Just do it!

Source

Yesterday I went for a run - and by run I mean jog :-)  Why do we still call it running when it is nowhere near "running" - I guess it just sounds cooler (I digress).

Back to my story - I went on a run.  I had not put my running shoes on in 2 or 3 months.  I had previously been on the couch to 5k program but had decided to give it a rest because I had been experiencing some pain in my knees.  It was really frustrating to stop, but it is what I felt I needed to do.

Before I went on my break, I was at week 4 of the 9 week couch to 5 k program (at least that is what I remember).  This meant that I would do the following cycle:
Jog 90 seconds - Walk 90 seconds - Jog 3 minutes - Walk 3 minutes - and this cycle would repeat for 25 minutes.

But yesterday morning when I got back into a running program, I decided that I would not take anything with me.  No watch, no phone to track my progress, no ipod to listen to music.  I would just run - and think.

And then something happened that had never happened before.  I ran over a mile.  I warmed up with a brisk walk and then just started running - and did not stop until I reached my cool down spot.  At one point during this little run of mine, I found myself thinking "Hey!  I'm doing it!  Huh, I'm running."  It's quite possible that I could have gone even farther (I plan on finding out tomorrow morning).

I had a bit of a revolutionary thought about this when I got home.

Sometimes, we follow a plan but that plan gets in the way of our being and doing our best.  Taking from Nike, sometimes we need to "Just Do It!"  In my case, it turned out that the couch to 5k program was holding me back.  It was telling me that I needed to stop jogging and walk.  But realistically, I just needed to push through and do it.  Don't get me wrong - I am not in any way trying to knock a program that is wonderful and is creating lots of runners.  I am simply sharing what I am learning.

I think it is the same in life.  Sometimes we just plan too much and that plan really gets in the way of what is best for us.  Sometimes, we just need to do it.  Just take the plunge.  Take a risk.  Stop waiting for the perfect moment, or for every circumstance to line up, and just do something.

I have been so fortunate in my life to be able to take some leaps into the unknown.  I have had many opportunities to move where I feel led with nothing more than "Well, this seems to be what God wants me to do."  And in all those moments of jumping at God's call at a moment's notice, He has never let me down.

I am not against planning - trust me - planning can be a very very good thing :-)  But am I planning things or am I submitting myself to God's plan?  Because sometimes God's plan is no plan.  Sometimes God's plan is a leap into the unknown.  And you know what - I have found those leaps to be very exciting.

Musical Monday

For this edition of Musical Monday, I decided to share a video of a song that has been playing on my ipod a lot recently.  The song is so good.  It gets me moving :-)





The official music video is absolutely amazing (great dancing), but I could not embed it.  Check it out here.

Pop goes the cupcake

Among the wonderful things that I have found on Pinterest, is a love for cake pops.  Not that I have ever had a cake pop, but they just look so cute.

Source: bakerella.com via Melany on Pinterest

Source: cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com via Melany on Pinterest

I then had to do more research on how to make them ... and then I found this book on Amazon:

It's by the gal who writes the Bakerella blog.  She was also kind enough to post an Amazon video explaining how to make cake pops.  

I have decided that:

A.  I must go check out this book (and try to refrain from purchasing it)

B.  I need to make a trip to the store for some lollipop sticks because...

C.  ...I MUST make some cake pops very very soon :-)

P.S. - I am 5 posts away from my 100th post and there is a giveaway in the making.  Keep checking back :-)  It's going to be good.

Musical Monday errr ... Tuesday

I thought that I would start another feature on my blog called Musical Monday.  In this feature I will highlight ... well ... music.  I had this post all ready to go for Monday, but then I forgot.  So welcome to Musical Monday errr ... Tuesday

For my first Musical Monday errr ... Tuesday post, I thought that I would share with you one of my favorite playlists from my personal ipod.  I made this playlist last summer.  It is called "Walking down the street on a sunny day" because these songs make me feel like I should be walking down the street on a sunny day.  It is a great playlist for when the weather is dreary outside because it does actually cheer me up a bit from rainy day blues (and I really do tend to get rainy day blues).  Unfortunately, there are a few songs missing because the site I used to build the below player did not have them.  The missing songs are:
"Are You Kidding Around" - Samantha Shelton
"Beautiful Day" - Miranda Lee Richards
"She's Only Happy in the Sun" - Ben Harper (been relating to this one too well lately)

But here are the songs that I can share with you:

I Have Accepted the 30 Day Challenge :-)

I recently became part of an art journaling 30 day challenge.  It is being hosted by Janel at Run With Scissors.




I have a goal to art journal every day and then post on my Flickr, so there should be daily updates there.

But I also thought that I would share my journal pages here every Saturday until the challenge is done.

Here is what I have done so far:

Prompt one: make an introduction page

Prompt 2 - List some goals for the 30 day challenge

Prompt 3 - List things that you want to do in June

I really like how this last one turned out sort of looking like a beach ball - which not my original intention, but I really like it.

So for those who have been curious about what art journaling is, now you get a little glimpse into my art journal - and you will learn that it does not take an artist to art journal :-)

Baby Farms - where babies are born to be sold

For this issue of Freedom Friday I thought that I would share an article that I came across last night.  The following is an article that I found on the Exodus Cry blog.  Be prepared.  It might make you very furious.

WRITTEN BY MARY MAUK  |

June 1, 2011, Nigerian police raided a baby farm hidden in the maternity home ironically named “The Cross Foundation.” 32 pregnant teens were saved and taken to the headquarters of an anti–trafficking organization. Four babies, who had been sold but not collected, were also rescued.

The teenage mothers were locked up in the clinic and made to produce babies for sale. Some of the girls informed the authorities that they were forced to sell their babies to the proprietor for around $190 depending on the gender. The infants were then purchased by human traffickers or for witchcraft rituals.

The doctor arrested for running the operation is now being held for interrogation. Currently he is denying all allegations and claiming “The Cross Foundation” to be a clinic designed to help teens with unwanted pregnancies. In other words, when he doesn’t sell the babies, he murders them.

He holds to the story that the newborns were handed over to social welfare for adoption. However, evidence suggests that they were taken by human traffickers where the stated adoptions were illegal.

The buying and selling of babies, in Nigeria, is illegal and the doctor will likely be charged with child abuse and human trafficking, facing a prison time of up to 14 years.

In Western Africa, “baby factories” or “baby farms” are common. Teens, ages between 15–17, with unplanned pregnancies are lured to clinics where their newborns are taken and can be sold for up to $6,400 by traffickers. In some parts of the country they are considered valuable for sacrifice due to the belief that they strengthen charms.

Human trafficking in Nigeria is ranked the third most common crime, right behind financial fraud and drug trafficking. There traffickers, rarely caught or prosecuted, are allowed to roam free.

New addiction

Many of the blogs that I follow have been talking about Pinterest.

I have been p-interested and p-intrigued, but only recently took the p-lunge.

I became an official member yesterday (I think).  I've got one word to describe this new thing to me - addicting!!!

Oh my goodness, it's like my eyes have been given a glimpse of creative heaven :-)

Basically, Pinterest is like an online inspiration board.  It is a way to categorize all the stuff that you find on the internet, so that it is easy to find later, which replaces the need for all the tabs on my bookmark bar.

For instance, I currently have a bookmark tab titled "DIY" and it is filled with many many projects that just have a title.  It looks a bit like this:

Being that many were bookmarked months ago, I forget what they are really and have to open the page to get the gist.  And then I found Pinterest, and now I am moving all my DIY bookmarks here, so that it looks more like this:

Holy toledo!  You actually have a picture to show you what it is.  It is such a great way of organizing all your websites and projects of interest.

Aaaaand, as if that was not wonderful enough, I have not really even touched on the addicting part.  Oh yes, it gets better.  You can also see what others are pinning.  Eeek.  I have found soooo many things that I want to make and the recipes ... oh all the wonderful recipes that I have found.  It's wonderful, and fabulous, and I am absolutely addicted.

If you are interested in checking it out, my Pinterest can be found here.  You should sign up for one yourself and then maybe we can start a support group together - Pinners anonymous :-)

On another note, I am about 8 posts away from numero 100 and I am planning on having a giveaway.  I have no idea what that giveaway will be, but it is coming.  Yeah!