hot stuff.

So, the thermometer here in Atlanta has been pushing 100 this week, making it entirely unbearable to run after tenAM.  This morning I got up in enough time to run 3 miles before work, which was tolerable.

Melissa is in town this week! We went to 2 Braves' games 2 days in a row!  Unfortunately our record for Braves' games attended together is 0 for 3.  But we've had fun.  Monday we melted/got scorched by the sun. I got to explain the great American pastime to my roommate Esther, who is from Ghana, and also to her friend Andrey, who is from Russia.  Esther caught on much more quickly than Andrey!  I'm so proud of her!  Last night in the car, we were listening to the Braves' game and she understood most of what the commentators were saying!  After Monday's game, Yacht Rock played  a free concert on the field.  For last night's game, we were smarter about our seating arrangements and sat on the west side of the stadium, meaning we were entirely in the shade on the third base line by the time the game started.  We sat behind a slightly unruly band of 10-12 year old boys- probably scouts, a church group, or baseball team.  They were very entertaining.

It looks like I'll be doing a good bit of traveling later this year!  I've got buddy passes for Portland (Maura!) and for NYC (Erin Leigh!).  I also hope to take a trip to Chi-town (can I call it that even if I've never been there?) to see my friend Michelle.  A few weeks ago, I started a 4 day work week schedule.  So now I have Mondays off and every weekend is 3 days long...which I have to keep reminding myself is totally worth the long work days.

We're almost halfway through the year and looking back to access where I am on my list of 2011 goals- I'm doing ok in some categories, while others not so much.  The ones I'm doing ok with are the financial ones and the physical ones...even though I still can't even do one pull up yet.  Also,  I've been watching SNL and working on reading 2 of the 3 books I got for Christmas.  If one of my goals had been to spend a ridiculous amount of my free time on facebook, I'd really be sittin' pretty.

Some categories I need to play catch up on- flossing my teeth, make plans to go camping, prayer for the people around me, my city, and the world, and also my Bible reading plan.

Along the top of my 2011 goal list is Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.   And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.  Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.  Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne.  


This was meant to be the banner over 2011.  I am in need of much grace in this category right now, as it seems my eyes are endlessly darting from money to vanity to others' opinions to anything besides Jesus...and back around again.  It seems an endless hopeless cycle sometimes, but, there are many reminders in my life to hope.

Good night friends.