It’s taken me a while to write this post. I wasn’t sure if I would continue writing about my life online. Christmas, New Years, and MLK day have all come and gone. I sent off all of my grad school applications over a week ago. I’ve applied to 7 schools in 3 different states. The applications comprise several of my current hopes and dreams. Now, it’s become a waiting game, with a glimmer of good news…and so I feel the urge to write once again…

I’ve already heard back from one school. The University of Oregon, in Eugene, OR, has invited me to interview with them for a spot in their Couples and Family Therapy counseling program. I’ll be flying to Eugene in less than 3 weeks. It’s a good sign, as they were one of the first deadlines for applications, in early January. I’m now keeping my fingers crossed that I will receive other interviews in the coming weeks.

My job at Denver Children’s Home is going very well. I feel very comfortable with my position and its responsibilities, and I have also had additional trainings in the last several months. I’m able to drive vans for the home, and have driven to the zoo and a Nuggets game. I am also a Qualified Medical Administration Personnel (QMAP). Very simplistically, I give drugs to kids. I know, that sounds pretty bad. Let me explain – these are doctor prescribed, carefully inventoried and dispensed medications that are assisting the clients in their day to day functioning. So, I’m grateful for these opportunities and I’m excited to learn more.

Fasting

I also just completed my 16th fast, my fourth in 2020. I originally started it for religious reasons, but I am now keeping it up for lots of different reasons. Here are just a few –

1. Financial – Cutting a day of food out of your weekly food budget can be a significant cost savings
2. Physical – I’ve lost some weight, probably ten pounds or more, mostly due to my once a week fasting day. It’s allowed my abs to pop a little more.
3. Spiritual – Fasting allows me to focus on God and the aspects of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control, and thankfulness)
4. Competitive – It has now become a “streak” in my mind, and I am hesitant to break it. Plus, it’s actually not that difficult to do once you get in a rhythm with it. I’ve even started exercising on my fast days for a new challenge.
5. Gratitude – It’s made me more grateful. I’m grateful for food the day after (or the day of a fast if I sneak a few chocolate chips). I am grateful for a body and mind that can function without food. In fact, I’m even thankful for the experience of my stomach rumbling.

Fasting has been an awesome habit I picked up in 2019. I had lots of habits I tried to maintain when I first moved to Denver, and they did help me become more connected to myself, my home, and the city I’ve chosen to live in. But, change is often necessary for new growth, so I’ve decided to revise many of my daily and weekly habits. Without further ado, I officially announce my 2020 Habits list!

Habits

These are my 2020 habits, most of them are daily. If they aren’t, I usually specify a day of the week.

• Pray & Journal
• Put on lotion and sunscreen
• Fast – typically on Sunday
• Take PREP, Fiber, and Vitamin
• Read at least 3 chapters in the Bible
• Drink at least 4 water bottles of water
• 69 pushups, situps, and squats each
• At least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise
• Brush teeth with an electric toothbrush and floss
• Read at least one chapter from my recommendations list
• Demonstrate positive, peaceful, thankful attitudes
• Keep all areas near me clean, pickup and organized
• Eat Breakfast – at least coffee and oatmeal (fast days omitted)
• Check-in with my parents weekly, typically on Sunday mornings
• Attend 3 group events weekly (church, Frontrunners, poker, etc.)

I’ve found this set of habits to be fairly do-able, and I like the physical, mental, and spiritual results it has produced in my life. There’s one additional area that I want to focus on this year.

Breath

I’ve wanted to really be able to meditate for several years now, but I haven’t ever gotten past the initial stages of quieting the mind. I have become more mindful in my day to day activities in general, so I feel I’ve prepared for meditation. But 2020 will be the year when I start to fully engage with the practice. To start, I want to focus on my breath, since that is also connected to running, yoga, and even my own personal journey with my eyesight and my posture.

So, grad school interviews, work, lots of daily habits, and intentional focus around breathing and meditation. Sounds like a pretty full plate for the next couple of months. But the beauty of it is that many of those activities keeping me busy will also be the activities that will slow me down. And I think we could ALL do a little bit more slowing down. Taking a little more time to smell the roses, call a friend, or just appreciate a sunset.

Rebirth

I hope you are well if you are reading this. Thanks for stopping by to hear what I’ve been experiencing. I leave you with a song I discovered recently. Out of all the posts I’ve made, this was the hardest one to choose a song for, since I have so many good songs that I could share. But when my favorite band has come out with a new song 3 days ago, of course you know I would choose it. It’s a song about endings, tears, and rebirth. When you consider Sheppard is an Australian band, the song’s lyrics take on whole new meaning if you know about the fires down under.

"Though the flames are massive, we'll rise up through the ashes
Through the smoke in the air, smoke in the air, smoke in the air,
 it creeps into our lungs. It's not the end, It can't be the end, 
It's not the end, cause we will rise above like a phoenix."

PS. Miracle Sunday’s anniversary quickly approaches on February 4th!!!

PPS. Cover Art for the post is one of my newest oil pastel works. It turned out really great, and its style has it’s roots in a Miracle Sunday experience as well.