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.