Breathe

7I have started my 5 week bible study online "Breathe" written by Priscilla Shirer. Perfect timing, snowy and cold so I decided to stay in, if possible.  But then, my online connection was gone.  Could it be the still unburied internet line?  I don't know.  Don't have to let it get me down.  I am practicing the art of not immediately reacting...not just outward, to others...but inside.  Not immediately assigning a feeling to something...

So, I got a D on this.  But it was my first time.  I will work on that muscle memory.

I really loved this:  "But sadly, I’ve often been unable to relish God’s double-portion miracle for me. And I think you probably know the feeling. Because believing that doing less can somehow produce more requires a resilient faith. It takes an unshakable concrete trust in God — the kind that won’t topple even in an earthquake of doubt — to maintain the confidence that allows you to stop, even when everything in you and around you says keep going. Keep pushing. Keep gathering. Keep persisting...Dear Lord, help me not to miss seeing You do what You do best: be God. Empower me to honor the foundation that supports a double-portion miracle — the Sabbath. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Ok, I had another chance not to react...I clicked on YouTube to follow along with the course accompanying videos and my computer had a Microsoft screen come up and say that my computer was blocked due to virus activity and I needed to call Microsoft.  So I tried to call the number and my call was dropped twice.  So, then I just laughed.  Because how ironic.  I am trying to do diff modes of media to take a class about doing less and my computer has meltdown.  So, now the Russian hackers have my IP address and phone number.  Oh well. 

Heck of a way to start a Monday!  Today was better!  Sunny, beautiful day.  Did nothing today and that's OK, I will try to accomplish something tomorrow...I am going to try and do 2nd yoga class (2 power in one week)...we shall see.  Oh, and I am starting an afgan for my cousin too.

More Move Planning

My husband and I have one more load of stuff to haul and find places to put it.  Then we have a load of cleaning supplies, ladders, vacuum and plants.  The plants will go to my MIL to be watered for 3 months.  Then the last load to the extended stay hotel.  We are tired.  I am moving away from "what I did to prepare for my move" to "what I did to stop and smell the roses"...Saturday I drove my convertible and had lunch with my sister.   Sunday, I sat and watched TV a couple hours in the afternoon and sat in our camp chairs out on our balcony to enjoy our view as much as we can since we only have 3 more weeks.  It was too hot to walk until late 7:30.  When I got home Sun from walking I made a smoothie, took a shower and asked DH if he wanted to sit on our deck in the cool 70+ degree weather.  He said, we don't have anything to sit on.  I reminded him of the camp chairs in the garage.  When I got out of the shower, he had them ready.  We just sat out there for 30 min.  No phones.  It was nice.  We are trying to take it in.  Our view is the favorite thing about our house.  Monday I started a Max Lucado book.  Tuesday will be yoga.  I am going to mentally start the slow down because mentally is where the challenge for retirement will be for me.  And physically, eventually.  Let's worry about mental first.  Deep breath...I got this. 

In and Out of My Comfort Zone

I work 4 ten hour days the week after a Monday holiday off.  Yesterday I worked 10 hours and then went home and changed and went to a new to me yoga class.  Well, that is after DH and I cleaned several areas where our older male dog had had...er, difficulties with his daily routine...I had noticed Sunday he was having issues when I walked him couple of times, but did not notice the last time I walked him.  Poor guy.  Hope he is ok today. 

Well, the yoga instructor must be a doctor or physical therapist.  He was really good at vocalizing ways to focus our poses.  It was a great class!  I am feeling it today, but that is a good sign.  When I walked in and put my matt down and was doing a bit of stretching, he asked me if I had done "ashtanga" before.  I just looked at him for a second and said "I am really not sure, not sure I know what that means".  Haha.  A woman I recognized from another class said, she was sure I had, as she had seen me in other classes with her.  Well, if I had, I had not much.  But I can see where Ashtanga should be a part of my normal practice.  Wiki defines it as:  "Ashtanga means eight limbs or branches, of which asana or physical yoga posture is merely one branch, breath or pranayama is another."  Basically, he had us hold each position for several seconds, to really focus on all the aspects of each joint/muscle being used and direct our energy there.  The breathing was so natural, it just came with the poses.  He made us do some unusual poses, like to ball up or really open up the chest and continue to make tiny adjustments to be able to breathe in a long inhalation and thus a long exhalation.  He said part of yoga is finding the breath, even when it seems you are too constricted (i.e. backbent or constricted in a ball) and focus on moving your belly butten toward the backbone to get used to breathing when it is hard.  He kept us for an hour and a half!  Oh, well, it was good!

I think everyone should try yoga on some level.  I wish I had started when I was a kid.  Have a great hump day, everyone!