Balancing A Busy Life

After about a month of attempting to balance my life full of church, homework, Canadian Tire, and other extra curricular activities, I've decided that I need to record some busyness tips for myself and for whoever might find them useful:

1. Get a calendar or an agenda or both! I recommend a larger calendar with lots of space to write various random busy-life things such as that one time that you are available to do laundry.

2. Make sure that you can get an average of at least 7 hours of sleep per night and drink at least 8 cups of water per day. If you do not follow this tip, you will surely be fatigued and unhealthy.

3. Avoid processed convenience-carbs. You know those snacks that are really easy grab-and-go and taste delicious but are not very good for you? Don't do it! Get some easy grab-and-go veggies and fruit instead.

4. Write everything down! You WILL forget that little appointment you made two months ago.

5. Learn to say "no." When you're a really busy people-pleaser, you have to set your boundaries so you don't burn out.

6. Don't procrastinate! Do those assignments as soon as you can!

7. Buy some comfortable clothes. Sweatpants and bunnyhugs are wonderful things for those longer days or even those "I need to relax" days.

8. Actually relax on those few-and-far-between "I need to relax" days. You will not regret it.

9. If you are a busy woman, buy lost of hair elastics and headbands. These essential items make getting ready a lot less time-consuming.

10. When your brain needs a break, have a good novel or a game nearby.

11. Get a job that you enjoy, but make sure that it is flexible too.

And finally...

12. PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!! Your time with God is the most important thing! Busy people never do well without their God-time. I know I don't.

Big and Bruised

The title of this post describes my current ankle. Now I know what you're thinking...What happened?

Well it happened like this...

One lovely Summer afternoon, last Saturday in fact, I was playing soccer. There was this guy on the other team who was fairly skilled at soccer and so it made sense to try to stop him from shooting the ball at the net.
I was aiming for the ball, but I missed and kicked this particular guy's foot. It wouldn't have been a big deal if he wasn't kicking the ball as hard as he could at the same time...but that wasn't the case. The only thing I remember specifically at that point was instantaneous killer pain. I couldn't stop the tears and I cried for a good half-hour on the sideline, watching my team win our first playoff game with my ankle wrapped in ice.

That's how the injury happened. Most people who know me well know that I am accident-but-not-injury-prone. This is my first major (well, I call it major) injury. The x-ray at the hospital showed that nothing was broken or fractured but I couldn't really walk for the rest of Saturday. My soccer team was awesome, checking up on me and praying for my ankle :). Those prayers definitely made a difference because I could walk fairly normally on Sunday. I am the kind of person who makes herself busy, so of course I was scheduled to work at Canadian Tire all this week plus my morning paper route :P. But God healed me just enough that I have successfully survived most of this week without too much hassle. He knows my needs and He provides :).

Just for proof, here are a few pictures of my first "real" injury.

It's hard to tell but the one on the left is the fat one.

 Had to get the nasty bruise in there.

 It's HUGE!

Change

So many things are changing this week.

New school.

New jobs.

New schedule.

New responsibilities.

I don't hate change, but it's hard to embrace it sometimes. There is much encouraging truth to be found in God's Word that are wonderful reminders during these times...


When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul. 
- Psalm 94:18-19

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. 
- Isaiah 26:3


I rejoice in my Lord because He has kept His promises to me all throughout my life, and He will continue to strengthen me to press on to do His work in this fallen and broken world.