To-Do'er

I'm a list person. If you doesn't get written down, it doesn't get done.

I don't have a to-do list, I have a to-do notebook. I despised making a list, crossing three things off, then adding more things, running out of room and having to make a new list, re-writing the things I hadn't yet crossed off on a new sheet of paper. So now I keep a spiral ring notebook and often have current "to-do" items uncrossed on several pages at once. Welcome to grad school.

As well as being a list person, I'm extremely methodical. They kind of just go together. I need start something with a plan and stick to the schedule or everything just kind of falls apart. Welcome to my running regime. When I had a set routine (read: when I had a job), I ran four days a week, with very clear intervals of slow/fast, long/short, tempo/laps, etc built into each run, for at least 10 weeks in advance. I completed a marathon and won my age group in a 5k. Without this regular schedule, I'm lucky to run 15 miles a week, much less four days a week and I'm overjoyed to hit a 9:30 mile average. I'm looking at two days of running this week. Sheesh!

So grad school and running, obviously (other than the Hubs) are two of my major time spenders. My fourth focus in life is my walk with Christ (those aren't in order...actually it usually goes, grad school-hubs-running-God...that's SAD on SEVERAL levels, but beside the point and a topic for another blog).

To-do lists and Method have to be apparent in my walk with Christ as well. I need a set study laid out for me, I can't just open the Bible and read something. For the past week, I've been reading through Psalm 119 (it's lllllong). I found an online commentary for it and every morning I've read eight verses and done a little study on it. Having this structure has really helped me be diligent.

So what you say, thanks for sharing. HA. What I find interesting is that this chapter is kind of all about that. Being methodical when it comes to our growing relationship with Christ. Since we cannot see Him and are so easily distracted by what we can see, our relationship with our God can so easily fall to the backburner. Psalm 119 is a long, drawn-out, and seemingly repetitive chapter about being devoted to the Word. What happy planning God had for me putting this chapter before me.

Ok, so seriously, the point. If you need a way to create your habit of getting in the Word each day, then I would suggest Psalm 119. I found two commentaries online...one is super long. http://www.eternallifeministries.org/psalm119.htm I found it a little to eloquent and my reading became laborious and I was reading for obligation, which isn't what I want this to turn into, so I found another. http://www.christnotes.org/commentary.php?com=mhc&b=19&c=119
I'd suggest reading Mr Spurgeon's explanation of the chapter first (to help understand the reason behind the repetition) for either one you choose.

Update on life in general: School is over in two weeks! Lots of paperwork and finals before then, but I'm gonna get through it. I have learned so much this semester. I'm so blessed to be in such an amazing field. I've worked with children and adults, artic problems and auditory processing issues, language disorders and delays, and learned a LOT of the medical side of it. I'm fortunate that my program recognizes that I've spent quite enough time in a school (thank you!) so I get two medical based practicums next year, where I'll get to work with adults (and observe children) with swallowing and feeding problems and stroke and brain injury.

Once I get past this semester, we have a whirlwind of travel for weddings (two of my bridesmaids-Krick and Mir!) and a graduation, Mike's brother from Coastal Carolina...I get to visit Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina all in the span of two weeks. My three favorite states, I'm so excited. We're gonna see tons of old friends. AAAND, we're going camping! Hopefully for at least four days, we haven't finalized it yet.

Mid-May, school starts again. Four classes over five weeks. One is a weekend course. Then the end of June brings my first external practicum and runs through the end of July. I think it sounds like a pretty decent schedule, but everyone says the summer is worse than the semesters, so we'll see.

In June, we have the World Beer Festival and my grandparent's 60th anniversary celebration. In July, we have three more weddings and our first anniversary! It's definitely gonna be a busy summer, but I plan to enjoy every second of it.

Happy Spring everyone!