Exam Woes

I have my personal training exam in 20 days and I am not ready.

I will have been studying for almost a year, come April, but something tells me I'm just not getting it all yet.

I really think my problem is that I am not devoting enough of myself, or my time, to really delving in and soaking the material up. And that is, of course, my fault.

Through the course of studying the personal training material I learned a lot. A lot more than I knew before I started. And some things are sticking with me like glue, while others are not -- especially when I try to explain something to someone.

Also through the course of studying, I have enjoyed learning about things that have helped put my own workouts into perspective. And they allow me to relate much easier to what I'm doing. At the same time, it's also made me realize that maybe my passion in not in training one-on-one, but perhaps groups.

Back in November, I started teaching a cardio boot camp class for my co-workers in our training room at the office. One any given Thursday at 4:30 p.m. five to six people will show up with their mats, handweights, and enthusiasm while I pretend to look like I know what I'm doing with my iPod out of sync and my calling of numbers that are seemingly off. But I thoroughly enjoy it (and I hope they do too).

I've found that coming up with new steps and drills can be challenging week after week though, and when you have nine other things on your plate, time consuming. But once you have a few routines down you begin to get a feel and comfort for how to run the classes. It's like one day it just hits you, and it all connects.

As I was saying, I am really enjoying teaching this class and discovered that my passion may lie moreso in this. The energy and power and excitement of leading people to bust moves to music with their own power and energy gives me the thrill I've always wanted to experience.

The problem is that I already purchased my expensive materials for the personal training gig a while back and becoming a certified group exercise teacher is more money.

Another day, another passion unfolding...

Calm

Tonight is the 18th of January. I have nothing meaningful to say except that it was a cold day of winter with more ice stuck to my car than I can ever remember.

I waited 40 minutes this morning for the thick sheet of ice enveloping my car to defrost and crack so I could break it off. Ridiculous! And I'm sorry to say, but I woke Isaac up from his deep sleep to come down into the cold, get the scraper, and help me.

January is a weird month. After New Year's ends no one really cares about anything until May or June. And the months in between are just dead, lifeless-ness of bearing cold, gusty winds and frost amidst bare trees and gray skies.

Even though it's cold outside I am trying to embrace winter this year because it is a season that, even though seems dead, does have life.

I've found a new route through Clifton this month, with Isaac's help, and taken it home from time to time to avoid 28 traffic. I have taken variations of it before, but I've not noticed its pleasantries like I have this month. I plan to stop when I have the time one day and take pics of my favorite spots.

Particularly of note, I've felt a "country-ness" spring up in my heart when driving through. With the windy roads, small-town shops and churches, and the beautiful trees it makes me feel hope to be one day be living on a farm raising herbs and children while wearing doo-wrags to pull back my hair and soak up sweat from working in the yard.

With names like Bear Creek and Bent Tree Lane, those scenic back roads tickle me. It's such a comfort to know that there is a space of peace right around the corner from bustling craziness.

A Family Gathering

We have them often – family gatherings. We are a “family people.”

 

Tonight we got together to celebrate Tiffany’s 16th birthday, which consisted of dinner at Sakura in Woodbridge followed by cake and ice cream at the Bogg’s residence. It seems like we are celebrating something every month.

 

I love it, though. Family is important. And it’s certainly important to me. If we don’t have our families, who do we have?

 

As usual, I took lots of pictures. Enjoy and lots of love!

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2011, Here We Come.

I just finished a book. I love finishing books. It is a rarity, which I hate to admit and I am working to make it less of one.

I am not going to tell you the name of it, but I'm going to write to you a passage that blessed me in it's final chapter. It is a perfect prelude to a new begininning and I thought it ever-so-relevant to share as we enter into 2011.

If Paul were writing this chapter, I think he might conclude with the words he wrote to the Phillippians two thousand years ago:

"I'm not saying that I have all this together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward--to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.

So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision--you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it.

Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them...All they want is easy street. They hate Christ's Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites.

But there's far more to life for us."

(from Philllipians 3, The Message)

What a powerful word to us as we enter back into reality of the working world next week and try to keep some sense of the serene-ness we've had this past week with family and Christmas pleasures.

May we always seek to remember what the goal in life is all about and strive to bring others to seek it too.