Refresh and Encourage

"In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.” Proverbs 3:6 (TLB)

Although I had not read this verse before my Refresh Women's Conference in Texas.  It was the distillation of my intention.  To go, see my friends for the flawed humans we all are, listen to Gods message and come back so I can decide future action.

I loved the conference!  We laughed and cried.   We talked about superficial and deep  things.   We ate. We shopped.

I was so glad to see DH and my dogs last evening.

I am putting more effort in reading the bible and finding a church.   I need more positive input to help me in this retirement adjustment as I struggle with my attitude and health a little bit.  Plus I want to be there for those I love.

Today it is in the 60s today.  Gonna talk pup for a walk.   My little female chihuahua seems better after completing her prescription but I worry about her knee.  she hurt it playing with the pup.

I read an entry this am about wives and husbands and thought I would give it a try!

1 Thessalonians 5:11, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (NIV)

I can't believe it is the 18th already

When I posted I thought it was the 16th.  I stop all the time and have to really concentrate...what is the date today?  What day of the week is it?  We have been retired 2.5 months and are starting to see a natural schedule evolve.  But we wanted it to be organic and not something that we arbitrarily came up with out of fear or other weirdness out of our emotions.

I pray that I may not worry over the limitations of my human mind. I pray that I may live as though my mind were a reflection of the Divine Mind.
Hazelden Foundation

My emotions are tied to my past, I feel like.  So, since I have never been retired before, I wanted to approach it out of honesty and not a picture of what others had told me or what I felt was right because of competing emotions I might not fully understand.  After getting our house, finances, cars and paperwork like insurance, licenses, property taxes, bank accounts, address changes all sorted out...it has been our goal to take it real easy this winter.  Essentially work on our mental health...and physical.  DH has lost about 15 pounds and I have lost just a few, maybe 5 pounds.  But we are trying to focus on eating a balanced diet and not eating too much.  I specifically am trying to eat more vegetables.

For a week now, after we drink our coffee we don't eat till 11 or 12.  Look up the effects of intermittent fasting on our bodies and how we make more HGH if we stop eating at night and don't eat again for 12-16 hour later.  I swear this is helping us immensely.  DH and I both have inflammation type chronic conditions.  I have researched vitamins, herbs and minerals I have been so sick in the past during my working years that I did not know how I was going to keep working. 
Vitamins, minerals, herbs, smaller meals, no dairy and at times full elimination diet have turned my health around.  I take a very expensive probiotic that made the biggest single impact.  I also take a digestive enzyme.  DH does not take this, but he eats more veggies than I ever have and he is taking cod liver oil, vitamin C and D with me and he is seeing results in his cholesterol and has stopped the omeprazole.  Thank you Jesus.  That stuff is linked to many issues and they are even saying possibly dementia.

It is nice to be able to make a fresh home cooked meal at leisure at least once a day from fresh ingredients.  Yesterday I roasted in the oven 1 large butternut squash, 2 acorn squash, 2 onions, 1 sweet potation and 1 regular potato.  I spread out about 6 - 10 garlic cloves and drizzled with olive oil.  Sprinkle with sea salt.  Bake at 400 for 45 - 60 min.  I also separated all the seeds and roasted them with salt and pepper.  Then I let the vegetables cool slightly, scooped all the insides out, put it all together in a soup pot and simmered with about 6-8 cups of broth.  Then I added sprinkle of cayenne pepper and double sprinkle of curry powder (not sure how DH would like this) and some black pepper.  Then I pureed it with my immersion blender.  I use this gadget all the time.  mostly to blend soups.  But you can also whip cream, make pudding and smooth gravy with it.  He LOVED this soup!  We did garnish with the toasted seeds and some vinegar

Just holding steady is a victory for me, given my activity level and stress are way down.  But this will be 3rd week of 2 yoga classes and I will be golfing today.  I used to just force myself to do yoga or workout classes right after work.  It is much harder going after a day relaxing at home.  But I am adapting.

What are you going to do today to take care of yourself?

This Is Me! Day 19

This was from my Proverbs 31 Ministry devotional Friday...
"I lay in bed, eyes wide open. Everything around me at rest, except my mind. It's racing once more, reminding me that the darkness that is night, is not the only darkness that can rise. There's another that can fill our hearts and minds. Anxiety. Guilt. Regret. Those are my bedtime companions. The foes of a soul not at rest."
  -Katrina V. Wylie

The phrase that caught my eye:  "boundaries are not burdens" they are gifts.

Especially helpful after my trip back to family in the city this past weekend.

Just ran to the store and stocked up.  I may have to go again to help with DH family dinner Sat.  But I got my shopping done and got what I was planning to fix and bring.  Sat night SIL told me that her mom told her she is not doing the majority of the holiday meals this year.  And SIL said she and I are doing, and that Christmas dinner might be at my house.  Sure would have been nice to have been privy to this discussion.  I told DH and he just shook his head.  Seems like a bad year to change everything, why not wait until SIL is retired next year.  Oh, well.  I will just roll with it.

I will talk more about my anxiety later.  Not ready yet.  I am still dealing with adjusting to my new life in retirement and the huge money adjustment that goes with that.  I know everything will work itself out.

Just one foot in front of the other.  I will send some of that energy out in yoga tonight. 
Have a great Monday!  Day 19 and I am grateful for yoga.

First Weekend in Extended Stay

We are pretty much accustomed to the noises and limited space and limitations of the extended stay hotel.  But, we are sleeping fine and managing to get our meals taken care of and the dogs are adjusting and doing fine.  There are many things that i appreciate such as the limited space to take care of, we are on the southeast corner (cooler than west side) and we can crake the AC and keep it really cool and we are paying for the electric or cable!  haha.  I also noticed that we cannot hear the fireworks in the neighboring housing additions very much which is good for the dogs.
We went out with friends Friday evening who all have June birthdays.  It was good to see our friends we had not seen in a while.  I ended up going to watch BIL band.  We were not going to go this time, since it was so hot and it was outside.  Then DH heard a rumor that one of my favorite singers was going to show up at this small dive venue.  DH told me to go and he was going to hotel to be sure dogs were ok.  Since it was in the opposite side of the city, i went with a girlfriend.  The rumor was false but I had fun.  Sat I shopped for my Granny and visited with my aunt who had been in the hospital for over a week.  Then I went home and DH and I went to a housewarming party for my good friend.  That was nice seeing people too.  We have been so focused on packing and moving, that we had not done much else the past 6 months.  Sun it was cool from an early morning rain and we went to one of our favorite state parks and hiked 3 miles, then lunch.  I got a few groceries and we relaxed Sun evening.  It was a full but fun weekend.