Natural Pleasures...

Today's Focus Your Day reflection was on "Natural Pleasures":

Unfortunately too many people in our society try to capture euphoria through pills, alcohol and other forms of drugs. It never completely works. Those who see euphoria through drugs find that the experience eventually betrays them. And yet, everyone needs some pleasurable moments in life. We owe it to ourselves to find those pleasures that can bring us good feelings in natural ways. Life offers many such possibilities, if we pay attention to them.

I'm grateful this afternoon because I was able to do just that this morning. I was able to get out in nature and run a beautiful fall half-marathon in Middlebury, Indiana. We started out at Loveway, a horse facility for therapeutic riding. Horses are close to my heart because they got me through a lot of my childhood. At the start of the race, we went up to get a picture with one who was feisty about getting a photo with us. Then he just nuzzled his nose right against my shoulder like a good friend. It brought me right back to why I loved them as a kid.

As we left the course, we saw a few around a bend just staring at us as we rode by wondering what we were doing. The hills of this "Haunted Hilly Half-Marathon" were brutal but the scenery made up for it. The crimson color trees, the rolling hills of which at every turn you'd see another landscape, and the horse and buggies driving by once in a while made me feel like I was back home in Pennsylvania.

Nature is healing for me and to combine it with horses and gorgeous scenery was just out of this world. I'm blessed that I can run a distance today like a half-marathon in a different way than I used to. I used to do it to purge the calories I'd eaten the day before and to beat my body into fitter shape. Today when I get to run a distance like that, it's a gift. My body is able to move and my mind can soak in the surroundings instead of being filled with thoughts of hating my body. Thank you God, for surrounding me with natural pleasures I can appreciate today...

Feeling God's tug on my heart for service...

From one of my Hazelden reflections today:

"There is nothing so moving - not even acts of love or hate - as the discovery that one is not alone."
—Robert Ardrey

Nothing is too difficult or fearful for us to handle with the help of our Higher Power. When we develop the habit of letting God ease our way, our fears are gone.

Sometimes our fears can keep us from not truly living in the moment. They can be brought on by how we think our past may be affecting who we are today. They can be brought on by fear of change in the future. I've had a lot of really positive changes in my life lately that have brought out fear. Fear used to be something I would try to stuff down. Now that I don't have anything to numb it with - I face it. The way I face it is by connecting to others who have fears themselves and are willing to talk about them. I think we forget sometimes that fear is the opposite of faith and in order to live fully...we have to have faith that God created us for a purpose and have faith that he will carry us through.

I know my purpose. I know I'm supposed to help people who suffer from obesity and unhealthy lifestyles to break free from their struggles. Today I was meeting with a client who was talking about a family member who just had surgery and struggle severely with her weight. As I listened my heart just filled with God's love...because my heart is with her. In fact, I actually welled up with tears thinking that no one deserves to live like that - not knowing why or how to get help.

So when I get in fear, I just get on mission. I also practice acceptance. I'm where I am today for a reason. I was supposed to connect with that woman, who will connect with her family member for a reason. They both deserve to be loved as people created by God, not rejected as people who others see as lacking willpower. I pray that God will continue to guide me on my journey...