Wednesday, September 24, 2008

WOW, so much to talk about...

Wow, I can't believe I haven't taken the time to blog in over a month. I was thrilled rthe last time to talk about making it through the first week. Now it has been almost 2 months and I feel like I have been here for years while I am still learning the ropes in lots of ways. You have to love the dichotomies of life.

Amarillo College is great and I could see myself here a long time. I love the job and the potential for the future. I am gettingt o be involved in so many things.

And life... wow, where to start? Rochelle and I are buying a house. We have a contract down on a 80 year old historic home in the Bivins edition of Amarillo. Old houses are so much fun with great character. We close Oct. 6th. Pray that we sell our existing home soon. I have personally accomplished running a half-marathon and continue to train for other events. I am no speedster, but love to run and the thrill of finishing. Cori and Megan are at SNU and doing well. Emily is at highland Park and seems to be adjusting well too in her new school environment. Rochelle and I are doing great. We lead the Life Group ministry in our church and have started a new Sunday School class. Life indeed is good, but very busy.

Maybe that is the real point of this post. Life is so busy that I have inadvertantly left out things that are important to me. Rochelle and I realized the other day that we have gotten so busy that we have neglected our date night for well over a month (if not several). I have not been journaling or blogging or writing at all like I enjoy (not to mention its therapeutic for me). At least Rochelle and I continue our morning devotions, whether she is on the road or not, and I am convinced this time with God and each other pays eternal as well as immediate dividends! We have gotten involved in ministry and become so focused on the lives of others that we have forgotten just how blessed we are. Rochelle shared a blog from a friend of hers who has started at gratitude list. You know, things she is grateful for. She lists results of gratitude studies and people who are grateful are generally healthier in all areas of their lives. I have so much to be grateful for that I need to focus on in the hectic pace of life. This morning as I was vacuuming the house at 6:45 I realized that I need to slow down, even at work - which is hard for me, and bring back the things that are so important to me and that I enjoy so much. So today is a fresh start to old habits.

I encourage you today to slow down, focus on something to be grateful for and share it with God and someone else. Your gratitude encourages not only yourself but others and may help them to look for things in their lives to be grateful for as well.

God bless and lead strong...

Shawn