TreasuresInTerraCotta

The Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days. The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part). From: Day Zero When I saw this idea over at That They May Be One (now Sojourner's Hope) I started a list immediately. Unfortunately, it languished around #30. Perhaps I don't dream enough, I thought. Then I finally passed the 50 mark...I emailed Shauna with the good news! Yet I wondered if I was not as goal oriented as I thought I was. Somewhere around 80 I slowed down again. But I simultaneously started crossing things off the list. That gave me renewed inspiration. And today I finished the list! 101 Goals in 1001 Days Start: Sunday, June 14, 2009 Add 1001 days Resulting date: Sunday, March 11, 2012 Spiritual 1. Read through the Bible Done:  3/11-Read the NT; In Progress : Readin...

I found this over at I Should Be Folding Laundry through Shauna at That They May Be One . I love photos and I love sharing. I gave it a lot of thought and here's what I came up with. The assignment: The 4th of July and food I chose the sub-theme: Red

Today Marla Taviano asked: If you know Jesus and He’s done a work in your heart and life, will you testify to that today? That question made something in me want to stand up and cheer! I want to tell my story! I want to testify to what God has been doing. Sure I have a traditional testimony that goes something like "I became a Christian when I was 8 after being raised in the church." And while I am exceedingly thankful that my story includes that testimony, I have to say that I am also thankful that God works and acts and speaks still. Because if God hasn't done anything in my life since I was 8 then something is wrong. So to answer the question: I want to testify that God is a God of do-overs! This past week, indeed, this past year, God has put a bunch of do-overs in my path. Places I stumbled before that I have encountered again. People I failed in the past have come around full-circle. Situations I wish I had done differently; I get a chance to do them differen...

A few weeks ago I mentioned my fondness for a fitness routine that added activity. To me, it felt so different than cutting-out, denying and excluding. How often have I resolved to quit drinking soda, stop having 4:00 snacks, never eat after 8PM or limit sweets to once a day? I think I recognized that if I added something (the goal being: something healthy ) that something else would have to go. I don't recall ever being taught that principle of life, but experience has proven that something's gotta give. A couple weeks ago we added something to our household. Another dog! Now there are two, 45-pound German Shepherd mutts running around our house. It's a long story but, in the end, she needed a home. And I knew, almost immediately, that something would have to give. I resolved to leave the computer OFF except for specific times to check email, etc. And I discovered that it is the "etc." that is a colossal time-hog. I can check email rather quickly, but responding...

Can you tell that the child in the swing is my second-born...I grabbed the camera before I grabbed the baby!

If I write it down and put it on my blog, do you think it will help? Since I know that about three people read this, there isn't much incentive. But I have to say that I created a tracking-calendar on my computer and it has been very motivating. I like to fill in the date boxes with check-marks for each fitness activity. I started June 1. I was inspired by Metropolitan Mama's simple list so I used it as my starting point. I was also impressed that the list included "additions" instead of "deletions." I liked that philosophy, so that's what I did too. Fitness Additions: 100 crunches or Pilates video – 3x/wk 30 curls (5 lb. weights) – 3x/week Train for a 5K – 3x/week Family walks or active play Eat a fruit or vegetable at every meal Goals: 135 lb. by July 31 Run a 5K So far, I am seeing some positive results. The scale is trending in the right direction. I am happier with what I see in the mirror. I have been surprised how easy it is to fit in som...