what i'm loving wednesday (8.3.11)

i'm loving that i realized today that there is more behind me than ahead of me on this diet, and that i'm not craving all the "bad" food at all.  i mean, i'll be running to chick-fila at some point immediately after finishing, but i really appreciate the true lifestyle changes that i can foresee from this.  and isn't that the whole point of a "diet" anyway?

i'm loving that anthony and i haven't butted heads on pretty much anything in picking out furnishings, decor, etc for our upcoming new place.  now, a lot of that is letting us each have our own domain (me: kitchen, him: entertainment room), but quite a bit of it is back and forth discussion and reaching a mutual decision.  currently we're playing elimination games for bedside tables, bookshelves, etc.

i'm loving that i have some exciting news to share of God's amazing provision and faithfulness...but i'm hating that i can't share it quite yet.  soon, though.  very soon.

i'm loving random and wonderful moments stolen away with friends.  it seems like we're all so stinkin busy these days, and it's really nice to be able to connect even if it's only for 20 minutes.  and face to face trumps all!

i'm loving pinterest.  i have become addicted in a very few short days.  i have to admit that a lot of it probably stems from my upcoming wedding and new dwelling place, but i can see this being something i'll enjoy for quite awhile!

i'm loving thundershowers that appear in the midst of this summer crazy heat.  i'm wishing for more frequent thundershowers...my poor tomatoes.

i'm loving new piano students...new jobs...

i'm loving the fact that a few short weeks from now i'll be moving to a new location soon to be joined by my HUSBAND.  i'm not loving the packing, etc, that will have to occur in the next few short weeks.

sometimes the teacher learns...confidence

about 70% of my piano students have special needs
a few of them are autistic
those of you with experience across the spectrum will know that no two of them are alike in their mannerisms and behaviors

however, they can all learn
and most of them thrive when learning piano

one of these students, J, came in today
he is in 7th grade, limited vocabulary, not prone to aggression or acting out
and his "comfort" when he plays is having my hand lightly touching his wrist

this comes from the first few lessons we had together where i would hold his hand and literally show him where to press the keys
he doesn't need it anymore
he reads incredibly well
his ear training is off the charts
(he can transpose flawlessly)
but as much as i've tried to wean him off having my hand touching his
he still insists on it for at least a couple of songs per lesson

today was a little different
after playing over half the lesson with little to no assistance from me
he reached for my hand and i obliged
putting two fingers lightly underneath his wrist as he played the song
and then all of a sudden
he grabbed my hand, placed my finger on the keys and started playing
using my finger

it's a good sign, actually
that he's trying to transfer knowledge
that he's confident in himself
and my heart swelled a little with the realization that he truly gets it

i think i got a teeny tiny glimpse into how God's heart swells
when one of His children gets it

when we stop waiting for a crutch, for a comfort
(although the comfort of God and Holy Spirit is amazing and wonderful and ever-present)
and confidently step out in faith
knowing full well we are doing exactly the right thing

when we stop relying on a feeling
and instead rest in the promise
when we grab God's hand a little tighter
and take off in a sprint

i was SO proud of J today
and i have this feeling that God felt the same thing for me :)

(written on wednesday, 2.2.2011)

3 in 30

i love the idea of this!  little goals, 3 at a time, for 30 days at a time!
i found the challenge on this amazing blog, undeserving grace and since it's technically too late to join the actual challenge, i'll just post them here and then join for real next month!  hopefully i'll get my 3 in 30 completed so i'll have a brand new set next month!

here are my 3

1.  play the piano daily.  it's on my "30 before 30" list, and honestly it's something i should be doing as a piano teacher ANYWAY!
2.  exercise 5 out of 7 days each week.  i'm shedding pounds at this point, and grateful for it, but it's mainly because i'm MOVING.  so i need to keep that up!
3.  have a more reasonable bedtime.  i have found that 7 hours of sleep seems perfect for me, so that means i may need to be in bed by 10/10:30 on the nights before my early work days.  and you know what?  that shouldn't be a problem.  so my goal is 7 hours of sleep per night every day...with a few days of allowing 6 hours if there's a late night event or something.

join in!  it'll be fun and rewarding :)