Haiti and Half-Marathons . . .

So, I have a lot of exciting news to share with you all tonight! First, Catherine and I won first place in the regional client counseling competition, and our 2L teammates won second place! We are incredibly excited because we never expected for the competition to go that well, but we are thrilled, and are now looking forward to participating in the national competition next month in Oklahoma! (And if we win that we get to go to Puerto Rico for internationals, but let's not get ahead of ourselves here . . . ) I am also so excited to have an excellent team of 2Ls who can do well in this competition next year, as well.

Next piece of exciting news: I've decided how I'm going to spend my 25th birthday, which is rather rapidly approaching on May 16th. I am going to spend my birthday week in Haiti volunteering with Mission of Hope. This Christian organization works in Haitian villages to provide health care, education, food, and the Gospel to the people there. Late one night the first week of January (the night I wrote this post), I started researching organizations abroad to do a mission/ volunteer trip with and found Mission of Hope, and just in the past week took the plunge, committed to going, and reserved a room at the mission headquarters for the week of May 14-21. So I'll walk across the stage at graduation and then hop on a plane four days later, and I am SO happy about it and so glad to be making this a reality. And also, my sister is coming with me! We are both very invested in this sort of thing, and very passionate about doing the Lord's work in the developing world, so this is definitely our cup of tea. I just kind of realized that it's now or never, you know? Of course I can always say that "sometime I'll go on a mission trip," but if you put it off too long, life and other responsibilities get in the way and it often doesn't happen. I decided that it's time for me to practice what I preach, put my money where my mouth is, and DO what I always say I am so passionate about. Life is just too short to wait to do important things later--we need to do them now. So I can't wait to ring in my 25th birthday in Haiti in a few months.

Applying that same "it's now or never" attitude, I also signed up to run my very first half-marathon on April 19th! I have wanted to do this for YEARS and have written about it on this blog many times and had it on my list of goals for a number of years. I know that I'm not in shape yet, or anywhere close, but I realized that I need to register for a race first and then get in shape after that. I need the time pressure of a race date to push me to get where I need to be physically to tackle 13.1 miles. So I have approximately 9 weeks, and somehow, I will be ready. It doesn't matter how long it takes me to run this half-marathon as long as I simply finish it. (Finishing alone would be accomplishment enough for me. I don't really care about my time.) So I'm doing this, and it's going to happen, finally!

I decided the first week of January that 2014 is going to be the year that I make things happen, dust off some dreams that have laid stagnant for far too long, and do my part to craft a passionate and fulfilling adult life. I decided that I need to be more assertive about pursuing the life and career I want. It's not going to just "happen," I have to be willing to work for it and to do things I haven't done before, especially in the job arena. I've realized that the whole idea of someone randomly calling you and telling you, "You know, this position just opened up, and you would be perfect for it," is 100% not a thing, and that you have to network like crazy and make opportunities happen instead of waiting for them to fall in your lap. So that's exactly what I've committed to doing, and it's beginning to work (more about that later), so I'm very encouraged. But just in general, my mantra lately for life has been this: "If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten." And that's just not good enough for me. What I've always gotten just isn't good enough anymore. The same old results aren't going to cut it for me in 2014, because this year I'm just pursuing more. I honestly just want to claim this year for Christ, to declare over my life that this is the year of the Lord's favor, the year that I watch God work in ways I've never seen Him work before, the year that I watch Him do immeasurably more than anything I could ever ask or imagine. I've been tapping into that for my strength and inspiration, and it's been more than enough, because He is more than enough. Make this your year, too. Claim the favor of God over your life, and go out and let Him work through you, because He is the God of new things, of second chances, and of making a way where there is no way. This IS the year of the Lord's favor.

"See, I am doing a NEW thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." 

Isaiah 43:19 

"He has sent me . . . to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." 

Isaiah 61:1-2

2013: Year in Review

As I think back on 2013, I realize that it has been an insanely busy year. As I think back on the goals I've had for this year, I realize that I have met some while totally falling short on others. I didn't run that half-marathon even though it's been on my goal list for seriously YEARS. (Oops.) I didn't read the Bible entirely through. I didn't travel abroad. I didn't practice a whole lot of random acts of kindness, I didn't always follow my rule to "say what I mean and mean what I say," and I definitely didn't have coffee with Chris Tomlin (all items on my goals list for this year. That last one was a distinct possibility since I went to his church for awhile! But alas, it didn't happen. Yet. :) I'm pretty sure I wasn't always classy, didn't always inspire others, and didn't stop to watch the sunsets nearly often enough--all things that, either literally or figuratively, I wanted to do more!

But I also did a ton of other stuff, and it's kind of exciting for me to think back on the things I did accomplish in 2013. I got published for the first time, with an article on patenting in biotechnology. I joined the editorial board of the law review and edited more than 600 pages for our fall publication down to every last footnote and punctuation mark. I traveled to Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Richmond, Savannah, the mountains, the beach, and more. I had a job as a law clerk in a fast-paced litigation firm in the big city. I helped to coordinate a national moot court competition on legal ethics and professionalism, including writing the competition problem. I took a bunch of classes. I helped to research and edit a professor's article on neuroscience and criminal culpability. I competed in moot court and client counseling and closing argument competitions (gotta develop those practical lawyering skills). I learned how to do demands, interrogatories, petitions, ante-litem notices, and motions, and prepared trials, cross-examination, and discovery.

I did some things I've never done before this year--got a hotel room all by myself, went on a vacation by myself, and picked an apartment and signed a lease with no "supervision," parental or otherwise. I read some amazing books. I spent some great time with friends going to music festivals and baseball games and pool days and other fun things. I went to the symphony and art shows and Spin classes and wine tastings and birthday parties and some fancy dinners and networking events. I tried Chicago deep dish pizza and watched the sun rise on the beach and made some unlikely friendships with people who are very different from me but have taught me a lot about life.

But I can't stay in one place or sit still for long, and I am already thinking about what I want to accomplish next year. Next year I want to get a real big-girl litigation job--as a real attorney, not a law clerk. I want to pass the bar exam. I want to publish another article, run a 10K, graduate with honors, and win my first real case. I want to become a World Vision child ambassador. I want to speak up for women and children who can't speak up for themselves. I want to take a class or two at a nearby university, but only in fun stuff, like Italian or creative writing, because I'm not ready to stop learning. I want to travel to amazing places in the US and the world (first picks: San Antonio and Seattle). I want to own a Bible that's falling apart and learn how to be a woman of prayer. I want to be smart, curious, honest, funny, and compassionate.

I want to keep writing. I want to inspire and encourage people. Here's to a great new year!

Mission Statement

Yesterday I read this inspirational book that discussed, among other things, the importance of coming up with a mission or purpose statement for your life. The book suggested that this process can be completed in about 20 minutes and that you'll know when you've hit on the right mission statement. I was skeptical, but I decided to try it. Sure enough, with a lot of cross-outs and additions, it took me about 20 minutes. (And I can't believe I've never tried this before!)

This is what I wrote.

My mission and purpose in life is to:

1. Bring deep joy, heartfelt laughter, and genuine smiles to as many people as I can as often as I can;
2. Serve and bless the poor, the hurting, the hungry, the orphan, the sick, and all the less fortunate with extravagant compassion in the beautiful name of Jesus, and in so doing to turn my own brokenness into another’s healing as I minister to others as Christ has ministered to me;
3. Radically and continually point people to Christ and the abundant life He offers them through my actions, attitudes, spoken words, and writing;
4. Use my spiritual and personal gifts to the maximum and strive for exemplary excellence in everything I find to do;
5. Experience ALL of the life I am blessed to live with joy and passion, taking risks, pursuing new opportunities, and ultimately valuing and enjoying each moment as if it were made of solid gold.

If I do say so myself, I'm a pretty big fan of this mission statement and am pretty excited about it. I know it's actually quite vague, and I may need to get more specific later. Now, the book said I needed to condense it to one sentence, but I just couldn't do that. So each number represents something I care about deeply: bringing others joy and laughter, ministering to others, evangelism, pursuing excellence, and finally, passion, fun, and enjoying life. I'd really recommend doing this exercise, since I think it helps you quickly identify what you are so excited about that it keeps you up at night; what issues in the world make your heart ache that maybe you can help remedy; how to make goals for the future; and most of all, what really brings you joy and makes you feel fulfilled and like you're doing what you were created to do.

Make Time.

So, here's my hopefully inspirational thoughts for this week:

I don't have time to blog.

I don't have time to exercise.

I don't have time to eat healthy.

I don't have time to read intellectually stimulating books.

I don't have time to keep my apartment clean.

I don't have time to read the Bible and pray regularly.

And I'm guessing you don't either. We all have huge commitments and demands on our time, whether it's jobs, school, children, our families, volunteer work, or something else. In my case, I spend about 60 hours a week, and often more, reading cases, preparing oral arguments, doing my work-study job, editing manuscripts, getting ready for meetings, writing papers, preparing for exams, reading, reading, and reading some more. That's just regular law school life, and I would assume that many of you readers have very similar demands on your time no matter what your main responsibilities are.

And I so often fall into the trap of just saying "I don't have time": no time to do any of the things I mentioned earlier, things that are really important to me, good for me, and/ or necessary for keeping my life running smoothly. But it's occurred to me lately: so what? So what if I don't have time? I never have enough time in my day. There will always be an excuse available if I choose to rely on one, and I'm kind of tired of settling for my typical excuses and ready to be better. If you wait till you have time, it will never happen. Make it happen anyway. Go to the gym anyway. Spend some time in prayer anyway. Just do it anyway.

I don't know exactly what this will look like for you, or even what it will look like for me, since I'm just now really starting to make a concerted effort to fit in the Really Important Things no matter how busy I am, regardless of the fact that my Moot Court competition is this Friday and I have an important paper due Thursday. For me, today it meant that I spent 20 minutes running the stairs in my 10-story apartment building even though the day was too jam-packed to make it to the gym. It looked like me coming home from Moot Court practice at 9pm and baking sweet potatoes and cooking brown rice and ground turkey to have food ready for healthy meals the next couple days. It may mean spending less time online to squeeze out a few minutes for prayer, or delegating or rearranging some tasks to get work done as efficiently as possible so that truly important things get done. I am ready to stop settling for less than my best, to stop making excuses, and to stop acting like a busy schedule is a reason to avoid taking care of my home, body, mind, and spirit.

You're always going to be too busy. Just do it. Make time.

Blog Fitness Challenge

First, a confession: I've been trying to get in shape for pretty much FOREVER. The thing is, I haven't really been trying all that hard--which is probably why I haven't succeeded yet. And tonight at the gym, I just got tired of it, and I decided it is time to do something about it.

I want to be able to go for long runs without having to stop and catch my breath soon after I begin. I want to be able to do half-marathons, play sports, do strength training, etc., without being held back anymore by my overall lack of physical fitness. I want to go to my high-intensity training class (which is like boot camp) and do every single exercise without an issue. And perhaps most of all, I want to actually get into a truly consistent and challenging exercise routine, and I want to do it now--because I don't want to realize a few years down the road that I've turned into a totally sedentary adult, because at that point it may almost be too late to change my habits. Looking further down the road, I want to be that 85-year-old that still plays tennis and still goes to the gym every morning (well, that may be kind of hard since I don't actually play tennis now, but you know what I mean: I want to be active and healthy no matter what age I am.) And I also know that physical fitness is probably the biggest factor--I really think even more so than diet and nutrition--in preventing conditions like heart disease and diabetes (and these conditions are much more likely to affect sedentary people whether they are at a healthy weight or not).

But the problem is that I always push exercise and caring for myself to the bottom of my priority list when life gets busy. You can always be too busy to work out if you want to be! And really, the busier I am, the more I need to exercise, because it is such a good stress-reliever for me.

That said, the challenge: I want to be more accountable about health, fitness, and my efforts to get in shape, especially in terms of stamina and endurance. One of the biggest specific goals I have in that area is to significantly reduce the amount of time it takes me to run one mile (last I checked, the best I can do is a slightly embarrassing more than 10 minutes. That's not anywhere near half-marathon-ready, and I really want to improve). So, I am planning to start running, and exercising in general, a whole lot more. I'm expecting that the more active I become, the more time I can shave off that run.

And for the accountability part? Every week, I'm going to time myself running a mile on the treadmill or the track. And every Friday, starting this one, I'm going to post my time on the blog. Having it out there for the world to see will hopefully motivate me a lot to make it the best I can do! So check back on Fridays and we'll see how I'm doing. :)

It Doesn't Have to Be Perfect.

It really doesn't. Life doesn't have to be perfect. You and I don't have to be perfect. Our goals and dreams don't have to be perfect. Our days don't have to be perfect. Our friends don't have to be perfect.

I was really reminded of this this week when I was reading one of the alumni blogs from my college. One writer, a 2009 grad, was talking about how you can't be afraid to have your career path meander a little--or a lot. You can't be afraid to try new things, and ultimately, you can't be afraid to fail. And you can't be so focused on finding the "perfect" job or "perfect" life that anything less than that ephemeral and elusive ideal feels like settling. And she reminded readers of this classic quote:

Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Just don't. Don't pursue an ideal that you know can never really happen when if you opened your eyes, you just might see a satisfying possibility right in front of you. I'm all for not settling, and holding out for the best, but sometimes by doing that, I've ignored something great. Don't let "not settling" turn into a paralyzing inaction while you wait around for perfection, because it won't happen. Perfect shouldn't be the goal--"good" or "excellent" or "satisfying and fulfilling" should be.

What We Can Learn from Doomsday Preppers

I'm sure most of you are aware that many people are saying the world is going to end this Friday, and many more are simply saying that it will be "doomsday" or that life as we know it will never be the same after that date, even if human life does go on. Other people fear a more general "doomsday" taking place at some unspecified time, for any number of reasons, and have made it their mission in life to prepare for it--stocking up food and water, preparing shelter that will withstand crises, and more. (The popular TV show "Doomsday Preppers" will tell you more about these kinds of people and what they do to get ready for the end of the world).

Now, I know a lot of people write the "preppers" off as crazy. But the fact is, even if their methods are wrong, they ARE focused on always being ready for whatever comes. Because you know, we're all going to die someday. Sure, it could happen on December 21st. It could happen in 2064. Or it could happen today. The point is, we don't--and can't--know. But there is great value in doing the occasional assessment of your life to determine what kind of legacy YOU would leave if you died today. Bomb-proof bunkers and stockpiles of distilled water set aside, are you ready?

Do the people you love know that you love them? Do you have at least one friend who makes you laugh, one who lets you cry, and one who tells you the truth even when you don't want to hear it? Have you found something to pour your heart and energy into that will outlive you? Are you caring for the world and the people in it? Are there people you need to forgive? Regrets you need to release?

Is there a goal or passion you've always wanted to pursue and haven't? Are you living in yesterday or tomorrow more than today? Do you generally have time for the Really Important Stuff: like going to your daughter's dance recital, listening to your grandparents tell stories about their childhood, and being a shoulder to cry on for a friend? Are you learning, inspiring, and being kind? Taking risks?

Are you more concerned with doing well, or doing good?

What will be your legacy?

Just some food for thought.

Top 10 Most Inspiring Quotes Ever

1) "God's voice speaks deeper than what hurts, brighter than what is dark, more enduring than what is lost, truer than what happened. "- Dave Powlison

2) "Yesterday's a fading sunset, tomorrow's a faint sunrise. Only today is there light enough to love and live. So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, swim more rivers, climb more mountains, count more stars. Laugh more and cry less. Go barefoot more often. Eat more ice cream. Ride more merry-go-rounds. Watch more sunsets. Life must be lived as we go along." -Robert J. Hastings

3) "Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise, risking more than others think is safe, dreaming more than others think is practical, and expecting more than others think is possible."

4) "My dear Jesus, my Savior, is so deeply written in my heart, that I feel confident that if my heart were to be cut in pieces, the name of Jesus would be found written on every piece." -Ignatius of Antioch

5) "The world breaks everyone, and afterwards many are strong in the broken places." -Ernest Hemingway

6) "Not even waste is inviolate. The day misspent, the love misplaced, has inside it the seed of redemption. Nothing is exempt from resurrection." -Kay Ryan

7) "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of." -Alfred, Lord Tennyson

8) "Love God and do as you please." -St. Augustine

9) "Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right." -Henry Ford

10) "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did so. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain

These are all on my "life list" of quotes for when I needed some motivation and challenge . . . do any of these resonate with you? Do you all have favorite quotes to add?

The Heavens Declare . . .

So earlier today, I was thinking, "Can I please just fast forward until October 20th?" Don't get me wrong, I love October. I love the cooler weather, being able to wear scarves and boots (although here in Georgia that doesn't really happen till December), pumpkin-flavored everything, fall foliage, and feeling like I have an excuse to pull out the Christmas music if I'm so inclined, since the holidays begin in a month and a half.

But the next couple weeks, at least up through Oct. 19th, are going to be absolutely crazy (hence my wishing that it could be the 20th). I have two 15-page papers due (a case note and an appellate brief), Moot Court tryouts, the law review symposium, two job interviews on consecutive days next week, and all my regular classes/ reading/ etc. So I was at the gym tonight and just kept thinking about how in the world I was going to get everything done, and feeling stressed and overwhelmed.

Then I walked outside to drive home and was greeted with the most beautiful sunset ever. The whole sky was awash with hues of pink, gold, and purple, and I could see a couple of faint stars beginning to shimmer on the horizon. It was gorgeous. And it was exactly what I needed at that moment.

The heavens declare the glory of God. And if even all of creation can sing His praises, so can I, no matter how crazy life gets. It just stopped me in my tracks and completely reminded me that the God who creates so much beauty just for His glory and for our enjoyment can also provide everything I need. And if I would keep wishing to skip ahead over the hard stuff, I might just miss the beauty too.

90 Days to a New You

So today, my sister and I started this multi-faceted self-improvement program called "90 days to a new you." We picked today to start because: 1) it's the start of a new week, 2) and the start of a new month, and 3) the start of the latter half of 2012. Technically, the challenge will end--as the name suggests--90 days from now, on September 28th. I'm trying to pursue some self-improvement during this time in terms of intellectual, spiritual, social, physical, and financial goals. For one, my sister and I are both using this time to pursue a challenge where you read the Bible from cover to cover in 90 days. Here's a link to a reading schedule if any of you want to give it a try.

I'm also trying to become much more consistent with exercise and physical fitness in general. Like a lot of people, I tend to go through these periods where I work out 24/7, and then suddenly slack off for about 3 weeks, rendering me completely out of shape all over again when I start back up again. So I'm trying to do a variety of different workouts this summer to keep me motivated, including going to a bunch of fitness classes at the university's main campus that I can take for free, as a law student. In the past two weeks, I've sampled kickboxing, Zumba, and body sculpt classes, and also tried out the university's pool for the first time since I started school here. Swimming is basically the most stress-relieving workout you can do, and I used to do it a lot in college, but I pretty much stopped doing it during 1L year. Well, now's as good a time as any to take it up again. I'm also planning to start keeping a "workout journal" where I keep track of when I exercise and what I do, just as a way of keeping myself accountable to stay active.

And then I'm planning to use these next 3 months to try to get a lot more organized in a lot of the day-to-day tasks of my life: cleaning, cooking healthy meals, paying bills, filing papers, running errands, etc. I'm also planning to read a lot of books I've been wanting to read for a long time; to be intentional about spending quality time with friends and maintaining relationships; and to keep blogging (I am hopeful that reading the Bible in the next 90 days will give me a lot of writing inspiration).

School starts in a month and a half, and I anticipate being very busy during my second year of law school, so I think it's important for me to use the rest of the summer to pursue some personal improvement and get some good systems in place so I won't be overwhelmed by the hectic activity of 2L year. I'll keep you all updated as the challenge progresses!

But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded. 2 Chronicles 15:7

What's Really Important to You

Today I read a pithy yet inspiring little quote: "Actions speak louder than goals." Now, anyone who knows me well knows that I am all about having a number of clear, written, specific goals. In fact, right now as I look through the files on my laptop, I see a life goals list, a summer 2012 goals list, a fall 2012 academic goals list, and a 2012 year goals list. That's a lot of goals. But as this quote reminded me, goals are completely useless if they aren't backed by action. You can make goals all you want to, but they don't amount to much if you never DO anything to make them happen. A goal without action is shallow idealism. I know some people (and I probably do this sometimes too) who talk all the time about goals they want to accomplish, but I never see them taking any concrete steps to bring their goals to fruition.

And then there are the excuses--I know you've probably used them a time or two, because we all have! "I'm too tired. I'm too busy. It's too hard." But the thing is, you WILL find the time, energy, and means to do the things that are truly important to you. In fact, if you want to know what's really important to you, don't bother pulling up your goals list. Just take a look at how you spend most of your time, what you think about the most, what keeps you up at night and wakes you up early in the morning, what you talk about and write about and ponder. Whatever it is, for good or bad, that's what's important to you. This can be kind of a sobering exercise--there are definitely days when the things I spent the most time and energy on were decidedly NOT what I want to consider important in my life. (Trust me, I would never want to say, "Oh yeah, today my life priorities were updating my Facebook status and reading Seventeen magazines.") But it's a good reality check as to what's really a priority.

So in sum: a goal is a good thing. It's definitely a start. But by itself, it's just not enough. Sometimes, one decisive action is worth ten goals.

If you want to accomplish something, you will make a way. If not, you will make an excuse.