Me, meet me. You, meet you.

Our Lives don't change with ridicule and mocking...I think lives change, even our own, when we get into a true relationship with ourselves....mind, body and soul. Let's get to know ourselves this week...

If you're interested...keep track of ways that you're learning about yourself this week...blog, tweet, facebook, email about it. Can't wait to meet you. :)

I wrote this in a post here.

Me...I'm learning that if I let myself cry...about everything...I feel better.

i'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

I've spent the last 2 + weeks out of my routine and out of Omaha.

K and I hosted one of my college besties for a few days before Word Made Flesh's 10 day staff gathering aka retreat aka conference aka fun. It was great, but it was really difficult to stay in touch with my body. The whole retreat had lots of parts of rest and relaxation, but I felt like I was hovering over them...I felt the need to go go go...and so, my workouts were different...I slept a lot...I ended up swimming some :) I ran a few times...taught Turbo once...and napped...and didn't eat exactly great.

I shared on my other blog about my last doctor's visit...her thoughts and PCOS. I have to have a major overhaul on my eating...I'm a pretty good eater on most days when I'm feeling good and have energy...but on those other days, you wouldn't recognize me.

So, I'm easing into a new way of eating...thanks to Kenley and friends. Kenley is going to try my way of eating for a week :) And he's going to start P90X with me...and whoever else wants to start it around the globe!

Anyway, I already feel like myself being in our house without an agenda...thank goodness. I was tired of looking at a schedule...

OH And we went to Nashville to celebrate one of our goddaughter's birthdays. It was such a treasure. I'm sure i'll write about that more :)

soundtracks

I've always loved listening to music. I have vivid memories of listening to music from a very young age. Our family vacations had a mixture of NPR, a little bit of country and that contemporary jazz my dad liked.

I'm not sure what made me want to be in the band...but I have a feeling it was my family's love for music. I felt safe in music. I loved how music allowed me to enter into other parts of the world, other parts of my mind...so in elementary school I picked up the flute, played for a few years...went to midstate and loved the flute. I tried my hand in composing...learned that I'm not one for composing. I was in honors choirs...I sang in college, participated in musicals...and always loved listening to music.

So. today, I ask you, what are the pieces of music that are the soundtrack of your lives right now?

I listen to so much exercise music for classes...that a lot of times I get out of touch of some of the music that speaks to my soul.

I have to tell you about of my dear friends, Aaron Strumpel. I can call him a dear friend because i've been joking around with him for the past four days at our retreat. He just released another album...I don't push music a ton. I link to some Itunes purchases...but today is a new day. It's past midnight and I'm in love with his newest album Vespers:1&2.

It is just $5 and it's beautiful music and it supports an amazing artist. Like us at WMF, Aaron raises his salary...and it's through the support of his art that he's able to continue to serving God through music. This is the soundtrack of beautiful summer nights, slow mornings and those I need to journal this part of my life evenings.

Track 4 is just about the most beautiful song right now in this moment...the intro...captures my heart...and then, and then 1:10...about makes me drop to my knees...and 1:27 oh my gosh.

Music brings something healing to my emotions...good music really does make me a healthier person.

What are you all listening to these days?

friendship

I believe that there is a direct correlation between having genuine friends and good, whole health. When you have friends who will call you out on your you know what and you're able to receive it, you will have a better chance at finding whole health. And...that relationship is beautiful when it's cyclical, we all need each other.

We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another. ~Luciano de Crescenz

o

I'm spending the weekend with one of my longest 'n' dearest college friends. We have kept in touch throughout the years after college and ended up working at the same organization for the past few years.

You know you have an amazing friend when the following happens:
* She gets you and your moods
* She gets you and asks you to bring her up to speed on your tangential rant
* She makes you feel like you're on vacation just by being in her presence
* She would and does watch hours of MTV and doesn't bat an eye

If you have one of those friends...or several of those friends...thank them. True gratitude is an amazing gift that doesn't have to be returned...just give it.

it is hot hot hot

so.

the temperature is rising for the country.

how do you stay motivated to workout outside? or even go to the gym. if i had a choice, i'd really want to stay in the a/c wherever i am...even the car by the gym ;)

and also, what are some good recipes you like during the summer? i love making a version of tabbouleh...some type of grain, mint, tomatoes, cucumber...so many fresh vegetables!!!

what about you!

listening to your body...now what

I love telling people about listening to their bodies...I ask them, where are the emotions you are feeling...where do you tend to carry your stress, etc etc and i.e. and more etcs :)

But what do you do after that?

So, I am listening to my body and my emotions, but what do I do next...

you know...first I think just listening to our bodies is all we have to do. There are lots of prayer practices where you are encouraged to just be...not ask anything...just be and rest in the moment. We want homework and to-do lists so often...that we can't just let our bodies/emotions be what they are...

BUT...more than that, I think when I listen to my emotions I can see trends and write about them more...I can see what environments or situations I need to move away from...

What about you...when you listen to your body, let them just be...then what do you do?

seize the day

I don't say that to say....do everything right now....

but I do say it to remind you AND ME :) to enjoy the day that we have.

reflection: warning signs

What are your body's warning signs for your spiritual, physical, mental, social health?

For me I begin to notice that I'm not journaling...or i'm not spending time in silence...
I'll notice that it's harder for me to get motivated to work out and/or eat healthy...
I'll also notice that I'll be shaking until I find a piece of chocolate
I'll have some type of blow up with a friend or myself....
I'll cry at a drop of a penny/dime/dollar...
I'll not be able to make it through my workout...
I'll say that I'm really tired ... and then repeat it.

What do you do with those warning signs? I have to pay attention to them and listen to them.
It is hard for me to actually take those signs seriously...it's sometimes easier to keep moving in the same direction and make the same decisions. I guess that's what discipline is about. So hard.

So this week I'd like to journal, be in silence...cry when I need to...listen to my emotions when I just want chocolate...step back from situations that make me want to blow up....etc.

What about you? Warning signs....and what do you do with them?

independence day

What are you declaring your independence from today for your health? Who has helped you find independence? Who and how will you help others find independence?

july 1

I gotta know...

What do you think about it being all up and through July? Are you excited?

Time seems to be going so fast, but this month, I am choose to live a day at a time.

Simple Vegetarian Recipe

Gallo Pinto...
Kenley makes this when we're low on time and full of hunger.

The recipe is so simple. How much...that I don't know :)

Garlic (as much as you want)
Onion (as much as you want)

coriander or turmeric
sometimes both (as much as you want)

rice
beans

This recipe is all to taste to me...I usually through in a ton of salsa to eat it with...it's simple, protein and all of that. Find some recipes online! YUM!

We love the cookbook : More with Less