New happenings at the end of October!

Oy vey some new things have happened over here!

First, I survived my first tsunami warning this weekend. Scary, yes, but not as bad as they predicted. Thankfully.

Second, I'm trying a wheat-free diet for 6 weeks to see if it helps me feel better. No fruitful test results from the doctors so far, so I'm giving this a shot. I'm on day 5. Holy cow, it's tough to break the cravings for so many carbs I love! Thankfully it's not gluten-free, which is wheat, rye, oats, and barley, but still a challenge.

Third, worship choir starts tomorrow night- getting ready for holiday season performances! I'm excited to be back in choir!! I got to record the demo CD for the soprano section- so fun!

Fourth, and most exciting, I think!- the Lord is working in my life to heal lots of close relationships, which helps me form better relationships with new people here. So thankful for this, even though its uncomfortable at times.

Fifth, I still LOVE working in the bookstore, and have gotten to volunteer a lot of my free time to help them adjust to new schedules. The dilemma now, is that I have an ever-growing list of books I want to read! Now I see the benefit of a kindle or other e-reader, since I certainly don't have the room to just own all these books! This is the first Christmas/birthday list I've made where the books outweigh any other category of items I could ask for. I must be my father's child.

Sixth, I've found a new blog I like to read. It's called Single Dad Laughing, over at www.danoah.com. Check it out! It's a good read.

It's neat to look over all these things and see that the Lord is in the middle of all of it, and grabbing my attention so much. I've always heard that the Lord is everywhere, but it's quite an effort to switch to the mindset of noticing. Hence the writing of this blog :)

Hope you're having a good Monday.

Something I want to remember

My friend, who owns a few fitness centers on the mainland, shared this knowledge with me the other day: 80% food, 20% exercise. We don't get fat by not exercising, we get fat by what we put in our bodies. Ergo, what I put in my mouth matters more than how hard I work out. Both are important in the get-fit game, but I will have a better success rate if I change my eating habits for the better- feed myself what my body needs, not just what it wants all the time. I chewed on this thought during my swim session this morning- definitely want it to sink in for the long haul.

Blessing of today- I get to spend this weekend with my roommate Rachel where she's house-sitting for the 2nd weekend in a row! I feel like I'm on vacation when I'm there- nicely decorated, clean, air conditioning!, nice views, and a zoo of 9 animals to watch Rachel try to care for- hilarity, for sure.

Goals for the year

I've definitely thought of this year in Maui as a fresh start for many areas of my life, and now that I've been here 2 months, I realize that if I don't put the goals in writing and make a plan for them, they won't get done.

As embarrassed as I am to state these goals and admit where I am as a person, I believe honesty builds community. So here we go. 

#1- Get back to my high school weight. If I start now and lose 1 pound per week, I'll be at my goal weight by the time I leave Maui next August. Yep, that's 43 pounds. I want to feel better physically, and have my clothes fit! Small reasons, I know, but highly motivating for me. I have 3 plans I can rotate each day or week, and my roommate Rachel wants to join me. I also want to get back to eating cleaner-  less processed, fresher foods. I KNOW that will help me feel better all around, but committing to buying it despite high prices here is rough. I am worried about injuring or damaging myself further, so I will certainly be cautious in listening to my body. I will receive some medical test results on Thursday, so hopefully those will point me in a safe direction.

#2- Let God's truth make a difference in how I live my life. I know His way is the right way, but I struggle to believe in my heart what He teaches. That He loves me no matter what. That His grace is good enough and all I need. That I'm good enough because He loves me. That He made me who I am for a special, wonderful reason. That His plans truly are the best, and will make me the most satisfied.

#3- Grow in my dependence on the Lord to the point where I can't go a day without reading His word or praying. I want to dispel my disbeliefs about prayer, and crave daily time in His word. 

Thanks for reading and praying for my journey this year. 

Blessing of today- I've gotten to work extra hours in the bookstore over the past week and it has been so fun! I've gotten to help put out Christmas merchandise (I know, I know, it's not even Halloween yet... this is retail world, we're talking about), and bond with our store manager, Leslie. Such a great lady to know! Very wise and strong in her faith, and so much fun to be around, too! Past interns (we call them externs around here) have never liked their green time assignments, especially in the bookstore. I love it so much, and I am so thankful for an enjoyable, large aspect of my job!

Hawaii Bucket List

About a week ago, my roommate Rachel and I created a list of things we want to do before our year is up: the Hawaii Bucket List. The stuff crossed off is stuff we've already done, but stuff that shows up on touristy to-do lists.

o   Snorkeling in Molokini

o   Go to a pig-roasting luau

o   Go parasailing

o   Swim with dolphins

o   Ziplining

o   Whale watching

o   Island Hop

o   Go to a surf competition

o   Haleakala

o   Hana

o   Learn to surf

o   Paddleboard

o   Have a palm Christmas Tree

o   Get ostriched by a wave

o   See the Banyan tree

o   Find Crush and Squirt a.k.a. Turtles

o   Find Jaws

o   Stay in a fancy hotel

o   Windsurfing

o   Spearfish

o   Learn how to hula

o   Black Sand beach

o   Drink milk straight from a coconut

o   Find my own pineapple

o   Eat sugar cane

o   Eat poi

o   Red Sand beach

Did I miss anything?? Leave it in the comments :)

Blessing of today: My health has really gone downhill since I've been here, and it has completely blindsided me. I know which doctors I need to see, but getting health insurance to cover those visits has been quite a chore over here. Today, my friend Deb told me about a guy who goes to our church who is also a doctor who supposedly accepts my insurance, can make referrals to specialists, and gives interns a discount! :) Even if he can't, Deb said I could call him and ask for direction on whom to approach for help next. Such a relief to hear of someone who can help me at least get started in the right direction! Thank you, Lord!