My Kick Butt Week

I'm getting pumped up to give blood tomorrow by listening to Elton John's "Some Saved my Life Tonight," because tomorrow I'm going to go save some lives.

This week was pretty awesome. Tuesday the church council voted to hire me for 3/4 time with benefits and a pension! I did my taxes and I'm getting a huge sum back. On Wednesday I ran 4.0 at a sub 10 minute pace. I'm excited about my new role in the church. I'm also nervous about failing, but as Dylan says, there is no success like failure.

So it's been a busy week and my life is about to get busier, but tomorrow is pay day and I have the day off!! I'm going to take myself to Culver's for that butter burger I promised myself a month ago. I think I might also take myself to a movie.

Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk

I onced watched a movie called Always Greener. It was some independ film a bunch of kids in Fairfield, Iowa made. The movie was about some seniors in high school gearing up for a big party in Iowa City along with the "lady in red" who worked at the local gas station and the principal that gets addicted to Nintendo 64. In one scene they have a chocolate milk chugging contest and whoever wins gets a snowboard. Well, as you might know, you can't drink a gallon of chocolate milk without throwing up. Your stomach can not take that much lactose.

So that is why I am drinking a Quart, and not a gallon.

It's been taking some effort, some kicking and screaming, but I'm getting my (now more firm) ass to the gym. Monday I ran 4.0 Miles, Tuesday I attempted to swim (I am a horrible swimmer), and today I went for another 4.0 Miles. The important part of training is the rewards you reap. I still owe myself a butter buger and fries from Culvers for my 6 mile run last week. This week if I do 7 I might take myself to a movie.

But the good part, is that today I finally felt like all this running is paying off. All this lifting weights is starting to do some good. I haven't really lost any weight, but I am starting to tone down. Hurray for me!

Agenda

I'm spending a good portion of my week in the Twin Cities (that's Minneapolis/St. Paul). I'm attending Luther Seminary's Winter Convocation. It's been pretty good so far. I've remembered my love for scripture and why I went to Seminary. I feel more confident about what I'm doing at work. I'm excited to try some new things.

But then I'm also kind of "blah." It's kind of weird to be on campus. I spent three years here, and my close friends (or some of them) are not here, but spread through out the lower 48 and some of Europe. Still, it's good to see people and catch up. But it's a constant reminder of how fast life can change and how we must appreciate the short time we have together.

It's also a good reminder that I am done with school for awhile. Yeah, I've been thinking of going back and becoming a pastor, but maybe Luther is not right for me. All my favorite professors are retiring or leaving.

Of course this got me thinking about God's plans. Does God's plan mean the future or the here and now? It's probably both, but why is it when something horrible happens we always try to comfort people by saying "it's part of God's plan" or "God has something better in mind for you." Yeah, he had a different plan and something better in mind for his creation, but they mucked that up good and sound. But maybe this is. Maybe being in Green Bay and teaching people scripture is part of some grand plan in my life. Maybe it fulfills God's plan for creation. Maybe it helps restore the kingdom.

I do not know. I just know that someone once said "life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." And well, God created life, so maybe plans are just human things we created to make ourselves feel better for screwing God's plan up. I don't know, this is becoming a bit of a ramble of uncensored thought.

Needless to say, I hope I'm on the right track for something.

Oh so Sore!

My body just aches. My arms are sore from lifting and then curling. You can laugh all you want, you try sweeping for two hours. I also shoveled Erik's driveway. My legs are sore from running and I whacked my hand on the treadmill so it's got this nasty bruise.

I have curling again tonight. I'm going to have to soak in the tub.

Life is pretty busy with work, curling, bible study, and running. Thank goodness! I was so bored. Next week I'm heading to the Twin Cities for Winter Convocation at Luther Seminary. I'm excited for a week in the "City." This small town stuff is getting to me.

Goals for 2010

Right, and so here we are. Another year over, a new one just begun. I kind of feel old. 10 years ago I graduated from high school. Last night I dreamed I was having a conversation in which I was absolutely certain that the 90s was the best decade in my life for music and then proceeded to name Dookie and Automatic for the People as two of the best albums.

Looking back 10 years, I am not where I thought I would be. Let's be honest. I thought by now I'd be teaching, married, and have a couple of kids. I either screwed that up, or God had another plan. Or maybe God had another plan and I screwed that up. Either way, many of my goals (like travel to Europe and not have any credit card debt) have not been accomplished. So I guess it's time to get on track.

It's time to make that wonderful list of goals that I make every year. Looking back on 2009, I did achieve a few things. I graduated from Seminary, wrote my thesis (maybe not as kick ass as I would have liked it to be), traveled to DC, got a job!, and took in two MLB games.

So here is my list for 2010:
_Increase income
_Save $ and Payoff Debts
_Lose 15 lbs or get back to size 6/8
_Run a Marathon
_Go Camping
_Move to a place where I can have a dog
_Learn Spanish (every year I put this!)
_Read the whole Bible (So far doing great!)
_Shop at the Farmer's Market more
_Stop driving and start biking
_Serve Food at Homeless Shelter

We'll see how that goes. In the meantime, today is the anniversary of my baptism. Hurray! A year ago I was officially adopted by God.