I went to the library yesterday and checked out the book "Oh Pioneers" by Willa Cather. I read about on Rhonda's blog, and looking forward to diving into it. My long holiday break is winding down, and classses begin again Monday! I am ready to have a focus, and also to be one semester closer to this degree! This semester is going to be much more hands on, and I am very excited about that.
I tutor at Hearts Afterschool Program two days a week, and absolutely love it! It is a free volunteer program in Columbus that is available to students identified as being at risk for falling behind! I work with the same two students every week, and have really enjoyed watching them progress! It is a really good learning experience for me as I try to use different strategies to try to help the students comprehend the material! One of my students is in kindergarten, and one is in 4th grade, so it is really a learning adventure for me!
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Friday, January 7, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Goodbye Facebook!
Well I am day 2 of life without facebook! I deactivated my account in an effort to focus on the more important things in life such as God, my marriage, volunteer work, school, my dogs,etc. I was pretty "addicted" to the old book, and was pretty sure that I was going to really miss it. So far, it has been fine! There have been a few times that there were specific moments when I had something to post. Yesterday, I went to the library to check out the book "O, Pioneers" after reading about it on Rhonda's blog, but the library was closed (for the new year holiday). If I had facebook, I could have commented on her wall. In reality, I can just go tomorrow so Rhonda didn't need to know that I couldn't get the book that very day. I also wanted to ask the fb world about homeade recipes for cleaning products. However, I found them on google! My question about finding chickens can be directed to Melanie via the telephone!
My brother sent me a funny youtube video about facebook that was pretty funny! I will write it out here, but some of it had bad language, and I try to keep my blog rated "G". It's kinda funny, but is only meant in good fun! I love facebook, and will probably be back in February!
"Hi, I'm Ross. I am going to talk to you about facebook. You need to get off of facebook. In doing so, you will cease to use the following abbreviations: LOL, ROFL, FML,FOCLOL, FOCROFLOL,BBS BRB, BS. This behavior is turning you into a dribbling turboxpaz. They make you sound like you want to lick the windows of a bus. You have been Tagged. Nobody likes this. :( You don't have 852 friends. You have 4. And that is a good thing. Is it better to have 848 friends that you don't to talk to but are happy to see? One or more of these "friends" are looking at your pictures right now. And judging you! I'm not. I don't think you have gained weight since high school. I don't think my taste in music is more ecclectic than yours. I don't have an account. I've been fb clean for 5 months and 17 days. And I am happy! Some of you may think that I am pretentious. Perhaps I am, but at least I am not a closet social pervert. TAGGED! LOLocaust! POKED! You have been invited to join John's horsey stable in Super Poke Pets. You have 1478228496 new notifications. Louise O'Neil is now single! hey louise. bin a long time.how have you bin? fancy cummin for a drink dis weekend???? roscoxxxx. 9 friend requests from people you hated at school. Accept them anyway. More friends means more popular means more better! Maybe my life is better than theirs and I can feel good about myself for a second. He's a motions graphic designer for Rockstar video games. Dang! That's better than an English teacher living in South Korea! Well....at least he is divorced. LOL! This is not you in real life so don't be like that online. Ironically, you are probably watching this on facebook right now. I'm impressed that your attention span has lasted this long. But know this, you are much more interesting than your profile! You are much more beautiful than your profile picture! You are all beautiful people who are much more wonderful in person. OMG I heart you! "
It is just meant in fun! Don't get offended if you are a facebooker! I love facebook too! I read recently that facebook makes people narcissistic and self absorbed... like "starring in your own reality show". Perhaps this is true, but honestly this is just true for our society right now. I may not know who is mad at who, who is cheating with you, who had a bad day, or what everyone cooked for dinner tonight. I also won't get annoyed (for no good reason) at people who misrepresent themselves and their children online, use fb as their therapist, diary, or a means of communication with their ex (soon to be not ex) significant other. But, I will spend more time with my husband (we started a daily bible study as a couple yesterday), focus on school more, and spend more time in prayer in reflection! I don't read as much as I want to, and use a lack of time as an excuse! I am amazed at how much time I have when I don't waste time looking at pictures of people whom I have not had any interaction with in 10 or more years!
I will still keep up with people's blogs, but blogs tend to have much more thought behind them! It is not just whatever popped up in someone's head! I love reading about people's book reads, remodels, children's achievements, and other interesting writings on blogs. I will miss the "personal" interaction that facebook brings....but I imagine I will survive!! :)
My brother sent me a funny youtube video about facebook that was pretty funny! I will write it out here, but some of it had bad language, and I try to keep my blog rated "G". It's kinda funny, but is only meant in good fun! I love facebook, and will probably be back in February!
"Hi, I'm Ross. I am going to talk to you about facebook. You need to get off of facebook. In doing so, you will cease to use the following abbreviations: LOL, ROFL, FML,FOCLOL, FOCROFLOL,BBS BRB, BS. This behavior is turning you into a dribbling turboxpaz. They make you sound like you want to lick the windows of a bus. You have been Tagged. Nobody likes this. :( You don't have 852 friends. You have 4. And that is a good thing. Is it better to have 848 friends that you don't to talk to but are happy to see? One or more of these "friends" are looking at your pictures right now. And judging you! I'm not. I don't think you have gained weight since high school. I don't think my taste in music is more ecclectic than yours. I don't have an account. I've been fb clean for 5 months and 17 days. And I am happy! Some of you may think that I am pretentious. Perhaps I am, but at least I am not a closet social pervert. TAGGED! LOLocaust! POKED! You have been invited to join John's horsey stable in Super Poke Pets. You have 1478228496 new notifications. Louise O'Neil is now single! hey louise. bin a long time.how have you bin? fancy cummin for a drink dis weekend???? roscoxxxx. 9 friend requests from people you hated at school. Accept them anyway. More friends means more popular means more better! Maybe my life is better than theirs and I can feel good about myself for a second. He's a motions graphic designer for Rockstar video games. Dang! That's better than an English teacher living in South Korea! Well....at least he is divorced. LOL! This is not you in real life so don't be like that online. Ironically, you are probably watching this on facebook right now. I'm impressed that your attention span has lasted this long. But know this, you are much more interesting than your profile! You are much more beautiful than your profile picture! You are all beautiful people who are much more wonderful in person. OMG I heart you! "
It is just meant in fun! Don't get offended if you are a facebooker! I love facebook too! I read recently that facebook makes people narcissistic and self absorbed... like "starring in your own reality show". Perhaps this is true, but honestly this is just true for our society right now. I may not know who is mad at who, who is cheating with you, who had a bad day, or what everyone cooked for dinner tonight. I also won't get annoyed (for no good reason) at people who misrepresent themselves and their children online, use fb as their therapist, diary, or a means of communication with their ex (soon to be not ex) significant other. But, I will spend more time with my husband (we started a daily bible study as a couple yesterday), focus on school more, and spend more time in prayer in reflection! I don't read as much as I want to, and use a lack of time as an excuse! I am amazed at how much time I have when I don't waste time looking at pictures of people whom I have not had any interaction with in 10 or more years!
I will still keep up with people's blogs, but blogs tend to have much more thought behind them! It is not just whatever popped up in someone's head! I love reading about people's book reads, remodels, children's achievements, and other interesting writings on blogs. I will miss the "personal" interaction that facebook brings....but I imagine I will survive!! :)
Sunday, January 2, 2011
What I Want for 2011
I spend a lot of time when I am driving listening to praise music and praying and reflecting. I have learned that God will listen to your prayers anytime, and this is an excellent time for quiet time with him.
Yesterday, as I was driving I heard a familiar song, but it spoke to my heart in a different way than before. "Jesus, all for Jesus...All of my ambitions, hopes, and plans, I surrender thee into your hands....for it's only by your will that I am free". This is what I want for 2011. I want to give all of my ambitions, hopes, and plans to Jesus. I pray that my will lines up with his will!
I journaled a few goals for this year. I don't necessarily like the word "resolution" because it gives the implication that something needs to be resolved or fixed. I like the word goals better. It just seems more positive to me.
I have seen so many people say that they were so ready for 2010 to be gone, and they hoped that 2011 was going to be better. I believe that in a way, I could say at the end of any and all years of my adult life. However, I don't have regrets in 2010, and I wasn't in any hurry for it to be gone. It does create the opportunity for new beginnings, but don't we get that every day? Isn't every Monday an opportunity for a new week? I personally love Mondays because they are fresh and new and an opportunity for a new beginning, but do not want to live my life thinking that happiness is just one step away. I have had a difficult and life changing experience every single year for the past 5 years, and will experience difficult times in every year that is to come. Happiness is available right here in this moment, not tomorrow or next year. The Bible says not to worry about tomorrow for today has enough trouble of its own. I find this to be true and challenging. I am a worrier by nature! I strive to live in the moment, and to be happy NOW regardless of the situation at hand.
I believe that making goals are healthy, and help move your life in a positive direction. They can be a way to inventory your ambitions, hopes, and plans. They are a way to become more self aware. They are an excellent time for a spiritual inventory.
This morning at church, the sermon was entitled "Running on the Treadmill of Life" which was an appropriate title for the first Sunday of the year! The focus was on Ecclesiastes Chapter 1. In it, the message was about the vanity of a focus on life "under the sun" which refers to the secular aspect of the world. The overall message was that in life, we can spend remarkable amounts of time seeking things that will fullfill us. We strive for more money, big houses, nice cars, high paying jobs, a better body, etc. We run and run and run as if on a treadmill, but do not actually go anywhere. These are secular things that cannot be taken with us to eternity. True fullfillment can only be obtained through Jesus Christ.
It is so wonderful when things that are on my heart are spoken from the pulpit! My main goal for 2011 is to put all of my ambitions, hopes, and plans into the hands of Jesus Christ for that is the way to true fulfillment!
I see so many people who put on a positive facade, but are actually so bitter and lost. They spend hours analyzing how to make things better for themselves, but a lot of the time do not act on these analyzations. They think that if they can just do______, they will be happy or if they just had _______ they could be happy. Sadly, you can put a lot of things in that blank, but they will not experience true happiness without Jesus.
These are my thoughts and goals for 2011! I am beginning a book called "A Woman Who Reflects the Heart of Jesus" and look forward to reaping the happiness that comes with being a woman who lives a Christlike life. I look forward to seeing God work through me to bless others.
I welcome 2011! The Joy of the Lord is my Strength!
-JoyDay-
Yesterday, as I was driving I heard a familiar song, but it spoke to my heart in a different way than before. "Jesus, all for Jesus...All of my ambitions, hopes, and plans, I surrender thee into your hands....for it's only by your will that I am free". This is what I want for 2011. I want to give all of my ambitions, hopes, and plans to Jesus. I pray that my will lines up with his will!
I journaled a few goals for this year. I don't necessarily like the word "resolution" because it gives the implication that something needs to be resolved or fixed. I like the word goals better. It just seems more positive to me.
I have seen so many people say that they were so ready for 2010 to be gone, and they hoped that 2011 was going to be better. I believe that in a way, I could say at the end of any and all years of my adult life. However, I don't have regrets in 2010, and I wasn't in any hurry for it to be gone. It does create the opportunity for new beginnings, but don't we get that every day? Isn't every Monday an opportunity for a new week? I personally love Mondays because they are fresh and new and an opportunity for a new beginning, but do not want to live my life thinking that happiness is just one step away. I have had a difficult and life changing experience every single year for the past 5 years, and will experience difficult times in every year that is to come. Happiness is available right here in this moment, not tomorrow or next year. The Bible says not to worry about tomorrow for today has enough trouble of its own. I find this to be true and challenging. I am a worrier by nature! I strive to live in the moment, and to be happy NOW regardless of the situation at hand.
I believe that making goals are healthy, and help move your life in a positive direction. They can be a way to inventory your ambitions, hopes, and plans. They are a way to become more self aware. They are an excellent time for a spiritual inventory.
This morning at church, the sermon was entitled "Running on the Treadmill of Life" which was an appropriate title for the first Sunday of the year! The focus was on Ecclesiastes Chapter 1. In it, the message was about the vanity of a focus on life "under the sun" which refers to the secular aspect of the world. The overall message was that in life, we can spend remarkable amounts of time seeking things that will fullfill us. We strive for more money, big houses, nice cars, high paying jobs, a better body, etc. We run and run and run as if on a treadmill, but do not actually go anywhere. These are secular things that cannot be taken with us to eternity. True fullfillment can only be obtained through Jesus Christ.
It is so wonderful when things that are on my heart are spoken from the pulpit! My main goal for 2011 is to put all of my ambitions, hopes, and plans into the hands of Jesus Christ for that is the way to true fulfillment!
I see so many people who put on a positive facade, but are actually so bitter and lost. They spend hours analyzing how to make things better for themselves, but a lot of the time do not act on these analyzations. They think that if they can just do______, they will be happy or if they just had _______ they could be happy. Sadly, you can put a lot of things in that blank, but they will not experience true happiness without Jesus.
These are my thoughts and goals for 2011! I am beginning a book called "A Woman Who Reflects the Heart of Jesus" and look forward to reaping the happiness that comes with being a woman who lives a Christlike life. I look forward to seeing God work through me to bless others.
I welcome 2011! The Joy of the Lord is my Strength!
-JoyDay-
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