My Heart…

by lovesdoves, posted in Emotional Health, Physical health

I am a healthy woman! I AM a healthy woman! I am a healthy woman!

I feel that way! I look that way! My complete blood assessment and urinalysis says so too!

Yet my little blood pressure machine tells me a different story.

I was mystified. Honestly. My body mass index is perfect which means my height to weight ratio is appropriate. I eat wholesome, nutritious and mostly organic foods. But my blood pressure has consistently been hovering around 160/110. For those unfamiliar with blood pressure numbers, it means that I am classified as Stage 2 Hypertensive with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, or kidney damage. I am unimpressed with that. Completely unimpressed. And concerned. Which causes my blood pressure to rise…

My dad and my nonna both took blood pressure medication, and even though I am related to them, my lifestyle is (almost) completely different than theirs was. I receive consistent chiropractic care, I choose to eat well with minimal grains and minimal sugar and minimal high fat animal protein, I don’t smoke, I don’t take any prescription drugs, or use any street drugs, and only enjoy a glass of wine very occasionally. (My son-in-law, Dr. Burns, tells me that could be the problem… I need to drink more! Ha!) I drink coffee, and I like to dine out, but for the most part, I would say, and I do say, that I live a healthy life-style.

Except that nasty blood pressure machine mocks me. Beeping and flashing it’s little heart at me…

So I have been working on a new equation… new chiropractic adjustment, fresh set of supplements, including adrenal support, chlorophyll, and valerian root, breathing music to lower my heart rate…

and these are my new best friends…

Yes… in fact, they are flat shoes. Yes… in fact, they are athletic shoes. Yes… in fact, I have been walking for 5 days now. Simply walking. In my quiet, comfortable neighborhood. For free. Enjoying the fresh air. And the benefits that I have seen in just a very short time.

WALKING. It’s hard to believe that something so simple could be so effective. I thought I was too busy for this in my life. I thought that eating pure and healthy, receiving chiropractic care, taking proper supplementation, and loving on my family, my friends and my God would be enough.

For two months, I resisted those flat walking shoes, giving those other new choices a chance to make a change. And then each day since Saturday, my blood pressure reduced by 5 points! Just from putting on those shoes and walking! Breathing fresh air, and exercising my heart muscle! It is producing what I perceive to be a miracle!

This morning my little BP machine sang out the numbers 130/87. No beeping. No flashing.

And I can live well with that.

Love… Dad

by lovesdoves, posted in Emotional Health, Family health, Spiritual Health

I walked back inside our home with tear-stained cheeks, and wondered if the crew foreman from Siebenthaler’s had ever had to deal with a weeping woman as he did his job… as he and his team simply, yet meticulously, planted a white oak tree.

They were done and ready to move their equipment to a new delivery site… he had watched me walk around the tree several times, taking photos as I moved slowly around it’s trunk, then he got back out and walked over to me… he said… “I’ve never seen one so perfect from all sides… from ever angle it’s beautiful”. I looked up at this burly man, after watching him remove the remains of a bradford pear that had grown there for 20 years and move the dirt with grace and precision to establish a home for this new tree that would grow to be 75 feet someday, and his soft words registered with me… and I explained to him why my husband had gone out to their nursery to chose this specimen, a straight tree with an exemplary shape… why it was so special to me that they had taken the time to make it so perfectly right for us… why it wasn’t just a tree, but a symbol of the love that a father has for his son… a symbol… that he had written about ten years before for his eldest son’s surprise 40th birthday party.

A couple of months ago, after Jim had died, I found this note that he had scribed to Terry. This treasured poem was healing, filled with sentiments of adoration, and it provided a plan of action. To replace a tree that we had lost with a white oak tree in remembrance of Jim’s life and his love for nature, trees, and conservation… something relevant to his life… something that was of importance to him… something that we will see each time we leave our home and as we return… and we will think of him… and I know that he is pleased…

“Happy birthday, son – they tell me you’ll be forty,

I guess I knew that anyway – or at least, I “orty”.

I’ve been your dad for all those years and you have made me proud,

A statement I’ve made many times out loud.

Proud not just of your profession or your fatherhood,

which would be enough for some,

But proud to have retained your love – and of the man that you’ve become.

Forty years is nothing, if you’re a white oak tree –

It means that you’ve grown straight and tall – and reached maturity.

In the forest of life with other trees, your rightful place you take,

The secret to remaining strong is to bend, and never break.

This lesson you have seemed to learn, and the pleasure that it brings,

I hope that you will stand so long, they’ll have to count your rings.

This secret celebration has us all about to burst – I must admit it

But your birthday’s not ’til the twenty-first

And that’s when you’re “gonna” get it!

Love… Dad”

This year’s feast…

by lovesdoves, posted in Family health, Physical health, Social health, Spiritual Health

I get to prepare the Thanksgiving feast! It’s a huge, gigantic blessing to me… to combine foods and herbs and spices together and cook or bake or roast them for just the right amount of time perfuming the air with anticipation of something delicious… it’s a part of who I am! I love it when guests enter our home and say, “OOOOoooooo, something smells gooooood!”, knowing that it will be just a matter of hours until we are seated altogether, serving and giving thanks to God for every provision.

I have found over the years that the traditional meal is the one that my guests enjoy most. I used to scour cookbooks for a month beforehand searching for unique and unusual recipes for preparing the turkey and all those luscious side dishes. I remember one thanksgiving at our little house on Wright Avenue, everyone was coming over including my grandparents from Boston and I was honored to be hosting the grand event! I found all kinds of new and innovative things to serve, and I busied myself getting everything just right because I wanted it to be so special for them.

I don’t remember the menu, but I do remember my grandfather telling me I was a fussy cook. It wasn’t an insult, because he savored what I was serving, and he loved me with his whole heart.

It was a reminder.

Of what’s important.

It’s ALL about the people we love and the time that we get to be together. Over the years I have come to realize that the traditional menu and those flavors were enjoyed most because they were familiar, they were Thanksgivings gone-by and the memories that came with the meal were as important as the meal itself. So I have embraced those Thanksgiving traditions. Now I only change the appetizers that are served as warm-ups to the real meal! So this year’s menu at the McCoskey home will include:

APPETIZERS

Brown-sugared Bacon-wrapped Smokies

David’s Skyline Chili Dip with tortilla chips

Cheese Wafers with Jalapeño Pepper Jelly

Old-fashioned Shrimp Dip with crackers

Sausage Cheddar Nibbles

Mushroom Pate Purses

Gingered Almonds

DINNER

30 lb. Roast Turkey & Gravy

Traditional Bread Stuffing

Sweet Potato Casserole

Spinach Souffle

Whipped Golden Potatoes

Laureen’s Green Bean Casserole

Janet’s Pomegranate Salad

Fresh-from-the-cob Creamed Corn

Assorted Cranberry Jellies

Home-made Dinner Rolls

Butter

DESSERTS

Mom’s Assorted Pies

Lily’s Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle

Acorn Cookies

It will be a feast, for sure. And there will be laughter and joyfulness as we reunite with our families. This year marks the first year that we will be including our very own grand baby and I know that over the coming years the events of our lives and our children’s lives may be cause for changes in the traditions. So I will stay flexible in the future and welcome this moment now… this year’s feast… this year’s togetherness… this year of thanksgiving in 2011…

Live Well.

Longer pants

by lovesdoves, posted in Emotional Health, Family health, Physical health, Social health, Spiritual Health, Uncategorized

I am not a scale person, and I am not particularly fond of tape measures.

But this is what I know, my pants are getting longer!

Which means they are looser!

Which means that fat is melting away!

I just slipped into my size 2 jeans. They are the only pair that I allowed myself to keep during a closet purge awhile back. Because I was hopeful.

And today I am having a little celebratory dancing-with-myself party!! In this sassy little pair of jeans!

Here is the best part of all… because of the Yoli Better Body system and a tiny bit of willpower, it only took me 7 days to lose 14 pounds! In just one week, jeans that didn’t fit last Sunday… fit me perfectly today!

The only reason I am sharing this is because I know there are people that are struggling with their weight right now, which leads to struggling with their health and well-being in every aspect of their lives… physically, mentally, socially, spiritually, sexually.

Let me be transparent… when I am carrying extra weight, physically, my body is sicker than it should be, working harder than it could be… mentally, I feel depressed because I am not taking control over something that I can be in control over… I find it more difficult to be social, because I feel self-conscious… spiritually, I know that if I’m abusing food, or being gluttonous, then I am against God’s will for my life… sexually, well, when I am not feeling particularly sexy, I just want to hide in the dark, or perhaps get a mysterious “headache”. “Not tonight” isn’t fair to my husband or to me… sex is an important element of our marriage, and a good sex life helps deal with the every day stressors of life and it keeps me connected to my husband… it’s one of God’s gifts to every one of us in a marital relationship!

So if you could be better, would you choose to be better?

When you are ready to begin living well, we are here. And we can help.

Living Well Spine Center… 937-878-1071

Sands of Time

by lovesdoves, posted in Emotional Health, Family health, Spiritual Health

This past weekend I brought home a little bag of sand from our oldest daughter’s home in Savannah, Georgia. I do that. I collect earth from the places that we visit.

I am very nostalgic, and aside from photos and videos, I look for special ways to archive memories, so they can be revisited whenever I want to peak back in time. When we traveled, Terry would find a hat, or a wicked awesome t-shirt to take home, and the girls would find little things that intrigued them that would make their way back with us, too, but I loathed the process of searching through the tourist trap gift shops with all their trinkets and novelties. To me, those objects didn’t represent the time that we had spent together and would hold little long-term meaning as I looked back over my life and the memories that we had created as a family in fabulous places around the world.

 

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So I started collecting the earth… sand, soil, rock. I would find the perfect spot to scoop up a handful of this God-hewned memorabilia and sift it down into a vessel for transport home to Ohio where I store each in a magnetic container in my living room. This display is an organic, meaningful, changing piece of art. I am mesmerized by the differences in the samples that I’ve acquired. Each is so diverse in color and texture, completely unique to the area that it came from, whether it was the beaches of Italy where my grandfather used to play, or the beaches of Cape Cod where my brother and sister and I played, or the beaches of Virgin Gorda where our daughters played, each is so special to me because of the time that we had spent there with the people that we love.

As I was preparing this sand for its new home here with us, I had a revelation. That just as sand shifts and changes constantly, so do our lives. Sometimes we are prepared for those changes and sometimes they happen regardless of our thoughts or expectations. And though the landscape of our lives is ever-evolving… developing and growing and uncertain at times… I still find magnificent beauty in it. I actively choose to appreciate each day with thankfulness and joyfulness, and for the new opportunity that it represents to serve God and the people that He loves.

Another thing that I have come to understand and embrace… when I resist it the least, when I let God do the sculpting of my life, that is when it’s the most effortlessly beautiful, just like the sand dunes of the Cape. That’s when my heart is at peace, that’s when I can be in the present moment, or enjoying the memories of the past with my collection of earth. Resisting resistance is part of my living well life.

 

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FINALLY!!

by lovesdoves, posted in Career Health, Emotional Health, Financial health, Physical health, Social health, Spiritual Health

…after years of searching and exploring, we’ve finally found the BEST system available for losing weight and gaining health that goes above and beyond detoxification! It’s called Yoli: The Better Body System and we are truly encouraged by the reports that we have from the {blessed} test participants that have had the opportunity to preview the products!

It is a simple system that uses high quality ingredients that contain NO artificial sweeteners, NO soy, NO preservatives, NO colors. Just follow the fast track weekly calendar and your body will be transformed into a fat-burning machine. You will regain your health and well-being all while attaining the body of your dreams!!

To give you an idea of how the program works, here is the 7 day Fast Track and Fast Track Plus quick reference calendar:

If you are interested in pre-ordering the Better Body System 30 day Transformation Kit available before November 1, 2011, you could save $114.00! Please contact me at LisaMcCoskey@gmail.com or through this blog post for the specifics!

Take the 30 day challenge with us! Your body, your mind and your spirit (and your pocketbook) will be glad that you did!!

You’ll be Living Well!!

Silky, Savory Soup

by lovesdoves, posted in Family health, Physical health

As the weather cools, my cooking brain shifts into soup, stew, and casserole mode.

And last evening, after a rainy and gloomy day, I had my heart set on some Savory Mushroom Soup. I love it’s earthiness and the delicious flavor and the way the sherry, added at the end, reminds me of working at the Marriott’s Panache in Columbus where God prepared for me to meet my future husband, who, it turned out, does not share my love of mushrooms!

But last evening worked out perfectly, as he had a dinner meeting to attend, and I had everything that I needed to prepare this simple, silky soup. Here’s the recipe:

Savory Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons organic olive oil

8 ounces of mushrooms, coarsely chopped

1 cup red onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/4 cup organic all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups organic no-chicken broth

1/2 cup organic half&half, optional (if not using, increase broth by 1/2 cup)

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 Tablespoon sherry

Directions:

Add the olive oil to a medium saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft, then add the chopped mushrooms and saute until browned approximately 15-20  minutes. Add the flour and stir while cooking for 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until thickened. Boil for 1 minute, lower heat and add the half and half. Heat through and remove from heat. Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with croutons and sherry on the side… to add just before dining.

Prepare your own yummy and delicious soup and Live Well.

Lisa

Ribbit…

by lovesdoves, posted in Emotional Health, Family health, Social health

 

 

 

 

I am particular. There I’ve said it. Some may call it “fussy”, “bossy”, “controlling”, or “tyrannical”.

I prefer, “meticulous”, “specific”, “thorough”, “accurate”, “exceptional”, “distinct”. Period.

When it comes to planning things, events, parties, building projects, other projects, home-school curriculum, weddings, and trips, I like everything to be efficient and well-organized, and most probably, including an itinerary. In my mind, the best way to have the best time is to prepare a masterful agenda, and that way nothing is left to wonder about. Or worry about. Or forget about. To me… it’s the logical way to do things. My family refers to this as “doing it the FROG’S way”… a term of endearment that goes back to my childhood… something that I’ve shared with my daughters as a little girl story from the time they were born.

Not everyone appreciates my stringent guides. Some believe that having a schedule doesn’t allow freedom for fun. Some believe that having a schedule actually takes away the fun. I witnessed this with my own eyes as I happily and joyfully presented Caitlin with the itinerary for her wedding weekend. I was delighted and exhilarated knowing that everything was prepared, had a place, had a time… was organized… and systematized. As she started reading page one (of three), her smile slowly and steadily turned upside down. Her eyes became narrow slits. Her shoulders drooped. Her question, “When is the fun suppose to happen, Mom?”

I didn’t understand her dismay. Our brains function from completely different directions. Of course, I have taken multiple personality assessments, because they provide the order and understanding that I desire. And we are, for sure, opposites in that regard. But the love that I have for her surpasses my need to understand. And I told her she didn’t have to look at the agenda ever again. That she could go about having the time of her life, the entertainment that she seeks, the adventure that she needs, and behind the scenes, I would tend to my list, follow the schedule, and keep everything punctual.

Based on her reaction, I can guarantee that she was not at all impressed with my planning skills and I felt like I had let her down, stolen her joy and squashed her free-spirited nature, but Friday night before the wedding, she came home with a surprise for me… unplanned naturally… and delightfully spontaneous.

It was a beautifully hand-crafted, green glass frog… a loving reminder that I AM the frog… and despite our differences… my little tadpole loves me back…

Embrace the differences and live well.

Lisa

Heavenly Father, Creator God

by lovesdoves, posted in Emotional Health, Spiritual Health

Sometimes… sometimes I’m not even sure where to begin….

so I pray through the power of God’s Holy Spirit…

Heavenly Father, Creator God, in Jesus Christ’s name, I seek you… I am desperate for your strength, as I search for answers that only You have… that aren’t even mine to know, so please just provide peace in the truth that you are in charge, that even when everything feels unbalanced and chaotic, that You see everything, that You know my needs, You know the Truth, and that You are still powerfully and righteously in control… I praise you more than ever, God… now more than ever… Amen

How do you live a decade in 3 months? A husband’s emergency surgery, the birth of a first grandchild, the diagnosis of lung cancer, a botched surgery, and the subsequent death of a father, a couple of kidney stones, an IRS summons, the completion of a youngest daughter’s high school education, the celebration of an oldest daughter’s wedding, and the return of family to their new homes… far away… while still running a business, and renting some property and striving to maintain equilibrium while your state of being is frayed and torn and is teetering towards destruction.

Survival was dependent on God alone. Pouring my heart into Him, allowing Him to rescue me from this emotionally broken place… as He takes me to family who understands, and as He places friends in my path who care, and as He shares His Love Letter with me in a personal and individual way through His Presence in the stillness of the morning…

And, to the enemy’s dismay, the wounds of my body and soul become healed… with thankfulness and joyfulness, hopefulness and faithfulness… blessed by the knowledge that God would never leave me nor forsake me, with my heart turned towards Him as I continue to pray to be used in every possible way for the good of His Glorious Kingdom… because of who He is, because of His Love for me… I am saved…

Pray and live well.


The Simple Things

by lovesdoves, posted in Emotional Health, Family health, Spiritual Health

This evening as I waited for word about my father-in-law, a man who gently stepped in to be a surrogate dad for me, a man who raised his sons to be men, a man who knew he was fighting the fight of his life, I prepared a simple meal. As I prayed and waited…  I sat with the simplest things… foods grown from God’s rich soil, plentiful life-giving water, and His Word… and in that moment there was clarity of thought, and purpose, and mind… it was in that moment that God reached to me, and reminded me that all was well,

that I should cling to those simple things; the joyfulness of the baby’s laugh, the hummingbirds as they flit and fly around their feeders, and the deep love that we share with our family and friends…

and to remember that no matter what it is on earth, this is not the end…

Have faith and Live Well.

Lisa