Tag: self care

A New Song

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Do the birds know something I don’t yet know? I can hear it in their cheerful song. Never missing a sunrise. The opportunity to sing anew; to skip along linked arm in arm with a melody.

Not versed in scripture or reading, but need they be? In Psalms we read of new joy coming with the morning. Can the birds somehow feel it? Like, maybe somehow, the rising of the light feels differently than the setting? The feeling of warmth after night and darkness? A reminder of God’s faithful returning. The comfort of something staying the same?

Or is it the wake accompanied by full rejuvenation that urges them to sing? Something about rest followed by the still and quiet. A meeting with creation. A song so unexplainable, yet we feel it clear down to the happiest parts of us. The souvenirs we carry and keep from the garden. From a time where everything was new and our creator called it good.

“….weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Psalm 30:5

My Quiet Place

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There’s a place aloft the Colorado National Monument that may as well have a spot carved out, about the width of my jeans…..labeled, “Lakin was here.” In those early days as a single mother, when all that mattered was off on a visit to her dad’s- this is where I landed.

In an attempt to quiet my aching heart, the journey would start with 20 minutes on the road- windows down, taking in that easy air. The lightweight, slightly cool, Colorado air (can you tell my newly asthmatic lungs drool at the memory). Swirling its way ever so gently in and out of my freshly cut locks. I always cut my hair when Im feeling unsure.

Enter the gate, park that car and don’t plan on getting back in for at least 3 hours. Sure, it was risky going for a hike alone, but something about that sunshine on my skin made God’s embrace tangible. Like, here honey, sit here and take in my creation – I’ll guard the gate.

Colorado is much different than the North Carolina terrain I enjoy as I pen these words. The sky is open, trees more sparse and rocks ore magnificent. Please don’t hear me say that North Carolina isn’t equally beautiful, with it’s enormous trees, smoky blue hills (I’m from the Rockies, these are hills) and incredible history. There’s just something about home, and home is where I was.

Looking over the entire city with a bird’s eye view, surrounded by the red rocks and silence. Funny how the caw of an eagle – the crash of water against the rocks can be labeled as silence amid the city hustle. Those waves are working hard to smooth the edges over time, as God is with my heart. The sudden crash causes a harsh edge, but the streams continue flowing faithfully time after time.

How I lost 12 pounds in 5 weeks without products or diets

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Disclaimer: this is not a product advertisement or way to get you to buy into a scam in order to lose weight and then still be unhappy when you finally do.

The picture is only a way for you to truly believe the very cliche things I’m about to tell you. I don’t do extreme exercise. I don’t starve myself or even really limit myself. I don’t take any supplements, energy boosters, protein shakes or diet pills. These are my results after 5 weeks. What do I do then, you ask?

  1. I rest when I’m tired (instead of taking energy supplements). I try to get to bed by 10:00.
  2. I wake up at 5:30am and go for a WALK (not even a jog) and enjoy the fresh air, quiet time and, sometimes, company of a friend.
  3. I eat every 2-3 hours. Mostly simple foods (sweet potatoes, almond milk, fish, chicken, cottage cheese, eggs- yes the whole egg, organic jam, local honey, chia seeds, almonds, dark chocolate chips, beans, carrots, celery, Ezekiel toast…..to name a few healthy options). Notice how salad wasn’t listed? Not that I don’t eat it, but it’s not my entire or even half of my “diet.” And guess what!? I cheat 2-3 days a week! I just don’t go overboard. I have Reese’s ice cream and apple pie and real, fatty, made from scratch gravy and cookies etc. I don’t cheat for the whole day. And if I do, I don’t feel guilty or over exercise because of it.
  4. I carve out quiet time for myself, to read, journal, color….whatever suits my mood that day.
  5. I try to do 1 thing a week that will help simplify our lives (clean out a closet, organize the filing cabinet, clean the yard….whatever it is.) The rest of the house is a mess?? So be it. I have young kids and that’s a given during this season.
  6. I’ve learned to forgive people I’ve held a grudge against my whole life. This is a HUGE one! As I’ve been known to eat my feelings.
  7. I budget. Or try my best. Dave Ramsey is a Christian based budgeting plan. Love it.

These are all things God has given us to cope, but we’ve sadly been trained to turn to the world for answers instead. Dieting, over exercising, negative self talk, sex addictions, overspending, drinking, smoking, keeping up with the Jones’. Whatever it is we do. And I say WE, because I still get very tempted to go back to these things sometimes!

Just turning to a more simple life has shown me more results in more areas of my life than ANY other thing I have ever tried!

I hope these things for you. I hope for contentment. ❤️