The One With Day 15

Man, I am updating EARLY today! Phew!! So, here is another insight into the course of this experiment. Some days I wake up and think, "Hmmm...I wonder if something completely remarkable is going to happen?" Usually, those days are days of reflection and quiet surprises that teach me more about who God is, who I am, and how I am incorporated into his plan. Then there are days where I wake up, pray that God will surprise me, and immediately feel like he's standing in the room smiling with a twinkle in his eye saying, "Just you wait..." Today was a "Just you Wait..." kind of day. Daniel loaned me a book last week that I just started today. Now, I am assuming that many of you have heard of it...It's called Wild at Heart. I have heard people rave about this book for YEARS, but I have never picked it up. Mostly, because it falls dangerously close to the self-help realm of literature...and that just ain't my bag. I am more of a novel person. Seriously. Hang on, I am going to count my books.....Okay, all done. I have 352 books on my bookshelves. And...90% of those are novels. I LOVE losing myself in a story. Anyway, I have never put much weight in "preachy" books. This book, however, has proved interesting. The basic premise (at least as far as I can tell from the first 38 pages) is that God designed men to be "men." Hmmm...that's not very enlightening. Let me try again. The author is saying that men were made to be arrogant, aggressive, to seek out adventure and battles and that God designed us to be that way. He criticizes our society for "femininizing" men and then griping that all the "real" men are gone. It's an interesting idea.


Not sure I agree with it yet, but it has intrigued me enough to convince me to read the whole thing. I'll let you know more once I have finished it.

The surprise today came as I read over the descriptions of some of the "manly" activities listed in the book, as well as some other points about men in general. I can remember thinking to myself.....


"GOSH, this class is boring!"


Wait, I was in Astronomy. THEN I thought, "You know, none of these apply to me. I have no desire to go hunting. I am not at all competitive. I do not draw feelings of accomplishment from risking my life in daring endeavors." Which is all true. I am not exactly a "man's man." What was startling was the next thought that materialized in my head...


"But you could be..."

Not saying that I WANT to be any of those things. But I realized that we so often talk ourselves out of doing things. I tell myself all the time I can't do that. Or I shouldn't do that. Or that is just silly. For many years, I have accepted that I am who I am. What I ignored was the fact that I can change. Not only that, but I can CHANGE ME! I don't have to be the way that I am, in any aspect of my life. If I don't like something or want to try something different, I can. It's up to me. Well, and God...He gets a say in what goes on. In the past, I have always wondered, "If I change something about me, aren't I changing who I am? And isn't that kind of like abandoning myself?" But, I don't believe the things that can be changed are what define us. Who we are remains, regardless of how I alter my life. What's holding me back? What's holding YOU back? Is there a fleeting thought that enters your head every once in a while? A thought that you quickly dismiss as pointless and trivial? So, you want to do something different? Me too! Here is my Day 15 resolution! From now on, instead of talking myself out of things, I am going to say, "Why not?" shrug my shoulders, and DO IT!

BY THE WAY!!!!! Here's your surprise, faithful friends!


Mark it off on your calendar.....



The Big Event is coming......


Are you ready?


Sitting down?


Here it comes....



It's on its way....


ANNOUNCING!!

VENTRILO TRIVIA CHALLENGE II

More details will be coming soon, but mark December 10, 2005 on your calendars! Click the link on the right for more information!