) I'm thankful for noticing little things like the way individual drops of water were glistening on tree branches during my walk tonight. And for the way our Lord quietly spoke to my soul when I noticed. I'm thankful for my sweet boyfriend for showing me how to embed links here, and for my equally sweet roommate for agreeing to do the same. It's enhanced my enjoyment of posting here (& thereby motivating me to press on? bonus!)

a well-rounded resolution

It's two weeks into 2010. Time for Kelly resolutions! By now I figure I've had ample time to think about my resolutions and goals & actually come up with a plan for consistency.

So my goal is to pursue responsibility in all areas of my life- in order to grow and "be a better woman" (which is basically my goal every year...) My plan is to follow a list of all areas of my life I want to be investing in & track every day how well I invested in each area. (By recording it "publicly" I'm hoping to stay accountable.)

Ideally it will turn into a place for ideas and stories of the impact this will have in my life, instead of just me "checking off" these categories as obligations...


The list: (with ideas in each category)

Today Have I:

Done something good for my body?
-run (goal of a 5k this year)
-yoga (try to find a Bikram class in Tacoma)
-volleyball (find an intramural team once I move)
-balance ball

Done something good for my mind?
-reading up on current events
-having discussions/debates about things that matter to me
-investing in other women (operationbeautiful.com) -sticky notes, etc.
-tutoring

Done something good for my soul?
- journaling
- daily quiet times
- Bible in year
- crying when I need to
- enjoying where I am, appreciating the little things & being thankful.

Invest in my relationships?
(being a good roommate, daughter, sister, girlfriend, neighbor)
- showing the people I love through their own love languages that I care for them.
- praying for them every day, specifically.
- not talking about myself or things I'm excited about in all of my conversations & listening more.
- being hospitable by inviting people over.

Invested in industriousness/resourcefulness?
(being a Proverbs 31 woman)
-learning new recipes
-DIY projects
-"making do" with what I already own

Been responsible with my money/things I own?
- planning & making my meals
- leaving money/debit card at home when I go out
- making a budget & sticking to it
- setting a timer for 10 minutes before bed & cleaning

Water today: /64oz. (128 on Bikram days)

Points today: /20 (plus weekly extra /35 used)

So I'll be back later tonight with today's report! (hmm, and a synonym for "report" that will account for humanity & still keep me motivated...)

I'm curious...do you have a similar list of areas you try to spend time on each day? Any other ideas for ways I can invest in a specific category (or a category I completely overlooked?)