The Benefits of a Good Old-Fashioned Mid-Life Crisis

I'm praying for a miracle tomorrow. Actually, I'm asking our pastor and elders to pray for a healing miracle. I'm still managing fairly well but don't want to lose any more health and would really like this to just go away or go into remission. I'm also praying for the miracle of courage though should God choose to not intervene with my ears.

It hit me again this morning. I have such an internal drive to move forward in life, a drive to go back to work, a drive to go back to school, a drive to define my family differently than my health can currently handle. I know that part of this process, part of this journey is learning to validate all my needs, not some at the expense of others.

I have put off my cognitive needs for so long that they are screaming at me, but I know that I need to honor my physical needs as well. Does it do me any good if God heals my body, only to allow me to push it again beyond what is healthy. My cognitive and physical needs need to be seen as equally valuable.

Desperately praying for a miracle of healing tomorrow but also praying for wisdom to value a balance in learning to meet all of my needs and for courage to accept what comes.

There is something empowering and life-changing about moving towards one's forties! The closer I got, the more I realized how much of myself I was sacrificing to make my children happy. You can sacrifice your wants for someone else, but you really shouldn't sacrifice your needs. That's a balance as well that needed working on. Lots of upcoming changes in the next couple of years I hope... as I choose actions that apply to different values than I've had in the past, values that honor the needs of the family unit as a whole, not just the needs and wants of children, values that honor cognitive and physical needs, not one over the other, values about my body, values about what it means to be a woman and a mother.

I don't want to role model to my daughter that you should pursue your passions until you are a mom and then give them all up. What kind of message is that? My kids, especially my daughter, would much rather see what it means to live life as a fulfilled adult, contributing to society, to my family, to myself, and most of all, to the purposes for which I was created!

I wish I had had that much courage in my thirties. I'm glad I have it now!

So, I continue to pursue health, a career, and role-modeling the importance of living out what I was created to do and to be. Fear needs to move out of the way, b/c this middle-aged mama is plowing ahead (with balance :) ).

To Fear or Not to Fear, That is the Question

Okay, I've spent the last couple days in prayer and have heard what seem to be green lights. (hmm how do hear green? :) )

So, I've decided that I can either fear my disease and not try to pursue the desires of my heart, allowing the disease to have power over my life, or I can get back into life, pursue my passions, and see what doors open.

So here I go. I'm diving in with some resumes.

Anyone want to share? What are the obstacles in your life? What are the passions you want to pursue or are pursuing? What have you done to overcome the obstacles? How have you found balance when there are legitimate obstacles over which to be concerned?


Okay, and my daily check in: Today I did my twenty minutes of exercise, took my vitamins and herbs, stayed away from sweets, spent my time reading and praying last night.

What one thing did you today to honor your body?
What is one thing you would like to start working on to honor your body?
What is one passion in life you are pursuing or considering pursuing?
What is one achievement you accomplished today that you are proud of?

I hope you find my blog encouraging and will share your goals so we can cheer each other on!

I'd better say good night as one of my commitments is to be in bed by 11. Good night all.

Just checking in.

Well, I did my 20 minutes of exercise, took my vitamins and herbs, and stayed away from sugar, despite all the jellybeans, pie, and cookies in the house.

I listened to a friend who was discouraged with work and was reminded that the grass is not always greener. My life may be a little boring at times, but it is not stressful, not that stressful anyways.

I'm also feeling extra thankful for my husband today! I think I married the kindest man on earth.

My body needs to be able to trust me

Okay, corny revelation as I was exercising this afternoon. I remembered last Tuesday how discouraged and angry I was that my ear disease had spread to my good ear. There was a deep sense that I could no longer trust my body to give me the stamina I wanted. I'm not complaining, I have plenty of energy, just wanting even more so I knew I could work a job or add other things to my life and not get sick. Today as I was exercising I realized, here I am not being able to trust my body, yet my body does not trust ME because I have not always made choices that honor my body (junk food, no exercising). I'm not condemning these things, just learning to listen to my body. I'm realizing that perhaps until my body can trust me to make the choices IT needs, it may be unfair to expect my body to give me the stamina I want.

So, today I have exercised for 20 minutes, took my vitamins and herbs, used my skin care products, and pretty much stayed away away from sugar. I am trying to give myself all of 2010 to not make any major life changes and just focus on taking responsibility for my health. On this journey, I know that I am missing out on the cognitive and emotional benefits of working outside of the home. As much as that is a need, I am trying to commit it to prayer to not make that change until I hear from God that it is a good change to make, (another way of honoring my body, even though, I want to make major changes NOW).

Still on my docket for today: my prayer and reading time, and reading to and playing with the kids.

So, share with me:

What is one way you are committing to honoring your body?
What is one thing you have accomplished today that you are proud of?
What is one life goal that you are working on?

Happy Easter

Okay, not my best day for sticking with commitments, but I did stick with my no sweets rule, even when the pie and ice cream came out.

I also refreshed my spirit with our church service and with the fellowship of family. What is it about the shouts of little ones that bring so much joy? Of course, the adults are fun too :)

Hope you enjoyed your holiday and remembered to honor your body, your spirit, and your goals. You are worth it.

Will you choose to be a victim or choose empowerment

At one point in my life, I was so physically debilitated that the only thing in my life I really had control over was my attitude. That is what I chose to focus on. I'm not saying that one should not grieve their losses. I am saying, don't stay stuck there. When we focus on what we can't do, we perceive of ourselves as helpless victims. When we focus on what we do have power over, we will maintain a sense of hope and self worth.

This is day two in my journey of taking responsibility for my health as much as is possible. Today I exercised 20 minutes, refused sweets for breakfast, and took my vitamins and herbs.

I also accomplished something important to me, but something I don't always get done if I don't make a conscious choice about it. I sat and played games with my kids.

These things may sound trite, but I am not a disciplined person by nature. That is my secondary goal for this blog, to hold myself accountable to the values and choices over which I do have power.

So, what are the areas in your life that you have power?
What is one way you have honored your body today?
What is one accomplishment you made today that made you feel proud?

Do not focus on your failures, focus on your successes. Allow yourself to grieve what life may have taken from you, but remember to also focus on the areas where you still have power. For some of us it may be one small change at a time, but that is an okay place to start.

Have a blessed Easter everyone!

Why I am Starting this Blog

I recently turned 40. There are so many things at this age for which I want to take responsibility. My hope is that as I and others post here, it will help other women to take charge of their lives as well and encourage them on their journey. If nothing else, it will hold me accountable because now anyone who wants can read what I am working on.

The number one thing for which I want to take responsibility is my health. Every day I want to do things that honor my body because I am worth having the best health that I can have. I do not want to just let life determine my stamina.

So, today, I honored my body and took responsibility for my health by: taking vitamins, taking herbs to slow down the hormonal aging process, and eating lots of fruit. I have also recently started using products to protect my skin (perimenopause hit hard this past year with acne).

My goals are to start exercising every day, to eliminate sugar from my diet, to continue with vitamins and herbs and skin products, to eat 3 servings of fruits and vegies a day, and to get to bed by 11 p.m.

So share with me, what are you doing to honor your body? What are you doing to take responsibility for your health?

What is one accomplishment you did today that you are proud of.

This is a place where I want women to encourage each other, no shame, just cheers for the positive things you are doing in your life.

Your friend and encourager, Julie