2011 Carol365

2011 Carol365, a set on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Crazy adventure of documenting my life using a photo a day. I need ANOTHER project and goal. (Yeah, right)

Dragging

It always takes me a while to recover from vacation! I am still dragging this morning, and this is our second day back. I have many things to do today:

1) Schedule consult and surgery for Michael's teeth (means two trips to Eugene)
2) Get Paul to orientation and registration for Fall at LBCC
3) Finish Judges 9 post for tomorrow and get ahead because next week is busy
4) Organize final Theophostic Training
5) Wade through papers and mail that piled up while we were gone

I also want to go work out and weight lift since I wasn't able to do it all last week in Idaho.

So, there is my day. :) Why aren't I seizing it like I usually do?

I think I can. I think I can.

Sunday Sighs

I am exhausted! I slept 9 hours last night, and I am still tired after 4 cups of chai and a pot of Boh. Time to not make any major decisions in life and just go with the exhaustion. Long road trip back from Idaho (11 1/2 hours of driving), interrupted sleep on all four nights of vacation, and not drinking enough water on the trail (no refill so had to conserve) and in the car (detest stopping for that). So, I need to hydrate and rest.

Good news: not one bit of soreness from the hiking.
Disappointment: not making it to the lakes on the trail (I think it was called the Cabin Creek one)

I think I was mostly dehydrated because I have been drinking lots of water since I started this post (30 oz.), and I am perking up!

YAY!

I don't like feeling so sluggish when the sun is shining on a free day!

Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

I just read this book. It was my Book Babes Book Club list "to read" since it was one of four books that were read before I joined.

What an incredible book! I absolutely loved it. I listened to it on audiobook, and the man with the English accent made it so wonderful. I listened to much of it while I was exercising while I was recooperating from my back going out!  My pain is nothing compared to what these men went through. There attitudes were amazing! Their leader was a hero! I am so amazed!

I am so looking forward to seeing the mini-series with Kenneth Branagh!

Library Musings

Sunday with Teala was so good. We listened to worship music for many hours. It was so good to just immerse ourselves in worship for the afternoon. The last two mornings, I have immersed by listening to Hillsong.  I did that this morning. Then, I was supposed to meet with a Jehovah's Witness today at 9:30, but she stood me up. So, I called Elizabeth and met with her instead. It was good. Then, I met with George for lunch at Cafe Yumm.

Now, I am at the library. I picked up a book on Indonesia, and I don't know what our trip will look like, but I know the bike trip timing was definitely wrong. Paul has all these college readiness workshops that would have been during the time we were gone. So, one of us had to be here. So, YOU knew before we did. Thank you.

The trip will be more complicated on the ground because we have no plan or agenda. We won't have Brian N. to help us navigate or drive us around. It will be like an Amazing Race! I am excited and petrified in the same breath.

While here I have looked over our schedule for the summer, answered some emails, and disappointed some people by saying no which is something I rather enjoy doing these last five days (I am so healed since last Thursday on that one. I no longer dislike disappointing people because it means I am not disappointing God, and that makes me enormously happy. Seems so simple, but I no longer see the disapproving face, only the Lord's light flooding everything with His heavenly light). 

Now, I am listening to Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage. I really think it is so interesting and crazy of these people to think they could go on the South Pole and survive. I suppose they did because we wouldn't know the details of the story! I am really interested to see how they get themselves out of this situation. I am thinking that these people have one thing in common: TESTOSTERONE!

Well, I am now going to get to a few more things and then go and work out. Then work more on Bible Book Club, catch up on pictures, and schedule Michael's appointments for his teeth. 

Bye.

Life is Beautiful

I sit her at 12:30 am so happy and fulfilled with my life and ministry. It is a good season. I have this wonderful peace about all that is ahead.

I always start to write, and then I get sleepy. I guess this is my cue to go to bed then. :)  I had such profound thoughts, but they will say in my head as I go to zzzzzzzz.

Tuesday Freewrite

Lord, I was just telling Paul and Michael how well I have slept or over a month only have two nights ago be an 11 - 3 am sleep, and tonight, it is 1 am, and I can't get to sleep!

I think it might have been the Thai Tea.

I am doing much better. Much to pray for though.

I had lots I wanted to say, but I think I am finally getting sleepy! YEAH!

Peace OUT!

The Wall at the Well

George encouraged me to skip service at Southside tonight because I haven't felt well. I hadn't thought of that, but it turns out there are 4 Murrays, 3 Weavers, Joyce, and Rancy. SO, there are 9 people which is more than enough.

I have enjoyed quiet here since 3:45, but someone just called 15 minutes ago to come for dinner and talking. Then 10 minutes later, Jennifer called to come over and use my scanner. I almost cried.  I think I am also just a bit burned out by all the people in my life lately.

I am sure there are other people with scanners. I asked her if she could maybe call someone else.

I am really tired. That's OK.

Space

For some reason, I can't sleep. So, I am typing away. I was supposed to have a full Sabbath day, and I did pretty well other than the long hike I took with some friends, but I need more.

I was with people though the whole weekend, and I am sort of peopled out after that. I need to refuel. Some of the news I heard over the weekend was a little unnerving, but I did let that go, and I just chose to pray for parties involved (not any problems with me, just those around me, disturbed by some people's choices). 

Tomorrow, I have dial-a-book, piano, meeting with the R & B, and S & D. 

Thursday, I have Valentina and Pieter, Jane, testing for Paul with Marguerite, and family dinner and discipleship. 

Friday, Elizabeth, looking at houses, and Buck's party here

Saturday, I meet with Ginny and Lorraine. Then up to Newberg to see mom with the family. 

I look forward to church on Sunday since I haven't been in a few weeks. I think there is a Grad Party that day too. 

I want to create a little bit of space for myself right now. :)

The Well-Educated Mind Update 154/158 = 97%

1967 pages to go! 

MODERN (1850 – present)

1860 Civilization of Renaissance Burckhardt (May 18, 2011)

1904 Protestant Work Ethic & Spirit of Capitalism Weber (May 5, 2011)

1938 The New England Mind: The Seventeenth Century Miller 491 pages

1973 The Gulag Archipelago (only Autobiography left) 472 pages

1974 Roll, Jordan, Roll Genovese 665 pages

1987 All the President's Men Woodward & Bernstein (March 23, 2011)

1990 A Midwife's Tale Ballard (May 19, 2011)
1992 The End of History & the Last Man Fukuyama 339 pages

The Well-Educated Mind Update - 153/158 (97%)

2021 pages to go (4 books + 54 pages) 

MODERN (1850 – present)

1860 Civilization of Renaissance Burckhardt (May 18, 2011)

1904 Protestant Work Ethic & Spirit of Capitalism Weber (May 5, 2011)

1938 The New England Mind: The Seventeenth Century Miller 491 pages

1973 The Gulag Archipelago (only Autobiography left) 472 pages

1974 Roll, Jordan, Roll Genovese 665 pages

1987 All the President's Men Woodward & Bernstein (March 23, 2011)

1990 A Midwife's Tale Ballard 352 pages (54 left)
1992 The End of History & the Last Man Fukuyama 339 pages

Western Tanager

134 - Western Tanager, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

Part of my days have been in capturing the beauty around me. This picture doubles on my 2011Carol365 blog, but I wanted to share the beauty of God's creation at The Well too.

Here is a Well Update:

Well-Watered Soul - Balancing time with God and others pretty well. Had some time at the beach and now "praying for the welfare of my city," ('Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.' Jeremiah 29:7). Operating from overflow.

Well-Educated Mind - 2137 pages to go!

Well-Adjusted Heart - It is nice to do the Theophostic Prayer Ministry training with others (including George). I should have drawn others in when I did it in 2001. I am not sure why I didn't other than it was on the heels of a major upheaval at my old church (Pastor dismissed. It was weird). Maybe I just wanted to work through some things privately and didn't know others who were at a place of dealing with issues. I can't remember. Anyway, it is front and center all the time now, and I have Carol C. to help me and others who are doing it and talking about it. YEAH!

Well-Tuned Body - I am getting about 1-2 runs, 1-2 swims, and 2-3 bike rides every week. I'm also trying to do 1 Group Power class and 1 weights on my own. I think this is going well. I would still like to drop another five pounds, but I am in my goal weight range. YEAH! I feel healthy (other than the ZUMBA class making my back a little wonky).

Well back to praying for the beautiful city!!!!

2391 pages to go!!!

I got Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy on Kindle for 1.99. So, I have been listening while I clean and run errands and workout. So that has helped this book come along. The only other one on Kindle is Roll, Jordan, Roll. Since it is the longest of all the books, I may bite the bullet and get that on Kindle at 12.00. I wonder if I could do this "borrowing thing" that Melinda keeps telling me about. 

I am just reading slowly. Trying to do at least 25 pages a day. I think finishing by my 52 birthday would be really cool! A double celebration for me. That would be 31 pages a day, and I think that is doable based on my scheduled activities over the next 78 days, but if I extended it to my time up in Seattle for the Animation Immersion program, I would get a lot more read (up and back listening to Kindle and four hours waiting for boys at various coffee shops in Redmond). So, that will be August 2 if Paul does not do Driver's Education. I have to think through all of that for a bit. The summer activities are fluid for me. :)

The actual anniversary of starting the Well-Educated Mind journey is August 16th according to when I received the book from Amazon in 2003. So that would be 24.55 pages per day in 98 days. :)

MODERN (1850 – present)

1860 Civilization of Renaissance Burckhardt 351 -  151 = 200 pages

1904 Protestant Work Ethic & Spirit of Capitalism Weber (May 5, 2011)

1938 The New England Mind Miller 485 - 20 = 465 pages

1973 The Gulag Archipelago (only Autobiography left) 472 pages

1974 Roll, Jordan, Roll Genovese 665 pages

1987 All the President's Men Woodward & Bernstein (March 23, 2011)

1990 A Midwife's Tale Ballard 352 - 102 =  250 pages
1992 The End of History & the Last Man Fukuyama 339 pages

Spring Beauty

Spring Beauty, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

Via Flickr:
Campus flowers are so lovely!

SIX TWEM BOOKS LEFT!!!

2464 pages to go!!!

I am so excited. I have Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy on my Kindle so I can read it while I work out, and I have A Midwife's Tale: Te Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785  1812 for my non workout time. I started reading The New England Mind and realized that I got the second volume: From Colony to Province rather than the recommended first volume: The Seventeenth Century. I thought I was starting in "mid-stream." I would have ordered a Kindle version but there was none. 

I am getting so close that I am abandoning all over reading (except A Painted House because I can listen to it while I run) so I can get this all DONE forever and ever, amen!  

I am so close I can taste it. I am hoping to be done by my 52nd birthday!! It will be a double celebration for me. 

The Well-Educated Mind Update 152/158 = 96%

Only six more to go!!! 2664 more pages!!!!

MODERN (1850 – present)

1860 Civilization of Renaissance Burckhardt 351 pages

1904 Protestant Work Ethic & Spirit of Capitalism Weber (May 5, 2011)

1938 The New England Mind Miller 485 pages

1973 The Gulag Archipelago (only Autobiography left) 472 pages

1974 Roll, Jordan, Roll Genovese 665 pages

1987 All the President's Men Woodward & Bernstein (March 23, 2011)

1990 A Midwife's Tale Ballard 352 pages
1992 The End of History & the Last Man Fukuyama 339 pages

Rest

I wanted to work out today. Go for a bike ride and maybe a run, but I am grounded. Not SUPER sick but not feeling well either. Just dragging. I love to rest, but not when the sun is shining so gloriously and having a perfect 72 degree day. UGH.

I have much I can do: Deuteronomy posts for Bible Book Club, writing a recommendation letter for Mara, getting paperwork filled out for Beyond Lebanon High School, getting Paul signed up for the Driver's Permit Testing Course and also Driver's Education for Summer 2011 at the Benton Center, etc. There is much to do, and it is nice to have a totally free day to do all of this, but I really want to exercise and be outside! Oh well.

Life at the Tail End of the Whirlwind

I've been praying through and reviewing our last seven months. I really liked it, but it was a whirlwind of weekends and activities going back to Patty's Birthday Bash and JIQ in Seattle! I see we/I gave a personality seminar to the Haiti team, went to Mob conference in Arizona, lots of birthday parties, Thanksgiving and Christmas regular festivities, ATC and CPM conference in Arizona, Portland ConneXion Conference, ETU at Suburban, Pastor's Prayer Summit in Cannon Beach, Perspectives grading,going to some of the classes, and hosting visitors, Michelle moving to town, Geo's M team retreat, Elder/Staff Retreat, vacation at the coast, conflict coaching, Beaver Freezer, speaking at women's retreat, , meetings about next year's TOAG, speaking at Northwest Hills parenting teens class, JIQ. Organizing the Listening Prayer Seminar and hosting the Winships. Now, Theophostic Prayer Ministry Training facilitation through August.  I'm also meeting with women about TOAG and doing assessment interviews. These are ALL things I LOVE to do!!!  :) Happy Dance.

Also, the regular things we/I do: Bible Book Club, Book Babes, Book Dames, Dial a Book, Piano, Jesus Community, Iliad and Odyssey class, weekly with Jane, Elizabeth, and Samira, monthly with Jennifer, periodically with Michelle, Shelly, and others.

It has been a very full seven months. I am really glad we did not do TOAG this year!  You are good. I love everything that we are doing, but I see some time ahead because I am done with Perspectives grading (about 1-2 hours a week) and Homeric Literature and Anatomy and Physiology class (5 hours a week).

Today I meet with Kim, and this is just pure joy. We get to do it about one time a month. I am getting that with Teala and Ginny and Lorraine, and that is water to my soul. I love it!  These are those who "fill me up"! I love our time together, Lord too. It has been sweet. I am looking forward to seeing all that you will do in and through me in the days and weeks to come.

Thank you for health (physical, emotional, spiritual) and family and friends. I am very grateful for all that you give me.

He is Risen!

And I am up at 3:20 am. I fell asleep quite early last night only to be awoken early this morning with a tummy ache. The culprit is the Butternut Squash Ravioli from Pastini's! I had a stomach ache on Friday night too as I fell asleep after eating it, and I ate the leftovers a little later (7:30 p.m.) last night, and it is the same "pit in my stomach" feeling again. It is very rich, and I have been eating so low fat for two months. So, I am pretty sure that is what got me. So, I am up drinking carbonated beverage and not feeling really well.

But I feel great because it is Easter!  Resurrection Sunday. He is alive. No doubt about that. I want to shout it out to the world!

Life is so full lately. I can't contain all the exciting things that are happening!  I'll do a run down of the Well:

Well-Watered Soul - I am abiding and edging closer to the 24/7/365 kind of life that I have always dreamed of. I look at Letters by a Modern Mystic, and I am thankful for You putting this 24/7/365 kind of life on my heart back in 1983!  :) I did miss my March day of prayer though, and I am feeling the need for a little get-away with Jesus on that front. Could a trip to Silvia Beach be in order?

Prayer has been sweet, and listening prayer has filled my soul with such good things lately. I need to listen about a few things direction-wise and not please the people around me so much. It is important for me to do what you are directing me to do rather than I feel others want me to do. So, I want your water to pour over me and fill my soul.

Well-Educated Mind - I have not bee able to get to finishing Protestant Work Ethic because of all the excitement, but I want to keep working toward that goal. So, after today, and our guests. I am settling into reading. I need to focus on doing that, and I might even skip to a more modern book on the list just to hold my attention. I am looking at the six remaining books on my hearth, and I can taste the end of an era. Lord, carve out the time for me to finish this very important journey.

Well-Adjusted Heart - It is hard to separate this from the Well-Watered Soul because my heart is healed as my soul is watered.  God has healed so much of my heart. I see that as I did Healing Prayer with my small group last Sunday and memory after memory came up, and He gave me perfect peace and calm in each one. The steadfast of mind, You will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You (Isaiah 26:3). I know to whom much is given, much will be required. So, I want to steward this treasure wisely by offering Theophostic Prayer Ministry to those who want it. I have always been hesitant to do it with people, not wanting to stop them in midstream of sharing their hearts, but now that we are all on the same page, it is much easier to slip into that mode. I did it twice last week, and I want to do it more with people I meet with. George prayed with me over how I was feeling about not wanting the big group for this, and God kept saying, "That is how I made you" as I got happy memories of telling my mom and dad to hold it down outside while they laughed away with their friends, and I tried to study. This was something I loved about my mom and dad. They loved their friends, and they had such a good time with them. I did too. I just need quiet because God gave me this contemplative side. It is how I am wired, and there is no shame in wanting things quieter.

God gave me a word about my identity, and it was "Boldly Beloved."  So, I need to just be bold and not worry about it any more.

Well-Tuned Body - God has given me much balance in that too. The triathlon training was so excellent for my body. The cross-training is really what I was missing and just doing elliptical and walking was NOT  conditioning me anymore. I could not usually get my heart rate above 112 on the elliptical without being really uncomfortable in my back. So, I am glad that I am swimming, biking, and running now.

Biking is more like interval training because I have to stop and start as I ride until I get out in the open areas on the bike trails, but I usually am able to stay between 114 - 144 which his my "zone."

Running challenges me to push my heart rate to the max almost every time. So, I still have to stop and walk when it gets too high, but that is OK. My goal is to run the "Glen Eden 5K" someday without having my heart rate go too high! I had to stop and walk on all the uphills to keep it within range, but I am so excited that I can run the down hills again!  I haven't been able to do that in years because of my leg. I also look forward to trying some new compression tights to see if they help my calf not fall asleep as I run. I am talking to Paula at the club to have her help me with a safe running program. She said I should sign up for a 5K to have a goal. I have a hard time running more than two times a week though. It jars my joints, but I do love the challenge in the cardiovascular area.

Swimming is just very relaxing for me, and I wish I would have been doing it the whole time I have had access to the pool at the club. It always seemed like too much of a hassle to go and change in the locker room, but now it is easy as I dress in my suit at home and just shower afterwards. I know that my heart rate is in the perfect zone for that. My shoulder bothered me only after that chiropractor started digging in there. Never bothered me the whole time I trained for the triathlon. So, I am just waiting for what he did in there to go away.

I am still going to hike and walk too. I love my new GPS watch that helps me track my miles, pace/speed and heart rate for things too!  Very fun! I don't have to track things on running maps anymore! Just go out and ride until I have done a certain amount of miles. :) My pace is embarrassingly slow with running, but I am OK with that.

All the conditioning and watching what I have been eating since February 25 has allowed me to drop 10 lbs. So, I am at my goal weight. So, I am grateful for the triathlon for pushing me.

So, the latest thing that I am feeling is the need to not do Theophostic Prayer Ministry with a big group of people. So, I need wisdom this morning in how to communicate this to Linda so she would understand that what we are trying to accomplish is not exclusive but so that we can invest deeply in those we have been investing in over the last 1 1/2 years. I just don't sense that I am supposed to make it bigger, but I think Elizabeth would be able to do that with all of her friends and Linda's people.

Need to go with my gut on this one. I think even adding Terri and Linda for our group would really change the dynamic. We are on the same page. They would add wonderful things, but they also would change it. Not in a bad way but change it. I am asking Claudia for wisdom tomorrow!

Happy and Hopeful Today

Kim sent me Romans 15:13 today via text message. Not sure of the version, but I love it:

"So I pray that God who give you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in Him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit."

I have awesome friends.

2011 Carol365

2011 Carol365, a set on Flickr.

Wondering what this will do if I blog the whole set to my blogger!

Today is the Day!

It is 6 am on the day of the race. I know that I will feel much better when it is all over in about five hours, but right now, I am so nervous!  There are pluses and minus to a later start time. One of the pluses and some time to spend with God this morning and stretch my back out. I can also run through my talk one or two times and make sure I am hydrated well.

The minus is that I have to WAIT longer for it to all be over!  I would be done by 9:30 am if I had early start times like the rest of the ladies!  I would also have more time to rehydrate, cool down, and stretch before I got in the car to go to the coast.

I think I like having this extra time.  It would be much different if I could just go home and chill the rest of the day, but I will be at the coast with 80 women!  I will giving my talk in 27 1/2 hours. I am really going to come home and RELAX on Sunday night. I'll go to the chiropractor and massage therapist on Monday and start my taxes!  I am determined to get those done next week so I can have the week prior to JIQ to really prepare for three days of intensity with people. :)

Life is about waiting.  Isn't it? I told George that I was really glad that I did this talk. It is different. When I do Personality Type and Spiritual Gifts, I am not nervous. I can do it without thinking, but this is so different. It is so much more personal for me, and I have to tailor it for this group. I can redo this talk over and over again like I do for those. It is harder to prepare for, but it has been really rewarding for me to look back and see all the promises that You have given me as I wait!

So, let the weekend begin! Praying my back cooperates today after a scary and stupid putting of a box in a freezer that tweeked my back!!!!  Silly me. I think I am OK though because I was already scheduled to see the chiropractor anyway.

Lord, please run through me. Flow through me. Swimming for You. Biking for You. Running for You!

Nervous

In 24 hours, I will be half way through my swim in Dixon Pool. I am a bit nervous about this whole thing. I love the idea of a triathlon, but the whole thing really scares me. It is so much more complicated than just a 5K run!  

In a little over 48 hours, I will be giving my talk. I was able to run through it a couple of times yesterday, and it still need some fine-tuning. I am saying too much right now. Need more personal experience flavored in there and a little less Bible teaching (I can't resist you know).  I feel like it will definitely be together by the time I stand up there. But what should I wear? :)

Well-Tuned Body - I lost five pounds in the whole "triathlon training" process. Lots of muscle gain and more fat loss than probably shows on the scale. YEAH! Next week, during my recovery (and sitting on my duff doing taxes!) I will do a high-protein, low-carb option to switch things up a bit. 

Well-Watered Soul - I have loved getting ready for this talk. I has been so good to read old journals and see how much God has taught me through the waiting process. This was well-worth the time I have invested in it. It has been time-consuming and difficult to find chunks of time to work on this talk, but the deeper time in the word, digging again on the subject of waiting has refreshed my soul. SO, thank you Vickie Z. for asking me! I pray God uses it in the lives of the 80 women who will be attending. 

Well-Educated Mind - I have been able to listen to The Blindside as I have done the moist-heat pad on my massage table. That has been great. I hope to return to The Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism when I am done with taxes!

Well-adjusted Heart - Much prayer about the potential conflict that I am witnessing among a few friends (I am not a part of the conflict but have been coaching in it) had unsettled me, but I am much better after prayer from Shar Giesert, Vickie Z.,  and Joyce At. Confessing my fear that things would blow up here. I am also really looking forward to having the Listening Prayer Workshop with the Winships after Jesus in the Qur'an!  I pray all the people in conflict would come. I think we could all benefit from doing the Peacemaker Study after this is all over. 

Elizabeth is coming in 40 minutes. So, I want to run through my talk one more time before she comes. Then one more time after. Then, I go to get a bathing cap, race belt, chip holder, and my packet for the race. Then, I go to the chiropractor for a one hour adjustment session. Finally, I have from 4 pm - bedtime to work on my talk. I think that will be plenty for me. :)

I have butterflies, but I am loving my life right now. Praying for safety and blessing for my friends doing the triathlon who are all running for Jesus!  Praying for blessing on the 80 women going to Wi-Ne-Ma too!