Seasons with Grace

Recover, Restore and Reset

I’ve picked you. I haven’t dropped you. Don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you. Isaiah 41:9-10 MSG

It’s a new season. Yes, we are in the early days of spring, and I couldn’t be happier about that. For my spirit as well as my physical body, it is a new season of recovery, restoration – a reset.

That’s no tattoo – just my surgeon’s initials

Ten days ago I underwent arthroscopic surgery on my right knee to remove a floating piece of bone that was causing my knee to lock unexpectedly and painfully sometimes many times a day. This had been playing havoc with my workout routine for almost two years. I went from running, doing cardio and cycling several times a week to seated work outs. Now, don’t discount a seated cardio workout to get the heart rate up – I am thankful for them. (Check out many great free seated workouts, as well as many standing workouts with my ‘fitness friend’ Pahla Bowers on YouTube or http://www.pahlabfitness.com. )

This injury, combined with a new office position which was much less active than my hospital job, was having an impact physically and emotionally and at the time of surgery I found myself a few pounds over my goal weight for the first time in four years.

This is hard for me to admit. I felt like I was letting down everyone I have been trying to encourage on their journey for wellness. I felt I had let myself down, as I promised myself I would not let myself get over my goal weight once I reached it.

I have started to recover from the surgery and feel strength slowly returning as I do my physiotherapist prescribed workouts including small amounts of time on my elliptical. There is still discomfort, but stability is returning and I am feeling more steady.

In having a week off from work, I had time to read the Word and get back into a favourite book, Lysa Terkheurst’s, Made to Crave. I was reminded again that this is not just a physical journey, but a spiritual one. I have not let God down. He holds me up and strengthens me. I have never had to hold Him up or earn His love and care.

This is my personal journey, spiritually and physically, and getting to my goal weight was not the end of the journey. There is so much more God has to teach me and many curves and course corrections in my life that I will navigate where I need to hit the reset button, as I am doing now, getting back to what I know works, and letting go of guilt and shame over some poor choices in how I have eaten, managed (or not managed) stress and neglected my self-care.

God says in Isaiah 41 that He has a firm grip on me. He has brought me to a time of recovery and restoration and I am not going to take this opportunity lightly.

So what’s going to change? I’ve been tracking my weight weekly, even this past Friday where I had been in bed for several days and still had swelling in my knee. No excuses, it is what it is. Time to get back to tracking all my food and water. Every.single.bite. My crazy schedule had me winging things a bit. I will be doing my allowed workouts as prescribed so that I do all I can to aid the healing and strengthening of my body.

And I am going to share this with you, my friends. To be accountable and to be transparent. I am a woman on a journey. I don’t know where you are in your journey. Maybe you’re taking first steps. Maybe you are resetting for the hundredth time. Maybe you have been at your goal weight and maybe you can’t imaging being there. I hope you will walk with me. I don’t have it all figured out, but I trust God who holds me steady. I have a program that works for me when I work it. I will keep walking and will get to where I want to be. I throw off guilt and shame – that is too heavy a weight to bear. I am ready for a reset for restoration – how about you?

A Fresh Start For A New Year

The first day of 2022 is almost over. I was prepared to be called in to work, but no call came, so that was a great gift. I relaxed, puttered and perhaps had a few New Year’s day treats with my husband. We have a great plan to get back to our regular healthy eating program when we wake up tomorrow. We celebrated the holidays and included some treats in the celebration, but our bodies and minds know that like the holiday decorations, its time for the special foods to leave until next time.

I did exercise today. I have been having some knee weakness and pain and have been waiting about a year for an Orthopedics consult (thanks COVID) so my workouts have been modified. I’ve missed running and jumping, who’d have ever thought I would?! I dusted off the elliptical and have started adding that to my treadmill workout to add some intensity while still protecting my knee.

Charting is a good incentive for me, so today I’ve included a tracking sheet that I’ve used for a couple of years. You can track activity, water, healthy eating, sleep, or whatever works for you. It’s my first pin on my new Pinterest account where you will start to find tips, tools and recipes, so keep checking back for updates!

I don’t make resolutions, but love an opportunity for a fresh start or a reset. I have goals for the year, some new, and some continuing from last year. I’m definitely a work in progress! My friends, I would love to know what your goals are, and for us to get our goals by encouraging and supporting each other. Post your most exciting or most challenging goal in the comments – putting it in writing helps us be accountable.

Praying this is the year you draw closer to God, to friends and family and to the specially designed purpose that will enable you to thrive!

Day 12: 12 Days of Purposeful Wellness

We have been given the Greatest Gift – Celebrate!

As you wrap those last minute gifts and put the finishing touches on your holiday table, remember with gratitude that we have received the greatest gift of all. In the gift of Jesus’ earthly life, death and resurrection we have had the gift of salvation, healing, provision, protection, joy, peace and so much more handed to us. If you haven’t accepted the gift, it would be the best day ever if you did. If you have received this precious gift, celebrate it today by making use of it – claim the promises and hold onto the Saviour’s hand as he leads us with purpose through this life. No one wants to give a gift to a love one to have it put in a display case or closet and never used. Why would God be any different? Celebrate the gift today.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you, thank you for being the most wonderful gift. Your presence is the perfect fit for each one of us, no matter our age or dress size. We celebrate You today and rejoice. Help us to experience that promise that In Your presence is fullness of joy. While part of the celebration includes food, we choose to focus on you. You are the greatest gift and we love You and thank You for it.

Dear friends, my prayer is that I’ve been able to guide you to a new or renewed mindset of desiring to pursue Jesus and a wellness journey more intentionally through this Christmas season, not waiting for a new year to start to begin again. I would love to hear how God led you; your successes and where you need to spend some effort in the weeks and months ahead.

I am still walking out this journey and I would love to have you join me in 2022 for our best year yet!

Day 11: 12 Days of Purposeful Wellness

It is one day

As the time approaches, don’t stress about the holiday meals and snacks before you get to it. It is one day. Your wellness journey doesn’t hang on what you eat on Christmas Eve, Christmas day and New Year’s, but on what you eat and how you stay active the other 362 days. Work your plan, pace yourself, rest and take time to focus on those around the table, not what’s on the table.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for this season to celebrate you with our loved ones. So much of this journey is our mindset and we ask that you transform our minds to focus on being more like You, loving and serving others, and building relationships. We know as we do this, the temptation to use food to satisfy our emotional needs will fade. Remind us of what’s important and of the good choices you are helping us make.

Day 10: 12 Days of Purposeful Wellness

Plan ahead

By now you probably know what’s ahead of you for the next three or four days. Travelling, family and friends coming to visit, as well as all the food that will be available to you. Take a few minutes and make some choices. If you have turkey and dressing at one meal, focus on a less carb-heavy meal next time. Really, you can have mashed potatoes just about any day of the year. Maybe bypass some of the “standards” including rolls and butter and enjoy the foods you only have during the holidays. Once you make some quality decisions, it will be easier to stick to the plan rather than sitting at that heavily-laden table with no plan at all. Keep in mind the other tips we’ve discussed here and plan to rest, have fun, focus on family, hydrate and worship God.

Make choices that keep you in balance as much as you are able

Prayer: Jesus, there is a lot ahead of us over the next few days and we really need Your help and guidance to make a plan that is manageable and will not leave us with regret when it’s time to pack the decorations away. Remind us to choose joy in the planning and the executing of the plan so those around us can see that there is a difference in us, not only as they watch our food choices, but our faces and our attitudes.

Day 9: 12 Days of Purposeful Wellness

Rest and Relax

You may think I’m crazy. Rest? With all there is still to do? Yes, especially because there is still so much to do! A 10 minute walk, or sitting with a cup of tea, listening to some Christmas music and even a 20 minute power nap, can recharge your physical strength and mental acuity. It will also keep you away from the temptation to use sugar and/or caffeine to energize you through that to-do list.

Prayer: Jesus, You promise us in Your Word that you will teach us how to take a real rest, and we know Your promises are true and available in any season, especially the busy and sometimes overwhelming seasons like Christmas. Point out times and ways we can rest. Remind us when guilt tries to creep in that if You are teaching us to rest, then it can’t be a bad thing because You only gift good gifts. Bring us awareness of how good we feel and how much better our choices and emotions are when we are rested. Help us encourage others to learn to rest also. Thank You for patiently guiding us. Our desire is to be more like You in every way.

*Matthew 11:28-30 MSG

Day 8: 12 Days of Purposeful Wellness

Hydrate your holiday season

Our bodies need hydration for so many reasons. In busy days we may not take time to drink water (or a cup of herbal tea on a cold day). Sometimes those hunger pangs that drive us to the cookie jar are really a signal from our body telling us it is thirsty. Drink a glass of water or a cup of coffee or tea (preferably decaffeinated) if you’re feeling hungry apart from mealtimes. If after 30 minutes you’re still hungry, then have a healthy snack. You may be surprised how often the water will satisfy you and how much better your body and mind responds when it is hydrated.

Prayer: Jesus, You are our Living Water and we are reminded daily how we can’t live very long without your protection, provision and guidance. You created our bodies to need physical water regularly to protect and revive our skin, muscles, organs and our mental focus. Place in us a desire for water and to appreciate how good we feel when we are hydrated. Thank you for providing for us body, soul and spirit by always being there for us, and for the blessing of living where we have abundant availability of fresh water.

Day 7: 12 Days of Purposeful Wellness

Worship

Actively participating in praise and worship is good for your physical body, your emotional health, as well as spiritual growth. Raising your hands over your head opens your chest, increases blood flow, releases tension and improves balance (especially important for those of us over 50). This mirrors the spiritual benefits – worship opens your spirit to the awareness of the presence of God, definitely releases tension as your surrender your burden (weight) to Jesus and improves the balance in life as we lean more towards what is eternally important and away from what is here today and gone tomorrow. Attend church in person today if at all possible and worship with like-minded believers and encounter God’s stabilizing and refreshing presence.

Prayer: Jesus, we give you this day, the first day of the week because You come first. Without You we would be lost forever. You deserve all the worship we can give, and infinitely more. Fill us with Your love and your presence and bring balance and refreshing into our lives. We thank You for the opportunity to gather in Your house and express our love and gratitude to You.

Day 6: 12 Days Of Purposeful Wellness

Celebrate Weekend Successes.

Weekends are generally challenging food-wise, but in December, that challenge can increase exponentially. Whether you are busy shopping and decorating, or attending a holiday gathering, don’t beat yourself up if you feel you’ve wiped out your efforts through the week with some poor choices. Take a moment to reflect on what you have done right. Did you take a walk? Pack a healthy snack to grab between errands? Did you get to bed at a reasonable hour? Take time to read your Bible and pray? Shifting your focus to your successes and away from perceived “failure” is a great way to keep a slip from becoming a slide.

Prayer: Jesus we are thankful that you see us through eyes of love, understanding and forgiveness. Show us how to see ourselves that way so we can offer ourselves the same grace that we would offer to a friend. Help us focus on the successes, knowing there is always something to be thankful for, even if it means we only ate 6 cookies, not 10.

Day 5: 12 Days of Purposeful Wellness

Have fun

Boxing Day at Greenfield Village – Family Experience Gift

Work on a craft project, take a walk in nature, read a book, laugh with a friend or make a snow angel (and rejoice when you can get back up again like my friend does!). Whatever makes your heart happy. Having a positive mindset helps you make good food and activity choices, reduces stress and helps you sleep better.

Prayer: Thank you Jesus for the joy in this advent season. We thank You for the joy you promised and provide in our lives as we trust You. Give us eyes that find fun in an ordinary day or laughter in the midst of a challenging day. Help us use times of fun to motivate us to continue being joyful and making good choices in our wellness journey.