May 16, 2011: Staying Centered in God

Yesterday's food:

God time? Yes
Exercise: Yes (swim, PT exercises)

[P] Egg white

[P] Turkey meatball

[V] Subway Veggie Delight

[V] Subway Veggie Delight

[V] Spaghetti sauce

[F] Apple

[F] Mixed fruit

[F] Pineapple

[St] Kashi

[St] Rice noodles 
+[St] 6" roll (Subway) 
[D] Skim milk

[D] Cheese (Subway) 
[D] Mayonnaise (Subway)
[D] Chobani yourt
[D] Skim milk

[Sn] SF Klondike bar 
*[Sn] [PURE SUGAR] "Penny" candy (x 10) 
[Nightfoodbar] Yes 
[W] Four cups

Although I ate more servings than usual from my macronutrient categories yesterday, I'm pretty stoked that for the first time, my fruit and veggie slots were filled up! I usually miss two out of the three servings in both categories I schedule myself to eat each day. I think it's helping that my roommate and I decided a couple of weeks ago to have fresh fruit with dinner (not after). It feels like a real treat, and it's good for us :-)

I had a strong sense of well-being today along with reflection on how well, and how mercifully, God has grown me up. When I was younger, I felt older than I should, and now that I'm older, I find myself to be immature in many areas of life. Now I'm starting to feel like my insides match my chronological age, and I'm liking where I'm at. I know this is a gift from all the "inner" work I've done as well as the grace of God, but I also think my fairly regular exercise is boosting my endorphin levels. I'm not doing anything super strenuous, bit I am doing it regularly and building up my stamina and lung capacity by swimming. It's good for my phyche, too, because the pool is the only place I can stand on my own and walk without crutches or the using my wheelchair. I like being able to propel myself through space with my own limbs. It gives me a sense of freedom, and being under water lends itself to meditation and communion with God. There's a simple swimming prayer I say with each stroke: Thank you Lord (stroke), praise you Lord (stroke), thy will be done (stoke), not mine (stroke and repeat the length of the pool). It helps center and focus me for the day.

I have been eating some sugar and flour lately, but I haven't seen any negative physical or spiritual consequences from it so far.  My connection with the Holy Spirit is strong right now, hopefully a consequence of the Bible study I'm doing at church, which requires me to maintain conscious contact with my Higher Power (Step Eleven). Life is good just for today.

Hope you feel the same way, too :-)