Thursday, December 20, 2012
More Morning Runs... er Jogs...ok Sometimes Walks. Can't wait to get my energy back.
Same time, same place. Sometimes great things come from canceling your gym membership. This is the highlight of my day right now. And my students. And my friends. And my family. So it comes down to people and sunrises right now.
Dec. 17th. I got lucky. My run happened to be between rain showers.
Dec. 14th. Duckies. And colors. Lots of them.
Dec. 13th
Dec. 12th
Dec. 11th
Dec. 10th
Dec. 7th
Dec. 6th
Dec. 5th
Dec. 4th. Love mornings like this.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
The Gift of Self
It is a gift which fulfills all that a Christmas gift should fulfill.
When I think about the gifts that have meant the most to me they range from the cards written by students to the stone washed, paint splashed, zipper up the back jeans my mom bought me one Christmas (long after that fashion failure had left the racks of department store for good). That Christmas Mom had almost nothing to work with in the way of finances. She had put away something small each month throughout the year. As always, she set aside her own wants, and stretched the Christmas savings fund. She raided The Dollar Store and Goodwill, thinking of both the needs and (what she thought were) the wants of her children. I remember opening gift after gift of out of date thrift store clothing. My 8 year old heart filled with disappointment (and I actually remember thinking 'couldn't she have just gotten one good present instead of ten bad ones'), but I somehow had the wisdom to show gratitude to Mom and her best efforts. I knew then, and know increasingly with every year that passes, that my mom loves me beyond what I can understand. She prays for me daily. She forgives my impatience and selfishness as she works at having a close relationship with me. She continues to sacrifice for my comforts. She is elated when I am happy and distraught when I struggle. It does not matter what her gifts are, I always feel the love behind them. That love is far more powerful than the 'perfect' present.
So sometimes the gift of self comes in the form of a thoughtful and heart felt card. Sometimes it's stopping amid the business of tasks and check lists to help someone in need. Sometimes it's praying on behalf of a loved one. Sometimes it's spending time with a friend. And sometimes it's the 'wrong' gift with the right intentions.
Whatever it is that I give this Christmas I want to emulate the Savior in offering my best with a heart filled with love.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Baylands Sunrise Runs
Some of my favorite mornings lately...
Nov. 14th
Nov. 22nd
Nov. 12th
Nov. 19th
Oct. 19th
Oct. 17th
Oct. 16th
July 21st
Thanksgiving Sunset Swim
Ok swim is an exaggeration... I stood in the water at about knee deep for a really long time then finally dove in right as the sun set. The hardest things are always the most worth while. I'll never forget my Thanksgiving Day dip in the deep blue at my favorite beach. I love the Central Coast. Thank you Mom and Dad for never moving from paradise.
Avila Beach
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
A New Chapter
While it is exciting to close a chapter, there are still some works in progress from the previous one...
First, the subject about which I usually avoid going into too much detail on my blog. The one I sometimes wish were not still a topic in my life, but which I am grateful is still a topic as long as I am still single... dating. My 20's marked the beginning of my dating life (yes, a bit of a late bloomer), I guess the beginning of meaningful romantic relationships. And I am extremely grateful to have been able to date some of the best men I have known. While much of this aspect of my life, as well as of close single friends' lives, I do not yet understand, I know that God is in control. My greatest comfort recently has been that if I am doing the best I can and staying close to God then the time and place and person will be right someday.
In the meantime I have learned so much through both the happy and the difficult times... the beginnings and the endings. I have learned what is most important, what I am looking for, what to ask for in prayer, to enjoy the moment, to take it one step at a time, how to truly put everything in the Lord's hands (it's one thing to know how, and another to actually do it), what faith looks like, that not knowing the why of how things turn out is often a blessing, that every relationship is a gift, and the one that lasts for forever is a miracle.
I have learned that happiness is found nowhere but within. I have heard that many times, but it has been through both wonderful and difficult experiences in this area that I have learned this.
Second, the project which began in my 20's and which I have only recently made a lot of headway on: having true balance in the areas of exercise and eating. Many of my friends respond to this project with "You don't need to work on that. You exercise everyday and eat healthier than anyone I know." But this project is about being healthy in my head, avoiding excess, making consistently good choices, moderation, avoiding substances which really should never be consumed or put into food products, enjoying food experiences with friends, and putting food in the right place on the priority list.
I still have a very long way to go before reaching my goals, but have made MUCH progress in a short period of time. After years of reading literature on the subject, talking to knowledgeable and experienced friends and professionals, trying new and difficult things, what has enabled me to make the most progress is to let go of my agenda. Honestly, to give it completely to the Lord, and show complete dedication to finding a happy, healthy balance.
And finally, the last ongoing project. Dancing. I kind of let go of dancing during my 20's and just recently got back into it. As I let go of the rigidity of ballet while holding on to the incredible foundation it provided, I found my true love: contemporary. I started watching So You Think You Can Dance clips and got my inspiration mostly from Melanie. It has been a source of healing through some difficult experiences with the above mentioned projects. There are mornings when I wake up so excited to go to the gym, find my unoccupied group exercise room or yoga studio, turn on my music, and dance whatever I am feeling. Some mornings it's more of a ballet feel to a piano hymn, some mornings it's contemporary to The Weepies or Mat Kearney, and some mornings it's hip hop (ok no claims on not looking like an idiot during those songs). Often it is a spiritual experience. I am able to express in a way I couldn't express through any other medium what I am feeling. Some of the songs that have accompanied these experiences:
World Spins Madly On, The Weepies
Learning to Love Again, Mat Kearney
Skin and Bones, David J Roch
Turn to Stone, Ingrid Michelson
Warm Whispers, Missy Higgins
In My Arms, Plumb
Fix You, Coldplay
Saeglopur, Sigur Ros
I Need Thee Every Hour, David Tolk
First, the subject about which I usually avoid going into too much detail on my blog. The one I sometimes wish were not still a topic in my life, but which I am grateful is still a topic as long as I am still single... dating. My 20's marked the beginning of my dating life (yes, a bit of a late bloomer), I guess the beginning of meaningful romantic relationships. And I am extremely grateful to have been able to date some of the best men I have known. While much of this aspect of my life, as well as of close single friends' lives, I do not yet understand, I know that God is in control. My greatest comfort recently has been that if I am doing the best I can and staying close to God then the time and place and person will be right someday.
In the meantime I have learned so much through both the happy and the difficult times... the beginnings and the endings. I have learned what is most important, what I am looking for, what to ask for in prayer, to enjoy the moment, to take it one step at a time, how to truly put everything in the Lord's hands (it's one thing to know how, and another to actually do it), what faith looks like, that not knowing the why of how things turn out is often a blessing, that every relationship is a gift, and the one that lasts for forever is a miracle.
I have learned that happiness is found nowhere but within. I have heard that many times, but it has been through both wonderful and difficult experiences in this area that I have learned this.
Second, the project which began in my 20's and which I have only recently made a lot of headway on: having true balance in the areas of exercise and eating. Many of my friends respond to this project with "You don't need to work on that. You exercise everyday and eat healthier than anyone I know." But this project is about being healthy in my head, avoiding excess, making consistently good choices, moderation, avoiding substances which really should never be consumed or put into food products, enjoying food experiences with friends, and putting food in the right place on the priority list.
I still have a very long way to go before reaching my goals, but have made MUCH progress in a short period of time. After years of reading literature on the subject, talking to knowledgeable and experienced friends and professionals, trying new and difficult things, what has enabled me to make the most progress is to let go of my agenda. Honestly, to give it completely to the Lord, and show complete dedication to finding a happy, healthy balance.
And finally, the last ongoing project. Dancing. I kind of let go of dancing during my 20's and just recently got back into it. As I let go of the rigidity of ballet while holding on to the incredible foundation it provided, I found my true love: contemporary. I started watching So You Think You Can Dance clips and got my inspiration mostly from Melanie. It has been a source of healing through some difficult experiences with the above mentioned projects. There are mornings when I wake up so excited to go to the gym, find my unoccupied group exercise room or yoga studio, turn on my music, and dance whatever I am feeling. Some mornings it's more of a ballet feel to a piano hymn, some mornings it's contemporary to The Weepies or Mat Kearney, and some mornings it's hip hop (ok no claims on not looking like an idiot during those songs). Often it is a spiritual experience. I am able to express in a way I couldn't express through any other medium what I am feeling. Some of the songs that have accompanied these experiences:
World Spins Madly On, The Weepies
Learning to Love Again, Mat Kearney
Skin and Bones, David J Roch
Turn to Stone, Ingrid Michelson
Warm Whispers, Missy Higgins
In My Arms, Plumb
Fix You, Coldplay
Saeglopur, Sigur Ros
I Need Thee Every Hour, David Tolk
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