Thank YOU for Holding!

Thank you for holding...How May I Help You? 

OK...so enough of the Please Hold bit...but I did need a break. 

I, along with many others in my life, am finding myself a little bewildered at all of the sadness, illness and tragedy that many of my friends are experiencing. 

As I stated in my last "real" post.  It is overwhelming. 

So I am one of those people that when already overwhelmed...anything else extra...even the small stuff...can send me over the top and I, in response, can blow things WAY out of proportion...I, in fact, DO sweat the small stuff.

So as I have said...I have several friends who are going through some really life changing and difficult situations and it is painful to watch! Monday was a day filled with bad news followed by a rather eventful Tuesday morning...a morning filled with the small stuff...

So on Tuesday morning I am cruising (in stop and go rush hour traffic) towards town on US 290...For those of you that may not be familiar with Houston..290 (NW Freeway) is a prime example of what is wrong with Houston traffic...too many people trying to move in one direction with too few lanes to do so...AND no efficient mass transit options! 

So...I digress...I am working my way down 290 when suddenly my steering wheel feels funny...and it sounds like I am driving over broken glass...AHHH...I know this sound...I have a FLAT Tire...in Rush Hour traffic on the most the worst freeway in the city!! YIPEEEE!!!!  Oh...and it is 33 degrees outside and in HOUSTON that is damn cold!!!! 

So as not to completely milk every ounce of dramatic play out of this story...let me cut to the good part...I get out...call and try to get help from someone I know to no avail...and really don't want to pay for roadside service if I don't have to...So...I begin to try to change the tire myself...Frozen Hands....Crowbar....Jack...and Lugnuts...NOT A GOOD MIX!!!  Cars slowly driving by giving me that...it sucks to be you look...when out of the blue...My White Knight (actually a white Ford Truck)  appears on the access road...drives up on the grassy embankment where my car is and proceeds to tell me that he saw me as he was passing me on 290...He exited, u-turned under the freeway and came BACK to help me!!!  Then...less than a minute after that 2 MORE gentlemen (also in a white truck) come over to assist...They change my tire....and make sure that I am safely back on the road before leaving!!! 

That my friends is some serious Angel action!!!  Once again...the blessings outweigh the challenges!!

Oh...and there were other blessings that day too!!!  I received steady reminders that despite the heaviness I am feeling that God is right there to Lighten my load! 

So flashback to Monday evening...after posting late Monday night...I received a text from a high school/college/rest of my life friend..:) that simply said as she was praying her rosary that morning she had come across something that she thought might speak to me! 

I am posting what she sent and I do apologize for the fuzzy print.  I hope you can read these.

As I read this...I thought... perseverance is an act of Faith for me.  In order to exhibit true perseverance, I must be willing to face my fears everyday...embrace those fears with faith and keeping moving ahead.

My favorite portion of the above reading is this:

"Perseverance requires a RESOLVE to keep going, a sense of urgency about the mission and a determination to complete the job"

I must have all three of the key elements in the sentence above...RESOLVE-URGENCY-DETERMINATION...in order to complete my mission and meet my goal. 

I am struggling with all three...but I do believe that more than ever before in my 46 years...I am approaching life with more determination that I have in a long time. 

If I am being honest...it can be easy for me to lose sight of the urgency in particular..I can make excuses that this is taking longer than I expected so therefore...time goals are less meaningful..that "at least I am still trying" thought.  But the truth is...there needs to be a sense of urgency...not stress or worry...but a strong commitment to accomplishing my goal and meeting that goal. 

So as I near the end of 2013, I plan to take some time to map out my 2014...create a better plan to start the year.  Create goals for myself, position myself in life for success...With success still defined as being the most productive, healthiest, happiest, faithful person I can be! 

My Motto for 2014 is going to be:  Persevere with Resolve-Urgency and Determination-The Journey Continues

I want to push beyond my comfort zone in all areas of my Life... Keeping in my heart the knowledge that I can do ALL things Through Christ!

I still have quite a bit of weight to lose and I still have better health ahead of me.  AND...I know that while I build my physical body...I have some serious Faith Strength Training to do as well!

I am blessed to have people in my life that I think are extraordinary achievers...in different ways!  I was recently thinking about just a few of those people...thinking about what makes them special...Now, I must say, I am clear that it is a combination of several things...but the one thing that they ALL have in common...PERSEVERANCE!

So before I go...Starting a little 30 day mini goal on Saturday...30 Days of Planking...Here is what I, and some of my friends and family will be doing...JOIN IN!

The 30 Day Plank Challenge will send your core strength through the roof! Yes, all you have to do is HOLD this position, nothing else! It looks pretty easy, but it isn't!

Day 1 - 20 seconds
Day 2 - 20 seconds
Day 3 - 30 seconds
Day 4 - 30 ...seconds
Day 5 - 40 seconds
Day 6 - REST
Day 7 - 45 seconds
Day 8 - 45 seconds
Day 9 - 60 seconds
Day 10 - 60 seconds
Day 11 - 60 seconds
Day 12 - 90 seconds
Day 13 - REST
Day 14 - 90 seconds
Day 15 - 90 seconds
Day 16 - 120 seconds
Day 17 - 120 seconds
Day 18 - 150 seconds
Day 19 - REST
Day 20 - 150 seconds
Day 21 - 150 seconds
Day 22 - 180 seconds
Day 23 - 180 seconds
Day 24 - 210 seconds
Day 25 - 210 seconds
Day 26 - REST Day 27 - 240 seconds
Day 28 - 240 seconds
Day 29 - 270 seconds
Day 30 - PLANK FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE!!