Bruce and I went out "to run a few quick errands" this afternoon and ended up just getting home now! Does that ever happen to you? We were going to go out tonight, but decided to stay in because we're both feeling a little run down.
While we were out and about, we realized neither one of us had really had lunch and we were still about 45 minutes from home. There was a Chicago Uno's in the shopping complex that we were in, so we decided to stop in for a deep dish pizza!
Can you believe the two of us couldn't even finish that? They fill you up faster than you would think.
***
Sooooo ... I have a confession. Actually, it's not really a confession, because I'm not sure that I really realized it was happening until today. But here goes: I have not really been taking care of myself lately.
I am kind of embarrassed to admit this (my blog is about finding balance after all!), but it is really not good. My eating schedule is out of whack, I am not consistently working out, I don't sleep well (mostly because I fall asleep with my iPhone or computer in bed), my stomach spends more time than I would like it to in knots, I don't regularly fit in time for prayer and meditation (that one really bothers me because it was a pledge I made at my ordination) and I'm never really relaxed. To some extent, I think I am just dealing with having a new job and trying to figure out how and where to find balance. To another extent, I think that if I start out off-balance, I will never get myself to where I need to be. And I have been here for three months - it is time to create habits that will keep me healthy.
Bruce and I were talking about this at dinner tonight and I actually pulled an old receipt out of my wallet, wrote a pledge on the back of it to live a healthier lifestyle and signed it.
I had Bruce sign it too!
After that, we talked about ways that I could achieve this pledge. Here are some of my ideas so far:
- Spend less time on my phone (phone = phone, text, email, twitter, facebook, etc.).
- Spend quality time on the computer, not high quantities of time. I need to unplug more often.
- Regulate my sleep schedule (getting electronics out of bed will hopefully get me to bed earlier and give me a higher quality sleep).
- Either cut back on my coffee or drink it with some milk to cut out the acid (my poor stomach some days ...).
- Eat three meals a day at normal times!
- Exercise (and on days when I can't fit in a workout at least find a few minutes to stretch before I go to bed).
- Devote time every day to prayer and meditation. There are so many different ways to unwind, dig into scripture, meditate and devote and, quite frankly, I'm horrified that I don't do it more often. As I explore my own faith and spirituality I will hopefully find ways to share with you all what I'm learning.
Thank you for journeying with me, friends. xoxo
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It takes guts to admit what you did on a blog! I like people who have guts.
ReplyDeleteJames 1:5 is my life verse.
I haven't always been good at being in the Word and studying it and spending time with God. This year I have been correcting that and it's been really awesome because I see God in so much more of my life. He's been giving me topics or scriptures to really study out and that's been a lot of fun because I've never done it before. I'm currently on the verse "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12. I'm looking more in depth what it means to set an example in each of those areas. I may be on this verse for a looong time but I am being convicted and learning and growing and it's an interesting journey. And it's fun to have a verse like that to work out because it keeps me going back to my Bible... and I like my Bible.
Hopefully you find your balance soon. And what it all really comes down to is the first commandment written out so my kids could understand it... "God is number one."
Good luck on your pledge. It's hard to stay centered and grounded when life tries to run away with you.
ReplyDeleteI also suffered from an "acidy" stomach for years. One of the things that I found out was if it starts getting bad on a regular basis, drink 2-3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 8 oz of water before your meals. The vinegar is a base and will neutralize the acid. And the taste isn't as bad as you'd think (still not what I would call good though....) It takes some time for your body to adjust to it for some reason, but after a week or two you'll notice a remarkable difference. At least I did.
I love that you wrote this post because it makes me feel not so alone! Life is crazy and can take the best of you at times. Working out consistently, drinking lots of water, and getting sleep are key for me. I also have trouble unplugging, but leaving my computer and phone away from my bedroom definitely helps. I would love to hear more about your spiritual growth process!
ReplyDelete(I am still catching up on posts, so I did not read the one you are referring to in this post.)
ReplyDeleteI can definitely identify with what you're writing here. I think balance is a continual practice, and I LOVE that you wrote your plans on paper and then shared them with us!
Hi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI haven't been taking very good care of myself lately, either. One thing I thought might be helpful for you: the 'three square meals a day' idea is a pretty American one, but I think sometimes it might do us more harm than good.
In recent years I've read multiple articles which say that eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day helps you keep steady blood sugar levels, can help people maintain a healthy weight, etc. Especially since you are such a busy woman (who isn't these days? :)), it might be beneficial for you to allow yourself some smaller moments of peace and grace throughout the day to eat a small meal, be with God, and breathe, rather than trying to carve out a larger chunk of time to eat a really big lunch or something.
At least for the middle part of your day, it might be a good way to 'slow down.' Also, it could be a creative way to commune with God and be a unique form of spiritual discipline. Pause for ten minutes, eat some yogurt/fruit/nuts/whatever you have in mind, and just be quiet with God. :)
You'll get there. Love to you.