Running the Race in Life

Happy Sunday friends!

The other day I was moved to tears after watching an extremely motivating and encouraging video of a gal who took a fall during a race on a track field in 2008. What moved me is her determination and how she showed so many people what can still be accomplished when you pick yourself up and run with perseverance.

Stress, worry, anxiety and fear are all crippling and I know from personal experience that it is often so difficult to pick myself up, so to speak, and keep running the race of life every day. This video is so simple but it was an emotional reminder to me that nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37). 

Hebrews 12:1-2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Be inspired by the video.

"Running a race" (in which I mean living every day life, haha) through anxiety and grief, or just every day stress in the modern world, in not a solo race. It is a relay race. I am learning that the heartache and struggles we go through in life are what link us together and allow us to become stronger as a team...as Believers. My life story and pain allows me to understand other women who have suffered loss and anxiety in a way that someone else may not know. No matter what our story, it is our responsibility as a Christan to "carry the baton" by being there to offer words of encouragement, prayer, or simply a listening ear. We all have our own race to run in life, but the beauty of the race is when we learn the art of passing along batons so that either others can help us finish the race, or we can help someone else continue.

And as an added bonus here is another video I just found of an Olympian that was determined to not give up. When his father saw his pain he ran out onto the track and helped his son finish the race. This is what our Heavenly Father does for us.

Inspired,

Meg

Pretty Paint Colors

(*see photo description below post)

I met the painter yesterday and turned in the final choices for our pretty wall colors! It was quite an interestng conversation due to the language barrier, but thanks to my friend Melissa (Daniel and I met her and her husband shortly after we arrived in Germany; and her husband is currently deployed) we were able to explain which colors go where and that all other walls and ceilings would be "weiss" (white). The painter is a very chipper man and although we could barely understand one another he always had a smile on his face and was making some funny joke in German. After about an hour of playing our own version of German Charades we handed him the apartment key, the colorful wheel of paint colors I had borrowed, and walked out the door and down the hall to...Melissa's apartment! Yep, that's right. We are going to be neighbors...literally only a few doors down the hallway and our balconies are so close that we joke we will be able to pass butter and sugar across. We've also thought about making a tin can telephone :o). It will be nice to have each other so close when the guys are away being little warriors in far off lands.

Stay tuned...I can't wait to show you pics of when the apartment in painted and we finally get to move in and make a homey spot here in Germany!

Love, Meg

(*This was the only photo I took on my phone before I turned the color wheel in, so it will have to do until you see the colors on the walls! The teal on the bottom of the strip, closest to you, is going on some walls in the kitchen, adjoining living room, and open loft. The gray with be in the hallway, peach/orange on a wall in the bedroom, and unfortunately you can't see the lovely vintage green that will be in the office.)

Moving Beyond Worry and Anxiety- Joyce Meyer Broadcast

Hi sweet friends!

In a recent post I shared a great quote about dealing with fear, and I told you about Joyce Meyer's book that I am currently reading. My mother has always been a big fan of Joyce Meyer and as a result she has gotten me hooked on her teachings and books. 

The most recent teaching I listened to is called Moving Beyond Worry and Anxiety. The title alone made me get excited to hear what she had to say, haha. A lot of what she talks about is in the book I'm reading, but I found it good to hear her in addition to what I'm reading. It's also nice to see her speaking since her teachings on her website are actual broadcasts instead of just audio clips.

If you need a little pick me up and encouragement to stop being a fellow "worry wort" then pour a spot of tea (or your favorite beverage) and take a listen :o). 

Cheers to staying positive and worry free,

Meg

Nesting Fever

Praise be...after many frustrating set backs, which have added up to two months worth of living in the military hotel, we finally signed for our cute little apartment this morning! Two weeks and counting until move in day. Oh how I can't wait to be surround by the moving day chaos and be buried in brown boxes as they pile to the ceiling! This little birdie is ready to start doing some serious nesting and wedding present opening!

I am most excited about my adorable little kitchen in the apartment and being able to make yummy healthy meals and desserts again. I think I have made just about every healthy'ish' meal that one can make on the two hot pads in our hotel kitchenette. I am sooo looking forward to operating an oven once again and having more than 12 inches of counter space to chop and slice on. It will also be nice to have more than one cabinet again for all my scrumptious Yogi teas and various cooking spices that I've accumulated in the past two months. I have had my share of organizing challenges with the two mini cabinets in the kitchenette. It is no coincidence that IKEA is within walking distance from our new apartment! I will soon be raiding the shelves for handy little organizing gadgets and kitchen ware. Oooh boy, I just can't wait to dig into all those boxes and let the newspaper and bubble wrap fly! What a day it will be!

Stay Tuned, Meg

 

Eat Your Oats



This is one of my favorite things to make for breakfast when I'm needing a little extra pep in my step. The natural sugar from the blueberries and raw honey, combined with bee pollen (yes you read that right), give me the perfect amount of energy that I need for a busy morning or a late morning workout.

Ingredients:
1 Cup Robs Red Mill Steel Cut Oats
3/4 Cup Organic Blueberries
1/4 Cup Chopped Pecans (or whatever other nut you love)
1/2 Tablespoon of Organic Bee Pollen (sprinkled on top)
Manuka Honey/Raw Honey (about 1-2 Tablespoons drizzled on top)
A Dash of Organic Cinnamon
...and Viola!

 Enjoy, Meg

Don't Worry-Be Happy (Insert Whistle)

I bet you just started singing the tune (or whistling it!) to this familiar song :o). My mom has always sang this little ditty to me when I have needed to refocus my thoughts and stop my unnecessary fretting. 

When I lived in Colorado Springs I attended Woodmen Valley Chapel and LOVED the pastor and warm family of believers there. I always found the pastor, Matt Heard, on target with his teachings and really enjoyed the way he uses props and art in his messages. He is truly a gifted teacher and I never walked away feeling like my mind and spirit hadn't learned anything. I felt richer in knowledge and prompted to think more on the topics that he raised. 

Daniel and I hope to return to Colorado Springs when we are done with his service here in Germany, and I am so excited to be able to attend this wonderful church again. For now though, I will have to settle for his teachings on video and audio clips!

Today I found a really good teaching by the church's associate pastor, Doug Olsen, and knew I had to share it with you. This teaching has some important reminders of what worry does to us and what God desires for us to do to be free of worry. 

Whip out your notepad and take some notes along with me :o).

Love, Meg

And the Award Goes to...40 Healthy Foods!

It's Fabulous Friday!!

I just read through the March magazine from Natural Health (the magazines available on post can be a little behind, ha) and I wanted to share this article that they put together on 40 yummy and healthy foods. Some of these I have tried before and didn't care for, like Sea Snacks, but then others have become my favorites. I'm a big fan of Udi's gluten free bread, as well as Justin's almond butter and Applegate chicken breast tenders. I probably won't find these other ones, that I haven't tried before, in my local commissary or German grocery store, but I will definitely be looking for what I can order from good 'ol amazon. I hear that amazon has one of the quickest websites that ships to where we are stationed. Apparently most of the other on-line orders can take up to a month to receive. Yikes! I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that this is true for amazon so I can order some yummy organic treats and have them on my plate soon :o).

Happy Snacking!

The 2nd Annual Good Food Awards by Kate Wertheimer

Feed Your Faith

"Feed your faith and your fears will starve to death."- from Spiritual Inspiration Blog

I found this great photo and quote while I was checking out pinterest. I have only just joined the creative website's bandwagon and I must admit...I'm addicted!!! 

This quote really stuck with me and I am planning on taking my own version of this photo so I can put it on canvas with the quote and hang it in my home. 

I struggle with my fears daily, and they often feel like vines that are trying to choke the life out of me; but I know from experience that the more time you spend reading the Bible the more you will be replacing the fears with God's promises. When my head is full of His promises of unending love, protection and deliverance then there is less room for my fears to grow and overtake me. 

I recently started reading a book by Joyce Meyer called Living Beyond Your Feelings. I have made it half way through in the past 3 days and am excited to share what I am learning about overcoming negative feelings. I highly suggest this book...and make sure you have a trusty highlighter in hand!

Love, Meg

Take an Exhale!

(photo from loveliveeveryday.tumblr.com)

Good morning ladies! I was reading through some articles on Mind Body Green.com this morning and the last one of their highlights today is about learning simple breathing exercises to help calm your anxiety and nerves. I gave it a try and absolutely feel much more relaxed. The exercise simply involves exhaling longer than you inhale. When you do this you are telling your brain to turn on your parasympathetic nervous system (which controls how your body can rest and relax, as well as your digestion) and dial down the sympathetic nervous system (which elevates your heart rate, quickens your breathing, and is responsible for pumping cortisol hormones into your blood stream so that you are ready for whatever you are 'fighting or flighting').

I will be giving this technique a go every time I start to feel stressed or overwhelmed this week. I am going to keep a log of how long I do the exercise and what my mood is like after I am done. I would love to hear your feedback if you try it as well :o).

When life becomes to stressful and you start to feel the panic rise- take a breath...and then a LONG exhale!

Love, Meg

Scentsational: Sniff Your Way to Bliss

I recently read about a study of the power that citrus scents have over us. Our sense of smell is a part of our limbic system, and this is what processes memories and emotions. There are billions of perfumes and colones out there with various hints of flowers, herbs, fruits and more. But did you know that studies find that "citrus notes have been found to have an uplifting, antidepressant effect" as mentioned by Karen Gilbert, author of A Green Guide to Natural Beauty? 

My own little sniffer has always been more attracted to perfumes that have a light citrus scent to them, but I never would have guessed that these favorite scents may be helping to spiff up my mood. Maybe our little noses are naturally attracted to what our mind and bodies need sometimes :o). 

My favorite chemical free perfume is Pacifica. They have so many fun combinations to choose from and it makes my skin happy just knowing that I'm not putting harmful toxins on my body. I have been using their California Star Jasmine roll-on for about a year now and I absolutely love it. I actually found out from a gal in my holistic nutrition course last year that Jasmine oil is great for women to connect with their femininity and also helps in when dealing with grief.

In the article I read they gave some great suggestions for healthy beauty products that are citrus scented. They included Pacifica's Tuscan Blood Orange Perfume in their list and I am super excited to try this one now that Spring and Summer are on their way!

So not only is it good to eat lots of oranges, lemons and the like, but don't be afraid to smell like a walking fruit stand while you're at it as well :o). 

Cheers to citrus bliss!

Also, check out my favorite face wash by Avalon Organic- Vitamin C

(This was a fruit stand near the hotel we stayed in for our recent honeymoon in Paris.)

Love, Meg

Be Strong and Carry On

Hi gals! If you are feeling frazzled and discouraged then grab a spot of tea, or your favorite coffee concoction,  and join me in repeating the verse below until it spins through our minds like a broken record :o). Here's to positive thought and taking authority over the dark gloomies! Have a marvelous Monday!

-Meg