Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Here are my stats for this morning:
Time: 30 minutes
Route: Treadmill
Average heart rate: 114
Maximum heat rate: 131
Calories burned: 202
I am using a different heart rate monitor. I don't like it as well as my PS15, but until I find that, I guess this will do. I have to cut the calorie total in half for this one because it credits me far too many for the work out - like two times too many.

I was reading the "Habits" book on the treadmill this morning. I need to go back and read again with my highlighter in hand. There is one section in the intro that says to read the book as if you were going to teach the principles to someone. Ironically enough, I skipped right over that - never saw it. In last night's reading Covey talks about setting goals. My goal for today - and only for today - is to stay in value rather than personality mode (hmmmm, kind of like my inner brat - Mary Ann) - to stick with my food program and not let "Mary Ann" sabatog me. This, to me, is the most important message in the book. Our values are the source from which personality flows, and if we are stifling or ignoring those values, we are not living authentically. We know when we violate our values - or we should, if our consciences are in working order.

I just visited the Biggest Loser site. The new season premiers on September 16. Can't wait! I just hope that there is another "Bette-Sue" type character. I just loved her!

On the home front:
I have a meeting this afternoon and then more inventory. Inventory is bearable because I use a laptop to take it and I can listen to internet radio while I am doing it.

I finally finished the choir letter I have been working on. Our choir is going to do a CD in memory of our friend John who died suddenly last October. I don't know why I have procrastinated with it. Today, I put my procrastinating personality aside and got it done. Writing the letter was the hard part. Now that it's done, I can enjoy the rest of the day.

Word of the day:
Matthew 24:42-46
Jesus said to his disciples, "Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives."

Thoughts from the cornfield:
A friend of mine has a shirt that says, "Jesus is coming, look busy." This would be hilariously funny if it weren't so true. Many of us, including me, go through life "looking busy." And what are we doing when we aren't looking busy? Often we're worrying about how busy our neighbor is and whether he is just looking busy.

This all gets back to authenticity and it ties in so well with what I am reading in the "Habits" book. If we are operating from a Character (or Value) ethic, there is no need to "look busy." We ARE busy. We are doing what we need to do. And we are doing it because there is nothing else we would rather be doing. How wonderful if we lived as if we wanted to get caught doing what we should be doing.


God bless the troops!