Mulligan on the week

Things were moving along quite swimmingly for a few months and then this week hiccuped. It started REALLY well as we were off school Monday and I spent the entire day catching up on errands and projects around the house. By Wednesday I was tired, unmotivated and just bleh. I hadn't practiced with the dogs for school, so their last session was disappointing. I was behind on school stuff, then a deadline hit me in the face. I wasn't exercising so my health goals were backsliding. My AdvoCare business wasn't developing as steadily as I'd liked. My previous tenants were STILL trying to figure out how they were going to move their belongings out of the cabana, almost 3 months after they moved back north while I was trying to get the cabana ready for someone who needed it in 2 weeks. The roofer finally billed me for the final payment, but my paycheck still didn't reflect my raise and extra supplements. Thursday, a boat swamped during sailing practice with two kids on it and then I got to my car to find not only a flat tire, but a flat spare as well. I just couldn't seem to get a solid grip on anything. OH, and there is a full moon tonight. No coincidence, I'm sure.

The good thing is that setbacks are only temporary. As long as I keep that in perspective, it's all good. I HAVE been working consistently with the dogs for over 9 months, so this one week of slacking can be overcome. My school deadline is do-able because I did prep work for it a month ago. I can start running/swimming again today AND I learned that swimming at night with the moon and the patio lights is just as good as swimming in the daylight. The AdvoCare business is moving forward because I've been putting steady hours into it every week and that consistency is paying off. I've got two people moving to the Advisor level this afternoon and my 2 week check will be twice as much as any I've received before. The tenants are taking care of getting their stuff and it looks like the new tenant isn't coming after all. My last paycheck was finally accurate and I'm able to work on a new budget for the year.

Tiger Woods has practiced his golf game his entire life. If he has a bad tee-off, he's entitled to a mulligan. I think I'll take on on this week and hope I won't need another for quite some time.

As for this afternoon, I'm taking Queso to the park to practice, then Guava to Starbucks for her homework. Then I'm meeting with my AdvoCare team to help them with their business (which ultimately helps mine). Then I'm setting my goals to get through the week. Wish me luck.

You do not have because you do not ask!

Since God answered this prayer last week, I had to put in some new ones. I've mostly been praying for a friend to open his heart to Jesus. He's a hardened recovering Catholic who believes that all paths lead to God and being a good person gets you to heaven. I love him dearly and want to see him there. I've also been praying for Him to bless my AdvoCare business, as the extra income will help me get out of debt faster (to give more money to His work) and free up my time from all of the side jobs that I'm currently doing to accelerate my debt reduction. (I've reduced it 5% in the last 6 months.) I made sales to 3 new customers this week; one was a nanny who saw me taking an AdvoCare Slim after school one day a few weeks ago. I gave her a catalog and my card and all of a sudden, she called today with questions and then ordered online. I've also started making a smoothie with the meal replacement shakes and fresh fruit. As I walk around school with it, people ask for a taste and now a coworker wants to buy a box.

I look up every time and whisper "Thank You."

Flu-like symptoms

Yesterday was tough. I ALMOST called in sick to school today. That hasn't happened in 6 or 7 YEARS. Then I started thinking about my schedule lately and thought I figured out the problem. Last week, I did a half marathon (with "complications") but other than a short nap and lots of fluids that afternoon, I didn't rest up and recover well. I jumped right back into the school week, walked 3-5 miles every night and stressed over school projects, grades and upcoming performances. Then I spent the weekend doing some THOROUGH house cleaning. Then yesterday I had a dental cleaning in the morning (which seems to have stirred up some germy things) and a deep tissue massage in the afternoon (more toxin things). By the time I left Doggy Middle School at 8 PM last night, I was running a low-grade fever. I felt better this morning and made it easily through the day. Tonight I went to community band but left at the break because my eyes were hot and my hair was hurting. (you know, flu-like symptoms where your whole body just aches.)

I just took a double shot of AdvoCare Rehydrate and some ProBiotic RESTORE and I'm going to bed. I'll let you know how that works out!

Choosing your gifts

At church last Sunday, we were in prayer and when I lifted my head, an older man came to me and said "You're going to have a great week. God is telling me that good things are going to happen." I was gracious but skeptical, of course.

Right away, I start imagining what might happen, MY interpretation of what a good week would look like: I meet "the one," my AdvoCare business starts to soar and money starts rolling in, I get an unexpected windfall that will wipe out all of my debt, I'll get a call from the doctor that yes, that extra 40 pounds I'm carrying IS indeed a benign tumor that can easily be removed with no visible scarring, yada yada yada.

It's amazing how when someone tells us they have a gift for us we right away start trying to predict what that might be. Then when we DO receive it, we're often disappointed because it isn't what we'd hoped for. It's a perfectly good gift; it's just not what WE wanted. Sometimes the gift is even BETTER than we could have imagined but we can't see that through our tears of disappointment.

God's gifts are the same. Our prayers are for one thing and He provides us with something else. Ultimately, His gifts are better because His plan is better. I just need to stop making my list and be happy with His.

Truth is, that is MUCH easier said than done.