Done with my tech writing class!

I finished the work for my tech writing class tonight! I just need to print out the final assignments to turn in and then take them to class on Tuesday and I will be finished! I'm in disbelief right now but I'm also relieved. Now I can go back to a somewhat normal schedule again. I can catch up on all the things I let go while taking this class. I'm glad I made it through since I wasn't sure if I could do it. Partway through my class my hours went back to being full-time and it was challenging to find time to do the work. I had to make a radical adjustment the last month or so to cut out some activities I normally do but it paid off. Thank God I made it through!

I am a Winner!

Today I got to listen to a talk on YouTube by Zig Ziglar. One of the things he talks about is how important it is to think of yourself as a winner. I tend to criticize myself, but I think that Zig has a point. I need to train myself to see myself as a winner, even though there isn't necessarily evidence of that at the moment. Coming from a loving position toward myself is the right way to treat myself and it will help me make decisions that will tend to make me a winner anyway, so it ends up being a self-fulfilling prophecy. So, I am a winner!

The Tenth Commandment as an Antidote to Envy

For some reason I have a tendency to compare myself with others and to covet things that others have. This is the opposite of the last of the Ten Commandments, which says not to covet various people and things. I am realizing that I am not following this commandment and it's hurting me. God gave us His commandments not to restrict us but to give us life. He is a good Heavenly Father to His children and as such He wants us to be happy and mature. I have made it a habit to indulge in envy and covetousness. I really need to fight this.

He says somewhere else (I think in Psalms but I can't remember where) that "no good thing will he withhold from that that walk uprightly" (in the King James Version). I don't think I live up to the walking uprightly part all the time, but in general, that sums up His approach as Provider to His people. He is able to and does provide good things. If there is a lack in my life, then He wants me to learn something through it or ask Him for the thing I need to remind me that I am dependent upon Him.

Also, I think that I tend to forget the good things He does give me. I think this comes from my fallen nature as well as from the world system under the control of the devil. I can help my heart be content by counting my blessings and remembering them.

Here are some of my blessings:

• Health
• A relationship with God
• Forgiveness of sins
• Heaven to come after I die
• A place to live (especially one that's inexpensive)
• A full-time job
• People who care about me (family and friends from church and my singles' group)
• A car
• A laptop
• The ability to think, write, walk, and sing, and other abilities
• My flowers at my house and my apple tree

This is a start. I am sure this list could grow.

So, I want to not give in to discontentment but learn to be content and obey the Tenth Commandment and experience the life that God intends for me by doing so.

Inspired to Find and Make Opportunities to Write

Today I went to my tech writing class that I've been taking at De Anza College. It's the second-to-the-last class. We turned in our portfolio today of our writing that we've done. I'm inspired to continue to build my portfolio over time. It's very empowering! Writing is something that has no economic barriers (other than the writing instruments themselves) and so it's something I can do and practice and get better at over time. I had asked my professor about ideas for finding ways to build my portfolio after the class is over and she said not to wait for requestors (as she put it) but to just look at my portfolio for skills that I haven't demonstrated (e.g., doing creative writing or writing a white paper) and just think of something to write about and just do it! I'm inspired! I want to keep up this habit and I'm inspired because I can do it.

I think one area I would like to explore is poetry or some creative writing. Sometimes I ponder deep subjects and prose just doesn't do those subjects justice. I need to get better at poetic and creative writing.


She also recommended asking friends for projects that they need help with that requires writing, such as writing a business plan. I want to start broadcasting to friends that I'm available to write things for them and just start doing it.

Rebooting My Blog Again

This is an entry just to reboot my blog again. I haven't written an entry in awhile so I wanted to put something here. I'm getting inspired to keep up the writing habit since I'm working on a portfolio for a tech writing class I'm taking. So, this is short but it's an entry.