Lessons I'm Learning

Lesson #1 Patience doesn't come easy...even when praying for it.

Lesson #2 Celebrating my sister's 23rd birthday confirms what I have not wanted to admit...I am definitely getting older & sometimes feeling it. "How Rude"

Lesson #3 It IS possible to fall in love with someone over & over again.

Lesson #4 God will give you peace if you ask for it & when you need it the most.

Lesson #5 Working out can be fun...you just have to mix it up.

Lesson #6 It is NOT a good thing to go 10 months without a haircut. I recommend getting a new hair cut to make you feel pretty. It WILL work:)

Lesson #7 I can't save anyone....only God can.

Lesson #8 Pray about everything then let it go. God carries the burden, not us.

Lesson #9 GOD ANSWERS MY PRAYERS

Lesson #10 I can't go a long time without reading the bible & being fed by God's word. The result is I feel empty, lost, far from God, hopeless, angry & bitter. ALL of these are not good for the soul.

Ryka T2 Trainers

So...as i have previously blogged i have taken up running again. the tennis shoes that i have are actually for walking & are about 2 or 3 years old. i decided i should purchase a new pair for this new season of healthifying my 34 year old bod. my feet are narrow & i have a high arch. i have found that ryka brand tennis shoes work best for me tootsies so i went online to see what new shoes were available. the shoes that would work best for me are the T2 trainers. the only thing is that they are $75 plus shipping & handling if i purchased them online. so of course i started researching local ryka carriers in my area. it looked like jc pennies & lady foot locker carried this particular shoe so a week ago me & my friend stephanie made a trip to the woodlands mall & with my printed picture in hand, hit every store that carried running shoes. poor steph...i wore her out bouncing from one store to the next...shout out to my girl!

anyhoo, to my disappointment & amazement my shoe was no where to be found! well, since i REFUSE to pay $75 for running shoes plus shipping & handling...i decided to wait. i hadn't tried academy in conroe yet so i was hoping they would have them.

also, i asked jesus..."lord, please help me find these running shoes. i really don't want to pay more than $50 for them & REALLY want to find them locally"

well, friday, 2/27/09 i had a play date with my friend tracy who lives off of south post oak. i drove out to her house & our mission was to have a nice breakfast & seek out my ryka tennis shoes & some other girlie items. i mentioned to her "maybe we could try dsw" after breakfast we go the the dsw by her house & browsed the isles with all of their tennis shoes. my shoe was NOT there. man...that really sucks. after getting over that...we walked over to the clearance section which i never pass up without seeing if my next great pair of shoes is marked %70 off & waiting there for meeeeeee!

low & behold...there are my shoes!! whoot! i grabbed the picture out of my purse that i had been caring for over a week now & it was a perfect match. the only thing was they were the wrong size. i went to size 8 section & there they were. but..."houston, we have a problem". they were clearly marked clearance...but were priced $75 dollars. i grabbed the same shoe in a different size & they were marked $50. something wasn't right. so i went to speak with a manager & she was just as confused as i was so she grabbed the lowest price sticker & told me to go to the register with my shoes. i thanked her probably 10 times & took my shoes to the register to pay. my shoes that were marked $50 ended up costing me $27!!!! whoot whoot...thank you jesus!

i wrote all of this to say that god cares about everything in our lives. no matter how big or small we may think something is...god loves us & cares about them ALL. thank you jesus for my new tennis shoes & for loving & caring about little ole' me. god makes us feel special because we ARE special to him.

To Run Or Not To Run...

I started running/walking again four days ago as a result of a doctor visit that revealed my high cholesterol count! The desired cholesterol number is 200 or below. Mine is 218.....HOLY CRAPOLA! The doctor told me I need to be exercising AT LEAST 5 times a week for 50 minutes or more and I need to go on a low saturated fat diet. Wow!!! What a wake up call. Not to mentioned I turned 34 this year. Dude...I need to do something different! I have ran on & off over the past 10 years. I get going for a couple of months & am feeling really great having made & stuck with a commitment to myself. Then I lose momentum & one missed opportunity after another passes by & then I'm back at square one...not exercising anymore. I hate that. I hate when I just give up. Well...not anymore!!!! I desire to be a runner. Not for competition...not yet anyway. Not to show how long or how fast I can run. Not even to look better in my jeans. I enjoy the feeling of pushing myself physically. My mind focuses on the movement...the steadiness...the pace...the breathing..the music playing...the wind....

I usually run on our treadmill that is in our garage which faces the street. The treadmill & I both enjoy when the garage door is open so we can feel the breeze on our faces. We gaze at the pretty pine trees across the street, passing cars and cats & dogs that have escaped from their owners and use our yard as their bathroom:) Nevertheless...we are focused on our mission to burn calories & run long stationary distances. This time around...I am making a commitment to myself to keep running so I will be a healthier Meloney.

On a more spiritual note....I also enjoy running because I feel closer to God. As I struggle to keep running the pace I am at on the treadmill...it is all relative to the race I am running in my life. Sometimes I keep a slow steady pace in my walk with God spending a little time with him weekly. I may miss a day or two during the week. Kinda of just getting by. Then other times I keep a fast pace that causes burning deep in my chest and deeper concentration because I am so desperate to hear from God. I desire to finish the race well. That means being obedient to him. Trying to worship him in spirit and in truth. Deciphering his voice and trusting what he is telling me. Believing that he wants to give me good things spiritually. I love how God is connected to everything. Running opens my eyes & my heart to that. Not sure why. I think it's because I am pushing through an invisible resistance physically & spiritually. We have to push forward. Nothing can stop the army of God!!!!!

Don't Give Up!!!!!!!!!!

Be encouraged today! Don't Give Up!!!!! Stand firm for what you believe in. God is real & working in each of our lives. I'm telling you not to give up on yourself & your faith in God. He loves you & desires to give you good things. Life altering "good" things. Not material things, spiritual things. If bad things are happening, remember that Jesus loves & cherishes you. If he knows every hair on your head then he definitely loves you. Why would he even care how many hairs we have on our heads if he didn't? How many people do you know go around telling us...my love for you equals the amount of hairs you have on your head. Oooowww la la. Hopefully you have a head full of hair...! His love is deep! His love is wide! His love is overwhelming! If you would surrender to him...he will fulfill your life. I love you Jesus & thank you for loving me. I will not forget how you picked me off my feet when I was desperate for a better life. I desperately wanted to know that you were real & you showed me you are. Thank you Lord. You are my closest friend.

Glorious Inheritance

"I want you to realize what a rich & glorious inheritance he has given to his people" Quote by the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians.

Congratulations!!!!!!!!

It is always exciting when a new baby comes into this world. Today, my friend Lauren Siddall gave birth to an adorable baby boy. I am so happy for Lauren & her husband Josh because I know that they have both been through alot in their lives. Thank you Lord for blessing this couple! I love them both.

"Congrats" to Lauren & Josh Siddall on the arrival of their son Jayden Braxton Siddall. He is 7.0lb 19in long.

Oatmeal cookies

Woke up this morning not really feeling all that great. Today at lunch, instead of my normal route to my house to let out the dogs, wake my sleeping husband, turn on the TV, make a quick bite to eat for me & my love then back to work, I decided fill up my Honda with gasonline & headed to Starbucks to purchase two oatmeal raisin cookies & a grande mint tea. I have to say that I was taken back by the two ginormouse cookies in my brown Starbucks goodie bag. I proceeded to eat one on the way back to my parking spot where I would spend some quiet time playing Tetris Mania on my cell phone & savoured every scrumptious, sweet bite. I highly recommend Starbucks' oatmeal raisin cookies for anyone who has taste buds that crave sweets at least 3 or 4 times a day. I say all this about these cookies to emphasis the poor nutritional choices that come with not feeling good physically. The mind seems to get a little numb & you do things that you normally wouldn't do.

Till next time.