IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!

We are moving to a new location! This blog can now be found at the following link: http://recreationalwordslinger.wordpress.com.

I have been wanting to spruce this thing up for awhile now, and I think this change will do the trick.
It will also motivate me to post more, which I've failed at the past few weeks.

Please continue to join me on this journey!
Click here to visit the new blog.

The Discipline of the Day

One of the most basic thought processes you have is "what am I going to do today?" Being disciplined enough to accomplish your daily tasks can be difficult. A good way to combat this problem is by using a "task list," also known as the to-do list.

I'm notorious for creating to-do lists. My hubby jokingly asks me if I wrote down "breathe" and "eat" on the lists! But, I'm almost addicted to them now. In fact, I often "overbook" my day just so I can have lots of checkmarks. Maybe I should see a therapist about this...that doesn't seem healthy now that I wrote it out.

Here are three main ideas I came up with about to-do lists:

1. Make clear and concise bullet points. This way you know exactly what it is you need to do.
2. Make one big point and add additional "sub" points underneath. This ties your day into manageable areas of workability.
3. Carry it around with you. This may seem obvious, but if you continue to see your task list then you are more likely to do the items on that list. 

A Disciplined Approach

Several of the blogs that I read on a daily basis seem to have had one theme in common the past couple of days: discipline. This is totally a God inspired thing because that is an area where I have been struggling mightily. After reading those posts, I decided to be more intentional about being disciplined.

Michael Hyatt (click here to read his post on discipline) gives the example of using discipline to lose weight. One step that Hyatt lists as an essential element to developing discipline is "Identifying Obstacles." He lists multiple scenarios where something can come up that throws you off course. Not being prepared with healthy snacks. Ordering a meal in a restaurant. Not having time to exercise.

When you identify your obstacles, you can then turn them around into situations that benefit you. You can plan ahead and be prepared to combat those obstacles. Which is smart.

All this week, I will be focusing on developing a disciplined approach. I'm looking forward to being more disciplined. As Jon Acuff says in his book "Quitter," discipline begets discipline. So when we're disciplined in one area of our life (say our diet), then we become more disciplined in others (work, writing, marriage, exercising, etc.).

Not Pessimism...

I'm going to be completely honest with you. I'm just not feeling it today. For some reason, on the days when I stay at home and do nothing (not by choice...just didn't called to work), I really start to question and think about things. This week has been reminiscent of the summer weeks. I've gotten my hopes up with random job postings and possibilities, yet nothing has come to fruition. AGAIN. And, today it was really weighing on me.

I've tried to do my best throughout this unemployment period to take advantage of the time I have to work out and exercise. So, I was on the elliptical for awhile, watching a sermon by Pete Wilson at CrossPoint Church in Nashville. I've mentioned before about how much I adore this church, and await the opportunity to visit. Anyway...Pete had a question in the sermon that rocked me to the core (or maybe that was the exercising):

When has pessimism or cynicism ever gotten you anywhere?

So I thought about it...it's certainly not getting me anywhere right now that's for sure. All day I've been all "I'm never going to get a teaching job" and stuff. Have I been productive? Heck no. The only thing I've done is worked out. I'm convinced pessimism is like a cancer...it spreads and infiltrates all areas of your thought processes. It's not productive.

Today, choose to not think pessimistically. Be positive...because this can spread, too.

Will I Ever??

The question bounces around in between your ears. Will I ever...

-grow up

-get married

-get a teaching job

-have kids

-be good enough

If we let it, this question can dictate our lives. It can manipulate and control us in ways we never thought were possible.

Today, grab that question by the throat and scream "I WANT SOME PEACE! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Take a deep breath and rest in the peace that passes all understanding. God has a plan. He's in control. And He will rule over the "will I ever" questions in your life.

What Are You Waiting For?

Have you ever uttered the following words: If I can ever find the time, I will work on _________"??

If you are anything like me, then I am sure you have. Just this past August, I decided I wanted to paint some. I bought a couple of canvas boards, some paint, and borrowed some brushes from my brother. I have done a total of 1 painting. That's right, 1. I'm sure you have a story like this, too. Maybe it's got to do with pursuing a dream of yours. Maybe it's about losing weight (oh yeah, I've got this one also). Maybe it's about spending time with your kids.

Stop putting it off until you have time. Because if we're honest, then we'll never really have enough time. On days that we're off, we want to rest or catch up on our chores and housework so we don't have to do it during the week. Tomorrow starts a new month. November. Second to last month of the year. Don't wait until New Years to make a change. Do it now. Find the time.

What are you waiting for?

I Lost It

I had an amazing idea for today's post...last night. Did I write it down? Of course not. So guess what? I forgot it. And I'm mad that I did because, like I said, it was awesome. So who knows what's going to happen here.

"...cynics desecrate beauty." -Proverbs 24:9

I read this verse this morning. Honestly, it was finding the word "desecrate" in the Bible that stopped me in my tracks. But then I went back and reread it to put it into context. It's actually a powerful verse.

If there's one thing I cannot stand, it's a cynic. You'll never get there. That plan will never work out. This idea will never take hold. Never, never, never.

Get over yourself Mr. Cynic. Who are you to tell me that I can't create or maintain beauty? Stop desecrating beauty.

Challenge: Today, ignore the cynic. Allow yourself to see/create/maintain/develop beauty.

Tune In Tuesday, Part Two

Yesterday, I posted on Twitter something along all the lines of this:

"Shout out to Coldplay for making me not be able to correctly 'paradise' anymore."

I'm sure this made some of you wonder what in the world I meant. Well peeps, here ya go. You're welcome:





Coldplay has quickly become one of my top all time favorites...right up there with U2. (I'm not being blasphemous Robby, seriously...)

I'm getting their CD next week because I will earn a $5 gift card to Target when I get my flu shot. So, by golly, I'm treating myself to something after the pain!

If you want to go ahead and get yours now (CD version), click below to go to Amazon (affiliate link):




Here's the link to the MP3 download, a great, quick option:

It's A New Week!!!

Happy Monday Recreational Word Slingers! It's a brand new week, and I pray that you guys have a great week. This is a good week for me:

-worked half a day today...which means I will probably get a gazillion calls the rest of the week!

-going to Knoxville to watch my Tennessee Vols beat South Carolina...the best part is the people who I'm going with (you know who you are)

-I actually might play well enough in my tennis match to make it competitive :)


What do you guys have going on?? Let me know by commenting below!

P.S. Sorry if this post is badly formatted, I'm posting from my phone.

He Reigns Over the Pain

God reigns...

-over your pain
-over your relationships
-over your unemployment
-over your promotion
-over your infertility
-over your spouse & children
-over your gifts & abilities

-over everything

Things I Love Right Now

I love to run these days. It really clears my head and helps me think.

I am in love with all things pumpkin. Pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks, pumpkin muffins that my sister-in-law made, pumpkin muffins that I made yesterday, and pumpkin scones that I want to make next week :)

I love that I'm going to be an aunt...I can't wait for my little niece or nephew to get here, so I can spoil them like crazy. I can picture a lot of spend the night parties with my fav little dude or dudette!

I am obsessed with reading right now...just finished Emily Giffin's Something Blue. It's totally a chick read, but I had fun indulging myself! I've got several more serious books that I'm about to start reading, so it's all good.

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What about you? What things do you love right now?

Gracious Words

What percentage of your speech yesterday was negative, sarcastic, or condescending?

This is the question that greeted me in my devotional this morning. Talk about a slap in the face. Not that I consistently smack talk people throughout the day. That’s not the part that got me. What I struggle with is the sarcasm aspect of that question. I don’t know why I love sarcasm so much…maybe because I like to crack jokes, maybe it’s because I avoid being authentic, maybe I should be lying on a couch talking to my therapist about this instead. By the way, I don’t really have a therapist, but I thought that sounded funny there. OK, I think I figured out which one of those it is!

Anyways…sarcasm does not build anyone up. It is not gracious speech. Gracious words do not exist inside sarcasm. Translation…it’s not good. One thing that I do is sarcastically argue with my husband. We aren’t “real” fighting, but we are “play” fighting. What purpose does this have? None. There is no possible way that our “play” bickering can increase the affection we have for each other.

In the book, The Love Dare, I found a great quote about what to do in situations like the one I just described. “More than biting your lip, more than clapping a hand over your mouth, patience is a deep breath.” I love that. Patience is a deep breath. Just take a deep breath and don’t say anything! I need to work on keeping my mouth shut and increasing the gracious things that I say.

“Gracious speech is like clover honey-good taste to the soul, quick energy for the body.” Proverbs 16:24 (The Message)

“Thoughtlessness is a silent enemy to a loving relationship.”

-       The Love Dare

Want to Get Better?

When was the last time you stopped for a moment and took a self-inventory? I have to be honest…it’s been quite a long time for me. I generally know areas that I need to improve in, but I rarely sit down to evaluate my life as a whole.

Last Monday, I lost (significantly) my first tennis match. When I got home, I took about ten minutes to think about what had gone so wrong. Turns out, there were many things! I also thought about how to fix those errors. I wrote it down, and I determined that I was going to try and improve on those things in my next match.

This got me thinking about why I don’t do this for all areas of my life. Physically…mentally…emotionally…spiritually. So, that’s on my to-do list for tomorrow. Here are a couple of questions to help you get started with this inventory:

1. How do I feel physically? Am I getting enough rest, exercise, and nutrients?

2. What am I doing to continually stretch my mental abilities?

3. Have I reacted too strongly in an emotional setting recently?

4. What does my relationship with God look like?

Always ask: how can I improve? This helps you to realize that you can always get better.

Become Dumb

I've got a confession to make...lately, I have been feeling apathetic. And, it's not just confined to one area of my life...it has spilled over into all aspects of my life. I knew that something had been a little "off" for awhile now, and I know the cause of it, too. The only problem is the solution is not in my hands. I tried all summer to "solve" this problem, and it just didn't work. Granted this is something that has more to do with other people making decisions than with me doing my thing. So yesterday afternoon, I decided something:

I AM JUST PLAIN TIRED OF TRYING RIGHT NOW.

It feels like every time I take a step forward...I take two or three back. I know you guys are tired of reading these depressing posts (I'm gonna try and do a pep talk at the end, so stay with me here), so I just want to let you know that I haven't been myself since about May. I hope once everything gets straightened out then I can back to my old self.

I know there are a lot of people going through situations or a season where there is no end in sight. Marathon seasons. Remember this, you can't sprint throughout a marathon. There is absolutely no way that you can run at 100% speed for 26.2 miles. Even professionals slow down during a race...granted their pace is still like 5:00/mi when they slow down, but still!

Take it a little at a time. Turn your brain off for a few hours or so and just forget about the situation. Become "dumb" to it. Maybe when you turn it back on, you'll find that your care was turned back on, too.

The Art of Inconsistency

I realized this morning that I am consistently inconsistent. One week I may go on a diet and be completely dedicated to losing weight, and then the next I may eat dessert at every meal and have fast food for lunch every day. Two or three weeks later, I find myself back at square one. I have come to the conclusion that I do not know how to be consistent.

I have this sneaking suspicion that this affliction of inconsistency does not merely affect me. After all, there is a whole section of music built around the notion of inconsistency. Ever heard of “One-Hit Wonders?” Once you sift through all the “Who Let the Dogs Out” and “Kung-Fu Fighting” singles, you realize just how significant these tunes were to their appropriate generations. So, why have we not heard any more of their music? Because the culture changed. The singles were a hit one day, and then the next day they were not. Inconsistency. This happens repeatedly in the music business, which is why the “sophomore slump” racks the nerves of every potential artist. They want to continue to be relevant; if they have a consistent sound, then that is at risk.

We see this in our everyday lives as well. The diet example that I gave earlier resonates with many of you I’m sure. Another part of inconsistency that I can relate to is in the job realm. As a substitute teacher, inconsistency is what I do. I may work three days one week and not work any the following week. Those of you in the freelance business can relate to this. Some weeks you think you can go out and buy a Lexus because you have so much work coming in, but you know that right around the corner you might have to eat Ramen noodles in order to pay for your cell phone bill. Ah, the joys (not) of inconsistency.

What’s so great about consistency anyway? Well, for many people (including myself), consistency equals balance. There is not too many out there who would deny themselves the opportunity to receive balance in their lives. Balance helps us to feel like we have some degree of control. Consistency means knowing what will happen next. After all, isn’t that the meaning of the word? It takes the weight off our shoulders. It relieves us of the pressure of the unknown.

When we go through a season of our life where inconsistency dictates, it is easy for one to crumble. All we focus on is the incredulous number of balls that we are juggling in the air. The blinders become more evident, and our field of vision narrows. But this is the period when we can actually control the direction our life moves toward. Pick one area of your life that you know without a doubt that you can consistently focus on. Maybe it’s reading everyday. Maybe it’s exercising everyday. Maybe it’s being a good parent everyday. When you become disciplined in one area, it tends to spill over (just like that bowl of soup you had for dinner last night) into other areas of your life. The art of inconsistency is that you can move from inconsistency to consistency with one little discipline.  

Tunes for Your Tuesday

I wanted to share with you this amazing cover of a great song in and of itself. Matthew Mayfield may have found what he was looking for in this song. He sings and tweaks the music a little bit as well, but it sounds amazing. Check out his version of "Where the Streets Have No Name," originally done by U2.

The Monday Me

The Monday me hates the weekend me. The weekend me has fun on Friday nights, hangs out with family and friends on Saturdays, watches an inordinate amount of sports, and takes an afternoon nap on Sundays.

The Monday me wakes up with nowhere to go except the grocery store. The switch goes from full throttle to little to no "oomph" at all. It goes from one extreme to the other.

To be honest, I love the weekend me. (Who doesn't, right?!) But I almost love the weekend me more so now that I don't have a job than when I did have a job. Let me explain.

During the week, I feel this extreme pressure to get a sub opportunity or the need to find a more stable part-time, night job. And on days when I don't get asked to sub or when I continue to have no luck finding a night job, then I start down the path to the "death spiral." This is what I call what happens to me by Thursday on weeks without work. It's one thing after another when I'm in the "death spiral."

Guess when I DON'T feel any pressure? You got it...on the weekend. Sometimes, if I'm lucky, I go a whole day (most likely on Saturday) when I don't even think about my previous lackluster week or the seemingly endless one ahead of me.

There is a disconnect between the Monday me and the weekend me.

What about you? Does your personality hate your weekend self?

"Quitter"

Today I want to inform you about a book that will change the way you think about your job. Quitter by Jon Acuff, who I’ve mentioned on the blog before, is a piece written to people who have a dream job that is separate from their day job. Now don’t get me wrong…there are a lot of parallels to life in general, so even if you have your dream job already I still suggest you read it. I, for example, don’t currently have a steady day job, so some of the points did not apply to that aspect of my life. However, I still got some advice from Mr. Acuff himself.

The book is written in his typical, satirical style, which is why I might be slightly obsessed with reading his stuff. Nevertheless, I chuckled throughout the entire writing. The points are well thought out, and there is even some pages in the back for you to brainstorm on. I did not do this because I borrowed the book from someone, and I didn’t think they would appreciate me scribbling in their book. But, when you buy this book, you can do it. So get yourself a copy. Seriously, just click on the little link below…very good…and purchase it. Enjoy!

A Slap in the Face

Anybody who knows me knows that I am a HUGE sports fan...this includes the sport of baseball. Specifically, I am a fan of the Atlanta Braves. Some of you who know what happened last night are either: a)laughing at me because you are a Cardinals fan, or b)sympathize with me because you, too (for some reason) are also a Braves fan. If "a" is the case, then don't talk to me...I'm not happy with Cardinals right now. If it's "b", air hugs...lots of them.

For those of you who aren't big baseball fans, then I'll fill you in briefly...hopefully without shedding a tear. At the beginning of September, the Braves had a GINORMOUS lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the Wild Card race. The winner of the Wild Card goes to the playoffs, which start Saturday. Over the course of the month, the Braves lost a couple of games and the Cardinals tied up the Wild Card race on Tuesday night. So, Wednesday's game was crucial. The Cardinals won Wednesday, so the Braves had to win to force a playoff game tonight. Long story short (I'd prefer not to recap the game because then I really will cry), the Braves lost in extra innings. So, no playoffs. After all that.

Fast forward to this morning. My husband (knowing that I would be devastated) sent me a text that said, "try to have a good day today." That's not really important to my story, but I thought it was sweet. I decided to work out my feelings through a run. I go to a local track. This man and his dog walk up to the area. I notice he looks in a nearby trashcan. "That's weird," I think to myself. Then, I notice, he goes to all of the other trash cans in the area. This man was looking for food.

SLAP. IN. MY. FACE.

It was like God hit me with a 2 x 4 right in the middle of my forehead. There I was, fussing and angrily thinking/replaying the game in my head, and there was a guy looking for something to eat. In the trash can. That just got to me.

Have you ever been slapped upside the head when you're feeling sorry for yourself?

A Day Away to Keep the Blues At Bay

I'm looking forward to my day today...want to know why? Ok, ok...I'll tell you.

I'm getting out of the house. After the ridiculously depressing day I had yesterday (and it was all self-induced), I'm ready for a day out. Now, you might think to yourself..."But you just had a day out with your Mom on Monday?" Very good...and somewhat creepy because I didn't tweet, Facebook, or blog about that...but I have found that when I have a week when I know that I won't be working (at least that's the way it looks right now), then I need my "away" time.

When I say "away" time, this does not always mean going out and spending money. In fact, today I probably won't spend much, but I'm getting out and going to enjoy the company. My away time has a twofold purpose:

1. It takes my mind of things. For a few precious hours, I do not have to worry about the fact that I don't have a steady job. And believe me, that in and of itself is worth whatever I spend.
2. It helps me get recharged for the next day. I come back home in a better mood, and I feel more energized to face the rest of the week. This is crucial to my mental health right now.

Sometimes just going out for a run can do these two things for me, but some days it takes a little more. Like today. So that's why I'm excited about my day. And I hope you are too!