Hello. :)

Well, it is fall. Hello fall. :)

And hello followers :) I hope you're doing well. I wanted to let you know that I'll be taking a break from this blog for a little bit and focusing on my other blog. I imagine that I will post on this blog on the first of each month asking questions, offering reflections and the such. :)

Dear Summer...

I got myself a monthly contributor gig for a great local website.

I wrote a letter to Summer...

What would you write to summer?

Challenge: Reading Aloud

Yesterday, Sunday, August 29 WHOLE LIFE ACTION PLAN (why the all caps, I don't know) sent out an email about a challenge.

I thought about it...seriously when was the last time you read aloud? I read scripture at church (when I'm assigned). I read something to myself when I'm at my desk and something doesn't make sense.

K and I tried reading a book together aloud, but our different sleeping schedules made it difficult. I also like to just finish books.

But this week i'd like to read aloud at least once with a friend, myself and/or K. I think reading aloud is helpful to slow me down...it makes reading much more of a practice than an afterthought.

So.
Will you read aloud this week? If so, tell me how it goes!

Paging Dr. Google. Paging Dr. Google.

From my writing circle...


We are quick to fix ourselves with google searches and suggestions from friends. Somewhere along the line, somewhere in our time, somewhere in our existence, we were taught to look for answers outside from ourselves.

For headaches, take aleve.
For bug bites, find some ointment.
For a broken heart, find some ice cream.
For a shitty day, grab a drink.
For a stubbed toe, take a tylenol.
For a rough morning get that coffee.

For a lonely night, get that booty call.

Way back before super modern medicine. Way back before google. Way back before our medicine cabinet.

Our hearts knew.
Our souls knew.
Our minds knew.

So the question is, did you try any natural remedies?

When was the last time we looked into ourselves to see what our body, yes, our body is telling us.

Listen to your heart beat. Hold your hand to your heart. I like to think that you are feeling the essence of God - everything that is beyond your control.

You.
Cannot.
Make.
Your.
Heart.
Beat.

Yet, every day. every hour. every minute. every second. your heart beats.

Wait for it, what is it telling you today?

Prescribe yourself a true and full dose of yourself.

Drink it in. Gulp it in.

Feel every single part of yourself.

Our souls bring us back to ourselves if we only listen.

Sacred Spaces (for whole health)

I know that I am not the best at nurturing my soul. I talk myself out of quiet times...I've actually started to write in my journal a bit more regularly these days...but I need to invest in my soul more.

What do you do to provide sacred spaces in your life? Is it a physical space like a prayer room? Is it having time by yourself in the morning/evening? How do you nurture your soul?

Here's a good blog on sacred physical spaces. David Bayne has provided the WMF prayer rooms every three years at our staff retreat. Check out the pictures and if you have any questions about what methods, practices he does, comment. He's a great resource.

what was your favorite summer purchase?

Farmer's Market find?
A new hair product? (Me - Kinky Curly hair product!)
A bike (Thanks Marcia! She donated a bike to me!)

A new countdown/celebration

Check it out on Facebook!

On September 1 you will have three weeks until the end of summer. We've all heard that it takes three weeks to make/break a habit. What about making a habit for your health? Pick 21 things you want to do (yep, similar to the 31 day challenge). You can pick more or less...but pick something for your health!

And if you want an extra challenge and you know you aren't getting the vegetables and fruits in your meals...consider joining me in the summer shakeology shakedown...All you have to do is have Shakeology as one of your meals for 21 days and tell us how you feel. Don't have Shakeology? You have time to get some, get to teambeachbody.com/jarabeara!

alone but not lonely

A new week...

It's a new week and it's quite hot in Omaha...I mean there's an excessive heat advisory...but it's a new week and rain, shine, heat, rain...it's a new week.

I'm watching a story on the Food Bank in Omaha. They're working with one of the local Farmer's Markets.

Every person they are talking with all have the same thought...they want to share with others. It's a refreshing piece on the news. Usually the news is depressing here. The local food bank is welcoming donations of non-perishables and fresh produce from your gardens.

We're all in this together...what way will you encourage your neighbor this week?

July? Where did you go?

It is already August.

July decided to jump ship on Spring apparently. I feel like July got sick of the summer heat and passed it onto August.

And it is August.

What summer moments are you savoring these days?
Me? Coming home and seeing the transformation of our garden.

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.