Our alarm clock is set to softly play music for about 15 min. before the alarm goes off each morning.
Brian has been getting up at four or so every morning to do some work. (He does this so we can spend time together in the evenings).
At first I used to wake up to the alarm even before he did and then had to fall back asleep after he left.
Gradually I got to the point where I never heard the music – only the alarm.
Then I barely rose to consciousness as he left the bed.
Now I hear and know nothing.
Yet….even after several months of disuse, if my watch alarm went off – a quiet little beeping for 30 sec. I would snap awake.
Our response is all in what we are conditioned to hear.
I slowly conditioned myself to not respond to Brian’s alarm with a response of rolling over and going back to sleep – I ignored it’s call. I could not use that alarm to get me up if I needed to. To wake up by that alarm I would have to change things a bit and make the alarm more drastic and then discipline myself to get up as soon as I heard it. Gradually I would come to the point of being alert when the first few bars of music sounded forth.
Attentiveness is trained through action.
Listening for God’s voice is the same. If we are in a habit of ignoring it, soon we will cease to hear it even when we want to. God has to speak in a more drastic way and we have to respond consistently in order to come once again to the place where we can hear the still small voice.
23-Feb-2007
20-Feb-2007
“Don’t read health books; you may die of
a misprint.”
– Mark Twain
I’m researching pork right now and whether it’s good to eat or not. It’s hard to find an objective medically sound site.
Does anyone have an opinion?
19-Feb-2007
The Cahill Report: Various and sundry news items.
This weekend we went to my parents house for a surprise visit! We coordinated it all through dad and had he and mom go out for dinner Friday night and we were waiting at the restaurant. Michael and Lindsey joined us and we had a good meal of chicken fried steak.
We surprised the kids on arriving at the house after dinner – Tim just kind of stood there and said “oh wow”!
Saturday we jogged with Katie, visited some old neighborhood friends and participated in a bumper pool tournament – Lori won. We also played frisbee golf, the wind was blowing so hard it added a whole new element to the course. Brian and I won that being just 2 over par (the wind really messed things up!)
Sunday we went to church, visited with friends for a little while and then with my parents for a longer while then played games with the boys until they had to leave for the evening activities. We had a wonderful talk most of the way home and Brian took me by the little place where he met my dad for the first time.
We wished we had our Aggie shirts on.
In other news…
I took out my contacts potentially for the last time last night. I’m going to try and have lasic eye surgery done to restore my vision and eliminate the need for glasses and contacts. However, in order to get an acurate measurement of my vision, I have to go without contacts for three weeks – meaning in back in glasses. It’s not too bad though because I know I only have to endure for a time in order to gain something better. Kind of like living life on this earth in hope of heaven.
“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Rom. 8:18
Not that I’m really “suffering”, it’s just the fact of enduring something unpleasant, or something I’d rather not have to do, in order to gain something that far outweighs the initial inconvienence. Think of what I would miss if I were unwilling to go through a little trouble on my part – twenty years or so of freedom! (those who have never experienced the affliction of poor eyesight may not be able to fully appreciate this analogy.)
Anyhow, that’s just life for now – I’m living it and loving it! Life is good!
16-Feb-2007
It’s 21 degrees out. 
Needless to say, we didn’t go running this morning. 
It snowed yesterday – little flakes falling all morning.
And now, to report on our first Valentine’s day (I’m sure you have all been anxiously waiting…)
The day started out fairly normal (though each of us were harboring plans the other didn’t know about). The whole morning passed well – I got a surprise ready for that evening and did other house stuff while Brian worked.
Brian, however, got the jump on me by sneaking into our apartment while I was out walking with Laura. I didn’t know this so instead of going straight home, I stopped by the admin (Brian’s work building) and spent half an hour with Sharon (on front desk duty) trying to find a way to get Brian out of his office so I could leave something on his desk.
An opportunity finally presented itself and I dashed upstairs, carried out my deed and skipped home, pleased with me cleverness. On arriving, I was totally surprised by this!
During the afternoon I worked on this website and then cooked a dinner of Chicken fried steak – Brian’s favorite.
I had it all set up to take a picture but forgot until after the meal was over, so here are the remains.
And all the dishes – Brian says it’s a sign of a good cook 
We finished the evening with reading, games and a questionnaire that I found on line.
It was all very wonderful and I was happy to be spending my first Valentines with the man I love most.
15-Feb-2007
I’m shutting down this xanga in favor of a new one which you can look at here.
