I hope so. It's this week's word! And I think I've only received photos from two folks so far. I need your chair photos to make tomorrow a success.
Please take a photo of a chair and share it. I just realized I might never again have the opportunity or excuse to express that sentence. I better do it again while I have the chance. Please take a photo of a chair and share it. :)
I am still loving smoothies! My favorite this week:
-Orange Juice (which I mix with water)
-Frozen peaches -Plain low-fat Greek yogurt
SO GOOD! It is incredibly creamy and delicious. I drink it while I'm getting ready in the morning. Today I even added a few slices of avocado for some extra yum!
What smoothie recipe have you been enjoying lately?
So far, I've been working on EAT and MOVE. So far, so good! Seriously! Really good!
I've been doing a clean eating group with some Facebook pals, and I am loving it. It has been such a good encouragement to me to make good choices. I've eaten MANY more fruits and vegetables in the past week. Which is great, because I LOVE fruits and veggies. My eating plan: lots of green leafy veggies, lots of fruit and other veggies, a little bit of meat. Plenty of Greek yogurt and soy products and oatmeal, too. I have been avoiding wheat and all processed grains.
I feel so much better. It's pretty awesome. All of our bodies are a little different so there is no perfect eating plan for everyone. But I really like this plan. It feels sustainable, healthy, and good for my taste-buds.
I've been exercising every day for about 30 minutes.
Eating better and exercising take time and energy.
Previous to beginning "The Flourish Plan," I didn't think I had enough time or energy. I was wrong. If I make time, there will be time. And so, I'm making time. It's worth it.
Two tips:
#1: Wear side ponytails while working out for an added silly bonus. #2: Don't be negative.
Now get ready! I'm about to blow your mind with two amazing, clean recipes.
Just a few ingredients. Almonds, walnuts, dark chocolate, honey, cinnamon, vanilla, and oatmeal! First you mix it all up in the food processor, and then you form it into balls.
Then, put them in the freezer to harden. THEY ARE SO GOOD.
#2: Microwave bowl of miracle. 3 ingredients. Mashed banana - 1 egg - 1 to 2 tablespoons of cocoa (I used PB2). Microwave for 2 minutes in a mug. It turns out like a little cake!
PS: My "flourish" plan is coming along great. I've been "clean eating" all week. I'm looking forward to sharing a full update on the health and budgeting process tomorrow, so I hope you'll visit again then!
Church was joyful this morning - and then I headed for an afternoon of fun in Owatonna, Minnesota. What a neat town! The Southeastern Minnesota Synod hosted a special event in Owatonna for all pastors and council members.
I facilitated two workshops on the topic of children's sermons.
The first session was a much smaller group, and the second session was quite large. I really enjoyed both conversations. It's fun to learn and brainstorm with other folks.
Here's the handout! If this is a topic you're interested in, email me and I'll send you my outline.
But I got home late on Tuesday and Wednesday night, and I couldn't bring myself to go and get the trash can. It was just TOO COLD and I was a tired lady.
Finally, Thursday morning, I thought, 'Emily, you MUST go get that trash bin!"
As I headed outside, I realized what a glorious sunrise was taking place.
The kingdom of heaven came into my life in a beautiful way during my little hike down to the end of the driveway and back. It was gorgeous. I had special moments to savor the beauty of creation. And special moments to let go of my emotional garbage and worries and fears.
The kingdom of God is everywhere.
And I'm thankful for those moments when I pause long enough to recognize it.
First off, have you sent me a vegetable photo yet?
I hope so.
It's almost time for "Word of the Week!"
Now that we have that out of the way, the time has come.
Do you ever feel a little low?
Seasonal Affective Disorder got you down?
Wondering if you're on the right track with life?
Have you recently had a small or large cry?
Have you drown your sorrows in a bowl of non-fat greek yogurt lately?
Well - guess what?
It's okay.
Really. It's totally okay to have sad times.
And crying times.
And times when you feel low.
It's normal and human.
Let yourself feel the sad feelings.
And then, when you're ready, here are 5 ways to cheer up.
#1: Go on a mini-adventure.
It can even be a really small adventure.
Like going to Kwik Trip and buying your favorite childhood candy.
Or heading to the park for a brief stroll.
Or having dinner with friends.
Or sitting in the book store for a bit.
Sometimes I feel a lot better if I just put myself in a different environment,
even if only for a few minutes.
#2: Watch this video. Kid President. Love him.
#3: Write in your journal or pray or collage or water color or wood-carve or bake or any other creative outlet. After you've allowed yourself a good, hard cry - regroup. Try to write down a few things you really love about your life.
In order to get enough servings of fruits and veggies each day, I recently realized I really need to incorporate vegetables in the morning. Here's one of my new favorites. I make it in the GT Express, but you can make it in the microwave or on the stove, too.
Egg White Veggie Delight
Here are the ingredients(I ended up not using the turkey pepperoni).
Step 1: Cook mushrooms
I used 3 mushrooms.
Step 2: Add in leftover veggies from last night or frozen veggies
(I used carrots and asparagus)
Step 3: Add in egg whites (I recently started buying them in a box of liquid egg whites)
Step 4: Cook for about 6-7 minutes (if you're using the GT express)
Step 5: Enjoy!
PS: It's extra good with a little salsa or red pepper flakes on top!
