28 Day Challenge - DAY 1

I did it!

I did all 7 items on my challenge list today. I'm aware of how easy it is to do on day 1 when my enthusiasm is high. I'm sure it will be harder come day 14 or so. You might hear me say something like "I meant 28 HOUR challenge".

I started the day at 5:00am (an hour and a half earlier than "normal") and went for a walk. Everything I read tells me to start easy and slowly build up to avoid injury. I think that is good advice, so I'll be walking for most of my "challenge". The key for me is going to bed in what I plan on running in the next morning.

After I get back it is a quick small bite to eat, vitamins, and cleaning myself up in time to make the 6:30 bus. On the bus I caught up on some reading. Lately I've been going through "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn, but it takes me forever to go through a traditional book. Hopefully the bus rides will get me through it faster.

Once in town, I called my South African friend via ham radio, then went to "This Is It" Bagels and Sandwiches for my quiet time and a bialy. I read through 2 Kings 11-12, 2 Chron 24 and 1 Tim 6.

From there I went to work and got things rolling there. It was a very quiet day so I had no problem slipping in a Sudoku to complete my mental challenge for the day. It was harder than I thought!

I also wrote my friend Peter, who I had lost touch with, and it was great to trade some news with him and let him know I still thought of him and his family.

I definitely missed my soda at lunch and the occasional visit to the vending machine during the day. In fact, by mid day I had a headache and my energy level was crashing. I guess I DID have a caffeine dependency thing going.

Lastly, when I got home, I washed all the dishes that had accumulated throughout the day and I can honestly say that as I go to bed, the sink is clean.

Whew! We do it again tomorrow. I hope I can keep going as the novelty wears off.

Pease, Love and New Patterns,

Rich