Patience

Ever want to practice being patient?

Watch as a 16 month old feeds himself cereal and bananas. Very slowly. Also while dropping some on the floor- that he will eat later if you don't throw them away.

30 minutes and counting.

It's a good thing he's so darn cute!

The Joys of Pinterest

Sometimes people get all riled up because someone bashes their favorite sports team (Go Giants!). Sometimes they get flustered because a stranger has given them the evil eye for they way they parent. Some, too, get outright angry when the toilet paper roll is on the wrong way.

I have to say that I am pretty good at keeping my cool. Except, apparently, when people tell me they "don't see the point of Pinterest". OH NO YOU DI-INT. I love Pinterest. It's magical.

No, I understand that some bloggers and photographers think that Pinterest is Illegal and their ideas and/or images get stolen, but I'm not going to get into that.

I am here to convince the average person (read: my husband) that Pinterest is amazing.

Their arguments, and why I won't accept them:

"Pinterest is just a enjoyable way for some people to waste time, like when I play video games."
The worst word in this argument is the word just. Just a way to waste time? Comparing it to video games? Now, us on Pinterest have our rebuttle- becuase it's true, hilarious, and found on Pinterest. When is the last time your Xbox made us delicious enchiladas?!
Case in point: Pinterest, when used (read: actually try the stuff you find) has wonderful effects on your life. Be it dinner, a cleaner house, wedding decorations, or kick-A abs, Pinterest can get you there in an easier way. I am way too lazy to look this stuff up on Google, and why should I, when I am following people that pin the very stuff I like?! Ah, to the next argument.

"Why would I find things on Pinterest when I can search them on Google?"
Google is cool. I've used it to find answers to questions, figure out a company's website, and occasionally learn how to remove the barrel from a nerf gun.
But Pinterest isn't a search engine.
When I open Firefox and type "P" into the address bar, (and Pinterest is obviously the first link that shows up) I have a homepage feed that shows me what has been pinned by the people I follow. I follow people I know in real life, as well as bloggers I've found (on Pinterest) whose content I enjoy. I can see a recipe my mom pinned, a killer glutes workout my old roommate pinned, or an awesome way to save money while shopping at Target. I never would have thought of making a pumpkin cake out of two bundt cakes, but now I know what I'm doing next fall. I never would have known that Women's clothing goes on sale on Tuesdays at Target, but housewares are on Thursday. I never would have found a way to work out my abs WHILE STANDING UP.
Stumbling upon things (catch that Jake?) may not do me well when I'm in Target (or any store), but it's great when I'm in no danger of spending money! I can find things I didn't even know existed, but make any party I throw that much better.
Also, Pinterest has a search bar. To search anything on Pinterest. It's how I found my sweet calendar printables! Best of both worlds.

"Just because people pin things doesn't mean they do them."
That sounds like a personal problem.
Maybe it inspires them, maybe they are waiting until they aren't as busy, or maybe they just don't know that you can click the picture and it takes you to a link. In any case, I'm rooting for people to actually use Pinterest, not just look at it.

Enough persuading, Jake?

Pinterest is a great tool to cook better, entertain classier, dress trendier, clean more efficiently, and one day have the most amazing classroom students have ever seen.

But, as most users are still women, Jake will probably continue to look at the gardening section with me instead of creating his own Pinterest.

I'll count it as a win.

Exciting Updates

Hello friends!

I suppose it's been a while since I have given a brief update on Jake and myself!

First, I got a new job! I got hired on as the temporary (so I can look for a teaching Job later) Coordinator of Performing Arts Ministry Teams at Vanguard University. I have completed a week of work, and I love it there so far. In a nutshell, I will be redesigning and creating various Ministry Team programs, like Entourage and Delivery Boys, and getting the program ready to start in October. I will work through the end of June, and I will be on the board to hire someone to take my place. This couldn't be a more wonderful opportunity for me! It's God's timing, and I really think I will thrive in this position.

On the serving side, Jake and I started Small Group a couple weeks ago. I have 6th grade girls, and Jake has 7th grade boys. I absolutely adore my girls, and Jake's group just sounds crazy. We meet once a week, and we get to plan events to bond and have fun as a small group. It's great to come on Sundays and see our students, and to catch up on how their week was, and then see them Tuesday night and just have a good time.

Vanguard's homecoming weekend is coming up- the same weekend as Jake's birthday. Jake is working during most of the events, but I will be there for most of Saturday. That morning I have signed up to run a 5K. Now, I'm no runner, but the run is "Run for Mercy"- a little girl with an undiagnosable disease. Her parents have already put a quarter of a million dollars towards medical bills, and so I want to contribute to what I hope will be a great turn out. My small group co-leader is coming with me, so it should be a fun time... if you don't count the running (: But, in all seriousness, I have started running a little bit to get ready. I started Monday, and also ran Friday and today. Each run I aimed for a mile, and each run I went a little farther. I walked a lot during my runs, but I have already improved my times and have walked less. I may not be a runner, but I am getting to the point where I can run to stay fit and to train for 5Ks. After Saturday, I am going to start an 8 week 5K training program, because my small group girls want to run a 5K together. My goal for that one will be to run without walking at all- hence the training! This weekend will be my practice 5K, then hopefully I will be able to sign up for them consistently!

With Jake's birthday coming up, I have started my planning to make it special. I have a coupon for this really cool barber shop where he can get a shampoo, head massage, and hair cut, all while watching the game on TV. I am going to make sure to get him a Disneyland birthday pin, and he gets to pick where and when we go out to eat. We are having a few people over for the Super Bowl, good friends of his, so I'm going to make some treats and have him blow out some candles! It will be pretty low-key, but I will make sure he's happy, rested, and entertained for the whole weekend!

Jake and I look forward to any time we get to see family, so we will be quite busy in the next few months. Aside from going to Winter Camp with the Jr. Highers, we are going up to Oregon for a wedding, making a trip to the Central Valley to see my Grandma, making more trips to L.A. to visit Albert and his Fiancee, maybe making a trip out to Arizona to visit some family friends, and at the beginning of summer we should have tons of family around for Albert's wedding. I also am going to Indio with my mom and some family girls (:

Overall the next 5 months seem super busy for us... we have a lot to do and a lot to accomplish... I hope we get it all done while having time to rest!

I suppose that's all for now. Jake is napping on the couch and snoring, I'm still in running clothes, and recycling needs to be taken out. I hope you are well, I'm sure Jake and I send you our love and miss you very much (unless you live in town!) Have a wonderful start to your week!

Taking Care of Me.

Recently I wrote about Rest in regards to the whole self.

In the past week (okay, four days) I have been working on other areas with a "whole self" mindset.

In case you haven't read my last few posts (I think I have a solid 5 readers, so if this entry ups it to 6 there is someone new reading) I mentioned that I am a Spirit, I have a Soul, and I live in a Body. I see this kind of an order of importance, though every part is weaved together by God, and thus is precious and important.

Most importantly, my Spirit.
I was designed by my Creator knowing that I am most importantly His. My relationship with Him is not just the most important thing about me... it is me. My relationship with God is who I am, and it dictates everything else about me. When I depart this world and join God, I will not bring with me my memories, my knowledge, my language, or my physical body. I will go as a Spirit longing to be with and worship God.

Next, my Soul. 
This I see as my personality, my mind, and my emotions.  It's who I am on the inside, what motivates me, how I feel, what I think... pretty much everything in my brain. These, of course, are all driven by my spirit, but won't be things I worry about when I go to Heaven.

Last, my Body. 
This is my physical body, my muscles and bones and nerves. Enough said.



After spending time thinking about Rest for the three parts of my self, I started thinking about taking care of my whole self when I am not resting.

So I start with my Spirit, with four acts to care for it.
1. Relating directly to my last post, about interpreting my dream to convict myself to continue in the goal of reading the Word, I am trying to read the Bible every day. Not only does it bring me closer to my goal of reading through the whole Bible, but it is good for my Spirit. By reading God's love letter to me, I am strengthening and nurturing my Spirit.
2. I also set aside time to pray (spoiler alert: it's in the shower). I spend an uninterrupted time each morning talking to God. I try to follow a system, in order of what I see as important when praying: Praise God, Thank God, Pray for Others, Pray for Myself. PTOM. That doesn't really make sense as an acronym, but I learned it as a teen in acronym form... I just can't seem to remember the acronym. I see praying as one of the best ways to take care of my Spirit.
3. Going to church is also a great way to take care of my Spirit. That's where I fill up, learn, tithe, and fellowship. It's like going to the doctor for my Spirit, but every week instead of once a year.
4. Serving, though it seems like work, is the last way I nurture my spirit. By giving my time to God and serving others (like volunteering in the Jr. High at church) my Spirit is growing and being fed.

With my Soul, I try to care for my mind and my emotions, and hope that my personality benefits because of it.
1. To care for my mind, I honestly just have fun. Let me clarify. For me, a fun night is watching Jeopardy at 7 and Wheel of Fortune at 7:30. And I don't just watch. I try to win. Sometimes I keep track of my winnings to see if I would actually win. Sometimes I do! I also play Words with Friends again, and that takes some brain exercise. Substitute teaching is also a great brain workout, when you show up in the morning and find out you have to teach long division.
2. To care for my emotions, I honestly just try to have healthy relationships. My emotions seem to be related to my relationships with others (including the DMV). When my relationships are all positive and dandy, my emotions follow. When there is stress on a relationship... you get the point. So, to care for my emotions, I try to actively talk to Jake about our marriage, and I am trying to strengthen the relationships that often affect my emotions. For example, I have talked to my mom on the phone 3 or 4 times this week (I never talk on the phone). I like strengthening our relationship!

As for my Body...
1. I started working out. If you are close with me, you know that I talk a big game about being healthy but never work out. Well, as of Thursday, I work out. I am even signing up for a 5K that's on February 2nd. Yes, that's in less than 2 weeks, but it's close to home and for a really good cause. I start training tomorrow morning with a mile run. I can't say I'm looking forward to it, but I enjoy making my body stronger... and I am looking forward to stronger lungs along with stronger abs.
2. As of this week, fast food is not a first option. I never was really big on fast food, but something about 2013 has made me always want it. The convenience, the prices... so appealing. But I'm trying to take care of my body! So alas... only fast food when necessary (road trips). I also have started taking a multivitamin twice a day (it's the gummi kind so I actually look forward to it) and, since I am iron-deficient anemic, I have started taking an iron supplement once a day. I was motivated to try these when I read that an iron deficiency can cause one to be lethargic.  I have actually found that I have much more energy with the iron supplements, so I'm going with it!
3. I am also taking better care of my hair, skin, and teeth. God gave them to me, so I should take care of them! I floss every day- as opposed to once a month last year. I learned curly hair tips on Pinterest and have noticed that my hair seems healthier! And... I put lotion on? I was already doing that. And that's about all of me!


Honestly, I feel good! I hope that these things will go with me for a long while... So I am trying to turn them into habits. It takes about a month to build a habit... so let's check back later.

More Than Just a Goal

Last night I had a dream.

I wish I could say it was on par with MLK's dream, with his birthday coming up, but alas, it was not.

I can tell you that it was the most convicting dream I have had in a while. Considering my dreams usually have to do with chewing so much gum i can't speak (which I guess could mean I talk too much) and being with characters in whatever book/movie/ TV show I've been watching (which is awesome- I've defeated Voldemort with Harry Potter and made Steve Carell break character on the set of The Office), I couldn't say it was so convicting it was life changing.

But, nonetheless, it was convicting.

You see, I am currently in the process of completing a goal. The goal: Read both the New and Old Testament through, in order. I have completed the New Testament goal... considering it's like 2/7 the size of the Old Testament (1/3 seemed too much but 1/4 didn't seem like enough). I have been slacking, however, on finishing the Old Testament. I am currently in Psalms, which, however great it is, is SO long.

This brings me to my dream. I had a dream that I was telling someone of my goal. They in turn asked where I was, and I couldn't remember. I couldn't remember the name of the book. Now, since this was happening in my head, and I have weird dreams, the book was actually fictional... it isn't actually in the Bible. But, for the sake of attempting to be like Joseph and interpret my dreams, I have taken this dream as a conviction to be more committed to my goal. If I can't even tell someone where I have left off, it's been way too long.

Of course, I have goals before that I haven't completed... I still don't have rock-hard abs, I can't seem to fully give up fast food, and my savings account has far too few dollars within. This goal, however, is more than just about the goal. This goal is about staying committed to being in the Word constantly. If I can't even remember where I left off while reading chronologically (in terms of the layout, not actual history), it has clearly been too long since I have spent time in the Word.

The Bible is more than just a book. The Bible is God's Love Letter to us... to me. If Jake wrote me a super long love letter... I wouldn't hesitate to spend every free moment reading it! I should be this drawn to the Bible. It should be in my every thought when I'm not reading it. It should be so close to my heart that I can quote it (more than the memory verses from Sunday school). I should be aching to read it, even now.

I guess spending my time writing about this isn't the same as actually doing it. So I suppose I will keep this blog short.

I can say that having a goal to finish has kept me motivated to keep reading, but not enough. Maybe this dream was God's polite way of reminding me that if I am going to lead a small group of Jr. High girls, meet with girls who want to talk after church, mentor a couple college students, and work at a Christian University where my job will be saturated in God's Word... I should know what I talking about, and practice what I preach.

So I preach to you: make a goal with God's Word. The ultimate goal? Read the whole thing! Read every day! But of course, cater your goal to yourself. If you need encouragement, make it a goal to read the whole book of Psalms. If you are in the situation to share your Faith with unbelievers, read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Make a goal! And pray that the Holy Spirit will convict you enought to keep the goal.

Now, as I ride my bike to Rite Aid to pick some things up, I am committing to praying the whole way. I will pray that God continues to send the Holy Spirit to convict me, but also to be with me as I read so that I understand and can apply it to my life right now. I will pray for each person that reads this, that they feel convicted to read the Word. And when I return home, I will spend a good long time reading the Word.

If you are going to make a goal, leave it in the comments! (I am testing out being like other bloggers out there) I would love to hear your goal, and I would love to help you think of one if you are stuck! (If you really get stuck just do the whole New Testament- it's an amazing read)

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Rest

Today, it seems that rest is a foreign concept.

We live in America. We are in a go-go-go society, and we seem to get reputation points for doing as much as we can squeeze into our 168 hour week.

Yet we also live in a society where one gets reputation points for being as "healthy" as possible- going to the gym, eating right, everything organic, taking Epsom salt baths, washing your hair with eggs and honey, using cleaning supplies that double as an afternoon snack...

Where do these two collide? Adults need a recommended 7-9 hours of sleep each night, not each week. If we are only good enough when we are working, volunteering, and being healthy for 140 hours out of our week,  how are we giving our bodies time to recuperate?

I myself have been more guilty of this than I would like to let on. Even now I am tempted to list off everything I was committed to during my nine years of high school, Undergrad, and Graduate school... showing how cool I was because I was so busy... but I was barely sleeping! Trust me, it's not cool for a college sophomore to actually sleep at night.

Now that I am taking a break from Grad school and I am only working part time, I finally get the pleasure of getting a full night of sleep. But alas, I realize that isn't all that rest entails. I may sleep eight hours each night, but that only gives my body rest. I am not just a body. I am a spirit, I have a soul, and I live in a body. If I only care for my physical body, I am depriving myself the care my whole self needs.

Lucky for me, I have the answer for true rest. It is within my reach. It is available to me whenever I want it. The problem is, I so often ignore it.

Jesus can give true rest. Rest of the Spirit, of the Soul, of the Body. We only need to ask.

But it's already known that physical rest isn't "cool". Does that stigma apply to spiritual rest also? As a Christian, is our Christian reputation dependent on always emptying ourselves, but never stopping to fill up? We see this so often in church volunteers- going to every service, volunteering at each of them, attending every event, and spending any free time planning the events themselves.

Don't get me wrong- this isn't bad! Just like it isn't bad to volunteer in the community, work full time, have hobbies, and going to the gym at all hours. But just as we don't think it's okay to spend a day doing nothing in order to recharge our bodies, we don't always think it's okay to step back from "Christan" activities and responsibilities to spend quiet time in the Word.

I don't claim to have all the answers. I don't have some magic equation of doing things and doing nothing... I don't know exactly how many things to volunteer for is the maximum... I don't know the minimum and maximum hours one should spend at work. In fact, I wish someone would tell me the magic equation! I only know that if we don't stop to care for our whole selves, we are going to run out of steam long before planned.

I don't want to run out of steam. I want to honor the hours I have been given, while also honoring the spirit and body I have been given.

For now, I try to follow these guidelines:

-Sleep at least 7-9 hours each night. If sick, sleep more. Attempt to sleep at normal hours- when it's dark. Don't confuse the body more than needed...

-When I'm sleepy, drink water. Stand in bright lights. Eat an apple. Do some jumping jacks. I am lucky in that I don't like coffee (trust me, I've tried to like it) because it has no nutritional value and is addictive (don't act like this is shocking), so therefore I don't want to depend on it to wake up.

-Develop night time habits that will aid sleep, not deter from sleep. I try not to eat or drink anything after 9pm- 7 pm on a really good day. I try to exercise during the day, but not right before bed. I attempt to eat the bulk of my sugar earlier in the day. When I get in bed, I try to minimize the amount of light stimulation on my eyes.

-Don't take naps unless absolutely necessary. College Sybra would get mad at me on this one. clearly naps mean more sleep and therefore are good! Unfortunately, they just screw up a regular sleep schedule. Of course, on sick days naps are encouraged because the body is literally in a war with those stupid germs.

-Read the Bible. This is that "whole self" rest I was referring to earlier. This gives me peace, assurance in God's plan/timing, and (surprise!) reading is a restful activity. Currently I am reading through the whole Bible in order, which takes out the guesswork of what to read- making it even more restful!

-Attend a church service. When I say attend, I mean attend. Once a week is ideal. Have a service where you don't volunteer, you don't have to get there early or stay late, you don't have to practice or prepare. Just leisurely arrive (even late is fine) find a seat (closer doesn't mean you're better) and just listen. Soak it in. Fill up.

-Have fun! Non-obligatory, non-stressful fun. Fun for me can mean a puzzle, a board game, a movie, a bike ride, or a fun date. I just love having the free time to do things that don't strain me mentally.

And of course, I pray.

Mid-Holiday Ramblings

Hello to all who visit this page!

With the holidays almost over, and with our traveling over, I just wanted to give a quick update on Jake and myself.

For Christmas we had the amazing blessing of enough vacation days to spend Christmas up north. We got to visit both of our families, and spent ample time in both places, though it always feels like we are leaving too soon. We got to see so many family members, and it was such a joy to be with family for Christmas.

Carpooling with my brother was fantastic- especially since his Fiancee joined us! He proposed less than a week before we left, and it was so fun to welcome Sherry into our family (: Jake and I are so very excited for the upcoming festivities, and we are immeasurably excited to be a part of the wedding! We feel so honored and blessed to be in the hearts, and wedding party, of Sherry & Albert (or as people have started, "Sherbert"). It seems the Alcorn/Dacy clan will have a wedding for the third year in a row- 2011 with Jake and myself, 2012 with the Dacy brother Luke, and 2013 with the Alcorn brother Albert. 2014 is still up for grabs- it seems Blake and/or Daniel will be next in line. Timmy, you can have 2016 if you like. It would be quite amazing if we really did continue every single year, but I'm not rushing anyone (: Two sisters in two years is mighty fine, and enough for me thus far!

Jake and I are excited to reconnect with friends at a New Year's party. Though we aren't able to provide ALL the drinks & snacks, our friends don't seem to mind having a pot-luck style party. We plan on rearranging the house in preparation- the living room and master bedroom! There isn't much otherwise to rearrange... though I'm sure we could move around the spare room if we got bored. It seems pointless, though, since we don't spend enough time in there to get bored of the arrangement. We shall see!

Jake is just now getting over a nasty cold that has been keeping me busy. I like taking care of my loving husband, but I feel extra obligated because I have been sick twice since last he was sick, and he takes care of me so well. He was totally knocked out! We ran out of soup and medicine (I was only sick two weeks ago) so I made the walk to the grocery store for the necessities. Got his favorite soup, and picked up some of mine- we should have enough for the next time we get sick!

Because of the Holidays, then traveling, then Jake getting sick, we got home and kind of exploded all over our apartment. I felt like every nook and cranny got messed up between last minute packing, presents, unpacking, and getting sick. Today, while Jake was at work (I sent him with soup, Dayquil, and cough drops to get him through the day), I got through most of the mess. The kitchen was a disaster and our suitcases threw up in our bedroom, so it was a full day. I then proceeded to sort through everything we brought home from Christmas... which took longer than it should have. Between Shirley Temple and Bejewled Blitz, I moved slower than I usually do.

Now, Jake is out to a movie with friends, and I am barricaded in the Master bedroom because we turned the room heater on for the first time (WHY the first time? I have no idea. Jake likes it colder but even HE has been bundling up to sleep!) and I refuse to leave the room. About half of the living room is sorted out... and I plan on finishing it tomorrow (: I have to speed clean because we plan on hosting Holy Hotcakes! If I ever get access to my past blog, I will re-post the entries- there's one explaining Holy Hotcakes. It seems they don't want to give me access... or even answer my emails... so that may never happen. But alas, I am in a warm room with an accessible blog, and they are only two of the many blessings I can count.

Now I think I will read another book (the second since returning from our trip), send some emails, play some bejewled blitz, and wait for the hubby to return from the movie. I will update soon- on work, church, and home happenings.

Until then,
Love from SoCal,
Sybra