Challenges

As if life itself weren't a challenge enough sometimes!

I've been thinking about this past year... like most of the world seems to do when we get to the end of one. i've never been much of one to make *resolutions* per se, but i do have hopes and goals in general that i hope to achieve at some point.

Like this past year...
- I hoped to finally achieve my goal of running a half-marathon. Didn't.
- I hoped to knit a sweater. Did!
- I hoped to live in another state. Did!
- I hoped to become more of a bike commuter. Did!
- I hoped to get into seminary, start school, and do okay in it. Did, did, and hopefully did.
- I hoped to read a lot of books. Definitely did.
- I hoped to form deeper relationships with old and new friends. Pretty darn sure I did.
- I hoped to be more consistent in a lot of things. And I was, but not so much in those that I'd established as my priorities... it's hard to tell.

I want to listen well.
I want to love well.
I want to work hard.
I want to play hard.
I want to rest when I rest.
I want to give... life, encouragement, time, money, creativity.
I want to trust... God, my husband, friends, myself.

And I still want to run a half-marathon. :-)



...On a lighter note, we've got a challenge going here in the Rand family.

Rand Parents vs. ColoRands
Exercising Regularly (3x/wk)
We've got a little point system, a time frame, something to work for, and a little friendly rivalry. :-D

You'd think the Jer & I would have an advantage, but really we've been bad about doing any consistent and *real* exercise this past semester. I've maybe gotten out for longer than 15 minutes 1x/wk average in the past semester. Long time when I do, but... things don't even out that way.

It makes me happy though, because we all need to be moving around more regularly. And we all want to be able to do that together when we get together. :-D Anyone else want in??

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P.S. I just whomped Jer & Jonathan in a game of Agricola. Who'da thunk?

Pirate Hats & Duct Tape

I think that today has been one of the most hilarious Goudelock Family Christmases in a while. :-D Don't have long... gotta pack, but I figured I'd share a few highlights!

So, Jeromie and I have the cutest nieces and nephews... well, I guess we're kind of partial to them. But one of them, Iona, is an almost-4-year-old who has a slight affinity for pirates... and we found her a really cute pirate hat. She was feeling a bit un-piratey tonight, but that didn't stop a few of the adults from having fun with it. :-D

me.

Jeromie.

Dad.

Along the theme of nefariousness (nefarity??), Jeromie and Baby Ewan played Christmas Ninja while I wrapped presents...



And Iona, got pink duct tape for Christmas!! (She asked for duct tape and a toy horse. Those were her Christmas wishes. Girl after my own heart. :-D )

Tis a little blurry... what can I say? that girl moves fast!

Tomorrow morning, we head for Alabamy to see these awesome folks (plus le RandParents, not shown), with whom we had an "iBrunch" this morning! :-D



There are too many highlights to show... like running with Diane... and the turkey-washing song... and the list goes on and on and on... :-)

Up Next: Who knows???

Warmth, or lack thereof...

There are a few blatantly obvious things that have been driven home for me this Christmas...

- it's cold outside. yes, even in SC. and people sleep in it.
- i've been taking a lot of things in life for granted.
- story is a beautiful, God-given gift.
- i love and appreciate my family, and I don't tell them that enough.
- i'm pretty sure that the last realization goes for my friends too...

The past few months have been full of newness and busy-ness and more reading crammed into the smallest time frame than any other time in my life, but I feel like they've also been full of a sort of inaction. I suppose it's the learning-first-then-doing sort, but it's a little hard to stomach and I find myself wondering if I could've been a better steward of these few short months. Continued food for thought, not reason for despair. :-)

But story, oh story! I have been devouring stories, enthralled by them. (Reminds me of a post I made sometime earlier in the year about wanting to read Scripture that way... I think I got more than I bargained for in that department. :-D Open-mouth-in-front-of-gushing-fire-hydrant-style. No complaints, though... I just know a few things I need to change as I move into this next semester...) My picks for holiday reading so far have ranged from Jean Duprau's City of Ember to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice to some thought-provoking non-fiction... I don't know what else will enter the list at this point. I'm just hungry for good story and I can't quite put words to it right now.

A Christmas Eve playlist, (courtesy of Jeromie, crafted for Ewan):
- "Trumpet Child" by Over the Rhine
- "Hymn 101" by Joe Pug
- "Take Me Home" by Genesis as covered by Dave Smith
- "John Saw That Number" by Neko Case
- "Sometimes" by Punch Brothers
- "Rains in Asia" by Jump
- "Quiet" by This Will Destroy You

Hop on over to Jeromie's blog sometime tomorrow for some thoughts on these... in the meanwhile, I'm diggin'em.

Up Next: Pirate Hats & Duct Tape

...

"God is over all things,
under all things,
outside all,
within, but not enclosed,
without, but not excluded,
above, but not raised up,
below, but not depressed,
wholly above, presiding,
wholly without, embracing
wholly within, filling."

~ Hildevert of Lavardin

...

"...growing up never ends; we never get there. I am still in the process of growing up, but I will make no progress if I lose any of myself on the way."
- Madeleine L'Engle, Walking on Water

Much-needed laughs!

So... the past few weeks have been CRAZY. I only pulled one all-nighter in my whole career as an undergrad, and now I've pulled three... and I haven't really been procrastinating or wasting time either. Well... sometimes I do, but not enough to cause a problem with completing my work. :-) A week & a half left... that's all I have to say. Well... not really. I have more.

Lack of sleep makes me loopy. Most of you know that. I've been loopy half the day, aided by a pretty hilarious email from my dear friend Joel in SC.

Insert your name for mine, your significant other, best friend or favorite stuffed animal for Jeromie's, and take heart, ye overwork-ed students! :-D

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What's up Liz?
I figure you are keeping busy. Because, like, school does that to people. But, when you graduate, you can get PAID!!!! And once you get paid in full, you and Jeromie can get the tricked out ride. I'm talking rims, hydraulics, chrome and leather! Fo' real! Ya'll could get phat bling and pit bulls and bling for them too. B/c dogs need gold. I mean, you could live your own rap video (profanity optional - gotta keep it Christian). You could get medallions so big and wide that they are no longer medallions, but gongs. Only you can answer the question, when does a medallion become a gong? You could like straight wear one, and Jeromie could bang it with the gong stick and everybody would know when you guys are near.


I hope the above picture gives you hope and determination to carry on :)

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Joel is pretty awesome.