Resolution or Healthy Life?

Exercise. Why does it seem that this is so hard for everyone? Or atleast why is it so hard for me? I love to play, I love to be active, yet day in and day out, my "exercise" consists of walking to the car, or walking through a grocery store, or just doing nothing at all. I share an office at work with the Diabetes educators, who are all dietitians. Today I was looking through a book they had on the health information at fast food places. Did you know there are 810 calories in a Roast beef and swiss Market Fresh sandwich from Arbys? This is more than any single item at Wendy's or Chick-fil-a. So if you think you are being healtheir by going marketfresh, you aren't. I just don't understand why our world has become so fast paced and so heavily influenced by instant gratification. I don't understand why when I get up in the morning, I am not motivated to get outside, or why after a day of being cooped up in a hospital, I am not more excited about walking around and getting fresh air. I know one reason is because I hate to do things alone, and if I veg in front of the TV, I don't have to think about being alone, or if I sit on the computer and write emails, atleast I am attempting to maintain relationships. I really really really want to learn to be disciplined and self motivated to be active. To get outside on a regular basis and just do whatever, a walk, a bike ride, a hike, a game of frisbee. I don't want to do this because of some new year's resolution to lose weight, or lower my dress size, but I want to do it because if my life is too busy now, it's only going to get busier. I want to do this to be healthy, to have more energy, and to build a pattern and routine so in 10-20 years I am still able to do the things I love. I think that sometimes my excuse is that I can still do everything I love. On a whim I can go climb stone mountain, or water ski, or go on a 10 mile bike ride, or even play a game of ultimate. I am not saying that these things don't wear me out, but the fact that I CAN do them makes me happy. I don't enjoy it, but I am physically able to run a mile, but one day without activity becoming a part of my regular life, I won't be able to do these things. If anyone has any suggestions on how to make this part of my routine, I would love to hear them. I don't think gym membership is an option for me right now, cause I know that's an obvious answer.

A New Year

Okay, so I know that everyone writes these start of the new year blogs, but I have been horrible at updating, so I thought this gave me an excuse. One thing I have been thinking a lot about is how much has changed in a year, and how much some things haven't changed. I was at a wedding last weekend down in Macon, GA for a good from college. There were many people at the wedding who, upon seeing them, I realized how much I still miss them. I miss Athens, and I miss my life there. I miss the people I spent time with regularly, and seeing even just a few of them made me realize yet again, how much I miss all of them. Matt went to the wedding, and it is so fun to introduce him to people that I love. It so fun to see my "now world" connect with my "then world", but at the same time it continues to pain me that the two worlds aren't one all the time. It is hard to move on, and even a year and a half after graduation, it is still just as hard. But I love that I have friendships with people who live all over the country, I love that I have people who have meant so much to me that I wish I was around them all the time. There are so many blessings, one of those being that after a year and a half, these friendships are still real and still building me up eventhough these people aren't a part of my everyday life.

My job is going well. I am really enjoying my time in the ICU and really feel that I am getting some very valuable experience there. I am nervous though that some of the real trying "emotional aspects" of this position are just about to set in, we'll see how I handle it. The emergency department is also going well. Many people ask me if I will want to just stay in the ICU and become the full time person there, and at this point in time I just don't have an answer. I think I am going to revisit that question and reconsider that option in mid-February.

I just started things back up with the youth group, and it looks like starting in February I will be heading up the girls discipleship group. I am so excited to spend time with these girls, learn from them, and build a stronger relationship with them. I just pray that the Lord gives me wisdom in what to teach and the words to say, and that He blesses the time I have with these girls.

Tomorrow, Matt and I are going up to visit my sister, brother-in-law, and my precious nieces in Asheville, NC. I am so excited to see my little Abby and Caroline!!!! Matt has never seen Asheville, so he is excited to see a new town and to be in the mountains! Please pray that I have a good time with my family because I miss them so much!!! Also, later this month, I am going to Missouri to visit my friends Brian and Gail, also pray that that is good time with old friends and just a refreshing vacation for me!