12.3.09- Day 196

Several things to post about...

First of all:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!!!
I love you very much and miss you! You have been such an example in my life of how learning and faith are so closely tied together. You have taught me about hard work, following God's calling on your life in every stage, critical thinking, and I have learned a corny joke or two from you :). I was always a daddy's girl and in many ways we're so similar. I hope I can be like you "when I grow up."


Second:
I finally went to 24 hour Fitness! I was just too busy earlier this week to make it, but I went tonight after Alan left for work. I ran for a half hour, then lifted weights for a half hour. I can't currently lift my arms above my head, but other than that- I feel great! I did finish off the evening with a bowl of fudge brownie icecream (good thing my goal at working out is not to lose weight- hehe). I saw my pro-fitness competitor co-worker at the gym. I bet I will see her there a lot as she was still working out when I left and I think had been since she got done with work (it was around 8 when I left). Crazy! She is quite beastie though :).

My new designated gym bag (from the Panerathon last year)

Third:

Gotta love Denver.... this picture explains it all. I'm sleeping with the space heater on tonight!

Fourth:
Alan and I are celebrating Advent this year by doing daily readings each night and lighting the advent candles. We are using World Vision's advent calendar. We just have it on our computer as a pdf file. If you want me to email it to you, just comment with your email address. It does promote some of world vision's projects, but it is nice because it has a global focus. See my little advent display below.
It has been really good so far to focus our minds on what this season is about and be intentional about waiting for Emmanuel to speak to us. Tonight there was a quote that really stuck out to both of us:

"Active waiting means to be present fully to the moment, in the conviction that something is happening where you are and that you want to be present to it."

So often I get in a hurry to plan my future and take action. I forget that God has a plan for my life and that plan is not 20 years later, that plan is NOW. The moment that I am living in is part of God's plan for me. He is using this moment to shape me, to be with me, to create new life in me.