Wednesday Morning Freewrite: State of the Well

Let's see if I can actually cover all four areas in one fifteen minute freewrite. I have not done a freewrite in so long, and I miss the process. Thank you, Julie Bogart, for introducing me to this. My kids never particularly liked it in homeschooling, but I love it.

Timer is poised at 15 minutes. So, like the "State of the Union" address, I will report on the state of the "Well" (see title of my blog to understand that one). 

Well-Tuned Body

My back has gone from having a 2-3 cm heel lift in my left shoe for 35 years to having a 5-6 mm lift! I am making progress. Those lifts were my downfall. I am loving the greater mobility and strength that I am gaining. 

I have a new strength program based on the book to the left. I saw Elizabeth Hasselbeck's workout from a clip on The View. (I do not even watch that show. So I have no recollection of how I came across the video segment from her workout.)

I had been lifting through the machines at Snap Fitness, but I kept on injuring myself doing it. I realized the longest time I went without injuring myself was when I was doing deadlifts in my Group Power class (or The Firm videos), but I am no longer at that club, and The Firm videos have really changed for the WORSE! I did get an old one that had been converted to a DVD, but I totally dislike the newer ones. This workout is overall body, and it gets at my problem areas of weakness, mostly using my own body weight as what I am lifting, so I can do them anywhere I happen to be. Win-win.

I am doing great on my weight. Kept off my 30 pound weight loss, give or take five pounds since April 5, 2013!  I am really happy. I had wanted to get to five pound below my ideal weight (168) for our trip in three weeks, and that is doable. I have been taking allergy medicine though, and that makes me ravenous! But I feel trim and wonderful. I just wanted to get lower than normal so I could eat sachertorte and apple strudel to my heart's content, but my doctor pointed out that I will be walking every day. So, I shouldn't need to worry. Good point!

Well-Educated Mind

I am officially dropping out of my Book Dames Book Club for a sabbatical while I read other things. I just cannot keep up with the reading there and all the other reading we do for our ministry involvement. I am also writing out Creation to Christ/Jesus Stories, and that is educating my mind and heart at the same time.

Also, the book club is reading books I have already analyzed and discussed but do not necessarily want to reread. So, I will take a sabbatical and then reevaluate next spring as that is when we will be done with our ministry involvement! I do love those ladies and will probably miss them. I do not miss the other book club I dropped out of two years ago at all. 

I love to read though, but it is my year of spiritual reading! That has been so beneficial to my soul!

Well Watered Soul

Speaking of my soul, I love my life. I love the year He has me on as I have focused more on prayer this year. I have been reading rich prayer classics, and my favorite one this year has definitely been God Guides. Such a simple concept to "Listen and Obey," but as that sweet disciple in the Philippines says, "Some Christians don't get it" (he said it in a very cute non-native speaker way, but I cannot find what he wrote). I would say that is true. I will also say it is a spiritual discipline to stop long enough to really listen to the Lord. That is why I am trying to be intentional about sitting down with pen and journal and waiting on the Lord to speak. Then writing it down. 



Well Adjusted Heart

I have been really well until yesterday. I got really frustrated that my son has to do a writing test for this high school when he has straight A's in college with this dual enrollment he has. I will not review all the horrors of yesterday, but some things make no sense, and the rules are so dumb. Obviously, he can write. So, it is just another hoop, but hopefully, it is the last hoop he will have to jump through to get both his A.A. and his high school diploma at the same time.

I also injured my back and have allergies. So, my mental health reached a frustration point yesterday that I usually do not reach or have not for many months! I decided that staying inside due to allergies is not good for my mental health, and I am going out and would rather feel sick in my body than sick in my heart. 

Update: After my quiet time in Mark 5:1-20, God reminded me that I did not put in a major player in my day. Must of my mental frustration yesterday was due to spiritual attack. I prayed some bold prayers in the morning, and the enemy did not like it. I give glory to God because when I was finally tired of the onslought of the enemy, I prayed a bold prayer against the enemy in the car on my way to speaking on a panel, and it lifted. I give glory to God and repent of my laziness about putting on my spiritual armor on a daily basis (Ephesians 6). I should know better. I have been in this place before, but sometimes I do not always put 2 and 2 together! 

So there you go. I have 22 seconds to spare (with a few stops and starts for various things I needed to do this morning).

I am happy today, and I plan on staying that way regardless of what comes my way!