life beyond the well…

Tag Archives: Balance


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Be Aware

This past weekend, I was in Walmart picking up a few groceries.  I was exhausted after traveling to Carowinds with Preacherman’s school, attending a marriage seminar at my church, and going to a friend’s bridal shower.  I couldn’t wait to get home and just go to bed.

As I headed to check out, I detoured (not at all unusual for me in Walmart or Target) back to the produce section to look at celery.  I have been wanting celery to pack in my lunches as a healthy snack, but have been unable to find small prepackaged bags of celery.  I was hopeful that Walmart would have what I was looking for (if you can’t find it in Walmart, it may not exist), and sure enough, they had the exact item.

I checked the expiration date (which read 04/27/2013), and was all set to add it to my cart.  In my mind, I thought, “Man, those celery are gonna be fresh for a long time.”  I was just about to drop it in my cart, when I realized that the expiration date was actually a week prior.  My fatigue and my lack of awareness almost had me make a choice that could have been detrimental (slightly to my wallet, but moreso to my health).

I think we are all like that sometimes.  We can get so caught up in the doing of life, and get so into a routine (and so rundown from that routine) that we lose our sense of awareness.  When we lack awareness, we can make decisions that seem to be good on the surface, but could have detrimental effects.  Not only that, a lack of awareness can cause us to fail to recognize the goodness and blessings that surround us each day.

Let me encourage you to be aware- of the choices you make each day and their impact, of the blessings that surround you, and of your life and daily routine.  Be aware of ways that you can serve and assist others.  Be aware of your areas for growth, and seek tangible ways to improve.  Life is too short to be numbed from your busyness and your technology.  Imagine how much better our world/country/state/city/town/home would be if we each took the time to unplug and be aware.

My challenge to you: don’t let another day go by where you’re lacking awareness.  Find the good in each day, in each person, in each situation.  Search for the good, and be grateful for it.

Be encouraged!  Peace and Blessings!


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2013 First Quarter Review

It seems like 2013 is zooming by!  I can hardly believe that it’s already April.  This year has already been amazing, and I’m really excited to see what God has in store for the rest of the year.  Preacherman and I have been enjoying our life together as newlyweds, and are learning, loving, laughing, and growing together every day.  It’s so much fun being married to your best friend!

I’m not one for resolutions, but going into this year, I knew that I wanted to focus on my dissertation and getting into a healthy exercise routine.  Along with that, I wanted to be better about reading and studying my word, and getting to work on time.  After experiencing some challenges, I feel like I’m finally on track.

More than anything, I’ve learned the value of consistency and persistence.  Every thing that I’ve committed to focusing on this year does not yield immediate results.  And I, like the rest of us, am used to getting results when I want them.  Our microwave society, complete with all the technology that I could ever desire (until some marketing gurus convince me that I need something else), has conditioned me to want the results immediately.  This is SO unhealthy.  Anything worth having takes time.  If we rush the process, we don’t get to enjoy the product in its’ best form.  Can it stand on its’ own?  Maybe.  But you can never know the value of waiting without actually waiting and seeing the process all the way through.

But also, each of the things that I’m focusing on for this year are mostly dependent on me.  Meaning, if I’m not seeing the progress I desire, it’s more than likely the result of something that I’ve done- or failed to do.  So, if I’m failing to be consistent and persistent, I’m not going to see the results.  It’s no one’s fault but mine.  Coming to grips with that has truly allowed for me to take ownership of my behavior so that I can be sure that I’m getting the desired results.

What does all this equate to: discipline.  In regards to my healthy exercise routine, it’s meant getting up early or carving time in the evenings to work out; but also taking the time to make sure I’m eating the right things and tracking my food and exercise intake.  In regards to my dissertation, it’s meant constantly seeking feedback from my advisor and doing revision after revision, even when I don’t understand or see the need in revising.  In reading my word, it’s meant taking stock of my time, and not being afraid to press reset when I’ve done a poor job at managing my time and my priorities.  What I’ve realized is that if I fail to be disciplined, I’m going to experience a failure of some sort down the line.

I’m looking forward to applying the lessons learned during this first quarter to the rest of the year, and finishing stronger than ever!

Be encouraged!  Peace and blessings!