Unexpected things...

It has been quite sometime that I have been neglecting recording my 30 day challenges. And I could recount what I have done; however, more interesting might be what I am currently doing...

UNEXPECTED THINGS

In the past 5 weeks, I have done 5 unexpected things. That is things that are good for me, but that I normally would not have seen myself doing. I got the idea after accepting the invitation to complete week 1's challenge...

Week 1 - Jogging!

~ To say that I dislike jogging is the understatement of this year. I have in the past avoided it like the plague. I very much dislike being thirsty. I very much dislike having wind blowing in my ears. I very much dislike how my body feels thanks to the high impact on my joints. Overall I really just do not enjoy jogging. HOWEVER, jogging I went, thanks to a new found friend. Somehow when she invited me I found myself saying I would join her for an early, 6 am early, jog around the lake. And of course, it wasn't actually as bad as I let myself think it would be or was.

Week 2 - Jogging AGAIN!! (This one is even more unexpected than the first one.)

~No explanation needed here....except that I think I might have lost my mind completely by accepting again.

Week 3 - Painting my Finger Nails

~Thanks to a 30 day challenge to not chew on my fingernails, I have officially given up the habit. And, this week for the first time in my 30 years, I painted them. I must confess that I painted them with a clear polish, going coloured might have just been too much. And, I actually left the polish on for quite some time. Not necessarily because I wanted to but because I couldn't bring myself to buy any nail polish remover.

Week 4 - Endure the pain of Eye Brow Waxing

~ I really don't know what I was thinking with this one. This is my second kick at the can with only a 12 year hiatus, and it hurt just as much as the first time I did it in high school. I have been getting nice compliments about them though, which probably goes to show how bushy they were before, haha.

Week 5 - Felt and then expressed a depth of emotion that I haven't in a very long time.

~Not really going to explain this one, but suffice it to say, I am proud of myself for being able to accomplish this feat in spite of the result.

Week 6 - ??????????

~ This is week 6, and nothing yet, who knows what I might dream up this week....

The MoonWalk

Well, Matea and I have begun our moonwalk challenge. We have a video of our first attempt; however, I am having trouble uploading it for some reason to the blog. It is actually really funny because clearly neither or us have any idea what we are doing. Thank goodness for you-tube though. This is the beginning of a very fun challenge and a great way to spend time with my friend Matea.

The Next CHALLENGE

Today I begin two new 30 day challenges. One with Drew and one with Matea. It is fun that people I care about have decided to join me for challenges!! (Anyone else is welcome jump on the wagon too!)

Drew and I are going to be memorizing scriptures in the hopes of enriching our understanding of God and His word and growing to more fully love, appreciate and treasure those things that He has taught. Not only are we going to memorize them, but we are going to critically think about how they apply to us and will be discussing them every day.

Matea and I are going to be doing a 30 day dance challenge. I am honestly not sure as we begin this one how it will serve to enrich my life, but I am sure that it will be fun. We will be attempting to learn three different dances, or dance moves. First, the MOONWALK!!!! I have always wanted to be able to moonwalk. Second, we are going to learn the Thriller dance! This one is going to be a bit of an undertaking, but we are committed, right Matea? Leaving the MJ theme third we are learning the dance from the movie "Hitch". Good thing Matea has the movie because I haven't even seen it, apparently, it is a really funny dance moves though.

Stay tuned for videos and updates on the dance challenge. Yes, we are going to video tape ourselves attempting and then succeeding in mastering these dances.

P.S. Just a side note as well, my Mum is currently challenging herself to learn how to juggle three balls. AND, her next planned challenge is to learn how to text message!! GO MUM!!!!!!!!!

Not Just An Isolated Event

Today is Day 30 of my picture a day challenge. I was talking about these challenges on Sunday night with Drew and mentioned to him that I didn't want them to be just isolated events, that I wanted them to become part of a better me. So, I asked myself why was I taking these pictures. Initially it was just fun to document my comings and goings, my thoughts, and sometimes my rants, however as I look back at what I have accomplished, I realize that the habit I have integrated into my life is good.

Writing a few thoughts each day has been fun and therapeutic. It is neat to look back even now after 30 days and realize the things that I have accomplished. To think about the fun I have had and to even recognize change in myself.

President Eyring in a General Conference talk from the October 2007 conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints tells a story that has been on my mind for the past few days. When President Eyring's family was young, his father-in-law who lived near him came out of President Eyring's house carrying an arm load of pipes. He had been helping the family to build a system to pump water to the house. As Presidenty Eyring was thinking of all his father-in-law was doing for him, a voice came into his mind, that was not his own saying, "I'm not giving you these experiences for yourself. Write them down." So, he did just that, he went in the house and began to write.

He continues by saying, "I wrote down a few lines every day for years. I never missed a day no matter how tired I was or how early I would have to start the next day. Before I would write, I would ponder this question: “Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?” As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done."

I have never been very good at journal writing, mostly recording events, feelings and impressions sporadically. I know that there is real value in recording details of my life, not only for myself and my own self-reflection, but for the future family that I desire to have. My own family is very fortunate to have the record of my Grandma's life. She died when she was 96 and even at that age, each day she recorded a few details of what was happening in her life. What a blessing it has been to me, and will be to my future children, to know who she was because of the things that she wrote.

So, with all of this in mind, I am committing to writing a few lines each day. The picture I took this morning is of a journal I found in amongst some of my things. I want these challenges to enrich my life. And, I know that they will as I let them. I am going to write in a journal. I am going to use President Eyring's question, "Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch me today" as my guide. I am confident that as I being this exercise that I will become more acutely aware of His presence in my life, of the blessings He has bestowed upon me and of His plan for my life.

I LOVE Books!!

It has been said that "a house without books is like a room without windows". And that, "reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body". I complete agree with both of these statements. Since I was a little girl books have been a way for me to learn, make friends, and challenge my thinking.

Last night I finished To Kill A Mockingbird for the umpteenth time. I think perhaps since I first read it in high school I have devoured it at least three times a year. It is one of my favourite books of all time. It is a book about social justice or perhaps injustice, gender roles, racism, role models, courage, innocence and coming of age. I suppose that it stirs in me a desire to change for the better. A desire to reevaluate myself, who I am, where I come from and to examine the values, ideals, and even prejudices that dictate my thoughts and actions. It is interesting to note that Harper Lee described her own novel as "a simple love story".

Kinsey invited me to go to the movie "The Help" with her. I had not heard anything about it, so of course I googled it. Naturally, this movie is based on a book. I am a firm believer that you should never let a movie ruin a good book and so I decided to read it first. I only just started it, but it seems that it may have similar themes as To Kill A Mockingbird. This book is set in Mississippi, and "the help" refers to black maids working in white homes. I am sure that it will be a book charged with racial tensions, complex relationships and ultimately a call for radical change.

There is an old Chinese saying that says, "to read a book for the first time is to make an acquaintance with a new friend; to read it for a second time is to meet an old one". So, it was nice to meet my old friends Scout, Jem, Atticus and of course Boo Radley again, and here's to new friends I have yet to meet in the book The Help!!

Tennis!!!!

It is a well known fact that sports are not my forte. I do not run, it is so joint jarring. I can't shoot a basketball. Even as a teacher, kids on the playground would want to stand behind me because they could easily get me out. Skating, well let's just say that I only know how to stop by running into the boards. I recently learned that I do not stink at catch as much as I thought, but that doesn't really count because the ball was being thrown directly at me. However, playing the actual game of softball is just embarrassing! And, I could go on and on. I do however, swim like a fish, well maybe not like a fish, but you get the picture, and I LOVE to play tennis!

Just because I love to play it doesn't mean that I am an expert by any measure, but at least I can hit the ball over the net. Tonight was a beautiful night to play. It was cool outside, but not cold. And, there wasn't a breath of wind. Fall is coming and that means that in the city some of the tennis courts are already beginning to be dismantled, nets and fences alike. Fortunately, this is not the case with all the courts.

I was certainly grateful tonight for a tennis partner who was patiently helping me to work on improving my skills. And for one who doesn't play down to my level, but who challenges me to play to his level, thereby learning and strengthening my skills.

Palm Reading

This is not the most spiritual posts for a Sunday and now as I am typing this it might be a touch sacrilegious, but it sure was fun. Also, for the record this picture was taken on Saturday, but so close to midnight that I think it counts for today.

A group of friends and I headed to Calgary for a girls weekend. We ate out and then stayed at a hotel that had water slides and had such a fun time. There may have also been some synchronized swimming involved in the pool, but without permission to reveal the truth, I can neither officially confirm or deny that allegation.

Here Brette is reading my palm. (If you look in the background you can see Kristy eating a bowl of ice cream, my bowl was just out of this picture to my left.) Anyway back to the palm reading...I am not going to go over the art of palm reading, mostly because I don't know much about the art of palm reading, but I am going to reveal the result of the session, as presented by Brette who is pretty much an expert.

I am a fire hand. The length of my fingers is shorter than the length of my palm. This means that I am enthusiastic, outgoing, impulsive and creative. Sounds pretty much like me. On the mount of Mercury, which is where the pinky joins the palm, I have a "teaching square". Phew, teaching was the right choice! My life line is long, so yeah for a long life. I have a long head line which means that I have a good quality mind and that I am dedicated to learning. My fate line is long and straight indicating life will be good for me. I do have a love line, but I can't remember what it reveals about me, darn it! And, of course that is all I can remember. So, it seems like based on this reading that life for me will be just peachy.

Honestly, I am not holding much stock in this reading, not because I distrust Brette, but ultimately because I know that for the most part I can make my life the way I want it. I know that the right to choice is a God given right. And, I think ultimately as I continue to choose to be happy and have faith, that no matter the bumps that come along in the road I will have a GREAT life.