Paint 'n' Process...

So I have had this apartment renovation thing going for a couple months now. I'm actually living there now, which is great. But it is still very much a work in progress. So after a month of serious daily painting I took a break to unpack and set-up shop, so to speak--get my apartment settled in to. Now that is pretty much done--so it is back to painting. Yesterday I painted two items of furniture--so they'd coordinate--and they actually look really great. Today I painted trim in the kitchen and am getting ready to start on the cupboards. That will be a task. You may think that by this point I would totally detest painting. But that isn't true. In fact, at this point in my life all this tedious painting has been really good for me. During my painting time I think...and think...and process life and thoughts and decisions that have been made or are yet to be made. With all the changes that have gone on in my life in recent months, there are certainly plenty of things swirling in my head to process through. Sometimes I come to brilliant revelations during my painting processing time, and other times I simply ruminate and remember--but it is all beneficial in learning, in healing and in growing. So I am thankful for the paint.

But don't get me wrong--I'll be glad when the painting jobs are done!

On a totally different note--there are two things that happened today that really excite me! Actually, make that three.

1. I have been working out and eating healthy lately. Once a month I measure myself. Today was measurement day and I learned that I have shed nearly 14 inches off my body in the last month! Yippee! I don't know how many pounds that equates to because I have no scale--but that is really irrelevant b/c 14 inches lost means I'm smaller and that a new wardrobe is in my future! :o)

2. I signed up for my first event with the Chicago Kayaking club that I am joining. This Friday evening I will be doing a Rescue Clinic with them to learn some new techniques (actually ANY techniques will be good for me!)

3. I have found a church I really love in the area--today was my second Sunday there--and I loved it as much as the first. I will write more about why in a future post. But I got some information this morning about a missions trip the church is doing to Ecuador in September. I would really love to join the team--and I think I will if my work will give me the time off (I haven't exactly earned that much time off yet, but who knows?!). So I am excited about the possibility!

Alright...back to painting!

Later taters!

Holly :o)