A Simple Dream Made True

For the past two years, I wished to visit a specific private beach. Every time my husband and I would drive down A1A with the ocean on one side and the intercoastal on the other, I'd daydream about crossing the water and relaxing on this private beach that seemed so far away. I could see there was a sign on the beach but it was too far for me to read it. I wondered what it would be like to be the only ones sitting on the beach, fishing, laughing together and eating a picnic lunch.

Today, my dream came true. We purchased a Scanoe (a canoe that has a flat bottom) and a salt water trolling motor. Of course, we choose the windiest day of the year to cross the intercoastal (there's a tropical storm in the Atlantic) and the water was extremely choppy. I was splashed by waves as our canoe made its way toward our destination. It was so enjoyable being on the water again. I love the sun, the scent of the sea air and the taste of the salt water on my lips.

The private beach I had dreamed of is actually an island and part of Faver-Dykes State Park. It was awesome. We were the only two people on the island. There was a picnic table, two grills, our canoe and us. It was a tropical paradise and an amazing day. We walked the beach, laid under a palm tree staring into the sky, explored the island, waded in the water and absored the healing elements of fresh air. I have that sleepy after-feeling from spending so many hours in the sun and I'm savoring a perfect summer day by eating watermelon and enjoying the comforts of home. Happy Sunday.    

Little Girl Hurt

I work with children and one of my kids has been very ill. We just found out that she is going to have a very intrusive surgery in the next couple of days. Her entire life will be changed forever. I feel so helpless while her family is dealing with this hundreds of miles away from their home. How do you provide comfort in times like these?

I just keep praying that God guides the doctor's hands so that her surgery goes well. I pray that when she wakes up and realizes her life will be different forever, she will not lose strength. I pray for her mother and father who are in shock about the devastating turn their daughter has taken. I pray that God helps all of us realize he has a plan for this little girl - even if we don't know what it is.

If anyone out there reads this post, please pray for this little girl. She's beautiful, strong and full of life. Please pray that she stays this way.

Thank you.

Spring Cleaning & Moving Forward

I love cleaning. It is cathartic, therapeutic and relaxing to me. I enjoy seeing progress being made in a relatively short amount of time. When I de-clutter my home and organize my things, I am also clearing my mind and rejuvenating my soul. The funk I've been in is lifting and, once I get over the cold I have had for a week, it will be smooth sailing.

The transformation of my mental and emotional state began when I acted on a recent decision to make a change in my life. Now, I feel like I'm moving forward and the combination of being proactive along with God's assistance has renewed my strength. I'm starting to feel alive again and more energized than I have felt in a long time. I am excited about my future and also embracing each moment more fully and thoughtfully.

I am positive that a change is near. I don't know when it will occur or what it will look like. I am not sure where I will end up or what the next year will entail. I am completely stoked about it. I love change. I love not knowing what is around the corner (especially when I am not alone).

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.

Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.

- Psalm 143: 8 

A to Z Reflections: A Crazy Ride

I'm so happy that I joined the A to Z Challenge. It sparked my creativity and motivated me to make writing a part of my daily life. I really needed this. I also really needed to accomplish something. I start different things and don't feel like I've accomplished much in my personal life lately. This challenge provided me a sort of confidence in myself. It has inspired me to foster my creative outlets: writing and photography.

As much as I enjoyed participating in the challenge, it was also very exhausting. I lost a bit of steam at the end but I pushed through as best as I could. It was difficult to read and comment on everyone's blogs. This part was much more time consuming than I had thought.

Thank God for being able to schedule posts. When I first learned of this, I didn't think that I wanted to write ahead of schedule. There is no way I would have finished the challenge without posting ahead. Thanks to the A to Z Challenge hosts for this suggestions.

I really loved connecting with others who have poured out their hearts, dreams, angsts, fears and ramblings. This sense of community was my favorite part of the challenge. There are so many different kinds of writers and I loved being exposed to this wonderful melting pot.

It was a crazy ride. I loved it. I hated it. I swore I wouldn't do it next year but I already have ideas for next year's theme. It was sort of addictive and I feel like it both held me back from some things and also helped me move forward. It was like riding on a roller coaster when you feel so many emotions all at once: fear, anxiety, excited, happiness and relief. It was awesome.

Finding My Spark: A Veggie Run

There are many different phases in life. I like this because it keeps things interesting. However, as much as I really want to embrace uncertainty, I'm not very good at it. I wish I was and I hope that one day I will be best embracer of uncertainty ever.

I'm at a crossroads in my life and I feel a bit off/not me/stuck. While I am working on pursuing another path in life, I am also trying to flourish in my current state. This is not easy because I am having to be in the moment and envision the future at the same time. It is growing, accepting and living my current life while I balance the visions, hopes and dreams of my future life.

In order to really be in the here and now, I am focusing on three things: developing a healthy well-being, fostering my creativity and actively pursuing the next steps of my life (patiently). To kickoff this sort of personal challenge, my husband and I went on a veggie run yesterday.

There is a local farm called The County Line which is about 15-20 miles from where I live. Normally, we spend between $8 and $10 for a week's worth of veggies. Yesterday, we spent $23 on local-grown cabbage, beets, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, sweet potatoes, eggplant, various peppers, cantaloupe, grapefruit and a huge watermelon.

In order to find my spark, I have started with healthy eating. My husband has done a lot of research on pH balance in the body. We have started alkalizing* our bodies by changing the foods we eat. We've always ate pretty healthy but not consistently. These are the steps we're taking to alkalize:

1. Drink 2-3 baking soda waters per day (1/2 to 1 tsp. per glass of water)
2. Cut out alcohol (especially beer), sugar, dairy, eggs, bread, processed and fried foods
3. Decrease the amount of meat in our diets 
4. I am replacing the half & half in my coffee with almond milk (this will take a while to get used to)  
5. Eat a lot more alkaline-forming fruits and veggies      

Basically, we are just trying to eat cleaner. I am working on becoming healthy in my eating, taking care of myself and becoming stronger so that I can do God's work, enjoy my life and find peace. I found this verse that spoke to me about the kind of woman I want to be:

She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

- Proverbs 31:25

I know that we all go through phases like this - when we don't really feel like ourselves. I believe that there are reasons for times like these. I see them as catalysts for change, for true reflection and for getting motivated to do something completely new. If we are open-minded during times of uncertainty, we are presented with options never thought possible. Happy Sunday to all.

*There is a lot of information out there on acid and alkaline balance. Don't trust just one source and be vigilant in your research.