Welp. When last we spoke (a few weeks ago?!), I was in the midst of a sauerkraut experiment. I know you’ve been on pins n' needles since, so let me address that first: I actually did like it! At the least, I think knowing where it came from and what was in it (I made it - with nothing other than cabbage, some spices, and filtered water) helped. So I had some certainty, even in the uncertainty.

But lest you worry this is another ridiculous food blog (maybe it’s only me, but just get to the recipe already!), let me share what’s really on my heart today. I went to the Ortho doc to check on my recovery progress, and got some good news and some bad news. Long story short, healing has definitely taken place; but, another two! surgeries may yet be in my near future.

I hate these scenarios. Where there’s both good and bad. Because honestly, I sometimes tend to be more of a glass half-empty gal. I hide it well, but I can move to despair pretty quickly in certain things. There are valid, neuroscientific reasons for this. Not the least of which is that my nervous system was kind of calibrated to threat when I experienced a lot of surgery in my infancy. So now, my brain just ‘goes there’. Even when there’s no actual threat. But, I don’t like feeling despair. Or the lies that despair then propogates.

So I was thrilled to discover how much more quickly I was able to let the positives sink in - even in the midst of the negative. I responded differently and in place of despair I felt peace. Hey, I’m growing up!

Here’s how I did it.

I breathed. A LOT.

I allowed myself to cry and I was honest with my husband about my sadness and fear. I didn’t apologize or make excuses for it. I just allowed it and talked about it. I didn’t rush it and I didn’t push it down. I just allowed it. And when the potentially despairing thoughts came (you know the ones: all or nothing, predicting the worst, etc.), I even allowed those. But instead of sinking into them, I just listened to myself as I would to a friend that’s hurting. It made sense that I would think and feel these things at this news - I’ve had a lot of bad things happen. But I trusted myself (and God) enough to know I wouldn’t stay there.

And I breathed some more...

And when I had cried and talked and breathed and listened enough, I was ready to remind myself of Truth:

So, I find myself in the in-between. Of good news and bad news. Of waiting. Between what was and what will be. And this in-between can be so hard. But it can also be a powerful season of transformation. We’ll talk more about that soon.

For now, wherever you find yourself in the in-between (saying goodbye to what was, not yet knowing what will be), I pray you are able to breathe and allow and find peace - and dare I say even joy? - in the waiting.

So, to recap

• Our nervous systems are calibrated in some of our earliest (and/or worst) experiences. So if there was threat, physical or emotional, your body tends to expect it.
• Left unchecked, we react to difficulties based on those expectations - whether there's actual current reason to or not.
• These expectations, and reactions, keep us from experiencing peace, much less hope or joy, which is our birthright. John 16:33 ​
• So. When you want to run from the pain (uncertainty, disappointment, fear, grief, etc.) or lash out at someone else, or just shut down and shut out altogether (fight, flight, freeze)… PAUSE instead.
• Remember above all, pain won't usually kill us. Yes, it's unpleasant, but trying to escape or avoid it actually makes it worse.

But you don't do that any more, right?

Because hey, you’re growing up too, right?

😉

I'm headed off to teach at a Healing Care Seminar in Phoenix. Being with my Healing Care 'family', in the warm weather no less, will be so uplifting for my heart, mind, and body! So we'll talk again soon.

In the meantime, know that I'm ​​

Celebrating YOU!

Maggie. 💜

​

* By the way, to P.A.U.S.E. is to bring your body back into the Present-moment, Acknowledge Your Feelings, provide Understanding and empathy to yourself, allow the​ Holy Spirit in, and then Engage with your values. ​​​Learn more here.​​

​​​

​

113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​