Practice, practice, practice...

Been playing racquetball with some friends and loving it! I was getting beat pretty bad but the more we play the better I get, I know, imagine that! I'm really enjoying it because I have to work at it. Think. Fight. Plan. Practice. It's not easy, but it's paying off. I'm getting better. The more I play the less I have to think about it. I'm not perfect, but practicing is making the angles, hits, positioning, and strategy come more easily, which means it's becoming a habit and will soon be permanent (remember learning to ride a bike? Practice turned the moves and balance into habit and it soon became permanent... hence the saying, "like riding a bike")

This year, racquetball isn't the only thing I'm practicing.. I've challenged myself to run a half marathon in May (two months and one day before my 40th birthday!) I've never run 13 miles in my life! Hey, in preparation for the half, I'm running 7 miles this Saturday... I've never run 7 miles in my life! Practicing the little things make the big things possible.

Here are some other things I'm practicing this year:

1. I am reading one book for every month of the year. Starting with Francis Chan's Crazy Love. I'll read chapter 4 tomorrow and am LOVING it! Next on my list is Radical by David Platt.
2. I'm keeping a gratitude journal this year. I forget everything! So, I'm writing the stuff down that God does in my life, my family or the church, every day so I don't forget. Imagine in December of 2011 being able to go back and have a notebook full of the cool and amazing and miraculous things God did!
3. I'm continuing to practice my Bible reading this year. I've chosen to read the Old Testament this year in The Message version. I think I'll do the OT every third year. (you can join me at www.youversion.com. I'll re post my blog posts on youversion and you can keep up with what God is teaching me there by following reallifecc)
4. I'm also gonna continue to journal my prayer time and Bible reading thoughts (and I'll share those on my blog/youversion).

So there you have it, some of the things I'll be practicing this year. Paul told Timothy to, train himself to be godly because it was far better than just physical training. So I'm practicing my faith. Practicing to be more like Jesus. Practicing the things that will benefit me in this life and the life to come. I hope you'll join me!