Stress: A Wonderful Way of Discharging It (Thinking isn't the answer.) .......7/30/12

Some of what I saw yesterday. Those are Canadian geese.

        Hi there,

I hope you had a swell Sunday. I did, of sorts.  I rode my bike for three hours. Exactly one and a half hours in daylight and the same amount of time in the dark.  I left my place at 7:30 p.m.

1. "I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in." ~George Washington Carver 

        Physically, I feel
pretty good after riding forty miles. I cycled through four cities, Alameda, Oakland, San Leandro and Hayward, traveling along places I have never been to before. I found portions of the Bay Trail that allowed me to trace the shore of the San Francisco Bay.  I glad, since I like variety and it's a great way to celebrate life, my health and nature.

 “We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence."

An Escape from Suburbia 
        I don't feel sore, at all.  Part of my trip was off-road, in a hilly wildlife sanctuary in San Leandro that straddled the shore. The silence there was wonderful, only the rustle of the wind blowing through the trees and the calls of birds accompanied my ride.  I crested a hill, on the other side opened up a panorama of the Bay Area, including the bay. The weather was in the seventies, with no humidity. We don't get that over here. I need some of you to define that word for me.

       Discharging negative energy and stress during today's journey was a wonderful way of investing in myself.  Tension does not get removed through thinking.  I'm thankful for my cyclometer.  It kept track of every mile, the time elapsed and the speed I traveled.  I like knowing my progress and record everything in a log.

       I'll sleep well when I go to bed.  I've lost two pounds this week, all due to cycling.  People are telling me to pull my pants up, they're falling off, because they are too loose.

      I'm just kidding, seeing if you are awake and paying attention.

      Before ambling on my bike, I took care of practical matters in the afternoon. Laundry, cleaning my place, straightening it, and cooking/batching meals for the rest of this week. This included taking five hours to cook a lemon roast 14 lb. turkey.  How's that for a surprise, cooking a turkey in July?  Besides lemons, I improvised, using celery, cream of mushroom soup and garlic.

      I turned off the oven before riding. I had to wait until I got home from my cycling venture to see how today's culinary experiment turned out.

     It's fantastic!  I was cutting it up when I noticed the time. I dropped by here to check in with you, my guests. Thanks for dropping by. It makes this place not so lonely.
My Gratitudes for Today: 
1. I'm glad I got a lot done today. I'm glad that I focused on what needed doing. I enjoy being effective and keeping my home in order.
2. I had "alone time." Such time allows me to air out my mind and spirit. Mind you, I spend time with others---friends.  I'm not suggesting isolation for those who do not connect regularly with others.

"He that has friends must show himself friendly." Proverbs 18:24

If I want friends, I need to be one. They don't happen without an effort. They don't just fall into our laps.
3. While doing chores this afternoon, I listened to my baseball team, the San Francisco Giants. They lost today's game.
     They are a good team, they're in first place, at the moment. Why am I grateful for their loss, you say?  Because it reminds me that sometimes life doesn't go the way we want.
      What's more important is our character, not what we do, or the outcome. How we treat ourselves, when facing disappointment is often more critical than what ever we accomplish, when we do succeed. We aren't circus dogs that need to jump through hoops in order to get praise or validation.
4. I'm thrilled I rode today.  It was a banquet for my eyes and soul.
5. I'm facing several stressful tasks tomorrow. I appreciate the support of friends, including you, as I surmount these issues with God's strength and your encouragement.
6. I'm glad God is in charge of this world. It surprises me, many claim a relationship with God and yet then live their lives as if He didn't exist. They rely on their strength, their machinations. Wow, that's a lot of pressure. As you've heard me say plenty of times here, there's only one God and we are not it.
7. I'm grateful for prayer and meditation. It helps me to check in with the Boss and find out his instructions.
How About You? 
How do you discharge your stress?  I love learning how you deal with it.
   
      All right, I'm ready for bed and am tuckered out. I hope you have a fantastic week. I know I will.