"Catching the Light at Every Turn"

Alright I just have to tell you right away - I had my first official weigh in after about 10 days of juice fasting. I'm down 5 lbs! Yay! It is so gratifying to see results after this week.  It was especially tough because my good friend Heather was in town and it's impossible to eat sensibly when someone is visiting Austin for the first time. Ain't no way no how! But even with some highly caloric dinners...I managed to stick to my guns about juicing for breakfast and lunch. And I'm so happy I did :)  And can I just tell y'all - I LOVE seeing how many of my friends and family are giving juicing a try! I'm truly doing this diet to rid myself of toxins and preservatives. Losing weight is a much welcomed byproduct of this process but ultimately the goal is to feel  like a million bucks.  If I look it too, then so be it ;)

"Catching the Light at Every Turn"

That's the tag line for a book my mom loaned me called Sparkly Green Earrings. I am a bit of an earring diva and I love shiny sparkly stuff, so the title really got my attention. And the line about catching the light at every turn has been on my mind a lot lately.  It's exactly what I feel like I'm trying to do these days.  Life is SO busy right now...here's proof:

This is only the HALF of how busy life is these days!

Have you ever been in a time and place in your life where it feels like everything is just blooming?  That's where I am. God is blessing me up and down with incredible new friends, a great job opportunity, dates (I said dates  y'all!!  Do you still need proof that God exists?!? ;P ), and so much more. And I want to make sure I am savoring and appreciating every wonderful experience I have here.  Am I waking up in a thankful place each day?  Am I looking for ways to bless people more than complain about them as the hours go on?  Am I going to bed feeling like I learned something valuable about myself or someone else?  I really do feel like I'm desperately trying to appreciate each beautiful, fleeting moment as they come at me in Texas...but they're coming at me so fast!  If I don't take the time to slow down and allow myself to feel  blessed in addition to knowing  I'm blessed, then what's the point?

Heather and I sharing a throne and taking some time to enjoy the moment :)

So anyway, I ran a million miles a minute this week - while trying to FEEL the blessings - and I definitely gave it my best effort. Heather and I had a blast swimming at Barton Springs, trying every kind of food in Austin, checking out the bats, and so much more. I am so grateful to have a friend spend one of these first weeks with me here in town! Heather and I were definitely scrambling all over the place trying to get all the fun stuff in while we were both working - and there was a lot to enjoy and we have wonderful new memories show for it :)  Here's my evidence:

Enjoying a night on the town with a great group of chicas :)

Some sort of flaming drink thing that we made Heather drink :)

Waiting to see the bats

Watching the very impressive divers at Barton Springs

One of the people in my life who knows how to catch the light well - Jeremiah :)

But the theme of this coming week is going to be what I've heard called "radical self care." This week, I'm going to incorporate a little more quiet, a little more listening, and a little more observing into my social calendar. I want to catch those bits of light - still at every turn - and really get an understanding for what makes them light up the way they do :)

Love ya and I wish so many of you were here with me,
B/R

"If you get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other people's sins, If you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out, Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness, your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.  I will always show you where to go.  I'll give you a full life in the emptiest of places -- firm muscles, strong bones.  You'll be like a well watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry.  You'll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past.  You'll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again."  Isaiah 58:10-12