Six on Saturday

1. I slept 9 hours last night. NINE. Saturday is my only day to sleep in but my internal clock doesn't usually cooperate. Today was the wonderful and rare exception. I'm actually still in bed, sipping on coffee and eating my favorite grain-free pancakes which to me equals Saturday morning perfection.

2. Will made it back to Arkansas and started his second semester at OBU. He FaceTimed us last night and I gotta tell you how grateful I am for technology. Texing and FaceTime definitely make the distance seem a little more manageable.

3. I got a lot of hiking in this week! A friend asked me the other day how I have time to go so often. I don't necessarily have time-- I have to take time. I think it's just like anything else that is important to you--if you love it, you will find a way to make it happen. One of my hikes this week was simply a spur of the moment, sanity-saver. It helped me clear my head and refocus...and work out a lot of frustration.

4. Remember me saying I really really really wanted a pair of snowshoes? Well I bought a pair. I found a barely-used pair on Craigslist and scored a deal! Now I'm just waiting for a big snow because the only place I've been able to try them out is on a snow drift in my backyard. I can't wait to try them out on a snowy trail. 

5. One of the things I'm learning about right now in my BioChem class is epigenetics and the mind-body connection. It is so fascinating to me. I've been acutely aware this week (after all of my reading assignments) of how people around me talk about themselves, either positively or negatively, and how that belief might shape their biology. I think there's a lot to it. I'll be honest, some of it scares me a bit because it feels new-agey but I also think it's a good thing to have your mind stretched every now and then. 

6. Last night I finally caught up on the new season of Downton Abbey. I find it hard to stay awake much past 9pm most nights which makes me extremely grateful for a DVR. That show is just so sweet. I'm sad it is ending, but I like how they are wrapping things up for each of the characters. 

I'm off to study--it's going to be a long day of that! Hope everyone has a nice weekend! 

"Deepish" early morning thoughts...

It's just after 5:30am. Usually I'm out on the trail by now, getting in my daily miles with my posse of neighbors who meet me each weekday morning. But not today. John is out of town and I need to be here to rouse the girls. I've been awake for awhile (thanks to the beagle) so I have some rambling thoughts...and one in particular I felt prompted to share here. 

I was reading this morning about Jesus and the last supper. It's a familiar text--one I hear parts of repeated weekly at church just before communion. Jesus breaks the bread, gives it to his disciples and says, "Take, eat. This is my body, broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me." (I'm kinda paraphrasing.)

When I hear those words, my mind almost always goes to the word remembrance. I know that the word means to remember. But my mind almost always takes that word in a slightly different direction, with a  slightly different meaning. I break it down as "re" and "member". Let me try to explain.

The word "member" designates belonging. I can be a member of a family or an organization or in the case I'm presenting here,  a member of God's kingdom--his body of believers on this earth. Faith in Jesus and his sacrificial death upon the cross is what joins me together with other believers. We are all members of one body of believers. 

The word "re" is a prefix that means to do something again. I re-wash the clothes after I've left them in the washer too long (oops). I re-read the assignment. I re-set the alarm clock. I re-send the email. You're tracking, right?

So when I take communion each week at church, my mind always translates that act of re-membering as re-joining myself to Christ and his kingdom. I consciously choose to affirm (again) my place of belonging by re-aligning my heart, my mind, my will, etc with Jesus. It's an action verb. I'm being thoughtfully reflective (remembering) at the same time that I'm being willful in choosing to re-join myself to Christ (re-membering). Subtle difference, but not-so-subtle action. 

Like I said, I think about this almost every week when we get to the Eucharist part of our worship service. I don't know that I've ever written it down but I felt led to this morning.

I also like that in our church, we get up and walk towards the minister who is offering the bread/wine. For me, it affirms re-membering. I must actively move towards Jesus and all that he offers me. It's not passive by any stretch. 

Gotta get my girls up and moving. Thoughts? I'd love to hear any you have on this topic so leave me a comment. Peace out, peeps!

January ::: Currents

Current Read: Well, this is what I'm reading this week/weekend for my BioChem class. This assignment covers quantum physics, in regard to the mind-body connection. Ummmm, yeah, I feel like I'm in way over my head. It feels a little new-agey but it's also fascinating.

Over Christmas break, I finished The Martian, Fates and Furies, The Immortal Nicholas, Rising Strong, and I started H is for Hawk, but sadly did not finish. I was very happy to read for pleasure during those 2.5 weeks. 

Current Playlist: I'm a podcast girl...these are the ones I listen to faithfully.

Current Color(s): Red! I got a red, plaid flannel for Christmas that I love. Also found a great red sweater that is so soft and comfy. Most of my house has pops of red and I've realized red just makes me happy.

Current Food: I cannot get enough roasted broccoli. I hated broccoli until I discovered roasted broccoli and now, I roast a batch almost every day. So delicious. The only downside is that it makes my house smell like...broccoli...and my family lets me know that it smells bad.

Current Favorite Favorite: I've got a few to share.

I've been using this coconut argan oil on my face in place of my regular moisturizer. It's ah-mazing! It absorbs quickly and doesn't feel heavy or greasy plus it smells great. My face gets so dry in the winter and this oil has made a big difference in keeping it moisturized. I'm also loving this hand cream! I got it in my stocking for Christmas, probably because I left my family a LOT of hints. I found both at my local health food store.

I'm also digging essential oils + my diffuser. I felt like I was getting sick last weekend and I put some Thieves oil on my tongue (tastes horrid) and within an hour my symptoms were completely gone and never came back.

I'm LOVING this January scripture writing plan and I LOVE writing with these pens. They are the only kind of pens I buy. I'm *very* particular about my pens.

Current Addiction: LaCroix grapefruit carbonated water.

Current Wish List: I really really really want a pair of snowshoes. I've said this for years but I always talk myself out of buying them. They've been bumped to the top of my list again.

Current Need: I need to make some serious progress with my next BioChem assignment over the weekend.

Current Randomness: I discovered a new hiking trail a couple of weeks ago and I'm smitten. I love that it's close to my house, gets my heart rate up, and has gorgeous views in every direction. I went this morning with some friends and it was very cold, but so beautiful!


Current Triumph: I'm on track with my 2016 goals--at least with the ones you can measure.

Current Annoyance: I really hate washing/drying/fixing my hair. I've been pushing the limits of how long I can go without washing it lately. I have super thick hair (a blessing, I know) but it takes so long to blow dry it and then I still have to fix it. I've been rocking different hats this week.
This red (red! favorite color!) one I bought a few years ago is still my favorite.

Current Blessing: My husband. He's been so supportive of me going back to school. He's picked up a TON of my slack around here--laundry, grocery shopping, etc--and I am so grateful.

Current Mood: Sad. Will flies back to Arkansas in the morning. It was so nice having him home for Christmas break. Dreading having to re-adjust to it just being four of us again.

Current Excitement: I'm going to Austin in a few weeks for the IF: Gathering.  A few friends from church scored tickets and we are SO excited to be there in person this year.

Current Project: I feel like school is my never-ending project. It's pretty consuming.

Current Plans For The Day Evening: Earlier this evening, I made a yummy dinner for my family then made them play a board game with me. They obliged but I think it's because their dad warned them this afternoon that playing a family game was my one wish on this night before Will heads back to school. The kitchen has been cleaned, the board game put away and now one child has gone to a basketball game, one is painting at the kitchen table, and one is packing his suitcase. So I think I'm going to put on my pjs and make a grocery list then maybe watch a movie. Except I can rarely watch movies these days. I prefer television shows that are 40-60 minutes because that's about as long as I can stay awake once I sit down and sit still. Peace out, peeps.