A Little "Umph"

I turned 29 today - eek!!  So old!  

Okay, maybe not SUPER old...but, wow, where has the time gone?  Wasn't I just ten...or fourteen...or eighteen...or...well, you get the idea.  :P  

Actually, I do still feel rather like a teenager a lot of the time, and while some of that is because I still live in my parents' home, most of the blame falls on me.  I'm one of those people who doesn't HAVE to be moving every minute of every day.  While I do take satisfaction in a job well done, and while I typically enjoy a task once I start it, I've definitely sunk into the bad habit of going straight to my computer whenever I have down time.  This leads to a teenager-ish messy room and a host of unfinished projects - which then stresses me out.

We sell bottled tea and juice at work that comes with an inspirational quote inside every bottle.  Most of them are just fluffy nonsense, but I found one a while ago that I really like: "The difference between try and triumph is a little 'umph.'" (Anonymous)

I've been thinking about that lately.  Now that I'm seriously saving for my own place, and especially now that I'm beginning to research farming and learning just what a crazy amount of work it will be to fulfill my dream, I'm realizing that I need a whole lot more "umph" in my life!

So today I really took that to heart.  I got off work a little early (because it's my birthday!!  :D ), and instead of plunking down on my couch and scrolling mindlessly through my favorite webpages (even though most of them right now are farming-related), I took the dog on a walk.  Then I sorted the intimidating paper pile on my desk and threw out a bunch of old papers.  After that, I still had some time before supper, so I sorted and reorganized my clothing so that I could fit all my bulky winter sweaters into my "closet."  

And...guess what?  I feel good now.  There's plenty more organizing that I could do, and I still have unfinished projects on my desk, but I have a definite feeling of satisfaction in what I accomplished today.  (I don't know if I'm applying this correctly, but it makes me think of what God says to Cain in Genesis 4:6 - "Then the LORD said to Cain, 'Why are you angry?  And why has your countenance fallen?  If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up?")

So from this birthday on, I'm going to try to live my life with a whole lot more "umph!"  I'm starting by organizing my room, but I'm hoping that the impact will be far reaching and long lasting, and that maybe over time, everything in my life from general organization, to my dreams of farming, to my spiritual walk, will gradually shift from "try" to "triumph!"

P.S. - This photo is old.  I didn't quite make it this far in my organization today, lol.