Ok, I realize I have a great timer right in front of me in the form of this new and exciting LifeSpan Treadmill Desk! I did most of my Skype meeting this morning with Elizabeth on my treadmill. She thought it was great that I was doing this! I got very hot though with the door closed. That won't be a problem in the winter, but it gets very warm in this room with the door closed.
I love this thing. I have already put 1 hour 50 minutes into walking, and I have not even gone outside yet. In the past, I would do all the things I do in the morning: devotional time, prayer, answering emails, Bible Book Club, etc. sitting down and not always getting my tail out the door for an outdoor walk. Now, if I am that "lazy," I will still get some cardio in while I am getting all those things done.. WOW!
I finished my Core Mat I training with Power Pilates. It was INTENSE! I probably did all 18 moves at least 10 times over the course of the weekend. It was fun fitness-wise. I was not sore at all, and I felt strong and uncorked in my back at the end of the weekend; but I was overwhelmed in intensity. It was so much to absorb in one weekend, and I had to unlearn things that I had learned 12 years of doing Pilates through Timberhill Athletic Club, SNAP fitness, and DVD's. I still see that there are variations on style even within the classical Pilates community. Power Pilates distinguishes between "breathing exercises" and non-breathing. The book I have had BREATH patterns for ALL the 18 core exercises, and that is how I have learned in most of the classes that I have taken. So, I need to think that through.
Power is also a lot more staccato in how they lead in their classes. So, I need to think through that because it is not very relaxing for me, and by the middle of the third day, I had a most embarrassing meltdown. I was spent too. It was a lot of pressure and not very fun for me. I went for a little walk, and God said, "You are in your comfort zone on so many things that you do." True. I have discipled women for 35 years. I have led groups for that long. I have spoken in front of many people. For many, that would be outside their comfort zone, but it is like second nature to me. So, God reminded me that the last time I had a meltdown was when I was learning to surf in Sayulita, Mexico (I wore the shirt on Saturday and had the water bottle with me the whole weekend). I had my meltdown about the third day there too. So many PHYSICAL things to remember that were being directed to me VERBALLY. I could not absorb it all (plus my equipment was not correct for me which was their fault). I had one wipe out on the waves, and I melted down. I had also been around people non-stop for three days, and I was spent. I went to my room and traded with Shel for a massage. I just cannot always absorb things so quickly and everything was coming at me so fast that I just lost it.
But I passed the class, and I realize that I have to make my instructing my own. I am just not a STACCATO type of gal. I am pretty "come alongside you" kind of gal. I had a FIRO-B assessment consultation today for a half hour, and he said that ISFJ's are "masters of the one-on-one" and no one does it better. I LOVE one-on-one. It is where I thrive, but I think that I need to teach these OSU classes. I think they will be really good for me. I think I will do just fine leading them. I just need to get all the VERBAL details down. I already went through a whole "mock" class by myself, and I got the order all right, and I only missed one time where I forgot to say, "head and chest" up.
I want to develop a "gentle Pilates" course for OSU. I think this will be really fun to do.
Anyway, I have just gone two minutes over my time limit. :) I really want to work on photo album journaling today and just be ALONE for the rest of the day because things will be very relational from Wednesday on! YIKES!
Monday, August 17, 2015
Monday, August 10, 2015
Monday Morning Freewrite
Well, here I go. It is 7 am, and I wish you joy, reader of this blog. Blessing upon blessing.
Well, I am on Day 4 of my treadmill desk, and all my days have had consistently higher calorie burns according to my BodyBugg. I do think that the desk could we raised more. I thought I was at a 90 degree angle. In some ways I wish I had gotten the one that automatically rises and falls, but it was a gift. So I did not pick the auto rise and fall model. I think that would have been easier than taking everything off the desk and putting it up a couple more notches. But I think that might be why I am experiencing some pull on my neck on the left side. Maybe not.
Another thing that I noticed was a blemish on the belt. I had not noticed it until the light was shining on it. It is on a part of the belt I do not walk on (the edge). So, I am thinking it happened in shipping. For this big ticket item, that is not acceptable.
Now, I always have to have another person with me to elevate the desk. Hmm. Maybe I will exchange this one for the better one. I just think this up and down thing is going to become a big bother in the long run. I will ask them when they come to look at the belt. I would raise it right now, but there is no one awake. On the other hand, once I raise it to the correct height, it will not matter that I have the auto because I will be the primary user of this thing. Yes, definitely need it raised. I will just stop typing until people get up because I think that is the definite thing that is pulling on my back.
On a happy note, I got all my papers purged from the file drawers with a 65% reduction in paper. Now, I am working on the chest of drawers papers, and I am almost done with that (small stack on my kitchen desk). Then, I will look at the Women Becoming Stuff, although I purged most of that last year, and it is in a nice and neat pile in the chest of drawers. Yet, I am more ruthless in my purging these days. SO, I should look at it.
George and the boys will do the bathroom wall in the guest bathroom (George wants to do the whole thing rather than just touch ups. For some reason, he is not keen on getting a fleck of paint and matching it even though all I talk to tell me that is very simple to do, but he can be stubborn when it comes to things like that). George will do the bedroom wall. That leaves me with the guest room closet and drawers along with the entire kitchen. George and the kids did under the stairs with the exception of some boxes I have in there that have very old papers and Bible studies that I plan on being ruthless with!
Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against PAPER!
Well, only 10 minutes for this unedited freewrite, but I must go for a REAL walk outside!
BYE!
Well, I am on Day 4 of my treadmill desk, and all my days have had consistently higher calorie burns according to my BodyBugg. I do think that the desk could we raised more. I thought I was at a 90 degree angle. In some ways I wish I had gotten the one that automatically rises and falls, but it was a gift. So I did not pick the auto rise and fall model. I think that would have been easier than taking everything off the desk and putting it up a couple more notches. But I think that might be why I am experiencing some pull on my neck on the left side. Maybe not.
Another thing that I noticed was a blemish on the belt. I had not noticed it until the light was shining on it. It is on a part of the belt I do not walk on (the edge). So, I am thinking it happened in shipping. For this big ticket item, that is not acceptable.
Now, I always have to have another person with me to elevate the desk. Hmm. Maybe I will exchange this one for the better one. I just think this up and down thing is going to become a big bother in the long run. I will ask them when they come to look at the belt. I would raise it right now, but there is no one awake. On the other hand, once I raise it to the correct height, it will not matter that I have the auto because I will be the primary user of this thing. Yes, definitely need it raised. I will just stop typing until people get up because I think that is the definite thing that is pulling on my back.
On a happy note, I got all my papers purged from the file drawers with a 65% reduction in paper. Now, I am working on the chest of drawers papers, and I am almost done with that (small stack on my kitchen desk). Then, I will look at the Women Becoming Stuff, although I purged most of that last year, and it is in a nice and neat pile in the chest of drawers. Yet, I am more ruthless in my purging these days. SO, I should look at it.
George and the boys will do the bathroom wall in the guest bathroom (George wants to do the whole thing rather than just touch ups. For some reason, he is not keen on getting a fleck of paint and matching it even though all I talk to tell me that is very simple to do, but he can be stubborn when it comes to things like that). George will do the bedroom wall. That leaves me with the guest room closet and drawers along with the entire kitchen. George and the kids did under the stairs with the exception of some boxes I have in there that have very old papers and Bible studies that I plan on being ruthless with!
Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against PAPER!
Well, only 10 minutes for this unedited freewrite, but I must go for a REAL walk outside!
BYE!
Saturday, August 08, 2015
Saturday Morning Fifteen Freewrite
I am been up since 5 am. My tummy hurt a bit. I think I was hungry. I was so busy yesterday that I forgot to eat very much.
I barely sat yesterday, and this meant I burned just shy of 3000 calories without even a cardio workout (just Pilates and MELT which does not burn many calories). You know why?
TREADMILL DESK!
I answered all my emails and did all my communication while walking. I did it at least three hours all together. (I was gone for M - W and was busy most of Thursday so I had a lot of catching up to do!) The only thing that I am sad about is that I noticed a blemish on the belt. It looks like it is vulnerable to tear. So, I will most likely need to get a replacement. Other than that, I wish I had done this when I first started looking at them about five years ago. Soon, I will do a video with me walking on it (maybe after I lose the 10 pounds I put on over the last 10 months).
Well, I also had something else happen. I was walking and thought, "I bet my friend who teaches PE classes at OSU would know people interested in getting certified in Pilates!" So I texted her to see if she knew of anyone, and she said, "NO," but she forwarded my message on to the director of PAC (Physical Activity Class). I am so excited and so GREEN! I have done Pilates for 12 years, but I have never led a class, but everyone who hears I am going to do it says, "Oh you would be so good at that." I told the director he would be taking a huge risk, but he saw from my resume (that I did on my treadmill desk BTW) that I have lots of teaching, coaching, and health motivating in my background which is very true. Plus, I know OSU! So, I am a bit excited and going to start praying that I have students with great attitudes! (Not like the bad attitudes I had among three girls in my British Literature class in 2010!)
Well, I better get on with my prayer and PURGING (paper purging is my goal today, and I only have the kitchen two drawer file left).
BYE!
I barely sat yesterday, and this meant I burned just shy of 3000 calories without even a cardio workout (just Pilates and MELT which does not burn many calories). You know why?
TREADMILL DESK!
I answered all my emails and did all my communication while walking. I did it at least three hours all together. (I was gone for M - W and was busy most of Thursday so I had a lot of catching up to do!) The only thing that I am sad about is that I noticed a blemish on the belt. It looks like it is vulnerable to tear. So, I will most likely need to get a replacement. Other than that, I wish I had done this when I first started looking at them about five years ago. Soon, I will do a video with me walking on it (maybe after I lose the 10 pounds I put on over the last 10 months).
Well, I also had something else happen. I was walking and thought, "I bet my friend who teaches PE classes at OSU would know people interested in getting certified in Pilates!" So I texted her to see if she knew of anyone, and she said, "NO," but she forwarded my message on to the director of PAC (Physical Activity Class). I am so excited and so GREEN! I have done Pilates for 12 years, but I have never led a class, but everyone who hears I am going to do it says, "Oh you would be so good at that." I told the director he would be taking a huge risk, but he saw from my resume (that I did on my treadmill desk BTW) that I have lots of teaching, coaching, and health motivating in my background which is very true. Plus, I know OSU! So, I am a bit excited and going to start praying that I have students with great attitudes! (Not like the bad attitudes I had among three girls in my British Literature class in 2010!)
Well, I better get on with my prayer and PURGING (paper purging is my goal today, and I only have the kitchen two drawer file left).
BYE!
Friday, August 07, 2015
Tuesday, August 04, 2015
Tuesday FACED Freewrite
I wrote a whole email for my FACED accountability group, and I thought I would cut and paste it here. It is fun to just review the summer and especially JULY!
Here is the letter:
I am going to report my food daily for you starting
today. Here is a brief update on the
other things in FACE. I realize that they are always really good, but the FOOD
is the main thing I need accountability in so this is a general summary, and the rest of my reports will focus on the "F" only!
I always seem to have ACED the bottom four (GET IT?), but I
FALL FLAT on my FACE with FOOD!
A(cademic): Reading daily. On track for my 52 books in 52 weeks. I am
reading lots of anatomy, pain management, and Pilates stuff. May go back to
school for a Personal Training Diploma (more than just a certification with
hands-on experience in a club setting with a personal trainer mentoring me) so
I am trying to get ready for school Mon-Thurs 9:30 – 2:30 from October to
March. Also going to a four day listening prayer conference in Colorado and
then on to Glen Eyrie for another three days to have a refresher for my
counseling practice. J
C(ommunion with God and people): Daily SLOW time (Stop, Listen, Obey, Worship). Trying to “Walk
for the World” in August and forgot to Sunday and Monday. Also finishing a
Revelation study I started maybe 10 years ago (four parts and very long so
stopped at part three)? Meeting with girls every other week for prayer and
crafts.
E(xercise): Lots of body work as I prepare for the Pilates
certification on August 14-16. I am also doing MELT (please google – it is
PHENOMENAL and left me with ZERO pain anywhere in my body). Also doing
Foundation Training (great for your core – google). I have not done as much
cardio because of a sprained ankle and all the body work I am doing, but I am
trying to get to more this month as I gained a little in July.
D(aily care of family and self): LOTS of “Hearth and Home” for July – new carpet for
living room and hallway, painted living room and hung new pictures, rearranged
furniture, stripped wall paper and painted boys’ room (I have directed this for
my kids rather than me doing the labor, and they have had a blast together
doing it), painted bathroom ceilings and skylights because of mold, finished my
25 year Christmas album (just need to journal in it, but that will be very quick
since I was only two Christmases behind), got all our European Grand Tour
pictures into one album, but I still need to journal them in August,
decluttered my closet so year round clothes all fit in there (rather than having to change in and out in Fall and Summer), decluttered most of
my file drawers (one file drawer full left) and moved the file drawer to a
perfectly fitting alcove that had a chest of drawers full of unusable cassette
tapes and old videos. My son is transferring the videos to digital, and I am
throwing away the cassette tapes with abandon! Rearranged the furniture in the
office and installed a TREADMILL DESK (I had saved money for our 25th
anniversary, but we ended up having a very cheap four day vacation with free
lodging for half of it so I used the extra to buy this that will help my back
and my waistline!). I am going to move my counseling room down to the guest
room and taking out the double bed futon there and installing a fold up single
bed futon that can be neatly stored under desk. I need to think about
comfortable counseling chairs down there (I think I do have one already that
Michael is using for the summer. (Oh, I also have a little side table because I
don’t have a place for the counselees to put their tea, and now I do. Oh joy!).
I also am moving all the boys' albums into their bedroom to do with what they
choose. This will free up one of the half book cases in the guest room. Oh, I
also got a bedspread for our bedroom after FOUR YEARS of not having one (just
threw a queen sized comforter down there). I also used a tapestry that would no
longer go over the mantle and had been in the closet for three years over our
bed, and it matched perfectly! Why did I not think of this before? I also did a
photo wall collage next to the tapestry of our family. LOOKS BEAUTIFUL! I am so
happy with all the decorative changes we made in July, but it was a BUSY month!
I still need to:
1) Journal in all albums (including the last of the kids’
albums that I am committed to doing until Paul is 21)
2) Declutter the chest of drawers
3) Go through all CD’s and DVD’s and toss
4) Direct going through all VHS tapes for Michael to
transfer
5) Declutter kitchen stuff and get all kitchen stuff in the
kitchen versus some in the garage and some upstairs
6) Declutter pantry
7) Go through chests of drawer in office and use that for
space
8) Declutter papers in file drawer in kitchen and make that
the “Current stuff” filing while making the one in the office for old tax stuff
and the guest room for archival stuff. Still thinking through the paper stuff
as that decluttering book says to toss EVERYTHING!
9) Go through the mementos drawer, action packers full of my
grandparents and parents stuff and be ruthless about pictures and stuff that
seems valuable but means nothing to me (That will be the hardest thing).
10) Go through bathrooms and toss old medicines and make up
(I did this not too long ago so it should not be TOO hard).
11) Touch up wall paint in guest bathroom
12) Paint one wall in the master bedroom
13) Declutter papers in the remaining one drawer in the metal filing cabinet. I think I will have cut all the papers in HALF in the two we have done so far!!
Sunday, August 02, 2015
Sunday Morning Fifteen Minute Freewrite
Perfect time to let my fingers do the walking across the computer keyboard. I love that it is 6:15 am. It is a nice even number to start typing until 6:30.
I had a lovely time at the coast hearing stories of three other lovely women. Good time. I need time with like-hearted peers. Someday, I would love to have like-hearted peers who also have the same outward focus interest. These three have a heart for prayer and are ministering to people, and that is really good. They are all relatively healthy too. This is something I realize I need. I am sad to say that some of my long-time friends just are not getting healthier, and I am going to just be "the friend who stands by," but a part of me realizes that I need to move on to friends who are also a bit healthier so that I have some measure of mutual support. That is healthy for me. So, this weekend was a good investment (and cheap as another friend donated her house, and we ate inside the whole time because I brought so much food for Friday dinner that we could have it for lunch the next day).
We told our stories, and it is so good to review God's goodness in our lives. I see how much God has preserved me by His great goodness, and I give all glory to Him.
You know, I am feeling that I should get to know Bond a bit better so maybe I will see if she wants to get together some time in the next couple of weeks. That will be really good.
Well, I had a SLOW time with God (Stop, Listen, Obey, Worship), and He has such a wonderful sense of humor because August is to be a month of "P" activities:
Prayer
Physical Health (weight, strengthening)
Pilates (get training to be an instructor)
Personal Training (explore my options)
Pain Management (MELT)
Precept upon Precept Bible Study
Peacemaking (waiting on Him for this one)
Paper Purge (this should be further up the list)
Paul (launch him with prayer and love)
Precious Remedies books
My back is doing really well. I sat a lot this weekend, and I have to say that I just did some proper sitting and foot fascia release and MELT roller (when I got home), and I have no feeling of pain from sitting so much. There is something about this MELT and Foundation Training, and Gokhale Method sitting and Pilates. I am doing so well!
I woke up at 2:30 am and forced myself to go back to sleep but got up at about 3:50 am. It has been great to have the morning for praying and thinking through some things (in addition to answering the "connector questions" I get on a daily basis).
Well, my time is nearly up, and there are many more things I would like to do today. I will walk for the world before church.
Bye.
I had a lovely time at the coast hearing stories of three other lovely women. Good time. I need time with like-hearted peers. Someday, I would love to have like-hearted peers who also have the same outward focus interest. These three have a heart for prayer and are ministering to people, and that is really good. They are all relatively healthy too. This is something I realize I need. I am sad to say that some of my long-time friends just are not getting healthier, and I am going to just be "the friend who stands by," but a part of me realizes that I need to move on to friends who are also a bit healthier so that I have some measure of mutual support. That is healthy for me. So, this weekend was a good investment (and cheap as another friend donated her house, and we ate inside the whole time because I brought so much food for Friday dinner that we could have it for lunch the next day).
We told our stories, and it is so good to review God's goodness in our lives. I see how much God has preserved me by His great goodness, and I give all glory to Him.
You know, I am feeling that I should get to know Bond a bit better so maybe I will see if she wants to get together some time in the next couple of weeks. That will be really good.
Well, I had a SLOW time with God (Stop, Listen, Obey, Worship), and He has such a wonderful sense of humor because August is to be a month of "P" activities:
Prayer
Physical Health (weight, strengthening)
Pilates (get training to be an instructor)
Personal Training (explore my options)
Pain Management (MELT)
Precept upon Precept Bible Study
Peacemaking (waiting on Him for this one)
Paper Purge (this should be further up the list)
Paul (launch him with prayer and love)
Precious Remedies books
My back is doing really well. I sat a lot this weekend, and I have to say that I just did some proper sitting and foot fascia release and MELT roller (when I got home), and I have no feeling of pain from sitting so much. There is something about this MELT and Foundation Training, and Gokhale Method sitting and Pilates. I am doing so well!
I woke up at 2:30 am and forced myself to go back to sleep but got up at about 3:50 am. It has been great to have the morning for praying and thinking through some things (in addition to answering the "connector questions" I get on a daily basis).
Well, my time is nearly up, and there are many more things I would like to do today. I will walk for the world before church.
Bye.
Friday, July 31, 2015
36. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo
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She has you ask yourself, "Does this thing bring me joy?" I realize that while things used to bring me joy, they no longer do. So it is OK to "let go" of that thing and know that its time of giving you joy has past, and you have that memory of it giving you joy. So, there were some good principles (although I won't be talking to my objects anytime soon - some of her stuff is just weird Shinto stuff that I have no desire to approach).
Here is a link to a thorough analysis of the book along with pictures of how the author put it all into practice. That was helpful:
http://www.jdroth.com/konmari-method-life-changing-magic-tidying/
Here is a book excerpt:
https://www.scribd.com/doc/232194390/The-Life-Changing-Magic-of-Tidying-Up-by-Marie-Kondo-Excerpt
Here is the order (Sorry if the numbering is all wonky, Blogger has such an outdated word processor that sometimes it does the weirdest things. So I put it in Word, and it looked fine so now I am cutting it from Word and putting it back here and hoping it works.):
1. Clothes
Here is a book excerpt:
https://www.scribd.com/doc/232194390/The-Life-Changing-Magic-of-Tidying-Up-by-Marie-Kondo-Excerpt
Here is the order (Sorry if the numbering is all wonky, Blogger has such an outdated word processor that sometimes it does the weirdest things. So I put it in Word, and it looked fine so now I am cutting it from Word and putting it back here and hoping it works.):
1. Clothes
1.
Tops
2.
Bottoms
3.
Hung Clothes [Hang from
left to right: coats, dresses, jackets, pants, skirts, blouses],
4.
Socks
5.
Underwear
6.
Bags
7.
Accessories
8.
Clothes for special
events [swimsuits, uniforms, costumes, triathlon, backpacking], shoes)
2. Books
3. Papers (discard everything that does not fall into these
categories: currently in use, needed for a limited time, kept indefinitely.
This includes credit card statements, old checkbook stubs, greeting cards
(unless sentimental for joy), seminar notes [oh that would be hard for me as I
feel like an archival person when it comes to that]. This does not include
papers with sentimental value as they go in the mementos category)
4. Komono (miscellany)
1.
CDs, DVDs
2.
Skin care products
3.
Make up
4.
Accessories
5.
Valuables (passports,
credit cards, etc)
6.
Electrical equipment
(camera, electric cords, anything vaguely so)
7.
Household equipment
(stationary and writing materials, sewing kits, etc.)
8.
Household supplied
(medicine, detergent, tissues, etc.)
9.
Kitchen goods/food
supplies (spatulas, pots, blenders, etc.)
10.Other (spare change, figurines, etc.)
5. Mementos
She says to do this over a six month period of time. I think that is
reasonable. She recommends by category rather than room (I wonder what the
Flylady thinks of that?). She also recommends having all your things in
that category in one place (unless they are for specific season clothes).
It is not as worthless a book as some have reviewed, but it is
also not as earth shattering as others have purported (I mean really
- the way she teaches you to fold your shirts is the way my mom taught me
years ago, but I realized I have NOT taught my kids this method, and I will do
so today!)
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Wednesday Freewrite
I have not been doing this as I said I would. :) Yesterday was hard. I had something that disturbed me happen a couple of days ago, and it was not until I got up to have my time with God that it all came to a head. I needed a lot more time to process but had a meeting with many others at 8:30. Bad idea. Things came to a head with me, and I had to leave the meeting at 11 am to process the stuff. I had to grieve. I had to let go of my worry and anxiety over a dear friend. I feel like this friend is slipping, and I cannot do anything to help her. So, I had a good cry. I processed with George and Kim, and later on with Nancy. Nathan also called me during the lunch break in the meeting, and he was awesome. I came back without embarrassment. Sometimes having Empathy as your second signature theme has its drawbacks!
Well, my number one signature theme is Learner. I have spent so much on signature theme #3 this summer: Achiever. We have gotten so many home projects done that I am amazed! I am so happy about it too. BUT I miss my Learner theme! So, I will be . . .
I have no idea what derailed me on this, but things got all messed up because Kellie used my computer and signed into her gmail account and did not log out afterward. So, it was a mess. I am hoping this posts.
Well, my number one signature theme is Learner. I have spent so much on signature theme #3 this summer: Achiever. We have gotten so many home projects done that I am amazed! I am so happy about it too. BUT I miss my Learner theme! So, I will be . . .
I have no idea what derailed me on this, but things got all messed up because Kellie used my computer and signed into her gmail account and did not log out afterward. So, it was a mess. I am hoping this posts.
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Sunday Freewrite
Fifteen minutes were going to start 20 minutes ago, but I did not get around to it as I was looking at other things.
Operation "Hearth and Home" is still in progress. Yesterday, it was the bathroom ceilings which, because of improper ventilation have had some mold issues. George took apart the fans, and Michael cleaned them thoroughly. Then they painted both ceilings. It was a perfect day because we actually had rain. So it was cool and the windows and skylights were opened wide and the paint fumes escaped.
We also went to Fred Meyer to shop, and I found frames for 50 percent off (2 days sale). So, I got a nice one that said "Family" with room for 10 4x6 pictures. We also got one with similar metal work that held three 8 x 10's. I had the two pictures that I had printed from the boys' senior pictures:
I also put our latest studio family picture. It was back in 2011, and I think I would like to hire a photographer to do family portraits outdoors. Perhaps in the fall? I am not sure. We will see.
I also bought a wonderful frame with the saying, "Life is not measured by the breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away." The picture I really wanted was our kiss at our wedding ceremony, but it is bound in our wedding book, and I have not idea how to get a hold of Kevin DeWhitt in order to make another 8 x 10. I will work on that, but in the meantime, I put the picture of George and I from the retreat. That is perfect because the flowers in that picture match our "Mediterranean Summer" tapestry (that I let sit in our bedroom closet when I could have totally changed the look of our room). I also put our wedding verses and verses from James on the opposite side of the tapestry (a smaller space so I used only two things).
So, now I just have to find 10 4 x 6 pictures for that frame and one in the boys' room (repainted with bare walls). I also need to put our Europe trip in the albums I have had for a few weeks. That is a project I will work on this week. Then, "Hearth and Home" major projects will be pretty much done other than perhaps painting a wall in my bedroom a darker color of green (because George dried a shirt on that wall, and it streaked it - still wondering what kind of paint she used for those walls, because they do not wash well) and painting the guest bathroom walls a sand color (there is a bit of mold in the corners that will not wash off). YAY! Hearth and Home was what you told me to do.
So, August is going to more about health, intercession, listening, and learning.
Health - 10 pounds of weight loss, working on my body strength as I prepare for Pilates leading.
Intercession - walk for the world, gather for world prayer times with others, Joshua walks.
Listening - Listen and obey, grow in listening prayer through Theophostic (Transformational) Prayer Ministry (TPM) conference and Colorado.
Learning - Pilates instruction, Personal training course, TPM conference, visiting Nav headquarters.
August will be climbing a big H.I.L.L.!
I have gone over the 15 minutes. Oh by the way, "Hearth and Home" will still continue, but the big projects will be done by the end of July!
Operation "Hearth and Home" is still in progress. Yesterday, it was the bathroom ceilings which, because of improper ventilation have had some mold issues. George took apart the fans, and Michael cleaned them thoroughly. Then they painted both ceilings. It was a perfect day because we actually had rain. So it was cool and the windows and skylights were opened wide and the paint fumes escaped.
We also went to Fred Meyer to shop, and I found frames for 50 percent off (2 days sale). So, I got a nice one that said "Family" with room for 10 4x6 pictures. We also got one with similar metal work that held three 8 x 10's. I had the two pictures that I had printed from the boys' senior pictures:
I also put our latest studio family picture. It was back in 2011, and I think I would like to hire a photographer to do family portraits outdoors. Perhaps in the fall? I am not sure. We will see.
I also bought a wonderful frame with the saying, "Life is not measured by the breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away." The picture I really wanted was our kiss at our wedding ceremony, but it is bound in our wedding book, and I have not idea how to get a hold of Kevin DeWhitt in order to make another 8 x 10. I will work on that, but in the meantime, I put the picture of George and I from the retreat. That is perfect because the flowers in that picture match our "Mediterranean Summer" tapestry (that I let sit in our bedroom closet when I could have totally changed the look of our room). I also put our wedding verses and verses from James on the opposite side of the tapestry (a smaller space so I used only two things).
So, now I just have to find 10 4 x 6 pictures for that frame and one in the boys' room (repainted with bare walls). I also need to put our Europe trip in the albums I have had for a few weeks. That is a project I will work on this week. Then, "Hearth and Home" major projects will be pretty much done other than perhaps painting a wall in my bedroom a darker color of green (because George dried a shirt on that wall, and it streaked it - still wondering what kind of paint she used for those walls, because they do not wash well) and painting the guest bathroom walls a sand color (there is a bit of mold in the corners that will not wash off). YAY! Hearth and Home was what you told me to do.
So, August is going to more about health, intercession, listening, and learning.
Health - 10 pounds of weight loss, working on my body strength as I prepare for Pilates leading.
Intercession - walk for the world, gather for world prayer times with others, Joshua walks.
Listening - Listen and obey, grow in listening prayer through Theophostic (Transformational) Prayer Ministry (TPM) conference and Colorado.
Learning - Pilates instruction, Personal training course, TPM conference, visiting Nav headquarters.
August will be climbing a big H.I.L.L.!
I have gone over the 15 minutes. Oh by the way, "Hearth and Home" will still continue, but the big projects will be done by the end of July!
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Wednesday Freewrite
In keeping with my desire to freewrite more often, I am writing another day. Does this make it three in a row? Maybe more? I am not going to look because I am freewriting, by golly, and that means I write freely without having my fingers come away from the pen or keyboard (I really like writing both ways).
I already wrote about what was an incredibly wonderful time on my 25th Anniversary at Inn of Spanish Head. After my writing, we just relaxed and read and watched news, and then we went up to the 10th floor to have our, oh so perfect, dinner at sunset. We had to wait, but they gave us a booth right at the window. It was spectacularly gorgeous (and after my fifteen minutes offame freewriting, I will post a picture)! I splurged because George's mom gave us a hearty sum to have a lavish anniversary dinner. So, I had LOBSTER TAILS for the first time since probably Malaysia (when a "surf and turf" steak and lobster dinner was $10) back in 1998! It was heavenly as was the company.
We talked more about why it works for us so well: common passion and goals, always know how and what the other is doing because we always talk about what is happening in the other's lives (I guess I like that because we ARE, after all, two separate individuals even though we share common passions and goals. I have not lost my identity in who George is, and he has not his identity in me. Does that make sense, reader?), another thing George added is we have FUN! Perhaps that is because we are two youngest children, and that is very characteristic of youngest! WOOHOO!
I also would like to add that we know what the other is doing because we ask each other. I love being with an "other-centered" person. George has never been self-centered in any way, stretch, or form. He usually thinks about others before he thinks about himself, so naturally, he would ask and be interested in the other person, and the person he is most interested in is MOI! While I don't think I am as other-centered as George (he has such a servant's heart), I am more outwardly focused than inwardly-so (because I am a very strong SF personality type which is the Mother Teresa personality type). While he could lend himself to be inwardly-focused (NF), he is so healthy. I always say that healthy NF's are the bomb. It is just a matter of getting healthy! George is overwhelmingly healthy because even though he is other-centered, he knows how to care for his own soul! I love that about him.
We never drank the champagne the hotel gave us (forgot to). We came back, and I finished Greg's wonderful autobiography! It was lovely. So nice to know him. I always have such admiration for ENTP's! I could never be like them, but they amaze the socks off of me. He is such a maverick in so many ways.
Oh, I have two more minutes. What shall I write now? George is across from me looking at the Chronicles of Higher Education for jobs out there. He has such a great job, but we are praying about our future during this get away too.
Oh, I also wanted to say that I am doing a FOOD FIFTY. I would like to lose the weight that has come on me without any kind of discipline eating since last JULY! I do not know what has happened to me. YES, I am still within my weight range, but I like to be at the LOWER END of it rather than the UPPER MIDDLE end! So, here we go again. Yesterday was a super big splurge, but for the next 50 days (minus my birthday on the 27th), I am going to GO FOR IT.
Sadly, I do not think I will have consistent accountability with my FACED buddies. They have big families and busy lives, and I need DAILY encouragement that I just can no longer get from them. SO I am looking for two new FACED buddies who can DAILY report their eating to me, and I to them.
Oh, now I am over my fifteen minutes, and I need to do some Pilates!
BYE!
I already wrote about what was an incredibly wonderful time on my 25th Anniversary at Inn of Spanish Head. After my writing, we just relaxed and read and watched news, and then we went up to the 10th floor to have our, oh so perfect, dinner at sunset. We had to wait, but they gave us a booth right at the window. It was spectacularly gorgeous (and after my fifteen minutes of
 |
| OUR 25TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY at the place where it all began! On top of the world overlooking the Pacific at sunset. (I like this one because you can see the beach below) |
We talked more about why it works for us so well: common passion and goals, always know how and what the other is doing because we always talk about what is happening in the other's lives (I guess I like that because we ARE, after all, two separate individuals even though we share common passions and goals. I have not lost my identity in who George is, and he has not his identity in me. Does that make sense, reader?), another thing George added is we have FUN! Perhaps that is because we are two youngest children, and that is very characteristic of youngest! WOOHOO!
I also would like to add that we know what the other is doing because we ask each other. I love being with an "other-centered" person. George has never been self-centered in any way, stretch, or form. He usually thinks about others before he thinks about himself, so naturally, he would ask and be interested in the other person, and the person he is most interested in is MOI! While I don't think I am as other-centered as George (he has such a servant's heart), I am more outwardly focused than inwardly-so (because I am a very strong SF personality type which is the Mother Teresa personality type). While he could lend himself to be inwardly-focused (NF), he is so healthy. I always say that healthy NF's are the bomb. It is just a matter of getting healthy! George is overwhelmingly healthy because even though he is other-centered, he knows how to care for his own soul! I love that about him.
We never drank the champagne the hotel gave us (forgot to). We came back, and I finished Greg's wonderful autobiography! It was lovely. So nice to know him. I always have such admiration for ENTP's! I could never be like them, but they amaze the socks off of me. He is such a maverick in so many ways.
Oh, I have two more minutes. What shall I write now? George is across from me looking at the Chronicles of Higher Education for jobs out there. He has such a great job, but we are praying about our future during this get away too.
Oh, I also wanted to say that I am doing a FOOD FIFTY. I would like to lose the weight that has come on me without any kind of discipline eating since last JULY! I do not know what has happened to me. YES, I am still within my weight range, but I like to be at the LOWER END of it rather than the UPPER MIDDLE end! So, here we go again. Yesterday was a super big splurge, but for the next 50 days (minus my birthday on the 27th), I am going to GO FOR IT.
Sadly, I do not think I will have consistent accountability with my FACED buddies. They have big families and busy lives, and I need DAILY encouragement that I just can no longer get from them. SO I am looking for two new FACED buddies who can DAILY report their eating to me, and I to them.
Oh, now I am over my fifteen minutes, and I need to do some Pilates!
BYE!
35. 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back by Esther Gokhale
I went to the free workshop a few months back and was intrigued to perfect the sitting and sleeping techniques. I promised a review last July and realized today that I never delivered on that promise so am updating this review today!Now that I have become a personal trainer, I realize that many of her postural principles are so true. I love how she has pictures of proper posture and how to properly move correctly through the activities of everyday life. I have taught her principles of "glidewalking" to my Pilates classes (making them walk around the classroom using their Glutes rather than their psoas). Now that I know that muscle mechanics behind all of that, I see that she has some sound principles and techniques.
I got caught up on how to do "stretchlying" and "tallstanding" though! She has a weekend workshop that you can attend for $450, and I am going to see if I can count that as continuing education for my personal training recertification. I was hoping not to have to pay that much to find out how to do those correctly though! Maybe I will search YouTube for some examples of how to do it. I can imagine having someone correct you would be very valuable though.
I have applied many of these principles, and it has been a wonderful piece of the puzzle that is my back!
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Tuesday Twelve at Two
Twelve minute freewrite at 2:00 pm. GO!
It is my 25th anniversary today, and here I sit in a nice studio room on the Oregon Coast. The sun is shining, and it is warm. We walked for almost 7 miles in shorts and mostly bare feet all morning, and now we are back for an afternoon siesta (or at least George is taking one because I am not much of a napper). I thought I would record that we are so enjoying a no-agenda kind of getaway!
We got here, having skipped lunch, and went for the early bird special on the tenth floor of this amazing place. The weather was spectacular as we sat there watching the waves. Delightful.
After that, we walked for an hour and a half out to Siletz Bay and then up the Schooner Creek until we could not go up any further (we needed to have kayaks!). Then we walked back up through town back to our hotel.
We looked out our balcony and saw that the pool was totally empty (lots of little kids earlier in the day) so we JUMPED at the opportunity, and I did laps. Then, we went into the jacuzzi. I came back and did MELT. THEN, I got in the great jacuzzi tub. After that, I read Greg's great autobiography.
I woke up really early and had a great time with God remembering what a terrible night I had before our wedding, and how I was convinced that the enemy was messing with my head. What a blow to his head to have me persevere through the night and go for that long drive down Hwy 20 to that park before the bridge and do just give that devil a good swift KICK. Then, I drove back to the church and prayed through the whole place for our day, and how glad I am that I did not give into despair that day. I can see why the devil did not want it to happen. :) It has been bliss for us. Absolute bliss, and I am not afraid to say that. George is the easiest person in the world to live with, and he is my best friend. We talked about why it has worked, and he said, "Because he had never met anybody who loves the same kinds of things." We love the same kind of ministry, we love classical books and music, we love long walks and hikes and bike rides. We love to talk about deep (rather than trivial) things. We love to meet at the mind and the heart.
Anywho, we spent an hour in prayer this morning over so many things, but much of it was intercession for all the wonderful people who have been in our life over these last 25 years of blessing and bliss.
Oh my, it is way over twelve minutes and closer to my normal 15. Would love to post pictures, but I want to get to some Foundation Training!
It is my 25th anniversary today, and here I sit in a nice studio room on the Oregon Coast. The sun is shining, and it is warm. We walked for almost 7 miles in shorts and mostly bare feet all morning, and now we are back for an afternoon siesta (or at least George is taking one because I am not much of a napper). I thought I would record that we are so enjoying a no-agenda kind of getaway!
We got here, having skipped lunch, and went for the early bird special on the tenth floor of this amazing place. The weather was spectacular as we sat there watching the waves. Delightful.
After that, we walked for an hour and a half out to Siletz Bay and then up the Schooner Creek until we could not go up any further (we needed to have kayaks!). Then we walked back up through town back to our hotel.
We looked out our balcony and saw that the pool was totally empty (lots of little kids earlier in the day) so we JUMPED at the opportunity, and I did laps. Then, we went into the jacuzzi. I came back and did MELT. THEN, I got in the great jacuzzi tub. After that, I read Greg's great autobiography.
I woke up really early and had a great time with God remembering what a terrible night I had before our wedding, and how I was convinced that the enemy was messing with my head. What a blow to his head to have me persevere through the night and go for that long drive down Hwy 20 to that park before the bridge and do just give that devil a good swift KICK. Then, I drove back to the church and prayed through the whole place for our day, and how glad I am that I did not give into despair that day. I can see why the devil did not want it to happen. :) It has been bliss for us. Absolute bliss, and I am not afraid to say that. George is the easiest person in the world to live with, and he is my best friend. We talked about why it has worked, and he said, "Because he had never met anybody who loves the same kinds of things." We love the same kind of ministry, we love classical books and music, we love long walks and hikes and bike rides. We love to talk about deep (rather than trivial) things. We love to meet at the mind and the heart.
Anywho, we spent an hour in prayer this morning over so many things, but much of it was intercession for all the wonderful people who have been in our life over these last 25 years of blessing and bliss.
Oh my, it is way over twelve minutes and closer to my normal 15. Would love to post pictures, but I want to get to some Foundation Training!
Monday, July 20, 2015
Monday Madness
Well, tomorrow is my 25th wedding anniversary, and we are starting it off today by having a leisurely morning together (although the excitement of getting a call from the ortho office at 8 am telling us that our youngest had a 7:50 am appointment was not very leisurely - he obviously did not write it down and did not tell us about it). After we get EURO PILLOWS (When did these become popular in the US? There were two shams in our comforter set, and I have never even heard of them.) at Target, we are going to the place where it all began: The Inn at Spanish Head. I even found my receipt from 25 years ago. LOL! I am so excited to go away and just have no plans. I am bringing my hiking poles and boots because there are many nice trails to be had there. We will probably walk along the beach and sip tea (me) and coffee (he) and just have nowhere to go and no people to see. Celebrating US!
Well, I will go now to Target. I want closure on our bedroom. Well, I won't have closure until I paint the wall that got streaked many years ago when George had a wet shirt and hung it on the window sill to dry. I will have to paint it a contrasting color because I do not have the old paint color. I also want to fill an empty space with a family tree sort of picture wall. We did take down the rose pictures over our bed and put them in the bathroom because we took the Monet prints out of the bathroom and put them in our living room. We took the tapestry that used to hand over our old mantle piece (before John made our wood mantle that made it too small a space to hang the old tapestry) and put it over our bed. IT TOTALLY MATCHES EVERYTHING IN OUR ROOM! It is lovely over there and hides all marks left by the old rose pictures being there for 12 years!
We also need to paint the master and guest bathroom ceilings.
But the boys' dinosaur wall border and blue sponge paint is all gone! It was replaced by a neutral color, and now they can decide what goes on the walls. :)
And the living room is totally DONE! YAY! I love how it all turned out!
Well, I will go now to Target. I want closure on our bedroom. Well, I won't have closure until I paint the wall that got streaked many years ago when George had a wet shirt and hung it on the window sill to dry. I will have to paint it a contrasting color because I do not have the old paint color. I also want to fill an empty space with a family tree sort of picture wall. We did take down the rose pictures over our bed and put them in the bathroom because we took the Monet prints out of the bathroom and put them in our living room. We took the tapestry that used to hand over our old mantle piece (before John made our wood mantle that made it too small a space to hang the old tapestry) and put it over our bed. IT TOTALLY MATCHES EVERYTHING IN OUR ROOM! It is lovely over there and hides all marks left by the old rose pictures being there for 12 years!
We also need to paint the master and guest bathroom ceilings.
But the boys' dinosaur wall border and blue sponge paint is all gone! It was replaced by a neutral color, and now they can decide what goes on the walls. :)
And the living room is totally DONE! YAY! I love how it all turned out!
Sunday, July 19, 2015
34. You've Got Libya by Greg Livingstone
I love this man with all my heart. He is a friend, and this is such a self-deprecating, humorous read. Greg is a one of a kind individual. He is a "bull in a china shop" kind of guy that shakes things up and has changed the world. He is candid about his weaknesses in a way that just endears you to him. I love that he says his personality type at the beginning. I had never tested him, but that was my guess (ENTP). It is his life story, and his travels around the globe (dragging his growing family with him). I read a passage to a prayer group and started sobbing. It is a story about how one life can make a difference.
Saturday, July 18, 2015
33. Engaging with History in the Classroom: The Post-Reconstruction Era
Wow! This book has everything a teacher needs to make post-reconstruction history come alive for middle-school student. There are primary source documents throughout that will be interesting and engaging. It has newspaper cartoons from the era. It has wonderful photographs throughout. This would work in a homeschool setting too. I loved it and heartily recommend it!
Friday, July 17, 2015
Friday Fifteen Freewrite
I am reinstating this tradition! I have not been writing very much since I finished my 3200 page writing project! :) I have enjoyed being off the computer and on to other things, but I do miss writing. It is what I love to do and fifteen minutes is not going to be so detrimental for my back. So here I go! I have already got one minute down.
I was supposed to go up to SW Portland today to participate in a mat class at a Pilates studio. I am deciding between doing my training with this studio and an individual in Salem. The one in Portland is the STOTT Pilates method, and the one in Salem is the traditional Pilates method. I have a letter of recommendation and had passed my anatomy quiz with 100% for the Portland studio, but I could not sign on the dotted line for the (expensive and twice as much as Salem) training that was starting on Friday, July 10. Good thing, as George came home sick, and I didn't feel so hot either. Then as the week has progressed, I have not gotten back to 100 percent of my PERKY self! I was going to go up so I could make a decision; but after waking up early and taking a shower, I felt yucky! So, I am sitting here and wondering. Originally, I was already going to be up in Portland with George at his work, but I felt yucky on Monday so did not go for the week.
So, here I sit. I am going to try to rest today, but I cannot find a senior picture of Michael that I want to put in a frame! I found the frame that I bought last year at Costco, but now I cannot find the picture that I kept putting away saying, "I need to find a frame for that." I know it is a silly thing about my personality type, but I have a hard time "resting" when I have something like that hanging. So, instead of resting yesterday, I cleaned out my closet (because that was last time I saw the picture) and the closet in the office. I still have not found the picture. SO, I have one more closet to clean out (the guest room one), and then I don't know where it could be. I usually have all my pictures in one place, but somehow they were scattered when I was doing scrapbooking last Christmas vacation.
Come to think of it, I cannot find my brown skirt either. It is almost like it disappeared one day. I must have changed into another set of clothes somewhere and left it where I changed. I cannot remember. I guess I can call the church. I loved that brown skirt. Kim found it for me and sold it to me at a great price. It is so versatile.
On a less whining and complaining note: I feel great in my muscles and joints. SO funny that I am pain free only to be sick! I have been doing lots of body work lately: Foundation Training, Pilates, Gokhale, and MELT. So, I am just a new woman in the pain department. Every once in a while I get a little twinge, but I am doing so well! Next thing will be a treadmill desk, and I can get off this 10 pounds that came creeping up on me in 2015! ACK!
Well, I am needing to stand up and move. Praying I go right to where that picture is hiding. If I cannot find it, it is not the end of the world to order another one. I just don't want to order it and find it later! That would be so inefficient, and everyone who knows me is aware that drives me CRAZY!
Here's to resting and praying today!
Update 3:45 pm:
I found the PICTURE at noon today! Remember I said that the last time I saw it was with my Christmas stuff? I decided to relax in our guest room downstairs (when I realized that the new carpet was what was making me sick, see below). I had already looked in that closet, but I realized I had looked in the area where I keep pictures, but I did not look in the area where I had put the Christmas embellishments for my scrapbooks. I lifted them up and underneath was the picture! It was in that familiar Orange Shutterfly envelope dated October 2012. It only took me from May 2011 to October 2012 to get it printed and from October 2012 to July 2015 to get it in a frame! LOL!
I also found my paperwhite Kindle (before the picture, actually) that I knew was around here somewhere. And icing on the cake, only seconds ago, I found the brown Cabi skirt I love so much! I went aggressively into my closet and felt every hanger. It was covered by my black sweater at the end.
On top of all that, I realized I have been feeling so YUCKY because of my new carpet. I started feeling nauseated since it was installed last Tuesday. I realized it when I was back in my bedroom with the window open and the door closed. I went back out in the living room, and I immediately felt nauseated!
NOW I CAN TRULY REST 100%! CLOSURE!
I was supposed to go up to SW Portland today to participate in a mat class at a Pilates studio. I am deciding between doing my training with this studio and an individual in Salem. The one in Portland is the STOTT Pilates method, and the one in Salem is the traditional Pilates method. I have a letter of recommendation and had passed my anatomy quiz with 100% for the Portland studio, but I could not sign on the dotted line for the (expensive and twice as much as Salem) training that was starting on Friday, July 10. Good thing, as George came home sick, and I didn't feel so hot either. Then as the week has progressed, I have not gotten back to 100 percent of my PERKY self! I was going to go up so I could make a decision; but after waking up early and taking a shower, I felt yucky! So, I am sitting here and wondering. Originally, I was already going to be up in Portland with George at his work, but I felt yucky on Monday so did not go for the week.
So, here I sit. I am going to try to rest today, but I cannot find a senior picture of Michael that I want to put in a frame! I found the frame that I bought last year at Costco, but now I cannot find the picture that I kept putting away saying, "I need to find a frame for that." I know it is a silly thing about my personality type, but I have a hard time "resting" when I have something like that hanging. So, instead of resting yesterday, I cleaned out my closet (because that was last time I saw the picture) and the closet in the office. I still have not found the picture. SO, I have one more closet to clean out (the guest room one), and then I don't know where it could be. I usually have all my pictures in one place, but somehow they were scattered when I was doing scrapbooking last Christmas vacation.
Come to think of it, I cannot find my brown skirt either. It is almost like it disappeared one day. I must have changed into another set of clothes somewhere and left it where I changed. I cannot remember. I guess I can call the church. I loved that brown skirt. Kim found it for me and sold it to me at a great price. It is so versatile.
On a less whining and complaining note: I feel great in my muscles and joints. SO funny that I am pain free only to be sick! I have been doing lots of body work lately: Foundation Training, Pilates, Gokhale, and MELT. So, I am just a new woman in the pain department. Every once in a while I get a little twinge, but I am doing so well! Next thing will be a treadmill desk, and I can get off this 10 pounds that came creeping up on me in 2015! ACK!
Well, I am needing to stand up and move. Praying I go right to where that picture is hiding. If I cannot find it, it is not the end of the world to order another one. I just don't want to order it and find it later! That would be so inefficient, and everyone who knows me is aware that drives me CRAZY!
Here's to resting and praying today!
Update 3:45 pm:
I found the PICTURE at noon today! Remember I said that the last time I saw it was with my Christmas stuff? I decided to relax in our guest room downstairs (when I realized that the new carpet was what was making me sick, see below). I had already looked in that closet, but I realized I had looked in the area where I keep pictures, but I did not look in the area where I had put the Christmas embellishments for my scrapbooks. I lifted them up and underneath was the picture! It was in that familiar Orange Shutterfly envelope dated October 2012. It only took me from May 2011 to October 2012 to get it printed and from October 2012 to July 2015 to get it in a frame! LOL!
I also found my paperwhite Kindle (before the picture, actually) that I knew was around here somewhere. And icing on the cake, only seconds ago, I found the brown Cabi skirt I love so much! I went aggressively into my closet and felt every hanger. It was covered by my black sweater at the end.
On top of all that, I realized I have been feeling so YUCKY because of my new carpet. I started feeling nauseated since it was installed last Tuesday. I realized it when I was back in my bedroom with the window open and the door closed. I went back out in the living room, and I immediately felt nauseated!
NOW I CAN TRULY REST 100%! CLOSURE!
Thursday, July 16, 2015
32. The MELT Method: A Breakthrough Self-Treatment System to Eliminate Chronic Pain
So interesting that LibraryThing predicted that I probably would not like this book. I have not posted many of the books I read for fitness. So, I am sure based on all the classics I have read over the years that LibraryThing assumes I am a couch potato! Fitness books have many diagrams showing one how to perform the exercises, so I have not posted them as "reading" because I don't know if I "read" the whole book from cover to cover, but this one, I read all the introductions and most of the exercises (Once I got to the "Maps" I got confused and just ordered her DVD's that I can do like any old fitness DVD). I have been doing fascia release on my feet and a little on my legs for about two years now, but this takes fascia "rehydration" to a whole other level. Her introduction goes into a lot of detail about the science behind all of this, and she tends to repeat things over and over. So, I did not like that about the book.I also thought the "sequences" and "maps" were really confusing. I still don't get that and hope to go to a live class that is being taught in my town on Tuesdays. All that said, I have lived with some level of pain my whole life. Most of the time, I can moderate it by standing instead of sitting for too long (as I type this with my stand up desk), regular massage and osteopathic adjustment, core conditioning through Pilates, posterior chain strengthening through foundationtraining.com, and proper posture through the Gokhale Method. I really manage my pain well, actually. I do not have the luxury of being a couch potato having been through three major car accidents before the age of 19 (hit with my mom but cannot remember what happened, spun around in a 180 on the way to school when I was 16, and totally rolled my car Freshman year in college) and having one leg longer than the other and hips that do weird things causing unilateral sacral flexion without rhyme nor reason (so glad I married into a family with an osteopath!). It is true, most of my passions involve SITTING (writing, Bible Book Club blogging and book writing, photography [most time involves sitting to do post-processing rather than being out in the field shooting], communicating by email with numerous groups of people because of our ministry), but my other passion IS health, fitness, and nutrition (I have a B.S. in Food and Nutrition with a Community Nutrition Emphasis and am a former college athlete). I am becoming certified as a personal trainer and Pilates instructor over the next few months. So, this will be part of my "toolbox" for helping people relieve pain. I am also good at motivating people to lose weight as I have kept most of mine of for two and a half years. Actually, I am just into WELLNESS: physical, mental, spiritual, emotional (see the reason for this blog above). I will be posting more of the books I am reading for my personal training and Pilates endeavors from now on. Maybe LibraryThing will deem that I "like" it after I do that! LOL! 31. Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
This is a slow, meandering book without any big plot line but little vignettes about life for two priest in the rugged southwest (New Mexico). I love Willa Cather's writing. She paints pictures of places like an artist. Really enjoyed that aspect even though the story was not particularly gripping in plot.
Funny that I saw the movie Swing Vote, set in New Mexico, the same week I finished this book.
I read this for my "Book Dames" Book Club that will be discussing it on July 25.
On Track to be a Very Low Volume Blogging Year
I have not done a lot of sitting this year. When I do blog, I try to do it while standing at my stand up desk I got for Christmas. I am on board to get a Treadmill Desk from our local "Play it Again Sports" outlet here. I am getting practically a FREE anniversary week because a friend is giving us their townhouse for two nights, and we are going to the place we spent our honeymoon for two nights and we have more than enough Capital One miles to cover that! I had saved enough money for an overseas anniversary getaway. SO, I will buy the treadmill desk! (Also decided against a hot tub on our deck. We found a used one for 1/3 the price, but it was going to cost 1200 to rewire and another 300 to get a crane to put it on our deck. What a pain! More trouble that it is worth since I do not anticipate we will live here for more than five years.)
I will do brief reviews of my last two books though and then go back to finding an 8 x 10 picture I had printed of Michael for his high school graduation that I want to put in a frame. As many times I have run across this picture through the last four years, I cannot find it now that I am ready to put it in a frame and finish my living room project! UGH! Where is it???? In the meantime, my office has been torn apart! But that is good. I need to do some decluttering in there!
So here I go!
I will do brief reviews of my last two books though and then go back to finding an 8 x 10 picture I had printed of Michael for his high school graduation that I want to put in a frame. As many times I have run across this picture through the last four years, I cannot find it now that I am ready to put it in a frame and finish my living room project! UGH! Where is it???? In the meantime, my office has been torn apart! But that is good. I need to do some decluttering in there!
So here I go!
Monday, June 29, 2015
Monday Fifteen Freewrite
We are so blessed in so many ways. I just made the decision to not plan a big anniversary trip. It is too exhausting for me, but I feel like we need to be all here. I started trying to plan, and I got a call from someone distressed. So much of what I do is not planned on a day to day basis. So much of what I do is connect people, help people, dream with people. So, I have to have such fluidity to my schedule that I cannot put on a time card. It is an interesting thing.
Anyway, I just realized it was getting too stressful to try to plan something, and I was not enjoying it anymore. I think there will be a simple trip to the coast, to the same hotel we went to on our honeymoon, 25 years ago. No big trip. Just a couple of nights together on the Oregon coast. I do think that is plenty. If God wants to drop something in our lap, then I am totally up for that, but it has to be God directing the ship (or plane), not me. So I am crossing it off my list and saying: WAIT!
I just have this feeling that it is going to be much better than anything that we would have ever been able to plan. God just said, "Be a light" when we were praying about it. Again, he said "Wait on France." So, I am going to do just that.
This will be a summer of jaw surgery and carpet laying so I am totally fine with waiting for something to become really clear!
I am excited to see what He will do when we just let go. :) Last year was the fulfillment of so many dreams in Europe. I know I have other ones that I just will have to wait on. I have no problem with that. :)
Anyway, I just realized it was getting too stressful to try to plan something, and I was not enjoying it anymore. I think there will be a simple trip to the coast, to the same hotel we went to on our honeymoon, 25 years ago. No big trip. Just a couple of nights together on the Oregon coast. I do think that is plenty. If God wants to drop something in our lap, then I am totally up for that, but it has to be God directing the ship (or plane), not me. So I am crossing it off my list and saying: WAIT!
I just have this feeling that it is going to be much better than anything that we would have ever been able to plan. God just said, "Be a light" when we were praying about it. Again, he said "Wait on France." So, I am going to do just that.
This will be a summer of jaw surgery and carpet laying so I am totally fine with waiting for something to become really clear!
I am excited to see what He will do when we just let go. :) Last year was the fulfillment of so many dreams in Europe. I know I have other ones that I just will have to wait on. I have no problem with that. :)
Sunday, June 21, 2015
30. The Making of an Ordinary Saint: My Journey from Frustration to Joy with the Spiritual Disciplines by Nathan Foster
I read Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster in the 80s not long after it came out. This is a book by his son, Nathan, as he tried putting those disciplines into practice. While Richard's book is more teaching, Nathan's is a heartfelt memoir of his struggles to practice them. It is beautiful, easy reading. Richard and Nathan did a conference by the same name in my husband's hometown. They did not do that many of them, and they did one in this little town because Richard wrote his book when he was a pastor at the Newberg Friends Church in the 70s. It was fun to go to it.
Friday, June 19, 2015
Friday Fifteen Freewrite
I really need to reinstate the tradition of freewriting on Fridays. I have had so much happening this week. It is good for me to process through the keyboard and give myself some time to reflect about all the goings on. I think there are some exciting things afoot. I just have to pace myself and pray and obey accordingly. I do not want my enthusiasm to get in the way of the Spirit's leading.
Had a good conversation with J yesterday about what they do up in Portland. I want to see a partnership happen with them. They are a dynamic foursome up here. They are doing great things. Somewhere along the way there was a big miscommunication over a very minor issue that made for a disengagement with my boss and them. Also, we let a third party interpret some things they did and communicate it to a whole team of people that made us think they were not open to working as a team. My meeting with them could not have been farther from the truth! UGH! Four years of miscommunication is really not a good thing. I am so glad that I obeyed and made the connection with them!
I am wondering if we are to be the connectors (as that is one of my StrengthsFinder key themes along with Learner, Empathy, Achiever, Relator). I need to tread carefully. I need to listen to the Lord. I need to do just what He is telling me, no more and no less! There is power in proper partnership. You know. I just obeyed when You told me to make contact.
Also had a lovely meeting with the B's and M's. I had a fun adventure taking the MAX to the eastside and Lloyd Center area. Met with M first for some enthusiastic talking with this like-hearted friend of mine. My picture of our meeting never posted, and I have no idea why! I tried three times! I will have to try again.
After that, I went to this big apartment complex to meet with people I have never met before and other people I have only met once. It is amazing how God can knit hearts immediately. We are going to have a "Portland Prayer Pow Wow" to beat all! I don't know who will spearhead it. I think I will just be the connector of all things.
I also walked with Caroline from college and my sorority. That was fun. We also visited with T and K, and I will go with K for a Swedish tasting treat in about an hour. Should be fun. Been visiting with my mother-in-law and aunt-in-law this morning too. Took MIL out for her 86th birthday last night. Red Mill Market in Dundee! SO GOOD! Loved my steak salad and bites of George's pizza!!!!
In between all the meetings, I have been reading The Making of an Ordinary Saint: My Journey from Frustration to Joy with the Spiritual Disciplines and am about halfway through it. I went to Nathan and Richard Foster's conference in Newberg in April, and it was good. Just getting around to reading the book that it was based on. I want to discuss it with Jamie. That is who is on my heart about it.
Well, I think I might end this fifteen a little early so I can go and read a bit more before Katherine comes and fetches me for our little outing OR I might take a walk! I cannot decide!
TTFN! TGIF! :)
Had a good conversation with J yesterday about what they do up in Portland. I want to see a partnership happen with them. They are a dynamic foursome up here. They are doing great things. Somewhere along the way there was a big miscommunication over a very minor issue that made for a disengagement with my boss and them. Also, we let a third party interpret some things they did and communicate it to a whole team of people that made us think they were not open to working as a team. My meeting with them could not have been farther from the truth! UGH! Four years of miscommunication is really not a good thing. I am so glad that I obeyed and made the connection with them!
I am wondering if we are to be the connectors (as that is one of my StrengthsFinder key themes along with Learner, Empathy, Achiever, Relator). I need to tread carefully. I need to listen to the Lord. I need to do just what He is telling me, no more and no less! There is power in proper partnership. You know. I just obeyed when You told me to make contact.
Also had a lovely meeting with the B's and M's. I had a fun adventure taking the MAX to the eastside and Lloyd Center area. Met with M first for some enthusiastic talking with this like-hearted friend of mine. My picture of our meeting never posted, and I have no idea why! I tried three times! I will have to try again.
After that, I went to this big apartment complex to meet with people I have never met before and other people I have only met once. It is amazing how God can knit hearts immediately. We are going to have a "Portland Prayer Pow Wow" to beat all! I don't know who will spearhead it. I think I will just be the connector of all things.
I also walked with Caroline from college and my sorority. That was fun. We also visited with T and K, and I will go with K for a Swedish tasting treat in about an hour. Should be fun. Been visiting with my mother-in-law and aunt-in-law this morning too. Took MIL out for her 86th birthday last night. Red Mill Market in Dundee! SO GOOD! Loved my steak salad and bites of George's pizza!!!!
In between all the meetings, I have been reading The Making of an Ordinary Saint: My Journey from Frustration to Joy with the Spiritual Disciplines and am about halfway through it. I went to Nathan and Richard Foster's conference in Newberg in April, and it was good. Just getting around to reading the book that it was based on. I want to discuss it with Jamie. That is who is on my heart about it.
Well, I think I might end this fifteen a little early so I can go and read a bit more before Katherine comes and fetches me for our little outing OR I might take a walk! I cannot decide!
TTFN! TGIF! :)
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
29. Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?
I have always known that detox cleanses were not possible, but this author refers to all the studies that prove you cannot detox your body by buying expensive cleanses. He also discusses myths about juicing and gluten-free diets.He also debunks the myths about anti-aging products. I like his practical, down-to-earth, and humorous approach to these myths. The part about plastic surgery is just plain scary (go to Sun Valley and drive around, and you will see REALLY SCARY results of the "fake and bake" culture there!).
I have been a nutritionist for 34 years. I have to hold my tongue when people are doing the latest detox or diet. Usually the person telling me usually has a degree in history, and I paid thousands of dollars to learn the science behind nutrition, but they know more than I do. I could have saved my money and just read the internet! Who knew?
It just does not work to try to tell them otherwise. Even some of the reviews for this book still will not believe this author who carefully researched everything. They slander him something terrible.
Over the years, I have learned that the placebo effect is REAL. So, there is no use talking people out of their misconceptions. You will be crucified if you try. Just last week I was having a private conversation, and someone who knows my nutrition background (and my success at keeping my weight down at 55 years of age) was asking me sincere questions about how to lose and keep off weight. Another person overheard the conversation and started challenging me. This is why I do not usually share my expertise (Yes, it is expertise - like I said, I paid a lot of money for my degree, and I am not afraid to say that it does allow me to say I have expertise in the area of nutrition. I graduated with high honors, by the way) in groups.
So, I think that if they think it is working for them, let them do it. If they do not want my expertise, I do not give my opinion. I only share it when I am asked. This time I was asked, and I have learned that I will pull the conversation to the side and have it privately. It really bothered me for days afterward.
The only things that are proven as helping in the anti-aging process are:
1) Retinoids
2) Resurfacing
3) FillersHe concludes Part I by saying that, "We should not let celebrity lies defy the science-informed six."
Here are the six:
1. Don't smoke, and drink alcohol in moderation.
2. Stay active, stand often, exercise regularly, and include some vigorous activities.
3. Eat a balanced and calorie-appropriate diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein (such as fish, chicken, beans, and nuts), and healthy fats (such as olive oil); avoid bad fats (those of the trans variety).
4. Maintain a healthy weight (tough, I know).
5. Wear sunscreen.
6. Get an appropriate amount of sleep (which for most, is between seven and nine hours). p. 119Part II of the book was not as appealing for me as Part I. It was more in the psychology of why we admire celebrities, and the low-probability of becoming famous. It is alarming that children today want to be famous.
"Twenty-five years ago the top five career ambitions of grade-school children were teacher, banker, doctor, scientist, and vet. Now according to a recent UK survey, they are, in descending order of awesomeness: sports star, pop star, actor, astronaut, and lawyer." p. 124.
SAD!
Saturday, June 13, 2015
I forgive
Forgiveness is such a beautiful thing. It is what Jesus did for those who were crucifying Him. It is the least we can do for others. A woman I worked with through almost three years of very painful abuse from her husband said how important forgiveness has been for her journey and something she wished she had learned sooner rather than later. I have found that I can educate on this, but it is a choice on the other person's part that cannot be rushed or forced upon them. God has to work the forgiveness in them. It is beautiful that she reminded me that one thing I need to do is provide a safe environment for the person to forgive as I am counseling people. His kindness leads us to that. I gently and safely lead, but I cannot make a person drink the peace that forgiveness brings to the soul.
So, I am going to put these two readings forth.
1) The chapter on forgiveness in Healing Life's Hurts by Ed Smith:
"Releasing Those Who Have Hurt Us"
2. This lovely article is on my other blog called the Bible Book Club. It is related to the Genesis 50 and Joseph's forgiveness of his brothers and it in the APPLICATION section of this post:
So, I am going to put these two readings forth.
1) The chapter on forgiveness in Healing Life's Hurts by Ed Smith:
"Releasing Those Who Have Hurt Us"
2. This lovely article is on my other blog called the Bible Book Club. It is related to the Genesis 50 and Joseph's forgiveness of his brothers and it in the APPLICATION section of this post:
Thursday, June 11, 2015
28. Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef
"As long as we search for enemies anywhere but inside ourselves, there will always be a Middle East problem."
This is a fascinating look from the inside by a son of the religious leader of the Hamas organization. It gives one important historical background that helps one understand the who, what, when, where, why, and how of this most complicated problem.
In the midst of this coming of age story, he was asked to come and discuss the Bible. It is his personal journey toward Jesus too.
Loved this book in so many ways. I feel like I understand things so much better.
Monday, June 08, 2015
Every Once in a While . . .
I get the blues!
Then a friend texted me, "It is national best friend day" with a very sweet little message attached. So I texted my besties! And they both responded with the sweetest texts back.
Which is weird because I was fine this morning, but then something turned for me at about 1 pm, and I struggled for a few hours. Nancy was SO SWEET to call me even though she has family coming from out of town. George listened and then Nancy listened, and God pieced it all together. I was great for a bit. Then another little dip. You know what really shook me out of it?
Looking at all those refugees in the boat on the Mediterranean, and I felt God say, "YOU are not alone!" :) Those people are in such desperate situations. I have so much! I have it so well.
Then a friend texted me, "It is national best friend day" with a very sweet little message attached. So I texted my besties! And they both responded with the sweetest texts back.
I really need to text George too because he is my best of the besties!
So, I am so much better. Just a little six hour dip. Not too bad if you ask me! Thanks for speaking truth to me so quickly, Lord.
(Tomorrow morning will be so much better!)
Thursday, June 04, 2015
27. A Guide for Listening and Inner Healing Prayer: Meeting God in the Broken Places by Rusty Rustenbach
My friend wrote this, and I finally got around to reading it since he was coming to give a conference on the subject for my church. I have always believed that God can speak to us, and I have been facilitating Inner Healing Prayer since 2001. What I like about this book is it is written by someone who didn't really know that God could speak directly until 1999, after many years of being a believer, so he gives a good biblical basis for the whole subject before he launches into the particulars. I really appreciate that. I have already loaned my copy to a kid that my kids grew up with who questions whether God can speak.
It was fun to have Rusty stay with us and to see the personal transformation in his own life. I have known him since 1980 but have not seen him since 1983! It was delightful to see that he is "walking his talk" regarding this book.
Thursday Thirteen Freewrite
I think I like this font best. I am going to the timer and standing up as I do this freewrite!
May was a "wonderful whirlwind." Now I am taking today to just "chill" and listen to God. I was going to go up to Lafayette to the monastery, and I still might do that, but right now, I am POOPED. I stayed up too late watching Pride and Prejudice and doing the Jane Austen puzzle and slept in until 8 am. That never happens! I had a full day yesterday, unintentionally. Nancy, Rebekah, and Kim trying to find a time to have me facilitate a listening prayer day, talking to "A" about what she is hearing from God about her future (2 1/2 hours), unpacking the listening prayer conference with my mentor in TX, Carol, talking with Chris L. about two women possibly moving here from Iowa to do our internship that we have not decided whether we are going to run, emailing about getting more listening prayer books, housecleaning, going to get money at the bank, then Kellie time and starting that puzzle (My need for closure can sometimes be so funny - I don't even like puzzles, but I had a hard time just letting it sit there unfinished after Kellie left!) and P & P. A good dose of Austen was good for my soul and fun to just chill with Kellie after a really hard week on her part.
Oh, I also made oatmeal raisin cookies because I was craving something sweet and had nothing in the house! Paul was so appreciative, and I realized that I really should do that more often! I love that he made an extra effort to come back upstairs to tell me how much he appreciated me making cookies. What a sweet guy. Hang what everyone says about him moving out. I like him here.
This morning was time in Isaiah 14 & 15. Learning about the Moabites, talking with Sinor (my Kurdish friend) who liked one of my Facebook posts while I was reading my Bible Book Club post about Isaiah 14 and telling people about her experience. Then Kimberly popped up and I sent her the ISIS prayer guide and talked about a trip to that region to help refugees. Then I responded to Luke's inquiry about the strengths and weaknesses of our internship versus other ones. That has led me to doing this freewrite. I will pray and maybe even take Paul to his class since I need to go to the library to do Dial a Book. Oh, I also ordered 6 LP facilitating workbooks and 6 Personal LP workbooks. they will be good tools for the TOAG!
So, should we do another internship next year, Lord? I am just not very sure about all of this. So many opportunities and so little time. I love my life. I am tired, but I am surprisingly NOT as tired as I was when Elizabeth was staying here, primarily because I got more sleep while Rusty was here and he was only here four days as opposed to seventeen!
The good news about today is my house is spic-and-span clean, my laundry is pretty caught up (other than Rusty's sheets and towels from his visit, and I do not anticipate another guest for quite some time), the new carpet is ordered, the Bible Book Club is DONE, and I am just enjoying reading my posts as just a participant in the club rather than writing and editing.
I was going to head up to Newberg for an overnighter with my sweet husband and mother in law and his aunt, but I am just too tired to do that. I am going to chill here.
Well there you go, my thirteen minutes is officially up!!!! Bike ride? Walk in the sunshine?
No proofreading! No judging! That is why it is a freewrite!
May was a "wonderful whirlwind." Now I am taking today to just "chill" and listen to God. I was going to go up to Lafayette to the monastery, and I still might do that, but right now, I am POOPED. I stayed up too late watching Pride and Prejudice and doing the Jane Austen puzzle and slept in until 8 am. That never happens! I had a full day yesterday, unintentionally. Nancy, Rebekah, and Kim trying to find a time to have me facilitate a listening prayer day, talking to "A" about what she is hearing from God about her future (2 1/2 hours), unpacking the listening prayer conference with my mentor in TX, Carol, talking with Chris L. about two women possibly moving here from Iowa to do our internship that we have not decided whether we are going to run, emailing about getting more listening prayer books, housecleaning, going to get money at the bank, then Kellie time and starting that puzzle (My need for closure can sometimes be so funny - I don't even like puzzles, but I had a hard time just letting it sit there unfinished after Kellie left!) and P & P. A good dose of Austen was good for my soul and fun to just chill with Kellie after a really hard week on her part.
Oh, I also made oatmeal raisin cookies because I was craving something sweet and had nothing in the house! Paul was so appreciative, and I realized that I really should do that more often! I love that he made an extra effort to come back upstairs to tell me how much he appreciated me making cookies. What a sweet guy. Hang what everyone says about him moving out. I like him here.
This morning was time in Isaiah 14 & 15. Learning about the Moabites, talking with Sinor (my Kurdish friend) who liked one of my Facebook posts while I was reading my Bible Book Club post about Isaiah 14 and telling people about her experience. Then Kimberly popped up and I sent her the ISIS prayer guide and talked about a trip to that region to help refugees. Then I responded to Luke's inquiry about the strengths and weaknesses of our internship versus other ones. That has led me to doing this freewrite. I will pray and maybe even take Paul to his class since I need to go to the library to do Dial a Book. Oh, I also ordered 6 LP facilitating workbooks and 6 Personal LP workbooks. they will be good tools for the TOAG!
So, should we do another internship next year, Lord? I am just not very sure about all of this. So many opportunities and so little time. I love my life. I am tired, but I am surprisingly NOT as tired as I was when Elizabeth was staying here, primarily because I got more sleep while Rusty was here and he was only here four days as opposed to seventeen!
The good news about today is my house is spic-and-span clean, my laundry is pretty caught up (other than Rusty's sheets and towels from his visit, and I do not anticipate another guest for quite some time), the new carpet is ordered, the Bible Book Club is DONE, and I am just enjoying reading my posts as just a participant in the club rather than writing and editing.
I was going to head up to Newberg for an overnighter with my sweet husband and mother in law and his aunt, but I am just too tired to do that. I am going to chill here.
Well there you go, my thirteen minutes is officially up!!!! Bike ride? Walk in the sunshine?
No proofreading! No judging! That is why it is a freewrite!
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Friday Fifteen-Minute Freewrite
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