New Weekly Exercise Plan!

Woo. Excitement.
Not really.
But it's good for me, and once I actually start exercising I love all the endorphins and schtuff. Yay runner's highs! haha.

So. I'm just going to have a set thing to do each day of the week.

MONDAY: Wake up. Stretch. Go a mile on the treadmill after getting back home from feeding.

TUESDAY: Wake up. Stretch. Find a random 10 minute cardio workout online.

WEDNESDAY: Wake up. Stretch. [see a trend here? I want my splits back!] Go a mile on the treadmill after getting back home from feeding/teaching Phoebe.

THURSDAY: Wake up. Stretch. Find a different 10 minute cardio workout online.

FRIDAY: Wake up. Stretch. Stretch some more. Friday is super stretching day. Then do some lunges and planks.

SATURDAY: Wake up. Stretch. Clean my room/car out. Play around with my dad's exercise equipment. Ride. Practice our teen talent dance.

SUNDAY: Wake up. Stretch. Drama/Dance practice shall be my workout.


I am going to have to kick myself to do this every morning. But if I don't do it right when I wake up, then I'll never find the time to do it. I can't exercise at night either, because then I'd never be able to get to sleep. And besides, I feel better afterwords. I'm going to try my darndest to not skip a SINGLE day for at least three weeks. After the second week, everything is easier. After the third week, its a habit. So yeah. The fourth week will be my reward because it will just seem normal then.

Favorite Pastor Quotes

haha. So, I listen to several different pastors via their itunes podcasts. My favorite pastors ever are Mark Gungor and Steven Furtick. Sadly, I would have to go to Greenbay, Wisconsin to listen to Gungor and Charlotte, South Carolina to listen to Furtick. Praise the Lord for technology. Both of these pastors have multi-campus churches that are just amazing. Well, from what I've heard of the sermons they are amazing. I actually discovered Mark Gungor because my mom thought he was hilarious on the Jim Bakker show one day. I discovered Steven Furtick when I heard him speak in person at our 2009 IPHC Youth Convention in Greensboro, NC.
So, I compile some of my favorite quotes if I'm listening while on my laptop. And I thought some should be shared. :-)

Saying that religion is a matter of personal preference stops when a guy that was lame gets up and walks! Because it wasn’t his preference that got him up off that cripple bed. Saying that religion is a matter of personal preference stops when a man walks out of a grave. - Pastor J.D. Greear

We’re not saying that we are smarter. We know that you guys have got more degrees on your wall than a thermometer. We’re just saying that a guy got out of a grave! And no offense, when a guy gets out of the grave we feel like he gets to make the rules. - Pastor J.D. Greear [He's paraphrasing what Peter said to the Pharisees.]

The gospel, when interpreted correctly, leads not to exclusion and arrogance, but to inclusion, and humility, and radically pouring out yourself for others. - Pastor J.D. Greear

Scattered, awkward applause. I love it. It means I’m preaching good. Shoot, I’ll be preaching if you all walk out on me! - Steven Furtick.

Sacrifice is about giving up something good, for something BETTER that God has for you. - Holly Furtick

We know about Solomon - that he was the wisest man that ever lived. And, um, we also know that he had over 700 wives. Which also qualifies him as the dumbest man who ever lived. - Steven Furtick.

Women like to get flowers. But they LOVE to get flowers in front of other women. - Steven Furtick. [hah! So true. :P]

Cats aren’t even animals. They are demons in an animal form. So, she’s petting a demon…. - Steven Furtick

If you brought your grandmother to church today, I am so sorry. I will refund your tithe. - Furtick.

Some of you are thinking, “I don’t want to let him get away with it.” You don’t let him get away with it. You sic God on him! - Furtick. [talking about forgiving people.]

You’re going to see church after church after church. Methodists, Baptists, Pentecostals, all coming to the same table. And the Baptists are eating all the food and the Methodists organized it all and the Pentecostals kicked the table over and ran a lap. - Furtick. [talking about Heaven, I believe.]

Smokin’ won’t send ya to hell, but it’ll sure make ya smell like ya been there. - Furtick.

I’m more concerned about connecting with lost people for the sake of the Gospel than coddling Christians for the sake of their preferences. - Furtick. [agreed!]

So, I won't overload you with a million quotes, these are just some of the ones I already had written down. :)

New Goals.

So, since awhile back Jason said that he was going to start being more disciplined in his life, I figured it would be a good idea for me to start as well. After all, if he can do it, surely I can too! :P Because I realize that I have had very little discipline lately. Ugh. And it is going to be tough, but if I make a blog post about it, and annoy several people on twitter with it, I think I'll be able to keep up with it. Well, at least I'll have more accountability than if I just wrote it in my diary. Because I do have a diary. Its a pretty diary. Handmade leather, with a very artistic horse sketch on it, in fact. But I digress... I just started listing these things as they came to me. These are all things that I used to actually do at some point or another, but I only did them one or two at a time. The ultimate test will be to combine all of these things into an organized life of awesome discipline-ness. And it will all start on Saturday, because tonight I must stay up late to watch Jimmy Fallon since Straight No Chaser is his musical guest. :-)

1. I will have some sort of devotional every single morning. Every morning. And if I will not be sleeping in my own bed, then I will do two devotionals the day before or after. I have neglected my prayer journal and feel really bad about it.
2. I actually need to fall asleep by 11:00. Not just be in bed with a book. If I have to use Tylenol pm for a week straight to get on a schedule, I will. Because I need to be up and out of bed by 7:30. Every morning. So maybe get in bed by 10:15 every night. That's probably good.
3. I will designate Saturday as my car and room cleaning days. Car cleaning will involve windex and possibly a hand held vacuum. Room cleaning will involve making sure that I can actually see my carpet. Seriously, I SWEAR I only put one book on the floor, then it multiplies to five in the night. My books and papers that end up on the floor transform into tribbles in the night.
4. I will check my email only three times per day, maximum. In the morning, around lunchtime, and before I start getting ready for bed.
5. Same goes for facebook. Oh, the horrors.
6. Exercise: I will make an exercise calendar. And keep to it this time. Really. My cardio is horrible, and I almost have a lung collapse every time I run out to grab a horse from turnout. My next blog post will be said exercise calendar.
7. I will do what I say, and only say what I will be able to do. I'm horrible at not being able to say no. I feel guilty denying people. But then I can't do it, so that's worse than saying no.
8. I will pretend like I do not have a debit card in my wallet at all times, unless I have planned to buy something in advance. Starbucks is ONLY for when I have a gift card. Sonic is ONLY for when I have cash. End of story. And no buying anything until I write my tithe check either.
9. And lastly, I must make a conscious effort to be more friendly and keep up with those friends. Just because I am an introvert doesn't mean I can forget that I do have to actually interact with people. I have the worst habit of forgetting about people that I shouldn't, and tend to go a month or more without replying to an email or message. Ugh.

Actually, that was not the last. The very last is keeping up with my blog so I can inform my... 3+ readers of my progress. I give you all the right to comment on my posts to call me out if you think I'm slipping. Yes, even Jason, even though he just made fun of me on his blog. :P haha. Oh, and if you want to read an awesome creative writing assignment I did on the topic of wisdom, scroll down some. I even quote Spock and Captain Picard in it. I think it is the best paper on wisdom ever. [Should being humble be in my list? hmm... naah. ;) ]

Wisdom from the Bible, Plato, and Spock

So. I wrote a paper today on wisdom. It is around 750-ish words. I think it is pretty awesome because I quote the Bible, Plato, Norman Cousins [whoever that is!], CAPTAIN PICARD, and SPOCK. I adore Jean-Luc Picard, Spock, Data, Riker, Bones, and James T. Kirk. It delighted me to no end that I could have quotes from characters from The Original Series AND The Next Generation.

Someone help me. As in my tweet earlier... #nerdalert! Haha. I also used the #bestpaperever hashtag. :D Which makes me even more of a nerd, I think. Anyway... here is the paper!







Wisdom is regarded as a positive and even ideal trait to have by most people. It can be used or ignored in every situation. When someone makes a bad decision, their friends or parents often tell them that it wasn't very wise. Many people spend years trying to gain wisdom, and others seem to be born with it. The many writings and quotes on wisdom show us how valuable it has been to societies for many years. Well known writers, philosophers, and religious experts have all had sayings or phrases about wisdom attributed to them. Plato wrote that, "Wise men talk because they have something to say, fools talk because they must say something."

Religion has been a major part of wisdom's background. In Christianity, the Bible story of King Solomon asking for wisdom is one of the more well known mentions of the subject. Many people say that he was the wisest man on Earth. King Solomon was believed to have written most of the book of Proverbs. The great saying, "A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger," can be found in Proverbs 15:1. Books upon books can be found on the subject of wisdom. My mother owns one entitled Wisdom for the Way: Wise Words for the Busy Soul by Charles Swindoll. It is a fairly new book that was published in 2002, but it contains older excerpts from the Bible to strengthen its claims. It quotes from the New Testament as well as the Old Testament, showing that wisdom is deeply rooted in the foundations of Christianity.

Other religions such as Islam and Buddhism greatly value wisdom. The Qur'an states that wisdom is one of the best gifts that humans can have, and that Allah gives wisdom to who he will. In Buddhism, wisdom is described as a person who has good bodily, verbal, and mental conduct. Taoism describes wisdom as knowing when the right time is to say the right things.

The opposite of wisdom is acting stupidly. Wisdom is not foolishness. People who are wise do not make decisions without thinking and discerning which course of action is appropriate. It is never wise to make rash decisions. Some people call this going off half-cocked, especially when you are angry. There are even rare situations where it is not wise to obey an authority figure. In Star Trek: The Next Generation Captain Picard once said, "There are times, sir, when men of good conscience cannot blindly follow orders." In that situation, Picard had been ordered to forcefully displace a whole race of people from their planet similar to when the American Indians had been forced on the Trail of Tears.

The more people that you ask, the more definitions you will hear about wisdom. While they might not all be correct, wisdom has many different facets. Another word for it could be discernment. Wisdom is being faced with a decision, and discerning which is the best course of action based on the choices you have in front of you. I also agree with Norman Cousins, who said, "Wisdom consists of the anticipation of consequences." If you know that the consequence of speeding in your car is potentially crashing or getting pulled over by a cop, then you should use wisdom and drive the speed limit. Wisdom, for Christians, is also about our morals. It could be defined as making decisions that line up with our moral convictions. It is also defined as putting your knowledge to use. As Spock said in Star Trek VI, "Logic is the beginning of wisdom, not the end."

I use wisdom in my everyday life, especially while I'm working. My job is teaching people, especially younger kids, to ride horses. I have to use wisdom to keep my students safe. For example, it is wise if I use mellow, well-trained school horses for my beginner riders, especially the smaller ones. It is also wise to require my students to wear helmets and teach them safety precautions. Another every day, simple way to use wisdom is getting dressed after watching the weather report. If it is cold and snowy outside, it is wise to wear a heavy coat and several layers of clothing to keep warm. Likewise, if it is rainy it is wise to wear a raincoat or carry an umbrella. From ancient history to modern times, and even into the imagined future, wisdom is an ideal trait to have and we should all be constantly striving for it.

"I Did Lots of Things My Parents Didn't Know About...."

Haha. Hi, all. Yes, it's been awhile. But I believe the readers of this blog only look about once a month anyway, so I probably could have posted this two weeks from now and it wouldn't have made a difference. Anyway.
I was just thinking back to one of my favorite conversations with my parents this winter. We had been snowed in for a day and a half, and when we finally went outside, it was for dad and I to take brooms to the tops of the cars and uncover them from about 6 inches of snow. And we also had to spend a good 30 minutes defrosting/de-icing the windshields.
When that was done, dad wanted to "see what the roads were like." He just randomly likes to go on drives. He's a big fan of "seeing where the roads will take him." So, while we were out on this little drive [he had me behind the wheel because he didn't feel like going to get his wallet/license] he asks me, "Do you have any experience getting out of skids?"
My immediate reaction could be summed up like this: "??????"
So I said, "Where would I practice getting out of skids? I know you steer into them. I fishtail and get into skids on purpose on the four-wheeler. Does that count?"
"Yeah, as long as you know what it feels like you have an advantage." So he was happy with that. But I just had to know something.
"Seriously, what did you think my answer would be?"
His answer to that question? "Well, I did lots of things my parents didn't know about. We used to to donuts in my truck when I was a kid." Uh-huh. Because that would go over REAL well with him. [Listen, dad. I know you want me to be safe on the roads when they're icy, so I got in some practice just messing around in my car in that abandoned parking lot over there! We did donuts, then we hit the open road to go drifting! Aren't you proud of me? Oh, wait... was this part of the stuff that you DIDN'T want to know about?]
Anyways... just thought I'd share a funny little convo with my dad with you all. haha. Personally, I think part of that conversation was just daring me to go do something dangerous on an empty patch of pavement, but maybe that's just me....

Potter, you rotter.

haha. I was bored. So I decided to pick out one of my favorite quotes from each Harry Potter book. I'll actually start that in a second, but I thought that these three quotes deserve good mention outside of my list:
"Oh, Potter, you rotter, oh, what have you done, You're killing off students, you think it's good fun." - Peeves
"Of course I know Dumbledore, who doesn't know Dumbledore?" - Mrs. Figg
"I am a wizard, not a baboon brandishing a stick." - Professor Flitwick
haha. Okay. Here we go!

Philosopher's Stone.
"There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them (Chapter 10)"

Chamber of Secrets
"Now, Harry you must know all about Muggles, tell me, what exactly is the function of a rubber duck? " - Arthur Weasley [yes.. I got a rubber duck quote from the whole book.]

Prisoner of Azkaban
"You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in." - McGonagall
AND. " Harry and Ron both made furious moves toward Malfoy, but Hermione got there first--SMACK! She had slapped Malfoy across the face with all the strength she could muster. "

Goblet of Fire
"Colin, I fell in!" he [Dennis Creevey] said shrilly, throwing himself into an empty seat. "It was brilliant! And something in the water grabbed me and pushed me back in the boat!"
"Cool!" said Colin, just as excitedly. "It was probably the giant squid, Dennis!"
"Wow!" said Dennis, as though nobody in their wildest dreams could hope for more than being thrown into a storm-tossed, fathoms-deep lake, and pushed out of it again by a giant sea monster. "

Order of the Phoenix
"A week after Fred and George's departure, Harry witnessed Professor McGonagall walking right past Peeves, who was determinedly loosening a crystal chandelier, and could have sworn he heard her tell the poltergeist out of the corner of her mouth, "It unscrews the other way." "
AND.. "(After Lupin goes through a list of all the things they've done to discredit Dumbledore) "But Dumbledore says he doesn't care what they do as long as they don't take him off the Chocolate Frog Cards," said Bill, grinning. "
And since this is my favorite book as well as movie, I must add this favorite movie quote: "I'm sorry Professor, I must not tell lies." - Harry Potter!

Half-Blood Prince
"And that's Smith of Hufflepuff with the Quaffle," said a dreamy voice, echoing over the grounds. "He did the commentary last time, of course, and Ginny Weasley flew into him, I think probably on purpose, it looked like it. Smith was being quite rude about Gryffindor, I expect he regrets that now he's playing them - oh, look, he's lost the Quaffle. Ginny took it from him. I do like her, she's very nice..." -Luna Lovegood

Deathly Hallows
"Somewhere in the distance they could hear Peeves zooming through the corridors singing a victory song of his own composition:

We did it, we bashed them, wee Potter’s the one, And Voldy’s gone moldy, so now let’s have fun!

“Really gives a feeling for the scope and tragedy of the thing, doesn’t it?” said Ron. "

Woo! :D haha.

At Dawn

So, I lived up to my blog's name Thursday. Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve morning, actually.
My alarm went off at 5:30.
I left the house by 6:15.
I arrived at the barn some 7-9 minutes later.
I got to drive the truck. That was fun. :-) It was cold and wet and rainy and very very windy. It was pretty much the front end of the storm that brought the sleet and eventually snow through Tulsa.
It was before the sun came up. Actually, the sun didn't really come up until a few moments before I left the barn at 7:30.
Why would I wake up at 5:30 am on Christmas Eve to get out in that horrid weather by myself in the dark, you ask? [Or maybe not. Maybe I'm just hoping. Or maybe you're a person of average intelligence that has read some of my blog before, or you know me, and you already surmised my reasoning.]
I went to ride my beast. I had just gotten into a good habit of riding at least 5-6 days a week, and I didn't want to lose too many days when I went to Missouri for Christmas. And we had to leave the house before noon [so we wouldn't get stuck in Tulsa with all this LOVELY weather! (/sarcasm)]. I also wanted to get it over with before the temperature dropped. It was supposed to drop from low 40's to low 30's and below at 7:00. But I think it waited until 8:00. Which was just as well, because I spent 30 minutes longer than I meant to at the barn since I didn't get to the barn right at 6, as I had planned.

So, there I was, out in the dark at the barn with the wind howling. I jumped Koda in the indoor. Obviously, we had to go to the indoor so that we wouldn't get soaked through in the awful rain. He was a brat at first, mainly because [okay, this is a guess here. but I'd like to think that I know my horse well enough to say this] the weather was freaking him out when it made the doors creak on their hinges and the rain pound against the roof and walls. I was a little creeped by it too, just because it was dark out, but I locked us into the indoor and once we started trotting I was much more comfortable with the whole alone-in-the-beginning-of-a-storm-in-a-metal-structure-in-the-dark scenario.
Well, it wasn't completely dark. There were lights inside. But outside it was still dark, so you get my drift.

Anyway... we jumped. A lot. It was fun. :-) Once he got his manners back. We jumped pretty high too. About 3'2. Though the third time I had to get off to put the pole back up I remembered why I usually don't jump that high without Kim. But we got it. He was good about it. We did lots of tight turns with three jumps set up in the indoor. :)
And so, add in 4 hours of travel, several hours of watching REAL TV channels [not just the basic channels we have at home], and insisting to my Grandpa Pat several times that no, I wasn't freezing without socks on and that in fact, I was a bit warm all over, and there was my entire Christmas Eve.