Day 3 Whole Food Diet Let It Shine

"This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!"  A song my sister and coach Catherine sang as a voicemail message. I am inspired by her love, coaching and cheerleading.  The day begins with grace, good intention and hope.  Today, day 3 all is well. I did well yesterday on my whole foods diet. Yesterday I ate watermelon, peach and banana. I had salad and salmon and for dinner a yummy Italian sausage and salad and well, some leftover corn casserole that Jeri Techman had made on Monday.  I had two sips of Joe's ice cold beer and water.  I am feeling so good, my skin is looking good and I feel light as a feather.  This whole foods diet that I am doing for 13 days is teaching so much about what I am capable of accomplishing just by committing, trying and practicing self control.  So today, Day 3, 7:40am so far so good: water with lemon, coffee with a small amount of cream and we begin today and a song in my heart "Let it Shine."

Day 2 Health

It is twelve days before I turn 58 and I continue on my healthy plan. I am trying to make these next few posts  an online journal about the journey to moderation, eating right and self control. I am interested in the fact that I am writing just as I am thinking and I used the word self control.  Yesterday I had to have good self control to not eat all of the goodies in JP's home. Conor made a yummy pizza for lunch, it smelled so good, alas I maintained my self control and had my little salad sans dressing. Self Control is something I have always admired in people. Self Control is something I aspire to have. I see people who have self control are able to manage emotions, particularly anger and frustration with ease. They keep their cool. I get worried, I get angry, I get frustrated, I get mad and it's all out there.  Here I am writing about my healthy plan to discover that better health comes from better self control which in turns brings a better Gretchen.  It is only 6:25am and Day 2 is beginning. Right now I am doing pretty good with my self control and healthy eating.#selfcontrol #healthyeating

Walked into peace

 This morning I woke up inspired to be healthy. I turn 58 on June 13 and am starting a whole food diet for the next 13 days. My gift to myself is improve my health and well being. I started with 5 sun salutations that included a warrior flow. I am here in Fresno so I took Daisy for a walk. As I began the walk I was distracted by my thoughts  and the further I walked the more I was called to just be and to enjoy walking. With every step I was aware of the moments: the cool morning, the birds singing,  the green grass and bright flowers. I realized the more I was in every moment, every moment became fuller. My breathing slowed, my mental chatter quieted and my awareness was present and peaceful.  Even as I conclude this blog,  my mind and inspiration turned to being and realized I walked into peace. #peacefulmoments

Cottage "Le Cottage"

 We live in a small cottage in Burlingame, CA.  "Le Cottage" in french will be the name as I recently read in a book one should name their home to define identity and character. I love that idea and since I have a french country interior and love many things of France, I have chosen Le Cottage. The name is also inspired by our most wonderful friends Alan and Rosalie who frequently came to visit and dubbed our home "Cottage Living."  Combining our love of the name "cottage living" with our love of France,  especially the french friends including and not limited to:  Pierre, Sophie, Charlotte and their families, we found Le Cottage to suit us and define our lifestyle. Joe and I are blessed to have so many friends we have met from France, some who now live in America and some who come for visits and all whom have shared their French life with us.  I learn from the French how to eat simply and elegantly. I have watch how the French  create vignettes within their homes to create beauty and that bring pleasure. I have learned to appreciate beauty in nature by bringing fresh flowers and plants inside. Of course, I cannot leave that we learn from the French of  leisurely dinners and wine and cheese.  Today, my blog was inspired by my desire to design my retirement lifestyle. Which will not be retirement at all, it will be LIVING FULLY, recognizing  beauty in everyone and in everything and sometimes take photographs and writing about my experience.  Today, I enjoy our Le Cottage. Photos are outside, inside and with Zachary, our nephew who made dinner and served it in our little family room in 2019.

Good Shepherd Sunday

Today is Good Shepherd Sunday, a day in our Catholic Easter Tradition to celebrate Jesus' role as Good Shepherd. Our priest during the 5pm mass spoke of the vocation to priesthood for men. In my mind I wanted to say men and women, however, in my heart and prayer God called to mind that we are all called to be good shepherds. My life has been filled with many good shepherds, first and foremost, my God "Jesus." My own father, Vernon has been my shepherd. He has been a gentle soul from my youth and to today.  My father has been my source of comfort, support and a role model in so many ways of service. My mother, now deceased, still shepherd's me with her mantras like "the better my attitude, the better my day," waking us in the morning, with "this is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice and get up," and "brush your teeth you will feel better." My sisters and brothers have been my shepherd during times when I needed help in a variety of ways, most especially during the suffering from breakups with boy friends, life's disappointments and even in sharing my successes.   My husband, my beloved Joe, even named after St. Joseph, Jesus' father. My Joe as I affectionately refer to him is a very good shepherd to me and to our family. How do I shepherd? I think of Jamie and Roxanna and now my brother's boys. I see that I have times when I am the sheep and when I become the shepherd. This blog was to be about Holy Communion, for in attending the 5pm mass I felt so happy to be with our St. Catherine's community and in sharing communion, I was uplifted deeply. In the going, and being with community, I realized how often the people of St. Catherine's have shepherded me over my 35 years as part of St. Catherine's "flock," when on occasion, the only reason I showed up was to be held by community. The shepherd of our St. Catherine's in the formal sense is Fr. Ryan who has taught all of us how to be good shepherd's by his life as good shepherd and our pastor.

More than enough, my cup overflows

 

More than enough  

 My beloved husband has gone on a weekend getaway with his University of Illinois pals.  He is golfing, bonding and whatever else men do on their weekends away. As a result of his going away, I am responsible for my own meal planning. Before Joe left he wanted to go to the store and get some food for me so that I would have enough to eat. I said, no worries there is enough.  Joe left Thursday after work and my friend Susan Dirksen invited me to pick lettuce, spaghetti squash and tomatoes from her garden. So day one I had a yummy salad. For lunch the next day and yummy tomato sandwich and for dinner spaghetti squash.  Day 2 I started to scrounge the  freezer and to my delight found one lone hamburger that we must have saved when we made three and only ate two. So that was Friday with some more of the lettuce for a great fresh salad.   We have english muffins, we have fruit, we have cereal and so breakfast has been easy peasy.  Now today, my friend Sue Gill is bringing lunch for a social distancing backyard luncheon and I am sure there will be enough for leftovers. As my good fortune in friends continues, Diane invited Joan and me for lunch on Sunday.  So as I said to Joe,  no worries there is enough. I have enjoyed more than enough food, friends and love that my cup overflows. Please join me for leftovers. #givingwingstoyourdreams #mycuprunnethover

Savoring the Holy Eucharist

 Yesterday I was able to attend the 12 noon mass at St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Burlingame, CA. It has been a long time (7 months) for a daily mass due to the Covid restrictions. It was a beautiful mass led by our beloved Fr. John Ryan. Attending mass, being with with the "regular" 12 noon mass friends and receiving the Holy Eucharist is a great gift. My heart is still singing in this moment as I reflect on yesterday's mass. I lingered with the Holy Eucharist in my mouth like a passionate kiss from my lover. I savored with eyes closed the goodness of the Lord. We are blessed as Catholics/Christians to have the Holy Eucharist the embodiment of Christ Himself, given to us to feed us, heal us and remember Jesus. Do this in memory of me. What are we to remember that Jesus came to save, to serve, to forgive and to bring us life everlasting. What a gift to leave us...a way to be and to live.  With every remembrance of Christ we are called to follow, to become the hands, feet, heart, words, eyes and ears that feed,care, hear the cries of humanity and serve the needs for one another. Receiving holy communion refreshes my commitment to following the way of the Lord.  I savor the goodness of the Lord, knowing that the way of Christ is the way to great joy.What do you savor most in life? #givingwingstoyourdreams #holyeucharist #holycommunion #thewayofChrist

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