May 19, 2011: Disappointment and Redirecting My Focus

Yesterday's food: I actually forgot to track. I was too excited for my Nightfood giveaway :-)

Last night was a real disappointment. The microphone my niece was supposed to sing into wasn't working. So, she moved over to another mic, which another girl had been using (they were each to have a short solo in the song, "Good Morning Baltimore" [from Hairspray] and then were supposed to sing together for a few lines). However, the other girl wouldn't move over to let my niece sing and sang her part instead! I was really pissed, all the way back to the car, that I had missed hearing my niece sing, and then I remembered that God is in charge of everything, and I practiced "Let Go and Let God" right then and there. I ended the evening having to be carried up my front steps because my left knee gave out on me, and I don't know why. I started into my usual "global" fear and projection pattern I usually go into when something goes wrong with me physically, but I stopped myself pretty quickly and refocused myself in the present. This ability to catch myself mid-thought and practice my program/mindfulness tells me that I have grown quite a bit since I started this experiment. I also noticed during the concert that my senses, as well as my ability to really be in my body, was very heightened. I had my eyes closed for much of it and just felt the music i my body while imagining being able to dance again (something I would have pursued had I not become handicapped in 1986).

I was recently confronted with the awareness that I don't really believe that my Higher Power (a.k.a. God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit) is all that powerful. I give a lot of lip service to His power, but deep in my heart I think my puny little handicap (relatively speaking) is too much for Him to cure! My therapist suggested imagining (and feeling in my body) what it would be like if God could (and did) heal my body. Conjuring up body memories are the most effective type of affirmation for me plus they feel good, too :-) Before I came home and nearly collapsed on the front steps, I was dancing ballet to Vivaldi's "Gloria" and having a grand time doing it!

Do you have any body memories that are particularly delightful for you? Please share them!

May 18, 2011: Blog Giveaway: Free Nightfood Bars!

Yesterday's food:

God time? No
Exercise? Yes (PT exercises)

[P] Egg white/meatball
[P] Chicken (salad)
[V] Large salad
[V] Large salad
[V] Large salad
[F] Apple
[F] Spaghetti sauce
[F] Pear halves
[St] Kashi 
[St] Yam
[D] Skim milk
*[D] Chobani yogurt 
[D] Ranch dressing
+[Sn] SF Klondike bar
[Sn] Popcorn
[Nightfoodbar] Yes
[W] Four cups

(This blog post was written last night but posted this morning)

Woot! I didn't blog yesterday because I finally had some manuscripts come in to edit (after a 1-week dry spell) plus I had a massage last night during my normal blogging time :-)  Tonight I'm going to hear my niece sing a solo at a school at a school presentation. I've been told that she sings very well, but this is the first time I will get to hear her. I'm very excited!

So, tonight is a good night to start my first-very blog contest/giveaway! Y'all are probably tired of seeing the Nightfood link-up in every food post, but I do that because I really believe in the product and the company. Here's what I wrote in Amazon's review area for the product:

"I'm excited to be the first person to review Nightfood: both the bars and the company. I first found out about them by way of Facebook. Because I have had intractable insomnia (both falling asleep and staying asleep through the night) since undergoing a complete hysterectomy in 2006, I am always curious about any product that purports to improve my chances of sleeping or assures me a better sleeping experience! I immediately ordered the samples bars offered on their Web site, received them promptly, and tried them within a few nights of ordering them.

I already take two different sleeping medications, so I didn't expect Nightfood to add too much to my current experience of falling asleep. I eat my Nightfood bar, with some milk, about 40 minutes before going to bed. I was please to experience a soft and subtle lulling sensation before going to bed. My first night of Nightfood sleep went well-- no waking up during the night and struggling to fall back asleep. However, the very coolest effect I noticed occurred in the morning: I woke up refreshed and alert rather than having the usual "hangover" from my sleep medications!

I believe in this product so much that I asked an employee there, the wonderful Sean, if I could buy stock in the company! Unfortunately, it hasn't "gone public," but I still continue to buy Nightfood bars by the months' worth. They always arrive super quickly, and one time when I had a problem ordering from their Web site, Sean actually called me at home to resolve the glitch, and the bars arrived within two days.

A product that aids and promotes a necessary life function and a company that cares enough to make personal contact when needed: What more could anyone want?"

There's not much more that I could add to that review to share with you, so on to the contest deets (the contest is open to US residents only):

CONTEST RULES (OPEN TO US RESIDENTS ONLY) 

1. You must either follow or subscribe to my blog (scroll down to "follow" or "subscribe" link) and leave a comment (1) on any blog post and (2) include mention of the Nightfood contest. Just one or the other alone will not qualify you for an entry.

2. You must also "like" Nightfood on Facebook  and leave a comment on their wall saying that Lisa N. sent you and giving the link to this giveaway.

You can earn one additional entry each by do the following:

1. Order a money back--guarantee sample box of Nightfood through this link: http://bit.ly/dRJacU.

2. Request Nightfood's free report of three surprising sleep tips that can help you sleep better tonight. 

That's it! I'll leave the contest up for approximately 2 weeks from today and will pick the winner, by way of random generator, on June 1, 2011. The lucky winner will get 1 box of Nightfood sent to them by Nightfood.com :-)

Good luck!

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 :-)