Ways I Feel God's Presence

Sitting still and quiet

Being with pets

Being with the People of God

ELCA Deaconess Community140th Anniversary Assembly Planning Team

Service to Others

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMkYIXWly_w

Sharing children sermons at Sunday's Worship

Teaching yoga to anybody who will give it a try!

Hanging out with Koinonia Friends💓

Reading God's Word

Here's some of my favorite verses from The Good News Translation and New Revised Standard Version Update Edition of the Bible:

• 16 Be joyful always, 17 pray at all times, 18 be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

• 9 Remember that I have commanded you to be determined and confident! Do not be afraid or discouraged, for I, the Lord your God, am with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

• For there is nothing that God cannot do. Luke 1:37

• I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 NRSVUE

• 16 But get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant. You are to tell others what you have seen of me[a] today and what I will show you in the future. Acts 26:16

Prayers

I especially like this kid version of The Lord's Prayer:

Dear God our Father, who lives in heaven there is power in your name. We trust your ways…from your kingdom in heaven all the way down to earth where we live. Please provide all we need today. Forgive our mistakes as we forgive those who make mistakes against us. Help us to make good choices and protect us from all that is evil.

www.gatherandgrow.co/faith-tools/the-lords-prayer-for-kids/

Songs

https://youtu.be/eBr9hXa3fac?si=x0hW-TBWv3R3NsYp

I really love the crescendo -- it explodes to what I think God's Presence feels like in my heart.

https://youtu.be/eBr9hXa3fac?si=x0hW-TBWv3R3NsYp

This just makes me want to dance!

https://youtu.be/yOEviTLJOqo?si=rwA_66QZqbIKUntu

This one sparks joy! I love to sing it as LOUD as I can🎝

How do YOU feel God's presence in your life?

Calm and Strengthen for Confidence and Courage

 Begin with a fold . . .

Child's Pose with knees wide 

Hold all the shapes for 3-5-10 breaths, whatever feels good and right is.

Open the heart with the Sphinx Pose, elbows under shoulders and "moving" towards your ribs.

Strengthen the back muscles of the upper body, lower body or both!  Try this shape 2 to 3x

Rest in Child's Pose

Find a plank that works for you today: table, forearm plank, half plank, full plank

(https://sites.google.com/site/zipadeebee/resources/plenty-of-planks?authuser=0)

For more core strengthening, practice the boat (dog bowl) shape.  Again, find the modification that serves you well today.

Next, side plank with gaze down, if that makes your neck happy,

or looking up!

Happy Baby Pose for relaxing, good for digestive processes

Savasana in shape that is most comfortable, breathe easy, and rest

[If you wear glasses, you can remove for added relaxation]

Meta Meditation

https://youtu.be/T6qJg8-EKok?si=RbPnYwf7BfcH0mVX, 4 minutes

"May you be happy."

"May you be healthy."

"May you live life with peace, ease, and grace."

 

Create in Me Friends

 

Day One - Gold and Silver Friends (gold and silver beads)

Day Two - Animal "Friends" - snake friends are sneaky, turtle friends stay in the shells, shark friends bite, kick, punch, and pinch, sheep friends just follow along without thinking things through, monkey friends are out of control and hurt people "on accident" - TEDDY BEAR friends help people feel safe and valued!  The listen and share God's love with their hearts, hands, and feet. (teddy bear, snake, sheep, and turtle charms)

Day Three - Friends Remember, Think, and Pray (smile charm, brain, and prayer hands)

Pick 20ish beads of colors you like.  You will cut off excess wire after threading the beads so don't completely fill the wire.  The wire is too flimsy for too many beads!

Thread the silver disk shape bead then follow with the silver.  Put two beads on and follow with the gold.

Thread two more beads of your choice and follow with each animal charm!  Two beads, animal charm, two beads, animal charm, two beads animal charm.

Thread two beads and follow with the smiley face bead, two beads and brain charm, two beads and the prayer hands.

Finish with the 2nd silver disk shape bead, cut the wire, and bend the wire to stop the beads from sliding off the end of the bracelet.

This mnemonic is a souvenir for Create in Me 2024 Morning Stretch Time🎨🖌

Ideas for Vagus Nerve Stimulation

 

http://insightfulnutrition.ca/the-vagus-nerve-its-many-roles-and-functions/

On July 27, Sister Sara Galyon's First Call Cohort in Southeastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America shared ideas for stimulating the vagus nerve or tenth cranial nerve which regulates calm in the body!  Here are some of those ideas to remember:

• Dip your face in cold water, take cold showers, drink cold milk
• Chanting or singing
• Yoga
• Loving-Kindness Meditation
• Positive social relationships
• Slow and Deep Breathing
• Laughter
• Prayer
• Probiotics
• Gentle exercise
• Massage
• Fasting
• Tai Chi
• Gargling
• Seafood
• Oxytocin (you touch your hands over your heart to release)
• Zinc
• Acupuncture
• Chewing Gum
• Eating fiber
• Sun exposure

A good book to explore more is Vagus Nerve and Overthinking: A Guide to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve and Declutter Your Mind, Techniques to Stop Worrying, Relieve Stress and Anxiety, Overcome Chronic Illness, Trauma and Depression. by John Harper.  These good ideas are from his text.