You fill up my senses, like a night in a forest.
Like the mountains in springtime, like a walk in the rain.

Like a storm in the desert, like a sleepy blue ocean.
You fill up my senses, come fill me again.

Come let me love you. Let me give my life to you.
Let me drown in your laughter. . . .

Let me lay down beside you.

Let me always be with you.

Come let me love you; come love me again.

Thank you, John Denver, for writing the words of my heart. Truly one of the most beautiful songs of all time. Also, you should know that sometimes I pretend like you’re still alive. I’m equally fond of imagining you in Heaven, friends with this guy. I’m fairly certain that the two of you would be a great fit.

PS. Lincoln, you were DETERMINED that I get a picture of you doing a handstand in the water. As you can see, your determination almost paid off. . . sooooo cloooooose.
PPS.Thank you for hosting us Grandma and Grandpa Great. We sure love you a million.
PPPS. Rediscovered this tonight as well. Oh my. Tears (and a standing ovation of my heart) every.single.time. So much in this world to be inspired by. Everywhere you look.

PS. Dear Instagram,
Thank you for making the life of the every day blogger infinitely. . .
well, better, in every way.

This morning, I was packing sack lunches with as much satisfaction as I’ve experienced in the entirety of my life (in sincerity).

Tears of gratitude streaked across my face as my soul joyously proclaimed, “What else matters, but lunches?!” (Yes, this description truly necessitated the ridiculousness of language like, “joyously proclaimed,” so get off my back.:))

In that messy moment, not a thing in the world mattered to my heart more than the mouths those lunches would feed. Not a thing.

“Our shadow by day” is a line from a hymn that I love.

Our shadow by day. . . I never realized the significance, until I moved to the desert. The difference between the shade and the beating heat of the sun, can very literally mean the difference between life and death.

The spiritual parallel is astonishing.

You see, I’ve felt so broken. So disoriented. So utterly small and completely overwhelmed.*

Then, I stepped into the shade. I stepped into His rest. And nothing has been the same.

As I actively seek my Father in Heaven, I find him. As I actively seek that spiritual shade, so to speak, my life is more fulfilling in every way that truly matters (and in most of the ways that don’t).

My brown paper sack at 6 in the morning . . . my shadow by day. Visit Orlandomagazine.

No matter how you slice it, God is there, and He is great.

(Psssst. You matter to Him, SO MUCH, by the way.)

*These feelings are part of the path we walk, those of us “who know.” All of these feelings are lingering symptoms of the journey through grief. That said, they are also symptoms that come as the result of other overwhelming, life shattering, circumstances faced by each of us every single day. Please don’t think that I’m EVER trying to compare battle wounds. Because I never am.

I’m deeply sorry for the lame-O post, but I simply cannot help myself. I just have to tell you!

I am absolutely, completely, unquestionably smitteny by Tide’s Pods.

The smell, the ninja-esque cleaning power, the all-in-one-ness. I die.

Amazing.

If they were a human, I’d have them over for a congratulatory BBQ to celebrate their utter awesomeness.

Buy them.

The end.

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(Seeing as I’m blogging from my phone, there is a high probability that the resolution on the above image is poor. I promise to remedy said problem, should it in fact exist, just as soon as I get home from field trippin’ it with Raleigh-Roo tomorrow at the science museum! Thank Jupiter it’s indoors. It was 107 degrees today! Somebody please remind Arizona that it is, in fact, still MAY. Good gravy!)

Post Edited to Include (at 10:02 pm the next day might I add): WHAT THE HECK PEOPLE! I knew the resolution would be bad, but THAT BAD?? How did none of you send out a search party and TELL ME?! Holy cow patty. Problem (finally) solved, no thanks to YOU. ;)

(And no, I am in no way affiliated with Tide. But thank you, all the same, for questioning the sincerity of my enthusiasm. Mwahahaha.)

 

Things That Happen to Your Body When You Stop Vaping

Evidence is stacking up that vaping, once thought to be less harmful than smoking cigarettes, causes lung damage—and can be deadly. It’s also addictive, making it hard for anyone who has started to now stop. Just know that the minute you kick the habit, your body will feel the difference, and the benefits start almost immediately.

What is vaping?

When e-cigarettes first hit the market in late 2000, they were believed to be a safer alternative to tobacco cigarettes, but now there is evidence to the contrary. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have counted close to 3,000 cases of the new vaping related lung disease known as EVALI (e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury). In statistics gathered by 29 states, the agency has recorded 68 deaths. And then there’s the potential for the habit to aggravate the symptoms of Covid-19, potentially leading to severe cases and increasing the risk of death from the new coronavirus. Try out phenq.

Vaping is deadly. It’s also addictive. Vaping with a JUUL can be as dangerous as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. When you vape, you inhale liquid (or e-juice) from a cartridge attached to the vaping device. In addition to nicotine, that liquid can contain dozens of other chemical ingredients and flavorings.

Kids and teenagers have been especially attracted to vaping, thanks in part to attractive flavors like bubble gum, mango, and mint. Vape use in high school students rose by 900 percent between 2011 and 2015, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.

In June 2022, the FDA even issued marketing denial orders (MDOs) to JUUL Labs Inc., forcing the company to stop selling and distributing its JUUL device and four types of its “JUULpods.” The move was part of a largescale effort by the FDA to put the vaping industry under a microscope, requiring companies to prove that their e-cigarette products benefit the public health by helping people cut back on or quit smoking. Though the agency later decided to temporarily suspend the order to conduct more research, there is still a federal push to regulate vaping and encourage the public to stop using e-cigarettes.

But quitting vaping can be difficult, just like trying to stop smoking. And while quitting can be hard on the body, you’ll mostly start to benefit as soon as you make the decision to kick the habit. Read on to learn exactly what happens in your body the minute you stop vaping. Read more at

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/565430/prodentim-reviews-new-report-on-this-chewable-candy-for-healthy-gums/.

The Best Ways to Quit Smoking

20 minutes later: Cardiovascular improvements

In as little as 20 minutes, “your heart rate returns to normal, your blood pressure drops, and your circulation starts to normalize,” says Nikola Djordjevic, MD, project manager of Med Alert Help.

Your breathing may improve, too: The two key ingredients in an e-cigarette—propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin—produce chemicals when heated that are detrimental to your respiratory tract, according to research published in 2018 in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. “When you quit vaping, you should find that your breathing becomes less labored and your airflow is clearer,” says Caleb Backe, a certified health and wellness expert for Maple Holistics.

A few hours later: Nicotine withdrawals

Nicotine is addictive, and you may experience some minor and temporary symptoms. “Acute nicotine withdrawal symptoms can be psychological and physical,” says Dr. Djordjevic. The psychological symptoms can include cravings for nicotine, mood swings, trouble concentrating, irritability, and anxiety, he says. Physical symptoms include “headaches, sweating, tremors, insomnia, increased appetite, abdominal cramps, and constipation,” Dr. Djordjevic says.

These are the first effects you’re likely to feel, often within four to 24 hours after quitting. These effects will peak around day three, Dr. Djordjevic says, “and gradually decrease during the following three to four weeks. So it will take around a month to break the habit.” If you think smoking e-cigarettes is healthy, these silent ways vaping impact your body may surprise you.

 

 

 

Caping, Sedona, AZ. Watching the sunset at the lookout on Airport Road.

I have been thinking.

A lot, actually.

About life. About love. About what really matters.

Not what I’m TOLD matters, but what sincerely matters to me. . . at the very core of who I am.

You know, this image is it. Nothing beyond that, nothing beyond them (all of them, pictured or no) matters a lick. Learn more about male enhancement pills benefits.

As I rest there, in THAT reality? I find peace. I find clarity. I find perfect direction. In this world, spinning at a maddening pace, I am still.

I am still.