Reconnecting

Reconnecting

by Shelscapes

Day 15, 16, 17

Countdown 104 Days:IMG_3852

 

I’ve been on a mini vacation in the northeast part of this great country! I love America, and I’m proud of the country I live in. There is a freedom here like NO WHERE else, and I’m thankful that I get to experience it. It’s a special place.

With that said, I celebrated Independence Day with some of my family this year and it was time well spent. Three short days with lots of excitement! I went to the drive in movie theatre, which made me feel like a little kid. The scene was gorgeous with the mountains in the backdrop against a setting sun. The bonus prelude to the movie was Fireworks followed by lots of laughs due to Jack Jack of Incredibles 2!  Just watching fireworks makes me feel American! Since I can remember I saw fireworks every 4th with my family and I always remember being in awe of the bright exploding lights amidst a dark blue sky.

In addition to movies and fireworks, I swam, kayaked, and was taxi’d by our family party boat along “our” gorgeous lake surrounded by mountains, sunshine, and blue skies. Vacationing with nature (and mi familia) is my favorite pastime.

There is so much forgotten beauty in what man cannot make. I was raised to appreciate the simple things in life like bugs, the woods and wildlife. Connecting with creation feels natural to me, as if it’s part of me, and when it’s missing I feel a disconnect. Learning to appreciate the natural world helps me accept the importance of solitude. Balance is always the aim, and sometimes being alone is important.

I’m faced with me, my thoughts, my behaviors, and how I respond to stimuli.

The stimuli of nature demands the body to rest in order to experience the action occurring all around. There is a LOT OF ACTION in nature. 

Nature challenges me to SLOW DOWN, to be still, to listen to sounds and separate those sounds from NOISE. I’m a social being, but sometimes my nature demands solace.

I think it’s God calling me to Him, to search Him out by thinking on things that make me wonder. I know this because it is in these times of solace that I find His voice.

Vacation is an important part of life, not as a time to disconnect from the mundane, the day to day, the routine but to RECONNECT to what is truly GOOD FOR ME.

Vacation should be a time to

REFRESH, REVITALIZE, and REJUVENATE

all the good that CAN BE, those mini moments of daily inspiration that get pushed aside when focused on the details of life!

In the past a “vacation” to me signified letting everything go, a kind of excuse to not be responsible, but I’m learning it doesn’t have to mean that. I fully enjoyed my vacation. I purposed to stick to my exercise goals, even though it was HARD! I knew if I let one day go by, one might have turned to two and so on.

This week I was strengthened by the love of my family, by the consistency of the natural world, and by the never ending availability of my Lord. When I’m weak He waits for me and when I’m strong He is ever present.

A true vacation begins in the mind, a nice location is just a plus.

 

Mastering Thought

Mastering Thought

by Shelscapes

Day 13:

Countdown 108 Days

Crossing off days is so fulfilling! I’m at the point where I can’t remember what day I’m on and how many days are left! It’s almost been two weeks, and I haven’t missed a day of exercise or writing! I keep telling myself, imagine 3 weeks, 4 weeks? The halfway point will be here before I know it and I’m tracking progress! Weekly tracking matters, as I can SEE a difference in addition to feeling one. When I first thought of the possibility of reaching this “Nashville Countdown” goal, it seemed like it would take forever and part of me said, ‘you never finish anything what makes you think you’ll finish this’…

I’m constantly having to tell that red little, pitch fork holding voice of self doubt to

SHUT IT!

If there are any readers out there that feel like they can relate to feeling stagnant or running in neutral, whether it be felt within the monotony of work, home life or just the day to day, REFRESH THE MIND WITH A NEW THOUGHT that LIFE IS A BLESSING, A GIFT, no matter the circumstance! Some of you may be going through much more challenging circumstances and hardships, I’d like to encourage you to keep weeding out the garden of thought! If you are always telling yourself a negative thing, the body has no choice but to obey.

I encourage you to set a goal, no matter how small or big, and work a little bit towards it every day! Make a chart, get a colored marker, and get going! Every day is a new starting point. Not eating great? Today is the day to make 1 RIGHT CHOICE towards better health, tomorrow maybe it will be 2 good choices, and the next day 3! Staying consistent overtime in anything is a guarantee that something will be affected…Good or Bad!

Change of mind couldn’t happen for me until I was able to recognize weakness and confront it. For some it may not be health or fitness, it could be budgeting better, or balancing household chores, or spending time with your family, or with friends, being more creative, exploring nature, challenging your mind in new ways, reading a book, talking to God, prayer, meditation, time management, etc. I don’t know your personal struggles or weakness, I only know mine, and I’m not a fan.

There will ALWAYS be areas in my life that will need improvement, it’s a journey that doesn’t have an end in sight. But I had to start somewhere, and like I said previously, it’s having a domino effect in my mind to want to pursue other weak areas in my thinking , and work to continue to strengthen them.

Here is another great paragraph to muse on for purpose filled thoughts, from

‘As A Man Thinketh’

 ” As the physically weak man can make himself strong by careful and patient training, so the man of weak thoughts can make them strong by exercising himself in right thinking.

To put away aimlessness and weakness, and to begin to think with purpose, is to enter the ranks of those strong ones who only recognize failure as one of the pathways to attainment; who make all conditions serve them; and who think strongly, attempt fearlessly, and accomplish masterfully.”

What masters your thoughts?