Freewrite on a Wednesday Morning

I have not had a "Wellness of Body" Freewrite in a very long time.

I am back on LoseIt! App. I had a 46 day reporting streak between June 1 - July 16. I even tried to record my first day in England, but it was too much work! Plus, I had met my England goal! Yay! Then I did so much walking and biking that I lost another 1 1/2 pounds on vacation. That is a FIRST for me! I gained five in two weeks when we went to Europe in 2014!

Now I sit five months later, and I gained all the pounds I had gotten rid of prior to England. At my niece's wedding in Cabo, I looked at pictures of us, and I thought, "What happened to me!" I had not been on the scale since AUGUST and had not really noticed that I had gained it all back! I keep making this commitment to weighing my self and maintaining like I did for TWO YEARS after my 30 pounds weight loss four years ago. What happened? (Note: I have kept off 15 of the 30 for all four years though. So, that is the GOOD NEWS)

Life happened! When the fall hits, and I get really busy. I am too busy to record. I am too tired to not eat. I have more anxiety (not a ton, but it is always stressful getting my Kingdom Community up and running and my classes started at OSU). Plus, I go from having more cardio time in the summer (I love to be outdoors exercising) to more strength/Pilates time in the fall, winter, and spring. I was determined to not let that happen this fall after being stuck inside and feeling miserable with my allergies last spring, but I did not follow through on my commitment. I also had something traumatic happen to me two weeks after I got back from the joyful time in England and two wonderful weddings following that. Something came out of NOWHERE, and it sent me reeling emotionally. I had not been hit like that in SO LONG. I think it affected me more than I realized so the overeating (about 300 calories a day) was also a result of that trauma that I think I am still dealing with sometimes.

I am not whining, mind you. I am still in my healthy weight range with a 24 BMI, but I really like to be 22 - 22.5. That is when I feel my best. Many people do not even notice because I am so tall, but I could feel it in my Cabo bathing suit and wedding dresses (we had two dressed up wedding events). I knew I was not at, what I like to call, my "fighting weight." So, my goal is 173-176 range. I keep on gaining back that last 15. I thought I had it licked this last summer. When I can focus, I always do really well!

Maybe I should, as a personal trainer, lead a "Ten Pounds Down" Club or something where I take people through winter cardio and Pilates classes: strength and calorie burn workouts.

I should be at my goal by February 6. We will see when things ratchet up, if I am able to do it. The year I lost the 30 pounds, I had finished homeschooling, and we were not leading a Kingdom Community group. It was also a very dry winter so I walked a LOT between December 23 and April 15 when I hit the 30 pound goal.

All that to say is that I have this love affair with ice cream. I ate a LOT of pints during that five month ascent back up the scale!

So, I can do without ice cream and probably be very comfortable.

I am also not going to meet with a conversant in the winter. I added too much to my schedule. I probably will just meet with Kelsey every once in a while too. We would walk and winter walking is not as fun around here.

I think I will also go at least thirty minutes before my Pilates class and do the elliptical. I have done elliptical four times in the last week, and it has been really fun. I forgot how much I liked it. We do not have fancy cable. So, it is a treat to watch the cable news shows! (Such a nerd.)

SO, speaking of walking. There is a snow storm headed our way. So, I think I will go for a late fall walk now that it is light outside.

I will check in periodically with my BMI checks.

Here is my inspiration from four years ago:

http://carolhomeschool2.blogspot.com/2013/12/my-weight-loss-journey-2013.html

46. Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson

I read A Walk in the Woods several years ago. If you read my blog, you know that I blogged about our travels in England this last summer. If you missed it, here are all the posts: http://carolhomeschool2.blogspot.com/search/label/Travelogue. This book was DELIGHTFUL to read because so much of it is so true!

I read the majority of this book on a plane flight to and from Mexico, and I kept laughing out loud. So I am sure that other passengers thought I was mentally ill! I would read it before I went to bed, and I had to hold my hand over my mouth so my laughing would not wake up my husband.

I love England and its people with all my heart. (In fact, we just got a Christmas card from the owners of one of the bed and breakfast places we stayed at!)  It was such a delightful experience to go there.. So, this book warmed my heart, but I don't think you have to go to England to really enjoy this. He is a masterful comedic writer!

Just a warning: there is some profanity, but it is not gratuitous. Also, his humor can be quite sarcastic and snarky at times, but I think he is just doing it tongue-in-cheek. So, if that is not your cup of tea, you might NOT like his book. Also, I am wondering if you have never been to England if you would like it as much. I definitely liked reading about the places I had already seen and experienced better than the places that I had not yet seen.  

Here is a favorite quote:

“Suddenly, in the space of a moment, I realized what it was that I loved about Britain - which is to say, all of it. Every last bit of it, good and bad - Marmite, village fetes, country lanes, people saying 'mustn't grumble' and 'I'm terribly sorry but', people apologizing to me when I conk them with a nameless elbow, milk in bottles, beans on toast, haymaking in June, stinging nettles, seaside piers, Ordnance Survey maps, crumpets, hot-water bottles as a necessity, drizzly Sundays - every bit of it.

What a wondrous place this was - crazy as f**k, of course, but adorable to the tiniest degree. What other country, after all, could possibly have come up with place names like Tooting Bec and Farleigh Wallop, or a game like cricket that goes on for three days and never seems to start? Who else would think it not the least odd to make their judges wear little mops on their heads, compel the Speaker of the House of Commons to sit on something called the Woolsack, or take pride in a military hero whose dying wish was to be kissed by a fellow named Hardy? ('Please Hardy, full on the lips, with just a bit of tongue.') What other nation in the world could possibly have given us William Shakespeare, pork pies, Christopher Wren, Windsor Great Park, the Open University, Gardners' Question Time and the chocolate digestive biscuit? None, of course.

How easily we lose sight of all this. What an enigma Britain will seem to historians when they look back on the second half of the twentieth century. Here is a country that fought and won a noble war, dismantled a mighty empire in a generally benign and enlightened way, created a far-seeing welfare state - in short, did nearly everything right - and then spent the rest of the century looking on itself as a chronic failure. The fact is that this is still the best place in the world for most things - to post a letter, go for a walk, watch television, buy a book, venture out for a drink, go to a museum, use the bank, get lost, seek help, or stand on a hillside and take in a view.

All of this came to me in the space of a lingering moment. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I like it here. I like it more than I can tell you.”
― Bill Bryson, Notes from a Small Island   

Moravian Text and Prayerful Review

I woke up very early and checked my daily verses and found such comfort in them:

Third Sunday of Advent

Watchword for the Week — Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. Isaiah 35:4

He is my God. The last five days have been lovely but also hard as I realize how on the "outs" I am with my family of origin. I miss the people like my mom and my dad who made me feel welcome and included. 

Take away from this encouraging verse: He is my home.

Sunday, December 11 — Isaiah 35:1–10; Psalm 146:5–10
James 5:7–10; Matthew 11:2–11

I will gather the exiles (outcast in NASB). I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame (I will turn their shame into praise and renown in all the earth). Zephaniah 3:19 (NIV)

Take away: I have always been made to feel shame for the choice I made to live where I do. The long term effect is that I have distant relationships with all of them, but God has given me praise and honor in abundance. I have YOU as my home God, a close abiding relationship with You. None of those relationships are bad, but they are not close because of time and distance. I would have been so lonely if I had stayed. I am in such a land of abundance now. I feel for my kids as they think those people are phantoms. But effort has not been made on their part to be in our lives or come to see us (only my wedding in 1990). That is not a rejection of me but a symptom of other things in their own lives. I need to feel no shame for the life I have chosen to live and where I have chosen to live it. I am free.

Zip lining and sailing were two free things we did yesterday.

Jesus saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Mark 6:34

Take away: That is what I feel. No anger or bitterness. I feel sad for the lack of earthly family but feel more compassion than anything else.

Shepherd of our souls, we all are exiles in some way; we long for home. We are connected to others through the love we have with you and we ask that  you help us to share that love in our daily interactions. Amen.

Take away: This is so the prayer of my heart. So true that we are all exiles (outcast) in some way. The response is always love.

This has been hard but good. I had hoped to connect with one family here because of things we have in common, but there was no heart connection whatsoever and the door was shut in our face. There were many lovely moments with many lovely people though. (Additional note: we were able to talk to three couples who went to college with my niece after I wrote this post. They were deeper and lovely, and it was more fulfilling for me - I think I just crave deeper conversation, and most of them were so surface that I could not handle it after so many days!)

You are my home!

Prayerful Review of Last 24 hours:

What made me feel most alive and I tune with God's plan:

Doing the thing I feared by zip lining across 8 zip lines over a Cabo Canyon!

Having all the guides tell me how perfect my form was!

Having family back home like and follow our exploits!

Favorite dish at Blu!

A bubble bath

The most amazing private cruise at sunset at Land's End of Baja California, Mexico with my sweetheart!

Jumping manta rays at the junction between the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez!

Memories of childhood on the boat with my daddy. I didn't care that we had no wind to sail because the sound of a boat engine is music to my ears.

Doing this all with my partner on the exact day we "defined our relationship" 28 years ago!

What made me feel most dead and not I tune with God's plan:

Fretting over a snub when we got back. Not part of God's plan for me to worry about it. It is what it is. If some people have no interest in getting to know us (or even introducing us to others), it is their total loss and not ours. I release it all and let it go!

The verse You gave me at the beginning of this which is so amazing (see below): 

The Lord your God is in your midst.

A victorious warrior.

He will exult over you with joy.

He will be quiet in His love.

He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy!

Zephaniah 3:17

(After reading this when it was published, I realize that the opening verse is from Zephaniah 3 also! I had copied out verses 12-20 in my journal in the airport before we left - that is a God thing!)

That is why my earthly father changed my name at birth from Karen to Carol which means "Song of Joy"!

So thankful I also finished The Life of the Beloved on the plane to remind me of my Belovedness even though I do not feel beloved or cherished by my family and the people at this event. He reminded me of the name that my Heavenly Father gave me: Boldly Beloved!

(Monday Morning: George, "I know your family loves you, but I don't think they fully understand what motivates and drives you. Until recently, they have been so embroiled in overcoming their own addictions they have had no capacity to get to know you beyond what they already knew from the past."  What a wise man.)

This has been a phenomenal time in ways that have grown my heart!

Ways to show my love for God and others:

Give away our pesos! Greet everyone I meet with a smile.

Follow up: WE DID! Every single one and lots of smiles. :) I have some things to think through and process and work on, but it was a stretching trip for me in many ways.

45. Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World by Henri J.M. Nouwen

And you cannot go wrong with a Van Gogh on the cover!

Why had I never read this book before? It is priceless and beautiful, and I give it my highest recommendation. I am reading it for my Renovare Spiritual Formation Online Book Club. The discussion starts on January 2 if you want to join in. Just click on the link.

Henri talks with his Jewish friend about our belovedness before God. So many yummy quotes!

I will share just one:

“Aren't you, like me, hoping that some person, thing, or event will come along to give you that final feeling of inner well-being you desire? Don't you often hope: 'May this book, idea, course, trip, job, country or relationship fulfill my deepest desire.' But as long as you are waiting for that mysterious moment you will go on running helter-skelter, always anxious and restless, always lustful and angry, never fully satisfied. You know that this is the compulsiveness that keeps us going and busy, but at the same time makes us wonder whether we are getting anywhere in the long run. This is the way to spiritual exhaustion and burn-out. This is the way to spiritual death.”
― Henri J.M. Nouwen, Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World

44. Messiah Meditations by Carol Weaver

This is one of my favorite ways to focus on Jesus during the Advent season: Messiah by Handel!

I have also written a devotional for the month of December that goes along with the libretto:

You can read it online:
http://3yearbiblebookclub.blogspot.com/2016/11/december-messiah-meditations.html

Or download a document:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ul28wxndosxkqyy/Messiah%20Meditations%20Devotional.docx?dl=0

I have to say that I enjoy going through this devotional even though I wrote it! LOL!

I had the wonderful privilege of going to his flat in London. I sat in the room where he composed this wonderful piece of music. It was a holy experience:

An interesting fact: Jimmy Hendrix's flat was one floor above Handel's two centuries later! Hendrix was a fan of Messiah as he had two albums of it in his flat:

43. SPEG Manual

This is a 74 page manual in electronic form that we read for our ministry training. I am counting it as one of my books for 2016 because it has small print! :) It is not available in stores, and it is SO, SO GOOD! It is overwhelming, and I don't think I should have given it to my Kingdom Community. I think it overwhelmed them! LOL!

Prayerful Review of My Weekend

Gifts:
REST!
George!
Our wonderful church - always so glad I go!

When did I feel most alive, responsive, and living in tune with God's dream?

Walking the boardwalk at Finley Wildlife Refuge. Seeing the tundra swans making all sorts of noise on Cabell Marsh from the blind (we cannot hike on the Marsh at this time of year, but I thought we could observe it by walking on the boardwalk, and I was right!

Eat and Treats Steakhouse Salad with George and a free cookie.

The Finley Wildlife Refuge store! We bought a bunch of Christmas presents there!

Doing the thing I feared and submitting my grades for Fall term.

Reading Messiah Meditations - I know I wrote it, but I really like it.

Writing these prayer reviews are life-giving for me!

Writing in general. I have not done as much of it lately, and I really, really enjoy it.

Listening to my three new Christmas CD's by Jeff Johnson, Brian Dunning, and Wendy Goodwin. They are excellent!

Dead/Unresponsive/Least Myself/Out of Tune with God's Dream?

Trying to get my Winter term website up and running.

Grades for four of my students not submitting correctly. Do not know why.

One of my students emailing to question her grade when she looked at the website incorrectly. Ugh! (I hate the grading part of my job - can you tell?)

One thing to express love for God and others tomorrow:

Yesterday follow up: "Give to charities instead of Christmas gifts to my family. I did one on Thursday and will do the other two today." 

Follow Up: I did just one, and I got the sweetest letter from the person we gave to! I will do the other one today and also send a letter to Chris, Holly, and Debbie telling them about it and sending links.

New Expression of Love: I need to pray about it. I am not sure I am hearing what He wants me to do. Stay tuned.

Current:

42. God Guides by Mary Geegh

This is maybe my third time through this book.(Although my blog records I have only read it once before in 2014. I think I partially read it again in 2015 and did not finish it, but I digress.) I am always challenged to take time to "Listen and Obey" God's voice as a result. I think the key thing added to the mix is writing down what I hear. That has helped me to remember to follow through on the "obey" part. I often write it with shower crayons on my shower wall. It is amazing how God really does orchestrate everything in His time. He is real. I know that for a fact.

Here is what I wrote after I read it the first time and was evaluating all the books I had read in 2014:

Most thrilling, oh my goodness, I want to read it again, unputdownable book?

God Guides by Mary Geegh. 

This book is life-changing for anyone who wants a dynamic relationship with God. I recommend it to everyone, and I give it away like candy now. It is the simple concept of listening to God and obeying Him, but I love that it communicates this through real-life stories of a person who lived in India for over 30 years! She also recommends a “listen and obey” time every day where your WRITE DOWN what God tells you. Since I easily forget, I have gotten into this habit, and it has really helped me.  I recommended this book to two different friends that each ordered 100. One friend had given all 100 away within two months.

Prayer Review of Friday

I have not done this for ten days. So, here I go!

Gifts from the last 24 hours:

One leftover massage from a package I bought last January (when I needed them more) that alleviated the tightness I have felt since Monday.

Prayer blessing from my message therapist.

George working from home.

When did I feel most alive, responsive, and living in tune with God's dream?

Oh, my heart be still. I love it when God confirms that my prayers have been in tune with His dream. We got a wonderful call from a woman at a large church here. The leadership has been sensing a direction for their church and two members of the leadership said they would be remiss if they did not contact us and find out what George and I thought. In 2010, we went to an outdoor service for this church, and God nudged my heart to pray for them in just the direction their church is now sensing they must go! In the summer of 2011, as a guest speaker already going in that direction spoke, God told me this was the beginning of the answer to that prayer. Subsequent years put me on their property, praying the wood chip trails overlooking the Crescent Valley and sensing that this church overlooking this Crescent Valley would go to the people of the crescent. I was also able to tell her about the prophecy over this part of the Willamette Valley being not only the number one exporter of grass seed but of good news seed! This was life-giving. Oh so life-giving. Will continue to pray for this God-sized thing.

Restful walk to and from massage and walk with George.

I never know how much I need to lay down after a massage and sitting for long periods of time can undo the benefit of a massage so I declined an invitation to lunch, and I am glad I did as I think it would have been intense.

Dead/Unresponsive/Least Myself/Out of Tune with God's Dream?

Stressing about submitting my grades because a few in my two classes will not get a good grade, and I hate that!

One thing to express love for God and others tomorrow:

Give to charities instead of Christmas gifts to my family. I did one on Thursday and will do the other two today.

Prayerful Review of the Day

Gifts from today:

A good doctor who fixed my quadratus lumbarum muscle
Free time!

When did I feel most alive, responsive, and living in tune with God's dream?

I wish I could remember the moment but I was doing something and voiced out to God - "This is life-giving!"

In prayer yesterday.

Resting

Not having commitments

Library book check out!

Dead/Unresponsive/Least Myself/Out of Tune with God's Dream?

Nothing comes to mind

One thing to express love for God and others tomorrow:

Love and treasure  my family! Call my family in California.

Angel Announcement and Birth of Jesus: Luke 1:26-45 & 2:1-14

Announcement – Luke 1:26-45 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For the word of God will never fail.” Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

Birth of Jesus – Luke 2:1-14 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire … All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

41. The Game with Minutes by Frank Laubach

This is probably the third or fourth time I have read this great little book! I love it every time. 

It is all about trying to think of Jesus on a regular basis throughout your day. He says one second for every minute of the day, but it can be whatever you decide. 

My major follow through this time was on seeing double - seeing how people are, and who Christ longs for them to be. As I said in an earlier post, it was a great thing to do, and I will continue to do so!

Here is a former post that includes a link to a download for a PDF version of this lovely little book! 

http://carolhomeschool2.blogspot.com/2014/12/45-game-with-minutes.html

Prayerful Review of Wednesday & Thursday

What gifts?

Chocolate and Sunflower Seeds from a Dial-a-Book client

Walking in a light rain

Thursday people-free day 

Where I felt the most alive and responsive:

Shaking the dust off of my feet of the early Wednesday morning derogatory remark made toward me! Getting out of the house and "doing the next thing" was so great!

Seeing "double" in my students - praying into how they are and how Christ longs for them to be. I extended it to the shut-ins I deliver books to. WOW! I even prayed for the person who called me a derogatory name. 

Doing two sweat-producing, face-paced Pilates classes with my students to upbeat and fun 60's,70's, and 80's music! Could not have put me in a better mood!

Doing book and flower deliveries and seeing delight on my patrons' faces!

Really WANTING to go and teach my night class for the first time this fall term. 

REST all day on Thursday. 

Treats and Poldark with George.

Practicing The Game with Minutes both days, even bringing Jesus white tea in a gold cup in the chair next to me. 

Where did I feel most dead and unresponsive:

Waking up to a being called a derogatory name on Twitter for asking a question about a statistic given in the documentary.

Rehashing what I would say to a person who caused me great pain. 

One practical thing that we an commit to that will express our love for God and others:

Encourage Rachel and Michelle as I meet with both of them today. Give Paul lots of love on his 22nd birthday! 

Yesterday's love:

THIS WENT SO WELL! - "See double" in my students: See them as Christ does - we see the person as he is and the person Christ longs to make him. (The Game with Minutes, p. 97) 

Good meeting. Conference call went really well (such a hard navigation when you have to evaluate someone's fitness for a job). The group wanted to meet on November 29, but it will not be a regular meeting. Just prayer and storytelling. It will be easier for me to prepare for. 

Prayerful Review of Tuesday

What gifts?

Such a great group of women in our Kingdom Community

Prayer with this group

Good, honest, loving coworker

Restful day after Kingdom Community

Where I felt the most alive and responsive:

Praying and discussing the things of God

Learning from documentary "Now We Rise" on PBS

Watching the end of The Young Messiah - uplifting film

Where did I feel most dead and unresponsive:

Student asking for special treatment who has missed many classes

Early Wednesday morning: waking up to a being called a derogatory name on Twitter for asking a question about a statistic given in the documentary 

One practical thing that we an commit to that will express our love for God and others:

"See double" in my students: See them as Christ does - we see the person as he is and the person Christ longs to make him. (The Game with Minutes, p. 97)

Yesterday's love:

Lovingly lead my Kingdom Community this morning. Lovingly respond to the person on the other end of a conference call this afternoon. Lovingly say that we are breaking until after the first of the year. 

Good meeting. Conference call went really well (such a hard navigation when you have to evaluate someone's fitness for a job). The group wanted to meet on November 29, but it will not be a regular meeting. Just prayer and storytelling. It will be easier for me to prepare for. 

Prayerful Review of Monday

What gifts?

Gift of attentive and polite Pilates students.
Gift of God's word.
Gift of a lovely work environment.
Gift of three Pilates classes working different parts of my body (Bands using arm muscles that pull and increasing my range of motion in my legs, Balls using arm muscles that push in, inner thigh muscles, and work my abs more, and face-paced class that gets my fast twitch fibers, works up a sweat, and gets me going in functional movement - I am actually a bit sore this morning which rarely happens!)
Gift of all three of my regulars showing up for my night class.
Gift of listening to the tribute for Gwen Ifill on the PBS Newshour - she was a woman of deep faith, and that made me very happy to hear.
Gift of rain pants for biking.

Where I felt the most alive and responsive:

Working my body, riding my bike to and from class even though it was raining.

Talking with my Saudi Arabian conversation partner! I just love, love, love her. She told me that most Muslims are are not upset about Donald Trump being president (she even showed me a video of Saudi men running away on the desert sand and screaming something like "Trump is after us," and they are laughing about it.) They are thinking all the "hoopla" is a little ridiculous.  When I told her about some of the immigration (11.4 million illegal immigrants in the USA) and refugee issues that he wants to address, she said, "Oh course you should be very careful!" (To them it is a no brainer because they are from the Middle East and are close to terrorism.) (Note: I am not saying I disagree or agree with ALL of the president-elect's policy, but I have a wait-and-see attitude rather than an alarmist attitude.) 

Telling Creation to Christ stories in front of the mirror.

Dancing around my bedroom during Dancing with the Stars. :)

Proud of our President for not biting when one reporter, specifically Martha Raddatz of ABC News, tried to get him to talk trash about Trump. He did not bite!

Where did I feel most dead and unresponsive:

When George texted me to tell me that Gwen Ifill died of cancer yesterday. I knew something was wrong because she was not at the election, and she was also gone earlier in a year, and they never said where she was. She did not tell the public. 

Hearing leading questions by biased reporters during Obama's news conference.

Having to get out of my cozy home to go to work yesterday. I just wanted to stay home in my pajamas because it was gloomy and raining! 

One practical thing that we an commit to that will express our love for God and others:

Lovingly lead my Kingdom Community this morning. Lovingly respond to the person on the other end of a conference call this afternoon. Loving say that we are breaking until after the first of the year. 

Yesterday's love:

When I was riding my bike to class, I felt like God said to love on my students, and I think I communicated this. I showed a small kindness to two of my students that I had to exhort last week for constantly being late. (Because I am supposed to give him NO points for coming late, but I did not.) I also extended a deadline for one of my assignments because the weeks are all messed up for this term. 

40. Beyond Loneliness: The Gift of God's Friendship by Trevor Hudson (Renovare Book Club)

This has been a gem of a book that I am reading for the Renovare Book Club. We are reading and discussing four books between October and June, and this has been life-giving balm for my soul. One of my goals this year is to have more time with people my own age with deeper conversation, and it has been so nice to interact with the people online. I also met with a woman from Oregon two weeks ago to discuss the book. She is willing to drive down here for our next discussion time over Thanksgiving break. I think she is hungry for deeper conversation too. 

I was thinking that the title is not really descriptive of the book, and I tell people that the subtitle is so much better: The Gift of God's Friendship! I really think the current title will discourage people from reading the book. Loneliness is part of the book and what motivates some toward friendship with God, but what if you do not struggle with loneliness (like me)? I would not have picked up this book based on its title if it were not for the Renovare Book Club.  

Then, I listened to his podcast and come to find out that the title in South Africa is Friendship with God: How God's Offer of Relationship Can Change Your Life but the book publisher in the States said Beyond Loneliness would be a better title for Americans! NOT! I disagree.

So, do not let this title discourage you from reading, and if you do struggle with loneliness, it will help you too!

I love it because it talks all about relationship with God and also God's destiny for you out in this big wide world. It isn't about inward focus and this little exclusive friendship you have with God. I really, really love this book.

It seems simple and even basic for many who don't struggle with relationship, but the friendship exercises have been lovely no matter where you are on the journey. If you read my blog, you know what happened when I did one of his supplementary exercises (I am still asking for permission to post the PDF here for his supplementary stuff he is making available to the Renovare Book Club so stay tuned!) Here is that post if you do not read my blog on a regular basis:

http://carolhomeschool2.blogspot.com/2016/11/a-prayerful-review-of-my-day.html

Prayerful Review of My Sunday

Thanks to God for the gifts received through the last day:

Friendship with Lisa

My lovely, stable, non-complicated, healthy church

Worship with Randy

Baked Brie in a Sourdough Loaf

Where I felt the most alive and responsive yesterday:

I might have done this two days ago and forgot to write it down. I really liked Trevor Hudson's podcast about his book Beyond Loneliness: The Gift of God's Friendship. I kept thinking, "Yes, yes, yes!" 

Face-to-face bonding with Lisa after one year of not even seeing each other face-to-face

Telling the Abraham story to Paul and George

Time in the car with Paul and George

Hearing my three men Skyped with each other (Paul and George with Michael in Southern Oregon) for over an hour

Poldark and 60 Minutes with George

Where I felt most dead and non-responsive yesterday:

Reading two very long, vitriolic timeline posts from two of my high school friends disappointed in the outcome of the election. There is a difference between grieving over the outcome and spewing hate. I know it is because they are scared, but it crossed a line. Many of my friends were like that for the first few days, but these two continued it making irrational claims about what our country would become and hatred toward those who did not vote the way they think others should have voted.  It was deadening. (Funny thing is that the overwhelming majority of my high school friends voted the other way and are very verbal about it. Who knew? I must have come from a very conservative town and never knew it!) 

Imagine one practical thing we can commit to that will express our love for God and others:

Talk with M about the story of Abraham today.

Yesterday's "love on":

I listened and loved on Lisa over lunch (another "L"!) 

Prayerful Review: Days 3-5

Last time it was a review of 48 hours, but this will be almost 72! I don't think I will be doing this everyday, but I will do it when the Spirit leads me to do so!

Thanks to  God  for  the  gifts  received through  the last 72 hours:

Having an unexpected day off on Thursday from caring for Aunt Dot and having a "no obligations" day for most of it. I needed to catch up with myself after the whirlwind of vitriol I have read online (It is from both sides, but the majority is from Clinton supporters angry at Trump supporters.)


Composing a letter to my friend about being "Switzerland" in this election and having her tell me it was "life-giving." Then she posed a long post and tagged me because of my delivery of bread, and the overwhelming positive response to her open letter has been beautiful to see. 

A gracious, calmed down response to a person eliciting fears among people about the future after I challenged him to "be the change he wants to see in the world."

Rest, rest, rest on Thursday. I so needed it!

The gift of my husband's family. Taking care of Dot has been a privilege. Such an easy patient to care for.

The lovely people who visit her every day - 12 on Friday! 

A mother in law who is no-nonsense but also very caring.

A husband who is tops in my book! 


Notice  where  we have  felt  most  alive  and  responsive  in  the  past  72  hours:

When I took time to be alone and non-obligated on Thursday. I needed a recharge time for my soul. I really am 68% introvert as much as people do not want to believe that. 

Grading most of the extra credit papers of my students and getting a window into their souls. 

When feeding and helping Aunt Dot. Being an encouragement to her.

Singing "It is Well with My Soul" with Aunt Dot before the FLURRY of people came to visit her. 

A 45 minute break to walk to Lisa's and wish her a Happy Birthday (even though she was not home).

Talking to my mother-in-law.

Time with God on Friday morning up on the hill at the Newberg house meditating on the message of hope in Jesus' birth.

Walking in the Saturday Sunshine with my Sweetheart. Talking all day about everything. Sabbath Rest with my Sweetheart. Ahh.

Running into my OSU Basketball Coach, Aki Hill, on our Saturday Sunshine walk!

Nothing but "Little Carol" Love for my OSU Basketball Coach, Aki Hill! 

Supper and Supplication with Sweetheart and Sharla over ISIS in Iraq. Watch out world!

Listening to Sharla's heart about their fellowship.

Sitting on the couch on a Sunday morning talking with George (sweetheart above). 

Listening to the podcast interview with Trevor Hudson (the person who suggested this exercise).

The video Carol and Laura posted from that sports newscaster who did not vote for either and talked about Jesus. It was priceless. Do not know his name but bless him.

Talking to my best friend in Idaho over the whole political process. She and her husband did the same thing my husband and I did - voted for neither. It was a "safe" conversation. 

Notice  where  we   have  felt  most  dead  and unresponsive:

Judgemental comments from people who do not like the outcome of the election. (Observation: I hear little "gloating" from the people who voted for Trump but so much hate (who are saying people who voted for Trump are hateful) toward those who voted for Trump from the Hillary voting people. I know many of them are really unhappy in their personal lives (not all). So this might be part of the anger. My heart aches!) I am PURPLE and SWITZERLAND. So, I watch and am so sad, sad, sad. 

I was responsive, but it deadens me to think that my Afghan friend's brother was arrested and killed in Afghanistan by the Taliban for being an engineer! We have no idea what the world is going through. 

People putting down one of my relatives! Not happy!

Feeling fear when I got an email from someone I have felt best to move on from due to the toxicity of the relationship.

Imagine one practical thing that we can commit to do the next day that will express our love for God and others:

I will add on to this when I feel God giving me direction! And God did give me direction! I was walking to my lunch with Lisa; show love by listening to Lisa. So, I did a lot of active listening while she told me all about her incredibly stressful year. I had not seen her since November 5, 2015! We talked for four hours! Of course, Lisa is so other-centered that she had to ask me about myself too, but I made an effort, up front, to really listen, listen, and love, love, love Lisa (and of course, that is all in an alliteration). 

Follow Up from the last one: 

Pray for Peshmerga advance on Mosul. Few casualties (as per Sinor's request).  

(Update: YES! Sharla, George and I gathered around a map of IRAQ and prayed for over an hour for this important part of the world. It was a sweet time.)

Take care of and love on Aunt Dot tomorrow.

(Update: It is truly an honor and privilege to usher her into heaven.) 

Prayerful Review of the Day 2 & 3

I started this two days ago, and my computer was accidentally not plugged in. So, I didn't bother to reboot when it conked out. So, I am combining Days 2 & 3 (November 8-9)


Update from Day 1 - Showing Love

This is a more detailed update than yesterday: Well that was so fun! I asked God what my "one thing" should be to show love, and he told me only to "bake bread." So I dutifully woke up at 6:15 am (on Election Day) and started the 3 1/2 hour process. He told me He would let me know further directions. 

First, the smell of warm fresh bread was so lovely as my kingdom community praised through Psalm 145 and prayed for the world, the persecuted believers in our world, our friends in the community, and each other. Love, love, love. We broke with bread. God is good. I could bless those four women whom I am already loving more and more. 

Second, three of the five of us decided to go to the mosque. I grabbed one of the three loaves and went to meet with 10 women huddled around a table reading the Qur'an with my friend, G, teaching from it. There were snacks at the end, and one of ladies had cut up my bread and brought it to the table. G, the teacher and my friend, said, "Did you know that in Syria when you bring bread to someone, it means you are bringing love?"

I did not know that, but I told her that I asked God how I could show love to someone, and He told me to bake bread!

WIN WIN

So here is the review of what I am doing. The post from two days ago gives more detail:

After  saying  thank  you  to  God  for  the  gifts  received through  the  day,  we  take   time  to  notice  where  we have  felt  most  alive  and  responsive  in  the  past   twenty-­four  hours.  This  is  often  a  sign  of  where  we have  lived  in  tune  with   God’s  dream  for  our  lives  in the  world.  Then  we  take  time  to  notice  where  we   have  felt  most  dead  and  unresponsive.  This  is  often  a sign of where we have most probably been living out of tune with God's dream. I am discovering that noticing these differences on a daily basis has the effect of fine-tuning my capacity to make future decisions more in tune with God. I am gradually learning that our daily cooperation with God depends upon making faithful choices in the matters that confront us, both big and small. 
There are two other important bits to this practice of a daily review. We also look back over the day to see where we have failed to live as a faithful friend and partner of God. Bringing these failures to the cross each evening opens our hearts to receive afresh the mercy and forgiveness of the divine friendship and keeps us growing in it. The last bit is to imagine one practical thing that we can commit to do the next day that will express our love for God and others. Obviously we will need help and race with this so we ask for this as well. This is the creative part of the review where we are able to exercise our initiative for the sake of realizing God's dream in the world. 

Thanks to  God  for  the  gifts  received through  the (last two) day(s):

The gift of this group of Tuesday Kingdom Women who look at the Words of Jesus and obey them by loving God, their families, and their neighbors. 

Sunshine and a 10 mile bike ride among Fall leaves. Took my breath away. So thankful to live in this town. 

Friendship with people of other faiths. Finding common ground. Bridging the gap. (Visit to the mosque was so lovely!) 

Living in a democracy.  

Gift of diversity of thought and opinion.

The peaceful transition of power.

Notice  where  we have  felt  most  alive  and  responsive  in  the  past   twenty-­four  hours:

Riding my bike through Fall Leaves!

Talking to my hubby and him giving me the freedom to stay home and rest instead of traveling up north to be with him and his mom and ailing aunt.

An enlightening email exchange with one of my besties over this election and coming to a meeting of heart and mind. (I did not vote for either candidate in case you were wondering.)

Notice  where  we   have  felt  most  dead  and unresponsive:

The anger of friends who did not like the outcome of the election. YIKES! 

Imagine one practical thing that we can commit to do the next day that will express our love for God and others:

Pray for Peshmerga advance on Mosul. Few casualties (as per Sinor's request).  

Take care of and love on Aunt Dot tomorrow.