The Lenten Saga: Day 4

Today was one of my busier Saturdays. Even now I am at Southpoint writing this. From getting my haircut to going to work, and meeting with the realtor... That was actually fun. Today we went on my first house hunting trip to a location still in the Containment Area. I really like this place... The townhome and this part of the containment area. At the advice of the realtor, I am looking at townhomes with better resale value... I know my career path will eventually take me away from this area, but not for several years. I was serious when I decided to make my early career stand here. I am convinced, God has some special purpose for me being here. I am still trying to figure that one out. It seems like everything ELSE is coming together except for the social life (going out with friends, dating women, external networking, etc...) but I also think that God might sit this one out because it might not be a priority in his plan for me here... It is either that or God has given me all the tools necessary to meet this social challenge. I pray that it is the latter because I see God manifesting in other areas of my life.

I realized this at church today as I was listening to the word of God. I also know that I am becoming a much more complicated person in my thoughts, ideas, and tastes. I will give you an example... I love being social... interacting, and talking, music and making noise, but I also love the silence and being by myself... I am in constant conflict over that and I try to strike a balance.

Caterpillar Challenge meeting was a flop! Everyone had something else to do. I did not get the call until I was at Church waiting for everyone else to arrive. Still got my 'assignment' done. But most likely I will have to do the next part also (Ch. 3). Just to be on track with the challenge.

Well my battery is about to die, I guess I will stop ranting now... Strange how Lent brings a lit of things to light... I guess because I am spending more time with the Lord.

The Lenten Saga: Day 3

So I have made it to the end of the week! el YAY!!! Tired as I dunno what! "Indulged" on Monday and Tuesday, and then POW! ASH Wednesday! So far I am maintaining my self-imposed Lenten Obligations... I still need to do my caterpillar challenge assignment, but I am just tired. Work, working out, talking to a colleague about one of my more favorite subjects... Women! and getting stuff to work in the lab was all I needed for a long Friday. Oh, somehow I managed to destroy my debit card! It stopped working on Tuesday and now I feel so crippled without it! "The Man" says it will take 7-10 business days for me to get another one! So I am just holding tight until I get a new card. 

Well, I am off to bed. See you tomorrow!

The Lenten Saga: Day 2

Well, at least I do not have to come up with any fancy titles for the next month! But today was a pretty routine day. I need to do my "Caterpillar Challenge" assignment, hopefully I can get that done by the time I am finished with work tomorrow. I also need to talk to my real estate agent. Since this pre-approval thing went through, I need to get on the ball and get my house search going. I know with the state of the economy the way it is, I am taking a risk either way, but even in the immediate/medium term, investing in a home is the financially smarter thing to do versus renting.... With that being said, let the house-hunt continue! 

It was such a long day, and I have no idea why. Maybe because I also started to resume working out on my 'non-weight-training' days... Maybe that was the reason why I was so tired during choir practice, and even now, as I am writing this. I upped my vitamin and minerals intake due to my own personal Lent challenge, at the recommendation of a fitness advisor at the Gym, but I guess it will take a few days for my body to get used to me training on M-W-F, AND cardio on T-R-S-Su. All this time, I have been weight training. 

All I know is that I am going to sleep well tonight! I am hardly ever in my apartment long enough to enjoy it. I guess that is good... This lets people know I have a very active, busy, and healthy lifestyle... The only time I come home is to sleep, shower, and eat, and then I am out again! No need to clean up, not here long enough to make a mess! 

And speaking of sleep...

The Lenten Saga: Day 1

So today was a long day! From getting up early, to getting to church, and getting "ashed!" to several meetings, working out, fighting my electronic equipment in the lab since it wants to act crazy (I am slowly winning that battle! hehe), and then, get this... BACK to church to sing with the choir! 

Today marks the first day of Lent, a period of fasting and abstaining, calling to mind our sinfulness and our call to repent from our ways. So this year, I have decided to challenge myself way more than I have done in previous years. Now I will not go any further in terms of what I have given up, or what I have committed to, but it is a decent sized list. I know this: I would not have attempted this during the OSU or Southern Cal years, period! Since I have a normally routine schedule, I can establish a little bit more discipline, with ease. 

I really want to take this time before Easter and REALLY answer some tough questions, not only about the faith, but about my life. Where is it heading? Why am I single? What is my current assignments in my career preparing me for? Where are my friends? How badly do I want certain things? How long will I be here (Containment Area..... okay, Earth as well)? What better way to seek clarity, than to seek out the Lord and Savior in my daily devotions? So during this time, I will make a stronger, more concentrated effort (in addition to what I am currently doing), to deepen my relationship with Christ. With the help of the church, and those who wish to help me, I will either find my answers, or will be on the path to finding my answers.

So says this Yankee! Let the Lenten Journey Begin!

Faaaaaaaaaaaaat 'Tuesdy'

Man! I am here at champps downin hurricanes and, well, Hurricanes! I ate all my favorite foods today because of the significance of this day! Wow, I'm still sober! I need to change that! LOL tomorrow is gonna suck! Gotta get up early so why am I at champps? I have no clue. I'm with good people, I think. Oh well, time to start driving home!

Countdown to Ash Wednesday!

T-minus 2 days! Oh my goodness, the week of weeks (lol) is upon me! O woe is me, what am I to do!?! 

Okay, enough melodrama. Today I talked to a couple of fitness experts about the upcoming lenten season, and how I told them that I really want to follow the Lenten rules, which requires fasting, which requires 2 small meals and 1 large meal, where the small meals put together can not equal the large meal. So my question to them: What is an example of a large meal/small meal? and What else should I do to make this lenten process, health-friendly, while still maintaining my exercise regimen, and not dying in the process. So after we had that discussion, we established what large/small meals meant. We also acknowledged the fact that I may need to take more supplements during this time, to make sure I am getting my daily values of certain vitamins/minerals. 

I am looking forward to the challenge I have set before myself. I have observed Lent every year. During college, grad school, and even now. But I have never took it to this level. I am giving up A LOT of things. I have also made new commitments for the Lenten period, including new church and exercise commitments, and I am not talking about the Caterpillar Challenge or the intense 3-day/wk weight training! I have never pushed myself to this limit before, because I have never tried to push myself to this limit before. And I am going to see if I get some divine inspiration during this period of fasting, prayer, fellowship, and focusing on the "Kingdom Coming" and not on the "Kingdom Having Come." That is one of the many points of Lent. 

Fat Tuesday is tomorrow! I heard there was something going on at Champps. I might check it out!

Sunday Thoughts: Forgiving, Forgetting, and God

So today was a very long day, but it was well worth it.

It started at 5:00 AM. I got up took a shower, ate breakfast, ironed out my clothes that I was going to wear to church, brushing my teeth, shaving, and getting out the door! By the time that was all over, it was around 7:00AM... But where did I go from there? To Church? Not quite! See, from last week's post, I said that my nephew would like to visit my church. So how could I say no to that? So I drove all the way up to Greensboro to get him. Then I went all the way back near the Containment Area to get my niece. Then we all attended church together. 

The message for this Sunday revolves around forgiveness. The forgiveness of sin and forgetting about the sin. This is very hard to do, because we are all human. I have not mastered the art of forgiving and forgetting, but I think I am far along than many others. In one of our readings, the Lord wipes out the sins and remembers them no more. The Lord remembers them no more because to the Lord, our God, there is no difference between forgiving and forgetting. From Mark's Gospel, there is a story about the paralytic carried by four men. And when Jesus saw the faith of the four, he said to the paralytic that his sins were forgiven and to pick up his mat, and go home. He got up and went home, in front of the Pharisees that accused him of blaspheming. 

We have all done it at some point in our lives. We have sinned, badly. And acts of sin was committed against us. Some worse than others. Some out of spite, some out of hate, some unintentionally. It is important that we forgive those who have wronged us, not for them, but for ourselves. I know right, easier said than done. It can be very hard to forgive, and even harder to forget what was done, especially if it was very painful. Especially at the hands of those you love. It is easy to misguide yourself into thinking that forgiveness always involves the other person. The road to a peaceful soul, starts with honing this ability. The Lord forgives and forgets. It is a concept that we should all try to master... It is a lifetime journey.

So enough of church! Afterwards, I took my niece and nephew to PF Changs and we had ourselves a nice lil lunch! Then I took them to see Madea Goes To Jail (Again for me!). They absolutely loved it! And I was able to catch some new stuff that I did not notice from the first time I saw the movie. Then it was time for me to take my nephew back to Greensboro so he can resume his studies. During the trip, I let them talk to my mother and father, as well as my sisters. I think they had a pleasant conversation and everyone is eager to meet. I will do my best to make that a reality. So once, I dropped my nephew off, my niece asked to see where I would like to live once I put down my down-payment, so I showed her, and then we went to the grocery store and got some foodstuffs. Then dropped her off with her friends.

It was a fantastic day!

T-minus three days until Lent!