RockTheDesert

Fitness Friday

Today is my first themed blogging day - Fitness Friday. My purpose is to share snippets from my physical fitness journey as well as my spiritual fitness journal. Please comment...much more fun for everyone!

My typical Friday involves making final preparations for our worship celebration on Sunday. Last minute bright ideas - phone calls - stage set - charts in order, placed on music stands - tech station organized - tech elements tested. For me, it's not the end of the week but the beginning of the weekend. I like beginnings. They fuel my creativity and increase my overall excitement and energy levels. All in all, though, there's not a whole lot of physical activity involved in these tasks. If creativity and procrastination could be turned into a massive- amount-of-calorie-burning activity, I'd be really grateful - God???

Today I will be working out with friends at 8:15am at Fitness Together. We only have half a dozen of our prepaid sessions with a trainer left. Getting my body physically fit has never been so difficult, although, on our recent assessment, I improved in a lot of areas - my one-minute push-up test went up from 12 to 33. My bench pressing went up from 10@75lbs to 9@95lbs (don't mess with me!). Weight was about the same, measured in at 5 inches smaller overall, flexibility a little better, resting heart rate improved. This whole fitness deal is another beginning for me...beginning to live a different way, choosing to eat differently, making health & fitness a priority.

Earlier this week, I went to a "big box" gym with my sons. We took a tour. Listened to Ernest talk about the benefits of joining this particular gym. It wasn't a hard sell. My sons went ahead and joined. I sort of wandered through this maze of equipment and fitness-seekers, slightly depressed and terribly overwhelmed by the sights, sounds, smells of everyone trying to whip their bodies into shape. It was like I had discovered this whole sub-culture of society that I never dreamed existed. I thought I'd be more ready to join the gym. More eager to get started on a regular routine with 100s of others, treading, climbing, swimming, sweating, wolfing down ostrich jerky and drinking powdered mega-shakes, searching for my missing abs among the various pilates, yoga, and spinning classes.

How did our ancestors stay in shape? Did they have abs?










Evidently they did...

WCW - Crazy Love

It's Watercooler Wednesday - time to assemble the creative brain trust once again around the watercooler at Randy Elrod's Ethos blog - join me and many others at the cooler today - and check out this week's WCW post by Randy Elrod HERE! And to make it more fun, leave comments at all the blogs you visit!!

I just finished reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Loved it, underlined it, reading it again! It's an interactive read, meaning that Francis has included cool videos on his website designed to correspond to every chapter in the book. The website also contains an excerpt from the book - actually, all of Chapter One! Oh, and check out this interview with Francis. While I was cruising through the website, I noticed Francis has a new video blog - lots of fun stuff on there - this is one creative dude! Actually, he's the founding pastor and a teaching pastor at Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, CA. I followed several links on the church website and discovered Just Stop And Think and Echo Prayer. What a cool church!!! They are creating culture like crazy (no pun intended)!! From their "building project" (an amphitheater instead of a building) to their Bible college to their local and global ministries, they are "doing church" driven by Crazy Love...

My Friend Kelly

Today is Positive Post Tuesday - a blog carnival hosted by Brody Harper. I'm participating for the first time today...check out Brody's post HERE. Oh, and be a comment-writer today - we'd both appreciate it!!

I don't mean to brag, but I've got a lot of very cool friends - I'm blessed with a lot of great friends is more accurate. They all fulfill a different role in my life. And we are all interlinked in some mysterious way with God at the center. I'd like the whole world to meet my friend Kelly. Kelly is a positive person at the very core of her being. A stadium couldn't contain her "full-of-life" personality. I love Kelly because she tells it like it is but in a positive way. I love Kelly because she is an encourager. I love Kelly because life has thrown her some pretty wicked curve balls and she has emerged from the fog closer to God every time. I love Kelly because she makes me laugh. I love Kelly because she is married to Sam and he makes me laugh. I love Kelly because she loves my daughter like a daughter. I love Kelly because she is beautiful and sparkly and humble. I love Kelly because she walks with God and won't compromise her faith. I love Kelly because she used to be in Up With People! I love Kelly because, well, she lets me be myself and then doesn't let me get away with self-pity, bad thinking, or pride...she's not afraid to kick me in the pants when I need it the most, but always in a loving, build-you-up sort of way. We were in a wedding together recently - isn't she lovely (and sparkly)?


 

Orange Roses in La Jolla

Dan and I were invited to spend the Memorial Day weekend in La Jolla, California with a group of friends. Unfortunately, Dan was sick all week and ended up with a prescription for meds that made him extremely drowsy. We decided that I shouldn't miss the opportunity for fun. On Friday at about 11am,  I went to Southwest.com, made a reservation, headed to the airport, and flew into San Diego. I paid an extra $15 and got an "A" boarding pass. My good friend, Kelly, picked me up at the airport. We went to Ralph's and picked up a massive quantity of food for an extravagant pasta dinner then headed to La Jolla to join the rest of our group. I assembled an antipasto platter and bruschetta with shrimp and basil. Kelly put together a fantastic salad and incredible pasta (organic) with to-die-for marinara complete with chicken, shrimp and sausage. So good. Nothing like eating a big luxurious dinner at 8:45pm then letting it settle while sitting in the living room overlooking the Pacific Ocean, kicking back, talking, laughing, carrying on. It was great. Bedtime at 1am. Up at 8:30. Coffee in the living room, again, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. 11:30am we decided we were hungry. We headed down the hill to find some food. We landed at Cody's. Fabulous BLTs, chicken tostadas, fish tacos, chilaquiles, salads...so full, then we started a 5 hour walk through all of La Jolla (I do believe we covered every inch).
We walked and talked and walked and talked some more. The weather was fantastic; sunny with perfect breezes just when you needed them.
We eventually ended up at a house being remodeled by the same friends who hosted our weekend. They are empty-nesters and needed a project to keep busy. They bought a fixer-upper for a great price, tore it mostly down to the ground, and are re-building it to be a 2400 sq ft gem with a great ocean view. I loved the house, the neighborhood, the view, but I mostly loved the orange roses growing in their front yard.
I only wish that this rose smelled like orange.

Can't Wait for Third Day's New Album

Third Day rocks!! I've been a fan for a lot of years - one of the most memorable Third Day concerts I've been to was at the Mesa Amphitheatre - at night, under the stars, watching the stage come alive with the Come Together tour...awesome!

More recently, at Recreate '07, Mac Powell and Mark Lee led an intimate, acoustic worship session for us - I love it when I know all the songs...then they previewed the Glory Revealed album. So cool. Take some time to check out Third Day's very cool website and (3) blogs, they are great!

I can't wait for Third Day's New Album "Revelation" - it comes out July 29.  If you pre-order the album from a Berean store, you get a free t-shirt, so why not!?! You can also pre-order from Third Day's own website for an awesome price, check it out!! 

WCW - True Confession

This post is part of Watercooler Wednesday - a blog carnival hosted by none other than Randy Elrod on his outstanding, highly ranked Ethos blog. Check out Randy's WCW post - The Bible, Church & Wine and be sure to leave a comment on his blog AND mine!!

True Confession - I used to have a not-so-secret crush on Harrison Ford. For about 5 years, I had the best, most intense picture of him staring at the camera, set as my screensaver. My youngest son (14) recently told me that he grew up thinking that was a picture of my husband, Dan.  Although Dan and Harrison Ford don't really look at all alike, they both do tend to have shortly cropped brown hair with a minimal touch of silver here and there, they both have an adventure loving alter-ego, and they both have captured my heart (awwww, you didn't think I could be so sweet, did you!).

My sons and I are counting the hours 'til we can see Indy on the big screen...In the meantime, I have been exploring the Indiana Jones official website - it's highly interactive and packed with lots of fun things to click on! According to the countdown clock on the website, the adventure continues in 1 day, 1 hr, 26 minutes from NOW!

Are you in? Will you join me and 1000's of other Indy fans at the theater this weekend? Does your city have a Cine-Capri (super deluxe, extra large, hi-def screen)? Or will you wait to rent it or buy it for Christmas?
 

Lifework 2.0 - A Great Experience

My friend Audra, aka Krellfish, and I had the awesome opportunity to attend Lifework 2.0 in Franklin, Tennessee on May 6. We flew into town on Monday, and thus began an action & laugh-packed 2-1/2 days together. It all began with renting the car. It progressed to an impromptu pre-lifework "cinco de mayo" dinner at Pueblo Viejo's in Franklin.  Great conversation and food! On Tuesday morning, Audra and I managed to arrive 1 hr early at Lifework. Thought it started at 8am (5am AZ time). Instead, it started promptly at 9am. We sat in a vibey little coffee place called The Frisky Berry and shared a decadent cinnamon roll. Randy Elrod began the day with a powerful introduction using a presentation technique called pecha kucha.  After a morning filled with headier topics than I've ever dreamed of becoming enlightened about, we headed to Saffire for lunch. I had the Shrimp with Grits - amazing. Audra had the Chicken Fried Steak - even more amazing...

(turn up the volume)

Since we were dining with all new friends, I took a moment to go around our table and introduce everyone via my trusty little Kodak... (might want to turn up the volume again)

Tomorrow morning, Audra and I will finally meet up to de-brief on our Lifework experience and to hold each other's feet to the technology/innovation fire! I will post more on Lifework in a future post. I have 7 typed pages of notes to filter through and assimilate. This bright and shiny new world full of iPhones, twittering, mogulus, facebook and more, simultaneously beckons and threatens, with the give and take of learning curves, aha moments, implementation, triumph, defeat, and the overwhelming unknown. That's a pretty complicated sentence. Sorry about that.

Summer Rains

So, last Thursday, I was driving Michael to work at Chick Fil A on a hot, early summer day. I hadn't traveled more than 6 blocks when it started to rain. I fumbled in my purse for my trusty little Kodak. Had Michael snap a few photos so I could prove to the rest of the family that it really did rain.  The rain stopped right before I hit Scottsdale Road - about 30 blocks (10 minutes) of progressively harder rain. It was surreal. Once we crossed over Scottsdale Road, it was instantly clear and sunny. Bizarre. Today it is sunny and hot in Phoenix. When I left the house at 7:30 this morning, it was 90 degrees. I just checked The Weather Channel - we're at 106 right now at 2:50pm.

Creating WOW Product Experiences

Please read this article. I found it on Michael S. Hyatt's excellent blog "From Where I Sit." It will change the way you create worship experiences, product experiences, and life experiences!! I recommend printing out the main points and posting them where you can read, re-read and begin to internalize. This is one of the best articles I've read in a long time!!

Creating WOW Product Experiences

As I have said before, we don’t need more books. Instead, we need better books. Specifically, we need books that “wow.” But what is wow and how can we develop it?

The first step is learning to recognize it. Most of us have experienced wow moments. We just haven’t taken time to think deeply about them.

"She Reads" Cold Tangerines

"I believe in a life of celebration. I believe that the world we wake up to every day is filled to the brim with deep, aching love, and also with hatred and sadness. And I know which one of those I want to win in the end. I want to celebrate in the face of despair, dance when all we see on the horizon is doom. I know that Death knocks at our doors and comes far too early for far too many of us, but when he comes for me, I want to be full-tilt, wide-open, caught in the very act of life."

Just a short from excerpt from "Cold Tangerines" (page 231) to whet your appetite. For an audio sample of this excerpt plus a little bit more, click HERE.

This book can be read all at once. Or one chapter at a time. Or random chapters at a time, not necessarily in sequential order. It is raw and honest, funny and self-deprecating, beautiful and celebratory, and deeply satisfying.

Shauna Niequist is a masterful storyteller, with vibrant metaphors weaving personal stories and experiences together into a compelling, life-giving tapestry of real life. Check out her blog for more stories, pics, great links and three full chapters from the book!

Our newly formed book club, "She Reads", is reading "Cold Tangerines" in May and will meet for discussion, snacks & beverages on Thursday, May 29 at 6:30pm. For directions/RSVP, click HERE.

The Monster Workout

Well, I've been working out for 6 weeks, minus last week due to my whirlwind travel schedule (Nashville to Phoenix to San Diego to Phoenix). I hardly had time to rest last week, let alone work out. I did have the best of intentions, as did my traveling companion and fellow Lifework 2.0 attendee, Krellfish. I even dutifully packed my workout clothes & tennis shoes just in case the Country Inn Suites had an acceptable work out facility (it did but our timing was all off).   

So, in addition to being dead tired on Monday after an incredibly intense yet wonderful Mother's Day service on Sunday, I managed to acquire a massive head cold fueled by a raging seasonal allergy. I've been miserable all week and we've run out of kleenex more than once. I was in no mood nor physical condition to get out of bed on Monday and drive 30 minutes to Fitness Together, yet somehow, probably, mostly the "pay-in-advance" incentive, I found myself riding the Lifecycle at 8am, heading in at 8:15 for a brand new workout with Joe, called "The Monster Workout." I guess Joe is trying to keep our muscles and fat-burning mechanism at optimum levels by switching up our workout routines fairly regularly.
Let me just say, The Monster kicked my butt. As is our usual practice, we (the golden girls) headed over to the Good Egg for a quick, protein-packed meal and wind-down time together. Debbie insisted on paying for the food. That is, until the manager approached our table with the surprising news that a generous patron had paid our bill anonymously. Wow! That has never happened to me before. Quite overwhelming and confusing and humbling and touching all at once. We should have ordered the smoothies too!

Kalein Songwriting Retreat

"Kalein exists to provide a place to encourage and equip gifted artists and leaders to discover, develop and discipline their dreams. An esthetically pleasing and solitary refuge where respected and recognized master teachers provide personal training, encouragement and mentoring to small groups of leaders and artists."

Randy Elrod, founder of Kalein, has just announced the first-ever Kalein event:  a Songwriting Retreat and Master Class, taught by two of the finest songwriters in the world; Mark Lee (Third Day) and Bryan White (Country Music Recording Artist). This once-in-a-lifetime is being held at Round Cove, June 9 & 10, 2008!!

Auditions are now being accepted for only 6 songwriters. Go to the Kalein website HERE for an application. Also, just take a few minutes to cruise thru the Kalein website - you will be inspired by the depth of the vision for Kalein.

I visited Kalein in February and was blown away by its simplicity and beauty. It is absolutely breathtaking, with trees everywhere, clear blue skies, hills with incredible views, nature resounding with praise to its Creator. Click HERE for a detailed account of my visit to Kalein!

WCW - Epicurean Art

Today is Watercooler Wednesday - join me around the Watercooler at Randy Elrod's Ethos blog for a carnival of sorts - lost of creative, innovative bloggers posting once a week on topics related to arts, culture, creativity, etc. Join the fun by reading, commenting, and blogging!! Read Randy's post HERE!

Today, I'd like to introduce you to Jessica Foster Confections. As a disclaimer, I've never met Jessica Foster, I'm not a paid representative of her company, and I'm not a food professional. However, I am absolutely, totally, in love with her confections.

I first received two truffles in a cute little bag as a wedding favor a couple of weeks ago. After one tiny bite, I was instantly hooked. I've never tasted anything quite like these truffles. It's like they turn to liquid when they hit your mouth, melting and caressing every single taste bud for a brief second before taking your senses of smell, texture, and taste to an all new level.

According to her website, "For Jessica Foster, making truffles is an expressive epicurean art...As a gifted chocolatier, Jessica continues to develop new, enticingly exotic truffles that, with their rich, inspired flavors and natural purity, reflect the creative energy and love that she puts into each succulent piece."

My favorite flavors so far: white chocolate meyer lemon, dark chocolate orange ginger, milk chocolate honey almond. Huge sigh. Dreaming of which one to try next!

Anyone have a favorite form of Epicurean Art? Care to enlighten us and our tastebuds?