Forming good habits

Last week, at campmeeting, we had some amazing speakers. One of them talked about different ways of getting into the habit of spending time with God, and I don't think I'll ever forget it.

If you currently aren't spending time in prayer in the mornings, hide one of your shoes far under your bed before going to sleep at night. Then, when you wake up, you'll have to hunt for your shoe, and when you remember where it is, you'll have to get on your knees to reach under the bed for it. While you're down there, say hello to God! It's just a few seconds, but it's a start, and let it grow.

If reading the Bible isn't as high a priority as it should be, lay it, open on top of your TV every morning. Then, reach back, and unplug your TV. When you return from work, and settle down to watch TV, you'll realize that it's turned off. As you reach behind it, you can't miss the Bible on top, so read a verse while you're there. Again, start out small, and it will become a bigger and bigger part of your life.

Well, I've got quite a few habits I need to develop more strongly. One of those is writing in my blog. So, I simply need to think of a method for making it impossible not to do so! Well, for a blog I may not do that.... But, I could come up with a couple ideas, even so...

Bravo Italia

I'm sure every other blog has already commented on the game. But, since I have been in England, and not had a chance to get online since it took place, mine is coming a little late.

The World Cup Final this year was the first football (real football, not the American sport) match I ever watched in entirety (on screen, that is). And I enjoyed it! I was rooting for Italy. My condolences to all of you who sided with the French. To my untrained eye, I thought both sides played well! I cheered for the Italians, only because I watched it with many Europeans, and the Italian cheering section was more in need of voices than the French. As I watched, though, I became more attached to the Italian team! They were more fun to watch. At the beginning, at least, they were more smooth with their feet, and tended to keep the ball closer to the French goal. They seemed a little more tired after halftime.

I could comment on some of the calls and the goals, but since that's been done over and over, I won't. Not even to discuss the headbutt. I just want to mention something that impressed me about the Italians. From my vantage point, many of them practiced great sportsmanship. No, not all of them, but many. I saw an Italian reach down to help up his opponent at least three times. Also, they didn't seem malicious in their play. As a general rule, it was not the Italians who were grabbing faces, etc. They are not perfect, that's for sure, but I appreciated their overall sportsmanship. So, my congratulations to Italy!

And, I must send my condolences to France. I wish both teams could have won, for both were amazing teams! I cheered when Italy won, but a part of me was sad for the dashed dreams of France. So, rock on, France! You've won before, and you will again.

Good game, everyone!

On flirting...

I'm not a natural when it comes to flirting. I can flirt back, usually, but that's about the extent of it. Every so often, though, I forget this fact, and make an effort even so. Last Saturday night was one of those times.

I attended a convention in England, and while there, we had a gala dinner. It was a posh evening, with fancy dishes, friendly chit-chat and silly entertainment. Very much like every other gala in many ways, but I enjoyed myself nonetheless. Soon after I sat down at my place, I noticed one of the men working there, manning the drink station (I would say bar, but it was completely non-alcoholic in this case, so I don't want to send the wrong impression). You know how it is, sometimes a person will catch your eye, and you'll ponder ways to talk to that person. Well, I was with a friend, and I mentioned him to her. I'm sure you also know how that is. She, of course, egged me on.

Well, I saw him going around and pouring juice, etc. into some people's glasses. So, with a little nudging from my friend, I went over to him while he was behind the bar and asked for a glass of pineapple juice. Then, of course, my courage left me, and I said nothing more as he dropped in some ice and poured the juice into the glass. He smiled, set it on the bar, and said “1.60.”

Well, my heart jerked at that. No, his voice wasn't so stunning. I simply had never considered the idea that it might cost something. I assumed everything was included in the dinner. It would explain, of course, why he didn't come around to all the tables to offer.

Well, I had no money, of course. I fumbled for what I could do, and looked and felt quite silly. He was a gentleman and told me not to worry about it. I apologized and thanked him, then turned away, red-faced, to return to my table.

So, again, I am reminded that, in my case, it's better to just smile and let the guy do the approaching. However, the experience wasn't so bad all around. It did give me another reason to laugh (always a good thing, even when it's at myself) and a free glass of pineapple juice (never something to complain about).

On the rope

Ever tried to walk a tight-rope? Literally, I mean. I'm not talking about the metaphorical balancing act. I decided sometime last fall that I would really like to learn to walk on a tight-rope. Well, slack-line, really, if we want to get specific. My balance is not the most impressive, and I thought it sounded like a good cure for such an ailment. If I can walk across a tiny rope, surely then I would be able to stand up on a big solid floor without tipping! That's my philosophy, anyway.

Well, I've walked on a couple of slightly rope-like things (my roommate's foot board, the railing along the road by my house...) since then. But it wasn't until today that I actually got to try prancing across a real rope! And guess what! So far, I'm terrible!

I passed a friend who was trying it as I walked to the store, so I stopped to try it out myself. We took turns for about thirty minutes or so. He had been trying for a couple hours, and while I was there, he crossed the whole rope, turned around, and took a couple steps back! My most successful attempt landed me on the ground about four feet from where I started. Then, I needed to run so that I could make it to the store.

On the rope, I felt like a little child, learning to walk. First, I could barely stand, holding on to something and shaking like the last leaf on a tree in the fall wind. Slowly, I was able to stand on my own, and then take a step! Five steps is the most I took, but I'm so happy for those!

The moral of the story? If you're starting to feel old, learn something new! You'll feel like a little baby again! =p

I'm single. No, I'm not announcing that so you'll look me up or anything. It's merely a fact. One I'm quite content with at this point in my life. My best friend was just married, and someone commented that I ought to be careful about being a bridesmaid too many times. You know the saying, “always a bridesmaid, never a bride.” Well, I do appreciate the concern, but as I've told many people, I'm having a great time being single, and I will remain so until I meet the man that I can enjoy living with even more than I enjoy being single. I want marital bliss, not a marital mishap.

I crossed six time zones on Thursday/Friday, and my sleeping schedule hasn't quite adapted. So, this morning, I gave up trying to sleep at 1:00am. It's actually one of the best things I could have done! It's a little after 3:00am as I write this (having no internet in my home, I'll have to post it later) and I've spent the last two hours reading and praying. And I'm still wide awake, so I'll keep doing this, with a break for a morning run, until it's time to get ready for work! In my reading, I've been catching up in my devotional books. I've been doing a lot of travel, and I usually don't take the space to pack all three of my devotional books along with my Bible and journal. So, I've gotten quite behind. The thought that inspired this particular entry was written for the 30^th of May. It comes from the devotional Sanctuary by David Jeremiah, and is entitled “Single Peace.” It's not the most profound page I have ever read, but it's beautiful and true in it's simplicity. That's why I'd like to share it. Maybe you're not single, but it doesn't only apply to looking for a mate. It applies to any search or desire that fills your life and distracts from God. I won't retype the whole thing, just the last three paragraphs.

“Seeking marriage is not wrong, but don't let that search dominate your life. We must not make finding a marriage partner the supreme goal of our lives by putting all our energies into searching fore a mate. We must learn to be in God's will. A very wise person said, “There is something far worse than single loneliness, and that is marital misery.” Learn contentment for it is great gain.

“If God has a mate for you, He knows how to bring the two of you together. Don't take things into your own hands.

“Wherever you are, whatever your situation, use the time to grow both mentally and spiritually.”

Entering Blogdom

Change. It's a simple enough word, just one syllable, and neither very pretty nor very ugly. But what that one word can mean! It brings a cringe to the hearts of some and a quiver of fear to others. In my heart, though, it causes a leap of curious excitement!

Not quite a year has passed since I began living and working in my current position. My job is filled with excitement and creativity and never a moment of dullness. Yet, I'm already looking forward to a change! I've come through many in the past year, some very negative, but these are not enough. I'm ready to do more, to go somewhere else, to meet, head-on, the next great challenge in life!

Yet, I'm also ready to thoroughly enjoy the coming year here in this position. But I guess that is part of the reason I've started this blog. It's just a little thing, but it's new and different, and therefore exciting. A little bit more of the change I crave in life!

So, welcome me to the blogging world. I've yet to keep a journal for more than nine weeks straight, but I have high hopes for changing that about myself as well! Check back in 10 weeks to see how I'm doing :)

(btw: actual date of this writing was the evening of July 2)