30 Days of Thanks - Day 25

Today I am thankful for:

The excitement of trying new things. 

I won't say that I can't cook, because when I do take the time  I can make some pretty tasty things.  I just don't cook.  Plug in one of a zillion reasons, primarily having to do with life in general and not having enough time, and I've used it.  Cooking takes planning and by the time I realize I'm hungry, I go for convenience.

But holidays and special occasions are different. They give me the opportunity to play in the kitchen, which can be entertaining.  My husband mentioned that carrot cake was his favorite, so last year for his birthday, I waited for him to go to sleep while I stayed up and peeled carrots and made my very first carrot cake.  It turned out pretty good and I loved learning/doing something new.

For Thanksgiving tomorrow, I'll be busy in the kitchen tonight trying a couple of new things; a pumpkin toffee cheesecake and a pretzel Jell-O salad. I've never made a cheesecake before, but I can follow directions.

"New things" isn't limited to cooking.  There are states (and countries) I haven't explored yet. From Peru to Oregon or Maine -- there are places near and far I want to see.

There are photography workshop tours with professional photographers where you camp out under the stars and get perfect sunrise photos among cacti and mesas.

There are wildlife parks like the one a friend frequents that get you up close and personal with bears and other wildlife.

There is the Aurora Borialis and other natural wonders that I haven't seen with my own eyes yet. 

There's interior design classes, painting, pottery, haunted house tours, scuba diving, planting the perfect garden, learning about flowers, going bird watching... all kinds of things I have yet to do, learn or try.  There is more to do than I have time for in this lifetime.  That's a good thing.  I'll never be bored, and there are always ways to keep stretching myself beyond my comfort zone.  Even if it's simply a new recipe, it's energizing and stimulating to try something new.

Revelations  

Maybe it wasn't so much a revelation that I had today, but rather a  gentle insight or affirmation that is prodding me in the direction that I instinctively was already headed.  Today's news brought another human interest story about a couple of local fellas that lost their jobs which led them to fulfilling their dream of starting their own company.  I have seen/heard more and more of these stories over the past few months and it is igniting in me the realization that I need to launch my VA business soon.  Even if part time, all of these budding entrepreneurs are going to need help from someone who is authentic and who is looking out for their best interests.  Solopreneurs are sprouting up all over the place and I'm excited to hear their stories on a daily basis.  I'm thankful that they've made the most out of losing their jobs and are plowing ahead with something that is all about them and what they want to do.  And I'm thankful how something like a recession can actually create opportunities. It's affirming to see opportunities popping up all around me.

30 Days of Thanks - Day 24

Today's blog is dedicated to my friend, we'll call her "B" (for Beautiful), who learned yesterday that the biopsy from her breast contained cancerous cells.

Today I am grateful for:

The Power, Wisdom and Comfort of Prayer;

Persistence, Conviction and Courage found in Belief;

Peace, Strength and Freedom that comes from Faith;

Expectation, Optimism, and Possibility of Hope;

Assurance, Support and Connectedness of Touch;

Depth of Spirit, Joy and Perspective found in Friendships;

the Promise, Light, and Renewed Healing that comes from Love;

and GOD who can be found in all of them, in all ways, in all of our days. 

“And their prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make them well. And anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.”

James 5:15-16 (NLT)

30 Days of Thanks - Days 20-23

When I try to take on too much, my body lets me know it. If I ignore my body's promptings, it turns up the heat until it gets my attention and I have no choice other than to stop, pay attention, and reverse course.

We're all busy, so I'm preaching to the choir on that one, I know. And the holiday season just intensifies anything you have going on and can create an imbalance to already very full plates. An unbalanced full plate means what was on that plate can all come crashing down and spilling over as the plate tips. Anxiety, racing heart, head spinning dizziness, a jabbing knot in my back and the inability to take in enough air into my lungs are how my body decided to slap me upside the head this weekend.

"But, body," I chastised, "I'm BUSY. I don't have time to deal with not being able to breathe. Would ya just cooperate here? PLEASE?"

It didn't listen. On top of a full time job, an AssistU internship, a Tuesday evening class, and preparing the house for company over Thanksgiving (I have mini-explosions all over the house where I've started to take down a 55 gal. fish aquarium, am assembling two pieces of furniture and have 20 other partially finished projects strewn about), I also received an order for my Scenic Sentiments nature note cards that I can't fulfill until I set up my computer and restore all the files that I had backed up.

Additionally, in the interest of being totally authentic and transparent, I will share with you that I'm going through a divorce. I guess it's real enough now that I can write about it, at least in generalities. As a Christian, who married for life, I rested in the promise we made to each other in front of God, so I am still in complete and utter shock that I'm in this place right now. The things that were revealed to me in the past few months really have me moving between disbelief and unbelievable pain. It's an emotional roller-coaster and I'm looking forward to when I can get off this ride (I've never liked roller coasters). With the pain of such a life-altering event comes a huge investment of time to go through the legal process as well as the healing process. Last week was a hearing, I've also tried to aid the healing process with counseling, and I’m meeting with a Stephen's minister/friend, and attending a couple of Divorce Care events through church. One Divorce Care email reaffirmed for me how I'm feeling, in that 85% of my energy reserves are all going to the emotional side of life and simply finding a way to cope right now. That leaves very little remaining for physical, mental and spiritual activities. The email used the following analogy to describe the energy distribution imbalance: "You are going round and round. It's like you are running your engine wide open, but you're in neutral and not going anywhere, yet you can't shut the motor off. Eighty-five percent of your energy is being consumed in the whole emotional area. That leaves you 5 percent mental, 5 percent spiritual, and 5 percent physical."

So I had to decide if missing Facebook posts for a few days (there might be a friend in need who will wonder why I didn't comment or support her after all) or getting my 30 Days of Thanks blog written were really worth my health. If a friend needs me, he won't rely on Facebook to get my attention (or will message me directly), and the 30 Days of Thanks isn't meant to be a chore; it's intended to soften the heart and take you to a place of gratitude. It's meant to be joyful and voluntary, not drudgery. So, I won't know what's been going on in the lives of my Facebook friends since last Thursday. I need to be okay with that. And instead of trying to do longer blogs for each day missed of 30 Days of Thanks, I will simply group those days and move on. So here we go.

Today I am thankful for:

Day 20:

• Peppermint Mocha Lattes! Heavenly!

• The gentle prompting from a friend who has been meeting with me almost weekly for the past couple of months to take care of myself first. I was having trouble breathing which made it difficult to carry on a conversation. Her nudge got me to call the doctor. I would still be dealing with the issue that interfered with my breathing if I hadn't made that call on Friday.

• A door prize that I won Friday night at a Pampered Chef party. It's a Fall cookbook, which may give me some ideas for Thanksgiving side dishes.

Day 21:

• Modern medicine. I use prescription drugs sparingly, as I've just never really been a fan. I don't want to build up a resistance to something for the future and I usually don't like how most medications make me feel. There are definitely exceptions to that though, and this weekend I was grateful for an anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant that the doctor prescribed. She thought soft tissue inflammation in an area where I was carrying stress created a knot in my back that made it feel like someone was stabbing me and interfering with my ability to take deep breaths. The meds took care of the pain in the back, which in turn took care of the breathing. I might also add that I've had three wonderful nights of sleep thanks to the muscle relaxant. :)
• My daughter, Nikki called. It was great hearing her voice and making plans for her visit.
• A customer found my Scenic Sentiments website and placed an order for two boxed sets of cards.

Day 22:

• Despite a full plate, the ability to choose 'me time.' This helps me recharge and makes it possible to keep chipping away at that plate. I left the house for 3 hours to see a movie (I saw 2012 because I apparently didn't think I had enough to feel anxious about - LOL! Actually, it was more of a timing thing and the movie didn't bother me; I went more for the special effects).

• A wonderful IT guy who rebuilt my computer.

• Carbonite, which backed up all the files I had on my computer and is restoring them all as I type.

• Pandora online radio. I listened to Christmas music by Amy Grant, Josh Grobin, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Mercy Me and more while I had a productive spurt working on my intern assignments.

Day 23:

• Unlikely friendships. This morning I accepted a Facebook friend request from a gentleman that I sold a camera to in 2005. When my dad passed away on Valentine's Day, 2005, he left behind a collection of digital cameras because he was a huge gadget person and he loved photography. I helped mom by selling dad's collection on eBay and Frank was one of those eBay buyers. We've exchanged emails over the years, mainly around the holidays now -- and our only connection is dad's camera.

• A realization (and acceptance) that answers may never come, but healing will. Even through this difficult season, I’m still managing to accomplish a lot, reach out to friends and stay active socially. I’m taking time for self care and not beating myself up when I have to delay or let go of something. If I’m producing, positively impacting others and embracing life at a time when things are expected to be hard, I will be amazing when I emerge to the other side. The only way out is through.

That’s me in the middle, looking a little run down, but I’ve surrounded myself with people who genuinely care and are keeping their eyes and ears open to look out for my best interests.  :)

30 Days of Thanks - Day 19

Today I'm thankful for:

Nature.

Though it's possible for words to describe the beauty of nature (incredible sunset, pristine lake, majestic mountains, thunderous waterfall), it's hard to completely capture the breathtaking splendor of God's creation unless it's experienced.  Short of being in the position to travel the world, photographs offer a glimpse of what a perfect and beautiful world we live in.  So today, I offer less words, and instead, a photo blog of the wonderful world in which we live.  I encourage you to get outside and explore, breath the air deep into your lungs, feel the breeze on your face, be alert to the wildlife that shares our planet and rejoice in the beauty that surrounds you.  From the intricate snowflake, to the strength of water which carved out the Grand Canyon ... wow... what a wonderful world. 

30 Days of Thanks - Day 18

Today I am thankful for:

Online learning, teleclasses, teleseminars, webcasts and webinars.

This year my brain has been in learning mode, soaking up new things like a sponge.  Prior to this year, I believe it had been years since I've been to a class or had the opportunity to refresh my skills and learn something new. 

I was hungry for knowledge, new skills, refresher courses to keep current skills sharp, or even some fun creative course like those found in the community leisure magazines (pottery, wine tasting, etc.). With wisdom comes options, and an inner attractiveness and assuredness.  I was ready to stretch myself and act on that thirst for information that had grown too strong to ignore.

With a full time job and the general craziness of life, I didn't think I'd have the time or energy to go to a university or classroom setting to make learning a reality.  That's when I stumbled on a link through my local library to a huge online catalog of classes offered online. I jumped at the opportunity to take a beginning HTML class in February-March, and immediately after, began my journey with Assist University's Virtual Training Program (20 weeks of intensive, comprehensive training for those serious about owning their own Virtual Assistance business).  With the HTML course, all materials were online, there were weekly self tests, and a class forum where students could bring their questions.  With AssistU, we had a weekly call, checkpoints when major assignments were due (business plan, welcome kit, etc.), a weekly 'call prep' which captured that week's fieldwork, an online community and a hefty final exam.  Everything, with the exception of the initial welcome/orientation package and the final certificate upon graduation was handled virtually, with a phone and a computer. 

Upon graduating from the VTP in September, I've since jumped in on several teleclasses about blogging, attracting ideal clients, authentic marketing, and I'm currently enrolled in a 5 week teleclass called "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life."  Since I'm going through an extremely difficult season in my personal life, I figured the power of positive thinking certainly wouldn't hurt. 

I love that I don't have to drive downtown in traffic, drive in a snowstorm, or add commute time to the class so by the time I would get home I'd be exhausted.  I love that I can pick up dinner on the way home and eat while attending class from the comfort of my own home, take notes on my laptop while sitting at my kitchen island or on the sofa, and can simply turn off the lights and go to bed as soon as class is over.  My dog isn't waiting for me to get home to let him out, and I can feed the pets, get my coffee ready for the next morning and clean up around the kitchen when I'm not taking notes. 

Yesterday, my full time job ended at 5pm and I had a class that I was interested in from 5:00-6:00 and another starting at 6:30pm.  Since these were teleclasses, I called in from work for the first one, hung up around ten 'til six, drove home (getting dinner on the way), and then called into my 6:30 once I arrived home.  Sometimes the free teleclasses are giving you a preview of someone's service that he's promoting and to make you aware of a more robust program that's available for a fee.  Overall, I've found value in even the complimentary telecourses, and have always gotten my money's worth out of the paid lessons.  Just because these trainings are done virtually, doesn't mean they're wimpy or offer less educational value than the same class being taught in a bricks and mortar setting.   In fact, you often need to be more focused and disciplined in the online setting. 

As learning has become so much more convenient, I will be keeping my sponge-like brain happy for a long time to come!  Happy e-Learning!

30 Days of Thanks - Day 17

Today I am thankful that: I've never had to go to bed hungry.

This morning I grabbed a packet of cream of wheat and some lunch to take to work. As I pulled out of the driveway, I pondered what I would have for dinner and felt a twinge of panic over planning a menu for Thanksgiving. Even in a recession, I am fortunate to always have something in my cupboard. This past weekend, when the snow was falling in Colorado and I didn't want to drive anywhere, I could just reach for some eggs and whip up an omelette, or grab a can of soup for lunch. The things I think of as "nothing special but they'll fill the hole” would be a feast to some, and more food than they've seen in a week to others.

Most Americans actually have access to too much food; the convenience can lead to too much of a good thing and we're dealing with obesity rather than starvation. Most of the people I know don't have to worry about where their next meal is going to come from. Our biggest decisions are "shall we eat out or cook in?" "Shall we bake, fry or grill?" "Do you want dessert with that?" We have choices between home-cooked, microwavable or restaurant food. Thousands of buffets have popped up across America, each one with an entire table totally devoted to desserts. We not only have food, we have seconds and then have the extra luxury of dessert. We have so much access to food that we actually have to exercise restraint in the types of food we go for, trying to select healthy over fatty ... but we have such abundant choices. My goodness, we even have our own "food pyramid" that teaches us how to eat.

Our table scraps would feed a nation. Americans waste an astounding amount of food — an estimated 27 percent of the food available for consumption, according to a government study — and it happens at the supermarket, in restaurants and cafeterias and in our own kitchens. It works out to about a pound of food every day for every American. That sounded like an enormous amount to me until I thought about how I am constantly buying produce that I allow to go bad in the crisper drawer before I get a chance to eat it, and the bananas that have turned brown and last week's Chinese left-overs.  

America is not an impoverished country, but even in our abundance, we have people going hungry here as well. As I drove to work, I heard the news reporter say that hunger was on the increase in our country. 15% of all U.S. households struggle to consistently keep food on the table for their family. With the exception of a very brief time in my early 20's when I was living off of popcorn, I really haven't had to experience hunger. I'm so blessed!

So, here I am, complaining that I need to lose weight and feeling a little anxious about starting to think about Thanksgiving preparations, and I'm humbled and reminded that I have a good life. If I need to lose weight, it's because I've partaken in the abundance of food choices that I have available to me. I have both access to food, as well as choices about health, nutrients and balance available to me. And to wonder what exactly we should do for Thanksgiving is a good 'problem' to have.

Ways to help national and world hunger:  please visit the below websites and donate or take action in your local communities.

                            

http://www.worldvision.org/

http://www.unicef.org/whatwedo/index.html

http://www.feedthechildren.org/

http://www.thp.org/home?gclid=CNeTmKy9kp4CFSUsawodGj3how

http://www.feedthehungry.org/

http://www.thehungersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=1

http://www.feedthehungryfoundation.com/sitehome/

http://www.mowaa.org/Page.aspx?pid=183

http://feedingamerica.org/default.aspx?show_shov=1/

http://community.ob.org/site/PageServer

30 Days of Thanks - Day 16

Today (and every day) I'm thankful for:

My daughter, Nikki.

Nikki is incredible.  She's beautiful inside and out.  She loves photography (like her mom) and animals (like her mom).  She wants to make her living working with animals.  Whether it be at Sea World training dolphins, or working with Jack Hanna, or becoming herself the female version of Jack Hanna, she has dreams. When she refocuses her energies, she'll eventually go to Moorpark College in California.  Moorpark is a teaching zoo.  She went to Bush Gardens in TX as a child and swam with the Beluga Whales.  I think that helped push her in the direction of really wanting to be in the trenches with animals.

She even likes snakes, thanks in part, to the Jr. High School Slithers class.  I would not put baby mice in my freezer to give to the Slithers teacher for just anyone. (Yuck!)

She's also amazing with children. I think that's because children can sense a pure heart. Nikki is patient and loving. We've been through a lot together and individually. She was a big sister for 3 short weeks. She's learned several times that not everyone in this world can be trusted.  She's had to grow up fast, despite my trying to capture time in a bottle and keep her little forever.  Time sure does go fast, at least when it comes to how quickly our kids grow.  Then it can slow way down to an excruciating pace when they leave home.

Nikki is so smart.  She taught her mom how to play chess (though I don't remember a thing), and learned how to drive a stick shift, despite her mom not being able to help coach her on a manual. She skis (not her mom) and drives half way across the country to visit a friend.  Independent, might be an understatement.

She has a huge heart and exudes compassion. She's my daughter.  For the past 24 years, she's largely defined my life.  I love being her mom and will always be so proud of her. I pray that she feels the strong foundation of home. And that despite the cold betrayal of some people in this world, she can always count on the unconditional love of her mom.  That there's always somewhere she can turn where she doesn't have to doubt, where she knows she's loved, where she can trust. Hurt my daughter and watch momma bear's claws come out.  Though she is a young woman, standing on her own two feet, I will always want to protect her. I'm not exaggerating or over-dramatizing when I say that I would lay down my life for her. Of course I would -- she's my daughter.

I'm grateful to be Nikki's mom, and grateful that we'll be spending Thanksgiving together.

30 Days of Thanks - Day 15

Today I am thankful for Tea.   

As I type this, I'm savoring a cup of Bigelow Constant Comment Green tea, flavored with rind of oranges and sweet spice.  Mmmm, "sipalicious". 

Today, tea is the most drunk beverage in the world after water, we drink about 15,000 cups every second.  As I try to wean myself from diet soda (it's not easy!), I've rediscovered my appreciation for tea.  It provides a healing beverage alternative in all kinds of flavors. Tea has a tantalizing flavor and aroma. It can refresh your spirit, soothe your soul, relax both your mind and body, relieve anxiety and calm nerves. Tea can be served hot or over ice and can be warming and satisfying as well as refreshing and invigorating. The blissful effects of tea can help you wind down, relax and meditate.

Health Benefits:

• Tea not only tastes great, it has also long been recognized for its healing properties, from the antioxidants in green and white tea to the restorative properties of various herbal blends.  Antioxidants are believed to have health benefits including cancer prevention, cholesterol reduction, and protection against stroke and heart attack. Black tea also is rich in manganese and potassium, and it contains some B-vitamins. For people trying to cut their caffeine consumption, switching from coffee to green tea is a very healthy alternative. Scientists have shown a correlation between green tea consumption and reduced cancer risk, weight loss, and improved heart health.
• Green tea also possesses a small amount of natural fluoride, an element which strengthens bones. And anyone who has ever had a sore throat can definitely attest to the soothing power of green tea with honey in it.
• Red tea (Rooibos) can be used as a treatment for skin ailments, as an immune system booster, a way to slow the aging process, and a remedy for conditions from insomnia to headaches to anxiety. Also, rooibos does not contain oxalic acid, the compound found in some other types of tea that can cause kidney stones.
• Benefits of herbal tea depend on the herb being steeped. Camomile, linden flower, and lavender teas are all highly calming and can help with sleep issues, peppermint and ginger teas aid digestion and can stave off nausea, lemon balm tea can help soothe a headache, and raspberry leaf tea is thought to bring on labor in late pregnancy, to offer just a few examples of this versatile and beneficial type of tea.

What I like:
I have a shelf in my cupboard devoted to tea which includes the below. My favorites are...

• Celestial Seasonings:
• Tuscany Orange Spice (black tea)
• Cinnamon Apple Spice (herbal tea)
• Tension Tamer (herb tea)
• Nutcracker Sweet Holiday Tea (black tea
• Begelow:
• Green Tea with oranges and sweet spice
• Stash:
• Licorice Spice (herbal)
• Orange Spice (herbal)

Memories:
I also have memories around tea which include ...

• When I was pregnant with Nikki, I constantly craved iced tea and beef jerky (LOL!)
• The story dad always told about why he didn't like tea.
• Mom brought me a teapot and tea leaves as a momento from London (a trip I was supposed to go on but couldn't because of back surgery). 
• Numerous Red Hat Society tea gatherings with my mom at the Brown Palace Hotel, the Broker in Boulder, Molly Brown House, The Holiday Chalet, The Hucklebery, The House of Windsor and more.  
• And, my love for tea led to my teapot and teacup collection.  I pulled out just a few for this post.  Enjoy the pictures!