The week of Thanksgiving! Here we are, friends!

Today’s chapter — “Jiggling” — is about tricking our busy and buzzy minds by moving our bodies.

I absolutely adore the opening quote by Richard Rohr:

There is such wisdom in those words. Often we believe we can analyze our way into breathing room. But what I’ve seen over and over again is that our practices, much more than our solutions, are what begin to deliver space and grace into our lives.

In this chapter, I’m talking about healing my mind by moving my body. Jiggling on an inner tube four months after having a baby, to be specific. Nothing like your entire body feeling like the world’s wobbliest jello salad to help you let go a tiny bit. Our minds can get so rigid, so focused, trying to pick apart all the tangles we’re facing. One way we can trick that over-active mind is by turning to our bodies instead. Getting outside. Going to yoga. Taking a walk in the woods. Jiggling. Moving our bodies, getting ourselves out into beauty, takes us out of our problematic heads and gets us re-integrated with our entire selves. This opens up space for God, for breath, for air, for love.

Not nearly enough, but sometimes, I go to this place:

This is a perfectly perched set of hiking trails overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Torrey Pines, here in San Diego. It’s hardly believable how beautiful it all is. When I go here, no matter what I’m turning over and over and over in this busy little brain of mine, life opens up. All of a sudden I experience a spaciousness I could have never willed myself into.

You may not live near a stretch of coastline. Or, you may. The point here is to think about a place that helps you get your body moving AND helps you ingest natural beauty. These kinds of places are literal balms.

Some of my favorite Christmas memories from growing up were the Christmases when my mom would load us all up in the car after we opened presents and drive us out to the beach where we’d walk . . . with coffee and hot chocolate . . . all bundled up and together. Maybe we tossed a football around. In my memory, we had the beach entirely to ourselves.

I’m going to do my best to get myself outside and into beauty these next six weeks as often as I possibly can. It will be the practice that helps all the meaning and significance of this season sink into my soul that much more deeply.

Additionally, I’m gonna do my best to pee when I have to pee. Eat when I have to eat. Sleep when I have to sleep. It’s the little things, people.

Yesterday, I helped out in my big kids’ Sunday School class. The emphasis was on Psalm 136 — a Psalm of thanks to a God whose love endures forever. Or, as it says in The Message, “His love never quits.” Such a gorgeous thread that is woven throughout this season, and everyday, the thread that holds us all together even we we feel like things are coming apart (Psalm 136:23, MSG):

God remembered us when we were down,

His love never quits!

Amen and so much love to you today!

Leeana

P.S. Be sure to stop back by on Wednesday, as I’ll be discussing chapter 22, “Practicing Plenty,” which just so happens to be a perfect lead-in to Thanksgiving. Can’t wait!