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Stick with it Saturday 1-7-2012

January 7, 2012 by Carey Jane Clark

Exercise is not officially one of my New Year’s resolutions. But getting to bed on time is one of my goals for this month, and when I do, my schedule suddenly accommodates my exercise routine (magic, isn’t it?). Until this week, I hadn’t exercised since the miscarriage.

I have a string of excuses, and some legitimate reasons: I wasn’t feeling well, and was probably a little low in spirits after the miscarriage, then things were busy as I revised my novel in preparation for publication. Finally, in January, I fell and injured my rotator cuff, and exercise was impossible.

I have been extremely fortunate, because recovery was quick–quicker than it’s “supposed” to be, and I now have the return of almost 100% range of motion, almost completely pain free.

So it was time to get back at it.

I resisted the urge to jump in hard core, as is my usual modus operandi, and instead decided a gentle approach was best. I started back with Leslie Sansone’s Walk Away the Pounds. Halfway through the week, I couldn’t resist ramping it up a bit and did interval training on the mini trampoline, but went back to playing it safe the rest of the week–although my shoulder felt great.

Sunday – Walk Away the Pounds – 2 mile walk

Monday – Walk Away the Pounds – 2 mile walk

Tuesday – mini trampoline, interval training

Wednesday – didn’t go to bed on time the night before

Thursday – didn’t go to bed on time the night before

Friday – Walk Away the Pounds – 2 mile walk

Saturday – mini trampoline, interval training

Last-minute Reading List

January 6, 2012 by Carey Jane Clark

This month in Friday Fiction Fix, I’ll be interviewing an author and reviewing Saving Grace by Annie Jones.

In the meantime, we are packing up for China, and I’m coming across a lot of books that were on my I’ll-read-that-one-day-when-I-have-the-time list. You know the list, right?

Only problem is, I refuse to pack up a lot of books and move them to China. A lot of these books are non-fiction, but there are some good fiction titles in there too, mostly ones I picked up at thrift stores or had passed on to me after someone else read them.

So here’s my hopeful list of books I want to read before we seal the lid on the final box:

The Muir House by Mary DeMuth
Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
An Imperfect Lens by Anne Roiphe
The Deep End of the Ocean by Jacquelyn Mitchard
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis De Bernieres
Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates

Okay, okay, you see just as well as I do what’s going to happen here, don’t you? There are simply not enough hours in the day. Sigh.

Looks like a giveaway may be in order. Stay tuned.

Also, if you haven’t heard yet, the Grace Awards have been announced. I’d be honored if you’d vote for After the Snow Falls.

Winter Fun: the Photo Version

January 4, 2012 by Carey Jane Clark

A Fresh Start

January 2, 2012 by Carey Jane Clark

Don’t miss these recent posts on other blogs:

guest post at Tina’s Book Reviews
review of After the Snow Falls by a fellow expat and homeschool mom at Just Love Mom.

Happy New Year! Whether you’re ready for 2012 or not, here it is. Hard to imagine what this year will bring. We’re packing up and moving back to China to a known city, but an unknown apartment, a new neighborhood, new friendships, new possibilities. I’m wavering between being very excited, to very sad to leave our friends and family, to very unsure about the mountain of stuff that needs to be packed into 10 (or less) suitcases of 50 lbs. a piece.

Today, I’m thankful for fresh starts. There is something refreshing and hopeful about tearing that old calendar off and turning over to a whole year full of 365 (or in this case 366) brand new days.Today, I’m thankful for fresh starts.

But in reality, January 1st is just another day on the calendar. Today is just as full of possibilities and potential for pitfalls as any other day. What we do with our days is a matter of choice–every single day.

When my kids have meltdowns or mess up (because shockingly, that happens in our family too), I remind them that we can start again any day and any time of the day–at 7:00 a.m. or 4:00 in the afternoon. We just have to choose. And they believe me.

Sometimes it’s harder to convince myself. I’m sure that’s why these words were penned:

Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. Lamentations 3:23

So here’s to a fresh start. What are you going to do with yours?

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