Jumping Over The Line

Jumping over the line

Recently, I made a lifestyle decision.  More about what decision it was in a later post.  One of the exercises my coach told me to do was to write down some ideas of what I wanted to accomplish.  In other words, she wanted me to write some goals.  "No problem" I said...as I began to jot down some thoughts about the direction in which I was headed in the next few months.  I can surely write that....I had been down this road before and had done that several times.

I wrote them down but I didn't realize that I was setting myself up for failure...again.  I started with....  

I want to....

I hope to accomplish....

I will attempt to....

After I compiled my "want-to" list, I sent them to my coach friend.  She complimented me for high ideals and willingness to look forward but said "now change them to say 'I will' and 'I can'.  I thought...."how could I do that when I hadn't actually performed such tasks yet?"  

I dutifully changed the words and sent them back.  And that's when I began to smell it.      

Something snapped when I typed the words "will" in place of "want".  My determination was empowered.  My faith in my God-given abilities was bolstered.  My drive was deepened to visual positive changes.  I could see my specific dreams on a piece of paper and I saw success.  I could smell victory!  I visualized each one becoming a reality.  I WILL and I CAN, with God's help!!  

My heart-felt desires transformed to defined goals in mind.  With the exchange of a just a few words, I felt confident and encouraged to attain anything the sentences spoke.  The change in two words brought me to the line of commitment, and I forced myself to jump across it.  It was a wonderful feeling!

Hope was built in my heart with just a few positive and caring words from a friend.  She knew it would make such a difference and saw my potential.  The gap between where I saw myself and where I needed to be didn't seem so overwhelming.  Now this doesn't make it easy, it just makes in doable.  My dedication and commitment will definitely be put to the test.  Sometimes, God has you re-learn a hard life lesson just because His will is to teach you more.  My decision might not seem like much right now...but my "can and will" attitude makes all the difference in my world.  

In this will-vs.-want battle I will lay down my wants 

to willingly follow His plan.  

How about yours?  What goal have you achieved that meant a lot to you?   

Green Bay Packers = Cheese

WARNING: THIS POST MAY OFFEND YOU. That is not my intent. I am merely speaking an opinion. You can address your hate mail to janelle@idon'tgivearip.com.

YAY!! I know who's playing in the Super Bowl game this year. I even know that it is the 400,000th year for the BIG GAME. The Green Bay Packers VS. Pittsburg Steelers are facing off to see who has the best football playing skills. My pick? The Packers of course, because I like cheese and the Steelers have always been a mean team. However, Andy Youso just told me the reason the Packers are called the packers because they are meat packers. I thought it was because they packed cheese. Ok, I guess I don't know as much as I thought. I don't really like meat in general, except for chicken, so I may have to pick another team.

Here's why I don't care or like football and this is just my opinion! Okay? I am not the voice of most (there's your disclaimer). AND I will not judge you for liking it either. If you love football for whatever reason, then maybe you should stop reading right now. (Insert happy face here)

If you made it this far...then hear me out:

It consumes. People are down right lunatic when it comes to this sport. Crazy in the most extreme dimensions. Radical measures are taken to get tickets, hotels, and travel. Fans act like they are desperate. I don't get it. I can't comprehend why people go to such lengths to be a part of just a football game.

It steals. It takes away time from husbands and wives and children. Think of the investment of minutes spent with the entertainment of it. To sit mindless in front of a TV screen. Enough said. There is a redeeming quality in the fact that some people use it as a fellowship moment. I think that is good, but again it is centered around football. And so much money is spent on everything. And those commercials....a whopping $2.5 and $2.8 million for a 30 second commercial on CBS.

It boasts. There will be one winner, that's obvious. But getting to the final nail biting seconds of victory, there will be countless statements made of who boasts the best. The proud will be loud. Both teams will banter about who has the best skills, commentators will predict the winner. But in the end... one team will lose.

It is destructive. But one of the biggest reasons I don't like it is because stuff like this happens. Just outside the stadium doors. This makes me sick.

Now I realize I really slammed the sport. Someone just told me I need to pray about it. I guess I do. I am sure there are some good things that happen at the Super Bowl. If you want to to convince me, go ahead. I just wanted you to be aware. If you read this far, and I have offended you, I'm sorry.