Heart Choices: 2011-10-09 -->

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Feeding My Soul


Feed Your Soul is the topic for this week's Faith Barista Jam.

I view my soul as my mind, will and emotions.  That is the part of ME that all too often gets in the way of my spiritual growth.  But I cannot stuff it or neglect it.  I must deal with it.

This past week, I think I made an effort to embrace and feed my soul.

You see, I was running out of my sweet smelling and favorite Philosophy skin cream called Pure Grace.

I love reading, music, walking, fresh smells and ...family.

I got a good dose of all of that during my fall break.  I fed my soul.


  • I cannot remember the last time I was able to sit and read ...for hours.

This photo dates back to the mid 1980's when Greg and I frequently visited CA.
But that's what happens when you're stuck on an airplane for hours and have a three and a half hour layover in Las Vegas.  Thank goodness for my Kindle!

I was furiously taking notes in my journal.  I smiled when I opened it up and read the kind note from the parents of one of our students from school.  It was a gift at the end of last year.  Her mom wrote this beautiful message:

Dear Ms. Debbie
Many thanks for your patience and hard work.  I have seen how the kids admire you for the effective role you play as their good friend and mentor.
Best regards,
Simmie 

Underneath the note her now four year old daughter had signed her name; Anoushka.  Oh how that warmed my heart and yes ...my soul.

  • I love to hear the sound of the waves, the birds squawking, and the smell of the salt air at the beach.



  • I love to listen to music.
I packed my iPod shuffle and listened to so many songs I had previously downloaded.  I just never took the time to listen.  I laughed at the wide assortment of genres included.  Christian music, Michael Buble, the Carpenters, Jennifer Lopez, Carrie Underwood and many others.




  • I love to walk for exercise.
I took the time to go for long walks while visiting my family.  One day it was just drizzling and I thought nothing of it.  A little bit of rain wasn't about to stop me.  But in the midst of the walk, it POURED.  I returned to my brother's house soaking wet and ...loving it.

After all, we don't get much rain in Phoenix!

And guess what happened when I returned to Phoenix?

My husband Greg surprised me and ordered a new container of Pure Grace by Philosophy! I love that clean smelling fragrance.

How good is that for feeding my soul?


FaithBarista_FreshJamBadgeG



Blessings and love,
QuickEdit

Fall Break


I'm so thankful for fall break from school.  When I worked in nursing, we never had time off like this.  But I can understand the need for it.  

And I for one ...enjoyed it!

I just returned from a few days in Florida visiting my family.  Greg asked me what I wanted to do during my time away.  I thought briefly about his question and then said "spend time with my family, go to the beach and put my toes in the water, rest and read".  

Well, I think I covered all of those bases!

I had to laugh though.  I noticed in my foot photo that it wasn't very pretty.  You see, I stubbed my big toe into a post at school while I was walking and talking and not looking where I was going.  Gosh, I think I'm getting just like my mom.  :)  Did you know it takes forever to grow a toenail back?

Here are a few of the photos I took this week in Florida.

My niece Kristin is pregnant.  Here she is with her first ultrasound.
Our family is too excited!  Kristin and Kevin were married a little over a year ago.  This will be the first great grandchild in our family.

Kristin and Kevin

My sister Christine at Clearwater Beach
I have many photos to share but I won't share them all at once.  

I'm so thankful for my Kindle which was a gift from Greg when they first came out on Amazon.  I'm a book lover and now I don't have to cart books with me on the plane.  

I was able to spend hours reading several books, including Lisa Shaw's You Are Beautiful in God's Eyes.  Btw, you must visit Lisa of Sharing Life with Lisa and watch her video as she discusses her new book.

I'm so thankful for this much needed family time, the rest, the beach and time away.  

For those of you who are Facebook friends, you may have read about my exciting plane ride on Saturday.  A woman collapsed on the plane.  My nursing skills came in handy as I spent the last two hours of the flight on the floor of the plane.  She was very fortunate to have three nurses sitting close by.  Upon our arrival in Tampa, the paramedics boarded the plane and the woman was conscious and sitting upright.  Praise God for that!  

My plane ride home was uneventful other than a three hour layover in Las Vegas!

How thankful I was to see my husband Greg when I landed in Phoenix.

I'll share one more photo with you today.  

Debbie and Dad at the beach

I'm linking up with Lynn and Dineen of Spiritually Unequal Marriage as they are hosting Thankful Thursday for the month of October.

Blessings and love,

QuickEdit
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