Two Little Words That Mean So Much

Tonight when we got home, I had to go and get my taxes done. I had tried doing them w/ the free online Turbo Tax thing, but it showed that I owed over $500 on there, and I knew that couldn’t be right since last year I got a huge refund back.  So, I went to a tax place here in the area to have them done.  The guy that helped me was very informative and answered a lot of questions I had.  But then I heard two words that I did NOT want to hear, “YOU OWE!”  WHAT?  Yep, Turbo Tax was right…I owe over $500!  That was a major bummer to hear, especially when I could have done it for free online but now I had to pay since I had them done through this agency.  But, I guess it was worth the cost b/c I was able to see what had changed from last year and why I owed this year.  I was also able to get some really good advice on some things I can change in the future so I won’t owe so much.

On the way home I saw that Mom had called.  So, I called her back to see what was up.  She told me that a few minutes after I left, Autumn had pooped all over!  Her diaper had slid off to the side, and so not only was her diaper full, but it had also gotten on the couch.  And, when Mom went to get some wipes to clean it up, she could not find one single wipe in the whole house!  So, she told me I needed to stop and get some more wipes.  I stopped in at WalMart, b/c I needed to get some more diapers, too.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE the brand “PARENT’S CHOICE.”  That’s the generic WalMart version for diapers and wipes.  They are so much cheaper than the name brand stuff and in my opinion, they work just as well as name brand stuff.  What a great deal to get 1/2 the price for a comparable product…especially after hearing I owe the government so much money.  Thank you, WalMart for providing such great value at such reasonable rates.

The most powerful two words for me tonight, however were the words “ON PACE.”  After eating that Cookie Monster for dessert, I figured I’d better work out even though I had some laundry to fold and would much rather have done that and watch Will & Grace and go to bed early.  But, I made myself go upstairs and use the elliptical at least for 15 minutes.  When I got on the elliptical, I decided to try one of the programmed work outs they have on there.  I pushed the program button and it brought up a program that said “weight loss 1.”  I decided to give it a try.

OH.MY.GOSH!  My legs feel like jell-0.  It starts you out easy but then it changes the resistance level on you.  I have only ever had the resistance level on 1.  This one takes you up to a resistance level of 4 a few times throughout the 20 minute work out.  But, first it starts you at 1, which was easy.  Then it did 2 for a little, which was harder but not bad.  When it switched to 3 for a few minutes, I started to feel the burn.  But when it went to 4, I thought I was going to die.  It didn’t stay at 4 the whole time, just for about one minute and then it dropped back to 2 for one minute and then back up to 4 for another minute…you get the p0int.

Anyways, while I was doing this little program I saw a new button light up that I had never seen before…it would tell me if I was going to fast or too slow.  When the level 4 resistance started, I slowed way down b/c it was hard.  But when I did that, the little light came on indicating I was going too slow and needed to pick up the pace just a little.  I did, and these two little words w/ a red target in front of them appeared on the screen… “ON PACE.”

Those two little words lit a fire inside of me and I knew that I had to do whatever it took to keep myself on pace and not see that light indicating I was going too slow.  While I was doing one of those killer level 4 resistance intervals, a song came on my ipod that helped fuel that fire even more.  It’s the song from Hercules entitled, “Go The Distance.”  It made me think of so many things in my life and how I want to focus on CHANGE this year.  Click HERE to hear the song and read the lyrics below…pretty powerful.

I have often dreamed
Of a far off place
Where a hero's welcome
Would be waiting for me
Where the crowds will cheer
When they see my face
And a voice keeps saying
This is where I'm meant to be

I'll be there someday
I can go the distance
I will find my way
If I can be strong
I know ev'ry mile
Will be worth my while
When I go the distance
I'll be right where I belong

Down an unknown road
To embrace my fate
Though the road may wander
It will lead me to you
And a thousand years
Would be worth the wait
It may take a lifetime
But somehow I'll see it through

And I won't look back
I can go the distance
And I'll stay on track
No I won't accept defeat
It's an uphill slope
But I won't lose hope
Till I go the distance
And my journey is complete

But to look beyond the glory is the hardest part
For a hero's strength is measured by his heart

Like a shooting star
I can go the distance
I will search the world
I will face its harms
I don't care how far
I can go the distance
Till I find my hero's welcome
Waiting in your arms...

I will search the world
I will face its harms
Till I find my hero's welcome
Waiting in your arms...

These lyrics have so many different meanings to me.  They are so powerful and touching.  I want to do whatever I need to in order to stay on pace in every aspect of my life…from spiritual to physical to emotional to mental to social, etc.  I am excited about the changes I’ve made so far this year, and it’s only 1/4 over!  I still have 9 months to continue growing and changing and hopefully becoming better.  I know I have a lot still to do and that I am far from where I want to be, but I feel like I’m headed in the right direction!