Evolving Into New Goals

"Sooner or later it happens. Sooner or later the unthinkable becomes thinkable and the undoable is done. In time, a distance that was beyond the imagination becomes routine. In time, a pace that was elusive becomes ordinary. When that happens, for better or for worse, we have to find new goals."

John Bingham,
"The Courage to Start"

Accepting The Best and Worst That I Am

"Each of us can find a way to make the act of running an end to itself, too. For me, this has meant finding a way to see myself as I really am and not be afraid. It has meant finding a way to fail and not be a failure. It has meant finding a way to experience both the best and the worst that I am and accept them equally."

John Bingham,
"The Courage to Start"

The Courage to Redefine Sucess

"I also learned that my spirit was not as broken as I thought. Through running I was rediscovering courage, in myself and in others. Running was awakening the very feelings that I had tried so hard to bury. Running made me aware that the true difference between success and failure, between winning and losing, is often our willingness to be honest about what success means."

John Bingham,
"The Courage to Start"

Catching Up and Planning Ahead

Y'all. You thought I was not going to make it today, huh?

It's overcast and has even rain a little today. A perfect day for doing some catching up in the house and on my work stuff. Scootch up a chair, I'll pour you a cup, and I'll fill you in on what all's going on.

Don't forget! Today (assuming you are reading this the day it's written) is THE LAST day to enter the contest to win a $10 Amazon gift card. Your entry is your comment giving me a name for my newsletter (there are some good ones there!) but the drawing will be a random drawing, so don't worry that it doesn't sound all clever or word-smith-y. Anyone who will use the word 'word-smith-y' is certainly not one to judge!

Are you following "The Cleft of the Rock" on Facebook? You can click on this link, or you can click my little Facebook button over there. Either way, I have come across some very cool articles and quotes lately about marriage and forever love that have been fun to pass along.

As mentioned (probably 42 times more than you wanted to hear) it's a busy season for our family. Perhaps not the best season for me to be trying to focus on writing from home as a business.

I have applied for several jobs that haven't worked out, so I am sticking to what I know I can do -- writing. But, like any other business you will run yourself, it only works if you do. So, I am trying to settle into a routine. And so far haven't yet.

I think back to what Dave Ramsey says about learning to budget: "You aren't going to get this overnight. You can bank on getting it wrong. That's part of the learning process."

John Bingham says the same thing about running: "When one becomes an athlete, one can exchange criticism for assessment. There are no bad runs or races, only events to be considered."

Yes, as Edison came up with 999 ways not to invent the light bulb, I have at least 8 days under my belt of how not to have the best day writing (I have had 3 or 4 pretty good ones, though -- CLAIMIN' them!) But I refuse to let the crazy voices inside my head (you love those guys -- they're the ones that let me write funny stuff) tell me that means I'll never be a writer. No, I am having Sane Sarah tell all the other voices: "Let's examine the pitfalls here and what exactly is going on and find some solutions."

So this afternoon I had a little ministry business meeting and made a plan. No... I don't have a plan yet. I identified problems and wrote SOME solutions, but "further action is required." Do I sound more official if I toss out business-y phrases? I need to use 'leverage' for good measure. That word honestly makes my blood pressure go up because I am so OVER! it being used.

I get a LOT of my productivity resources and ideas from Michael Hyatt's website. He has many valuable tools and ideas on his blog on a regular basis. If you are in any supervisor or leadership position, have your own business, etc. -- you would do well to start reading his blog on a regular basis. Wise man.

So, I am off to make myself an "action plan" to get those other things done. You go enter that contest!
And have a super evening.