Fighting monotony

My dad tells me that we Sagittarius' are all the same in having to always have something new and exciting going on in our life's routine. Whether that pertains to my "sign" or not, I am my father's daughter and about every 4-6 weeks I have to try something new. In the past these new hobbies or adventures have included but not limited to...running races, geocaching, swimming laps, pilates, joining a gym, making crafts, trying new restaurants, exploring new hiking trails, cliff jumping...the list could go on and on. Besides the Lord keeping my mind peaceful and sane, I have to incorporate new things into my life to feel motivated about waking up for another day. In any relationship I have, whether it be with Jesus Christ, Josh, or my friends and family I have to infiltrate that relationship with "new-ness." What's so wonderful about the Lord is that "his mercies are new every day," also that his Word is alive and no matter how many times you read a verse, you can gather new things from it! Even in my job, God brings new opportunities into my life. One of the reasons I love being a Vet Tech is that you never know what you will be working with that day. Recently I have been able to branch off into new areas at work and it excites me and keeps me motivated to go to work each day. The Lord even brought me someone into my life that keeps me on my toes and who is as spontaneous and random as I am in this area. The Lord knows our desires and if we sincerely ask Him and trust in him He WILL give you the desires of your heart. 

My new activity I tried today was Yoga. After my run this afternoon I cleared a big area on our rug in our back patio. As technology provided I found some awesome apps with all the different yoga positions. If you have Android they're called Daily Yoga. I've always considered yoga to be for the more balanced meditating individuals. I recently watched a video on www.pinterest.com (best website known to this generation, FYI) of a lady performing yoga. It was so smooth and required so much strength! I decided that maybe I could do that, after some muscle building of course. I found that I really can do yoga and it is strangely relaxing! You feel like you can breath easier and like running, clears your mind. I'm looking forward to getting better at it and contorting my body into all kinds of strengthening awkard poses in the future lol.

Here are some goal poses that I will not even attempt until I am stronger and maybe even have a spotter haha

"You have to have a lot of something"

I found this post on a technician's blog and it seems to describe my job exactly. I can normally stay pretty disconnected from animals that come in but there's always that dog/cat that you think about when you go home, especially the ones you spend the most time with treating and pullin' for them. I really enjoy my job despite the non pleasant aspects about it, I love being able to work with animals everyday, they are the best, most forgiving patients. I enjoy seeing how much they mean to their owners even if some owners I want to "smack around" a little because they don't mean enough to them. Thankful to love going to work everyday!

You Have to Have a Lot of Something , A dedication to "Judd"
I have heard so many people say "I would love to be a veterinary technician!" Well... I love animals too but you have to have a lot of something to do this job. I don't mind cleaning up poop and vomit, I don't mind getting bit, scratched or growled at and I don’t mind the long days on my feet and the emotional and physical stress.
The best days are everyday, when you send a patient home happy and wagging his tail or purring. The best days are when you and your team save the life of a patient that didn't seem like he was going to make it. Those are the days you go home with a smile!
The worst days are the ones where you work with a patient non stop doing everything you can, looking at every angle to find out what is wrong with him and how to save him. You’re screaming in your head "I wish you could just tell us what hurts, what you did, what you ate, who hurt you, why won't you get better?!"  But he can't, and you get angry because you have become attached. You know what is going to happen and there is nothing more you can do except pray and hope for the best. You try to comfort him and his owners but you can't help but think the worst.
Those are the days that are the worst. Those are the days you get angry, stressed to the max, and sick to your stomach. Those are the days you take your work home with you, you cry, you get headaches and you hug your pets and tell yourself how lucky you are to have them no matter how short a time it’s for.
You have to have a lot of something to do this job. Every scar, every bruise, every smell, every tear and every day is worth every moment.

Francis Frei
Veterinary Technician
Alta Sierra Veterinary Hospital

The desires of thine heart

I'm finding it very interesting how my priorities change once I start stepping into the next stages of my life. I've always been so proud of being independent and single. I was always told that eventually I would not mind not being single and I would enjoy depending on someone else. I never thought that was at all possible for me. But I find I'm really enjoying having a relationship with someone that is encouraging, trusting, patient, and uplifting and someone who is my best friend and have so much fun with and a relationship that is supported by our parents and going somewhere! (positive that was a run on sentence!) Past couple days I've been thinking about this verse. Ps 37:4 "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." I've prayed many times that if it is in God's will for my life that he will give me the desires of my heart. What I didn't realize is that I don't know my heart, God does, and he knows what my true desires are. Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"  I had such a strong opinion about what I wanted in a relationship but that was not my true heart's desire. God knew what I needed. The desires that I have seem to be coming into place and I believe it is all God's doing. It just makes me love my savior even more!

Jesus, our example

Most recent thing God has taught me is how to be willing for Him to use me for His plan. I believe that God puts people in my life and that He will work through me and use my words or actions to be able to encourage that person or help in any way. I never really feel worthy for God to use me but He still does if I am willing and don't fight it. God gives me the words to say even when I have no idea how to answer a question or respond to a situation. Col 4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

I've been reading in Matthew and it's interesting seeing the way Jesus handled others. After Jesus found out that John the baptist had been beheaded  He departed to go into a desert place but the people still followed him. Even when Jesus was discouraged he had compassion on the people and performed a miracle to feed the multitude because they had stayed so long with him Matt 14:14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. vs. 16 But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart;give ye them to eat. Reading about Jesus and his time on earth helps me put my own witness into perspective. In Jesus' witness he was compassionate to those who would listen.

Jesus was able to turn common situations into witness opportunities. We learned about this in our Sunday school a couple weeks ago and I began noticing it alot more throughout Matthew as well. Jesus took the situation of the woman at the well and turned it into a witness opportunity. He asked for water and through that began discussing the living water with the woman. In our day and age I feel that people respond better to us if we can relate ourselves to them and not just badger and harp on them about a disagreement. God has put people in my life and through Jesus' example it has helped me to know how I can handle different situations and how to relate myself to them so I can better understand not only what they're going through but how to help them know the truth of God's word.

Redington

Finally got up to redington during monsoon season to do some cliff jumping. It's beautiful and exhilarating up there, can't wait to go again!

 

Beardliness

As per my dad every 10 yrs he goes through a beard stage. Unannounced to all of us this was that year. Although, I have good grounds to believe that a certain "man vacation" caused this outrage of beardliness. So I have documented this time, who knows if I'll be around in another 10 yrs to experience this phenomenon in the future.

Beard

Sophisticated

Caterpillar

Desert in bloom

I realized on my run this morning how the monsoons have affected our desert surroundings.

It always amazes me how bushes and trees that look like dead twigs the majority of the year burst into color, just add water!