1/2 A Pound of Ponderings

January is my blitz month. Seems it's first day is long anticipated and before I know it, the last day finds me shaking my head as I bid adieu and flip the calendar page, (Ireland's Dunlace Castle written in the lower right-hand corner).


Twelve o'clock in the morning, January 1st arrives with fireworks, church bells and repeated cannon shots, (the cannon fired from our front yard by merrymakers welcoming in the new year with no small affair -- "Feuer!" the cannon booms followed by laughter, a pause, another, "Feuer!" with more whooping and hollering, a few intermittent firework displays before firing the cannon again -- this goes on for a good long while into the new year). We eventually return to the coziness of feather comforters, sleep coming easy in spite of the cacophony outside.


The New Year begins with two important... biggies: A commitment by the family to read through the entire Bible this year (woohoo!)... and an overdue discussion turned heated argument. Longing moments, a quiet day or so lost in thoughts, then overdue making up and the grace of restoration.


Monday, the 4th, I weigh in for the Fitness Center's "Biggest Loser" Challenge. huh. ta-ta old habits! hello new habits! (Oh, please, please let it stick this time!) A few days later, I sign up for sparkpeople.com -- thank you for the recommendation Jenn!


Sunday we celebrate Ezekiel's birthday... and celebrate all week long! (He officially turns 11-years old on Wednesday the 13th.) So fun!


Wednesday, 20 days into 2010, humble prayers offered up for precious little one with big beautiful eyes undergoing surgery.


Later that day we get the news that we get to live here in Germany for two more years. Much gratitude... and reflection follows. 2 1/2 years into a 5-year assignment. Mid-way. LeRoy asks, "How do we do the next half better than the first half?" The gift, the sheer blessedness of time. What grace!


Friday, about three weeks into my "project" to get fit, I weigh myself: 1/2 a pound. Three weeks. And only a half pound for all my sweat-laden, calorie-watching efforts! {sigh} How is it that it goes on so easy but feels impossible to take off? I spend time catching up on old e-mails in my inbox and find that God tucked a note of encouragement in my inbox. I decide not to give up.


Sunday, the 24th, I read up on calories, necessary nutrients, exercise... balance. In all my reading I come across the schedule for training for a 1/2 marathon. Half a marathon. Well. Hm. I add this little inspiration to my ponderings.


Thinking and praying for my cousin and her family, I visit her blog to get the latest update on Baby Owen -- and find to my delight that my uncle has a blog in which he's shared his journey of receiving a kidney transplant... a must read! I cry and laugh and finish completely refreshed and ministered to. After an intimacy-building month with my beloved, I am especially encouraged by this post.


All the last week of this first month is a-flurry with snow. Bliss! My friend shares it well here. Thursday is announced as a "Snow Day!" WhaHoo!! Conventional classroom is officially canceled -- moved outdoors where the studies of snow-architecture and other such pursuits are taken up. This begins a four-day weekend -- taking us to a glorious finish to January!


Thankful. So indescribably thankful! Counting my blessings.


*By the way, are you curious about the outcome of the "Biggest Loser" Challenge? smile. They e-mailed me: "Thank you for participating in the challenge. You've won a t-shirt." But, did I win? According to the scale they weighed me on, I lost 4 1/2 pounds and 2.6% body fat! So, yes, I feel like a winner! My goal was to lose 4 pounds... what a praise that I met my goal... plus 1/2 a pound extra!