Spotting the orange out the kitchen window, I swiped my phone off the counter and bolted for the backdoor. Then it happened. Tears welled up in my eyes as my heart opened to receive the overwhelming JOY God was showering on me. The sky was this amazing, awesome pinkish, orange set against contrasting blues and dark grays. And God placed me here, blessing me with his beauty. A glimpse of heaven, right here, right now in this rural Iowa sunset.
I’m not always a huge fan of Iowa weather, especially the bitter cold and snow in the winter. As a matter of fact, we got a fresh blanket of snow last night and expect below 0 temps tonight. But a quick glance at Facebook & Instagram posts reveals there is something magical, even heavenly about our sunrises and sunsets. Little blessings from God. Ours for the taking–if we’re open to receiving them.
7th & 8th Graders enjoy Sunset Delight!
While I loved experiencing this sunset, I also shared another God-filled sunset with some local youth last week. I spoke to a group of 7th & 8th Graders about nutritional requirements as well as how and why we should fuel our bodies according to God’s design. I figured they wouldn’t really care about eating well to prevent heart disease, stroke, blood pressure or diabetes. But they would care about eating well affects acne, bad breath, moodiness and conflicts with parents, siblings and friends as well as academic & athletic performance.
I shared with them what I teach my clients about treating our bodies like the Temples they are. We discussed eating the rainbow (and not Skittles!) I made Sunset Delight for them, but with a twist. Using just beets & carrots, I tossed them in a tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkled with cinnamon & a little salt and roasted them for about 50 minutes. The students impressed me. Most of them had never had beets. They all tried it and most of them came back for seconds!
Glimpses of Heaven
Most of us tend to just go through the motions trying to forget about the not-so-good things that happened. This week’s mass readings talked a lot about the reward that waits for us in heaven. While I don’t want to discount God’s promise, I also feel our lives here on Earth can be more joy-filled as well.
What if you ate 1 meal a week mindfully? Really appreciating the colors, tastes, textures, sounds, aromas, the people you’re dining with, how it’s going to nourish & strengthen your body. What if you could associate your meals with something as amazing, awesome and delightful as an Iowa sunset?
Eating a rainbow, God’s promise, doesn’t mean being miserable. Why not choose to experience more joy as you choose to eat well? Blaze your way to better health, allowing you to feel better, do more and experience more joy here on Earth!
Are you looking for someone to help you blaze your way to better health? Help you finds ways to fuel & move your body the way God designed it-before the rush of the holidays start? Email me at julie@juliegrunklee.com to set up a free 20 minute discovery call to learn more about the coaching process! I’ll share what I can do to help you take the stress out of the kitchen (and your workouts) so you can find more JOY in your journey.
0 Comments Leave a comment