Skin Deep Exposures Issue 3

ISSUE [3]: JULY 2013

SKIN DEEP EXPOSURES EXPOSING BEAUTIFUL FROM THE INSIDE OUT 2013 © NAOMI MAUTZ PHOTOGRAPHY

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Exposing Beautiful FROM THE

INSIDE ,

OUT.

©Naomi Mautz Photography 2

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I am wife and mother of three. I love the outdoors, hiking, rock climbing, camping, soccer, basketball and barbecues. When not behind a camera, I can often be found curled up in my favorite chair reading a book or star-gazing with my husband and kids.

I started my own photography studio in 2009. As a Photographer, my passion lies in seeing beauty in unexpected places. I use my photographs to tell a story and I go into every job searching for the little things, the subtle details that create a unique insight into my subjects. While my portfolio includes a wide range of styles and mediums including commercial, advertising, fashion and landscapes, my true passion lies in photographing people. I am a people- watcher by nature and I have always been very sensitive to others. I tend to be able to pick up on subtle things about someone that others don't normally see. I love shooting portraits because it gives me an opportunity to use my camera to paint beautiful portraits of people that reveal different pieces of them in their uniqueness.

My passion to find the uniqueness in others is what inspired the Skin Deep Exposures Project and later the Magazine. I believe it is so important for each of us to discover who we are within ourselves and then learn to truly live in that discovery. We all have so much to offer beyond what we look like. It is such a shame to be chained in by the expectations of a society that insists we be identified by what is on the outside. Our skin is such a small piece of who we are and it does not sum up our worth. My hope for this magazine and this project is to reach as many women and girls as possible and inspire them to find their inner beauty. I hope to help this generation of women learn to love themselves for all that they are and all that they are not and to be an inspiration to the next generation to do the same. I am so humbled by the amazing team of men and women who have chosen to take on this project with me and let their voices be heard. As you read through our magazine, we pray that you would find hope, encouragement and maybe a few laughs. We hope that you will be inspired to find the depth of your own true beauty from the inside out.

God Bless,

Naomi

<>< EDITOR-­‐in-­‐Chief Naomi Mautz 3

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A Legacy of Brotherhood

BY MICHAEL MAUTZ

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From left to right: My Great Uncle Ted, Great Uncle Perry, Great Uncle Richard, and My Grandfather Robert.

All four of these brothers served during World War II. My great uncle Ted was posted as a guard for an American POW camp. My great uncle Perry was sent as reinforcement into the Battle of the Bulge and was killed by a sniper. My great uncle Richard was an Army Paratrooper who served in the Pacific during the war. And his twin brother Robert, my Grandfather, was a Ball Turret Gunner in a B17 Bomber serving in the Air Corps. My grandfather was shot down in 1943 over France during his first bombing run. He was taken to Poland and later Germany and was held as a POW for 18 months before being released.

From a young age I was instilled with a deep love for my country, a sense of honor and a duty to always take a stand for what so many before me have fought and died for. The military was handed down through the generations of my family; it was a right of passage. I remember sitting entranced as my grandfather recounted terrifying stories of war, impossible tales of heroism, gut-­‐wrenching memories of loss and sacrifice and awe inspiring accounts of friendships and the bonds of brotherhood. My Papa too would tell stories of honor and duty from his own years served in the Navy during the Viet Nam War. The moment I turned eighteen I knew what my future held, I knew the path I would travel. Mine was to be a life lived upholding the great honor and duty that had been so deeply rooted in my heart since childhood. There was such a great since of pride and purpose as I left home, sea bag slung over my shoulder, headed off to boot camp followed by service in the United States Navy as an electronics technician. I spent six years in the service of this great country. The Navy afforded me a specialized education, trained me in a career path that I was passionate about and showed me the world. The Navy showed me what it meant to be a man, to stand for something bigger than myself and it embedded a pride and accountability for the sacrifices this country was built upon. I never saw war during my time in service and I have a deep respect for those who have. I am thankful for the men and women who continue to serve our country. I have a deep gratitude for those who fight for the rights that each one of us often take for granted. These men and women are true American Heroes. They are the shoulders upon which our freedom is carried. I will never forget those who have served and those who have died to impart those rights to me and I will be forever proud to call myself an American.

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As we celebrate Independence Day through this issue of Skin Deep Exposures, I want to pause and thank all the brave men and women who fight for our rights and freedom every day. I know I’m sometimes overwhelmed by the bravery and courage they show in the line of duty. It is because of their willingness to put their life on the line for our liberties that we can enjoy the comforts and privileges of being an American.

I’ve never had to make a decision that could have cost me my life. I’ve never had to take a stand at the cost of my own safety. I’m thankful that I’ve been able to enjoy such a safe and secure life, but I often find myself wondering, “What if?” I am constantly thinking of scenarios that would test my faith. What if I lost everything, would I remain firm in my faith? What if I knew I was dying, would I be strong? What if I had to fight, would I bravely face my enemy? Most often I find myself wondering, when the time comes for me to stand up for what I know is right, do I possess the courage to do it no matter the cost? Do you?

-Melinda Thompson

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Contents

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EDITOR’S LETTER

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A LEGACY OF BROTHERHOOD

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CONTRIBUTORS

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HALF- BAKED HUMAN

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ONCE UPON A TIME

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REFLECTIONS

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IN THE DETAILS

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THE DADDY DIARIES

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WHAT IS SKIN DEEP EXPOSURES?

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EXPOSED FEATURE

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ON THE COVER

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EVERYDAY HEROES

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BYGONE BEAUTY

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HEALTHY LIVING

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THE MALE BOX

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CREDITS

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THE POET’S VOICE

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JOIN THE PROJECT

On the cover 35

SKIN DEEP EXPOSURES 7

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Photo by Naomi Mautz

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SKIN DEEP EXPOSURES Magazine

editor-in-chief

NAOMI MAUTZ creative services m anager

MICHAEL MAUTZ senior editor

JOE CARNS contributing editor

WENDY CARNS

production assistant

GIDEON THOMPSON features contributors KATY MARTURANO, MICHAEL MAUTZ, NAOMI MAUTZ, PHIL STRUSKA, MELINDA STRUSKA, MELINDA THOMPSON, CHRISTA WOLFE

features manager MELINDA THOMPSON at mthompson_sdep@gmail.com advertising materials contact MICHAEL MAUTZ at mjmmedialab@gmail.com

subscriptions naomimautzphotography.com/SDEmagazinesubscribe/

subscription rates / information U.S. print 12 issues: $79, single copies: $12, back issues: $15 ($2 from every subscription goes towards cancer awareness and research.)

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Contributors

NAOMI MAUTZ editor-­‐in-­‐chief

GIDEON & MELINDA THOMPSON production assistant features manager

JOE CARNS senior editor

MICHAEL MAUTZ creative services manager

WENDY CARNS editor / writer

KATY MARTURANO features writer

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MELINDA STRUSKA certified personal trainer

CHRISTA WOLFE features writer

PHIL STRUSKA guest writer

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HALF-­‐BAKED HUMAN We all have embarrassing and hardto-live-down experiences in our lives, especially as we age, right?

I certainly hope so, due to the fact that I seem to have more than my fair share of these mortifying times.

Times when I am sure that my only option is to put a bag over my head, pitch a tent in the mountains, where no one can find me, and attempt to grow a beard. I had one of these experiences a while back, during what I thought would be my very last physical therapy appointment. If you were trying to guess and have already run through the obvious, and not-so-uncommon disasters of fainting, hurling, or ill-timed flatulence, you would be wrong.

There is at least one more disaster, of which I will relate in order to educate others, who may at some point in time, be in the same predicament.

Read the rest of this article by Christa Wolfe on page 21

THANK YOU Firefighters and First Responders!

Photo by Naomi Mautz

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Once Upon a Time there were two friends who loved to dance and play and imagine they were fairy princesses in a far away magical kngdom…

BY NAOMI MAUTZ

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Advertise your Business in SKIN DEEP EXPOSURES Magazine!

(SEE PAGE 60 TO FIND OUT HOW)

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SKIN DEEP EXPOSURES I reflections

“Your present circumstances don't

determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start.”

-NIDO QUBEIN-

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY NAOMI MAUTZ

IN THE DETAILS

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HALF -­‐ [BAKED Issue [#]: Issue Date] HUMAN continued from page 12

By Christa Wolfe Allow me set the story up a bit. I have a right knee injury in conjunction with preexisting connective tissue damage, which forces me to endure cruel and unusual torture. A well-meaning physical therapist, a female aide and a male aide administer this torture. The male aide is the co-star of this story. He is a wonderfully sweet 25 year-old cutie-pie surfer dude whom I will call Max. Max is notorious for his ability to maintain calm and control in the most difficult of circumstances. I am his newest nightmare.

Now, as I was flying through my exercises and counting the minutes until I was finished and free to live my life without rocking shuttle balances, torturous rock boards and Total Gyms, (just to name a very few) I was introduced to the devil's own workout machine. This particular instrument of torture is called the Kin-Com. In order to use this device, I must have my injured leg strapped against an arm that has the ability to move up and down at lightning speeds, carrying my hapless, injured limb with it.

There is nothing that I can do, short of yanking the plug, to stop the machine once it has started. It was as I am enduring the persecution of the Kin-Com one day, that the physical therapist notices that my leg is shifting within the casing of the device. This is causing me to be launched forward every time the control arm starts to move (remember: lightning speed). He yells for Max to strap my leg in tighter. Max hits a pause key on the computer and yanks hard on the strap to tighten it, and then starts it back up.

It still isn't tight enough, so he tries again.

Max is pulling with all of his strength, thinking that surely he is hurting me. He has forgotten that I have pushed five people out of my body and am virtually impervious to this pathetic effort to make me admit that I am two seconds from biting him. Once I have been tightened, Max turns the machine back on and despite his best effort it is still shifting. The physical therapist then tells him to strap the seat belt around my waist.

SEAT BELT!!! So Max stands in front of me and begins to search for the straps of the belt, which are hanging down the sides of my seat. In all of the confusion, he completely forgets to hit the PAUSE button on the computer. He doesn’t realize that he has a mere 15 seconds to find the straps, wrap them around me and click them into place before take off. Not a huge deal really, except that he is straddling the control arm that has my leg attached to it. Yep! Without any warning I am suddenly pumping front kick after front kick into this poor fellas Casanovas. Sure, he went about four feet in the air after the initial hit, but he had to come back down and sure enough my witless leg was waiting for him. (Lightning speed I tell you). Well, I screamed, he screamed, and the physical therapy audience erupted.

Without any warning I am suddenly pumping front kick after front kick into this poor fellas Casanovas.

I slapped my hands over my face, with my leg still flying through the air and waited until the uproar died down. When the torture ended, I peaked through my hands to make sure that Max was gone. After quickly confirming that he was, I exited the vehicle with zero grace and went to lie down. The female aide iced my knee during which time I am sure poor max was snuggling up to his own ice bag. The physical therapist then informed me that I would be coming back for at least 2 more sessions. I thought this was my last visit and that I would never see poor Max again, but alas, the physical therapist, apparently needs more entertainment in his life. Maybe next week Max will wear a cup.

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Most Popular

✔

Most Likely to Succeed Most likely to be a Star Most Likely to be on the cover of a Magazine Most Likely to Write a Novel

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Senior Portraits…

How will you be remembered?

naomi mautz photography

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NAOMI MAUTZ PHOTOGRAPHY

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The Daddy Diaries

“MY TWO CENTS”

Imagine This…

As a dad, I feel it is my job to encourage a creative imagination in my kids. My wife has done an excellent job with this in regards to the arts but I tend to have a different approach. I distinctly remember playing with my action figures (NOT dolls!!!) as a kid (oh, and recently with my kids toys when no-one is looking!) There were many adventures had as a result of my very vivid imagination. I'm talking death defying HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) G.I. Joe parachute jumps down the open abyss of the stairs into the unknown dangers below. There were deep sea (bathtub) adventures avoiding man-eating water monsters (my older brother).

One of my G.I. Joes even braved the intergalactic mysteries of deep space in my model rocket kit. He was joined by a live frog we had drafted, who was not too thrilled about the mission, he seemed a little jumpy.

As ninja T.V. shows grew popular I once tried to pop an actual tire with an ACTUAL ninja star. I quickly learned not to believe everything I saw on T.V. as that insanely sharp weapon bounced off of the tire and abruptly reversed its trajectory barely missing my brain.

After I recovered from the narrow escape, I turned to see that it had securely embedded itself into the thick wooden fence directly behind me. So you get the point, adventures were had and, on more than one occasion, were ordered never to be had again.

Despite all the fun that a vivid imagination can bring, I found early on that there is a definite bad side to uncensored exposure to the frightening side of the coin.

My mom used to come home with a stack full of VHS tapes (anyone remember those?) of one specific genre, horror! Perhaps my imagination is running wild here but I vividly remember her grinning at me across the couch as she said, "There is no way I am watching these by myself so you will have to watch them with me." Thus the back-to-back horror-thon would ensue. Needless to say, my Imagination and I suffered through many childhood nightmares. Years later (like a couple of weeks ago) I learned to cope with my nightmares. After waking up sweating and panicking I taught myself how to go back to sleep and, not unlike the movie The Matrix, would re enter my nightmares lucidly and then systematically hunt down whatever scared me and decimate it with whatever super powers I deemed worthy of the task.

Now that I have kids I want to somehow pass on this acquired skill of using the imagination for fun, creativity and fighting common fears. We do our best as

By Michael Mautz

parents to explain that there are no monsters laying in wait in closets or under beds and that God is infinitely greater than the biggest, scariest monsters they could think of. I like to add that, if monsters do exist, daddy has developed an acquired taste for them and if any of my kids thinks they have spotted one they should immediately grab the salt and pepper and point me in the right direction. They usually get a kick out of this.

Upon being frantically shaken awake very early one morning by my little girl who had just had a monster nightmare, I excitedly asked, "Is it breakfast time already?" I was rewarded with a wrinkled look that said, "Dad, your being silly." The monster was soon forgotten when giggles ensued as I climbed out of bed claiming that now I was hungry and went in search of the elusive monster.

Recently, my son, a very literal kid, melted my heart when he told me about a nightmare he had had. He went on to explain that he had attempted to go back into the dream to defeat the scary thing as I had suggested but that it hadn’t worked. I asked him why it didn't work to which he replied, (dead serious and quite frustrated), "Because I took you into the dream with me and you kept eating all of the monsters before I could get a chance to get them!" J I believe you have become "too old" only when you have lost your sense of imagination. A popular commercial when I was a child was set to the song, "I don't want to grow up, I'm a Toys-R-Us kid..." It featured grown men and women playing with toys when no one else was looking. I remember thinking that this is how I wanted to be when I got older (my wife can attest I never actually "grew up"). Yes, being grounded in reality is important and has its merits but there is something to be said about a healthy imagination. It is important to keep life in perspective and there is a powerful magic that comes from the wonder of a childlike imagination. My kids are still young and the world seems to be fighting to make them grow up way too fast. Why do we rush our kids into life lessons of the heartaches of reality and crushed hope? Right now magic lives in the hearts of my children in the form of Santa and the tooth fairy and super dads who eat scary monsters for breakfast. That magic is their innocence and I for one, hope they never lose that twinkle of possibility in their little eyes.

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In the heart of every woman lives a little girl, a princess waiting to be rescued from her tower.

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BRITT NICOLE gold You were walking on the moon, now you're feeling low What they said wasn't true, you're beautiful Sticks and stones break your bones, I know what you're feeling Words like those won't steal your glow, you're one in a million This, this is for all the girls, boys all over the world Whatever you've been told, you're worth more than gold So hold your head up high, it's your time to shine From the inside out it shows, you're worth more than gold Well everybody keeps score, afraid you're gonna lose Just ignore they don't know the real you All the rain in the sky can't put out your fire Of all the stars out tonight, you shine brighter This, this is for all the girls, boys all over the world Whatever you've been told, you're worth more than gold So hold your head up high, it's your time to shine From the inside out it shows, you're worth more than gold So don't let anybody tell you that you're not loved And don't let anybody tell you that you're not enough Yeah there are days when we all feel like we're messed up But the truth is that we're all diamonds in the rough So don't be ashamed to wear your crown You're a king you're a queen inside and out You glow like the moon, you shine like the stars This is for you, wherever you are

NAOMI MAUTZ PHOTOGRAPHY

This, this is for all the girls, boys all over the world Whatever you've been told, you're worth more than gold (So hold your head) So hold your head up high, It's your time to shine From the inside out it shows, you're worth more than gold So don't be ashamed to wear your crown You're a king you're a queen inside and out.

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WHAT THE [SIssue KIN DEEP EXPOSURES PROJECT? Issue IS [#]: Date]

The SKIN DEEP EXPOSURES Project is a call to action, encouraging women everywhere to stand up against insecurity. It is a challenge to discover a beauty that is more than SKIN DEEP in order to be an example and an inspiration. The next generation of beautiful girls deserves the chance to become amazing women and it is up to you and I to set the example for them!

Find out more about the SKIN DEEP EXPOSURES Project by visiting:

naomimautzphotography.com

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CHRISTA

Photos by Naomi Mautz

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The Interview ME: Christa! I am so excited to have you as part of the Skin Deep Project. You have such a beautiful story. To start, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

CHRISTA: I am a military wife and a mom to five children who are my life. My husband is in the Air Force and since he has been gone for so much of my children’s lives, they are very close to me. I was raised in a military home, with my dad being a chaplain in the Air Force and my mom, a full-­‐time nurse. I have four siblings and none of us really had a full-­‐ time parent to care about what we were doing from day to day, or to encourage us to be better because we were precious. I want my kids to know that I care, and that I think they are amazing. My self-­‐esteem is very damaged and I do not want that for my own kids.

ME: What inspires you?

CHRISTA: I am most inspired by people, particularly children, who are enduring devastating illness, injury or loss, and they still manage to maintain their faith in God and remain hopeful of His plan for their life.

ME: When you have time to yourself, what are some of the hobbies or activities that you enjoy?

CHRISTA: I love to sing. I also love art, drawing and painting. I love the English language. I find it so beautiful, and so I also love to write.

ME: What unique gifts, talents or qualifications do you have? These can be things that come very naturally to you or things that you have worked very hard to achieve.

CHRISTA: I am a very simple person. I am probably most qualified to wear a hot dog uniform on a street corner! However, I do think that I have a gift for listening to others. It is often hard to find someone who understands the need to just be quiet and listen. So often people just need an ear to listen to them and not another mouth to instruct them.

I am also good at making people laugh in situations where their first instinct is to cry.

ME: Tell me something about yourself that most people may not know. Is there some characteristic or quality you have that makes you unique?

CHRISTA: I am a very ritualistic person. I have developed a bedtime ritual at night with my kids.

I have to go around and say prayers and kiss each of my babies the exact same way every night.

After they fall asleep, I always stand over them and thank God for giving them to me and then I run my fingers down their necks to make sure there is nothing that could choke them. When they go off to college, my husband may have to get used to me checking him for choking hazards at night! J

ME: Describe any phobias, fears or inner struggles that you deal with. Is there a reason behind them?

CHRISTA: I do not like snakes at all.

Fundamentally, I think maybe the lack of arms and legs might be the issue.

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“Beautiful a hard word.

Issue i[s #]: [Issue D ate] I think my heart and the way I care about other people is the most beautiful thing about me.”

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“I am very close with my kids. I think my calling in life is to be a mom.

My kids will be the first to tell you that I am always on top of what is going on in their lives.

They call it smothering… I call it my responsibility as a mom.”

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“The greatest compliment for me is when someone tells me I am like my mom.

She is the most beautiful, caring person.”

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“I love to laugh and make others laugh. I laugh the most when I am with my kids. We like to joke around with each other a lot.

We can be pretty obnoxious sometimes and even in public places we often get sideways looks. I want my kids to be confident and to know that they are truly loved no matter what.

I don’t want to hold them back.

Having fun and knowing that my kids are happy are the most important things to me.”

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Issue [#]: [Issue Date] However, my greatest fear is losing the people I love. I know that I will see them again, but my selfish human side wants to be able to hug them and know that they are at least within the realm of a phone call at all times.

ME: Tell me something about yourself that is often misunderstood, something you wish more people knew about you.

CHRISTA: I was terribly overweight until my second year of college, so I have never been a confident person. I struggle in large groups, but thrive in one on one situations. Since college my face and body have changed enough that acquaintances from childhood do not recognize me. People who are new in my life, though do not know a lot about my history and they often struggle to understand why I am not more outgoing. I tend to be very introverted and socially distant at first, as a force of habit I guess. It has always been a defense mechanism for me to hold back instead of being rejected. For the most part others judge me very early on as being aloof and self-­‐absorbed. I am really none of those things, I am just careful.

ME: Tell me about a particular experience in your life that caused you to recognize a deep, genuine beauty in yourself or someone else.

CHRISTA: When my grandfather passed away, my mother stepped forward as caretaker to my grandmother. My mom had five children of her own to take care of and my grandmother was very sick, and completely bed-­‐ridden. My mother would lift her every day to do all of the undesired necessities such as changing bed pads, changing diapers, bathing, inserting and extracting catheters, administering insulin and maintaining a very strict diabetic diet. My mother also took Grandmother in for all of the necessary tests and screenings, surgeries and yearly exams. My mother nursed Grandmother through a mastectomy as the result of breast cancer, a diagnosis of Hep A and Hep B, congestive heart failure and numerous bouts of pneumonia.

the interview continued

from page 30

The most humbling part was that my grandmother was an incredibly mean person. Through the course of my mother’s life, my grandmother was extremely abusive to her and told her that she did not love her.

In spite of a lifetime worth of pain that my mother endured at the hand of this woman, my mother took beautiful and loving care of her. Mom had five of her own children at home, a husband who was gone a lot for the Air Force and a full time nursing job. My mother did not have to care for my grandmother, and no one would have blamed her if she hadn’t but she chose to anyway. My grandmother lived for six years after my grandfather died. She was very loved by the child she had neglected and abused while it was her responsibility to be the caretaker. My mother taught me what true unconditional love and forgiveness looks like and she remains one of the most truly beautiful people I have ever known.

ME: What is the legacy you hope to leave behind for your children and those whose lives will be affected by yours?

CHRISTA: I want my children to remember me as someone who was always talking to God. I want my legacy to be one of a prayerful woman always seeking God’s will. I want to be remembered as someone who saw the needs around her and then did something about them. And most of all, I want my children to remember me as a mother who was deeply proud of them and loved them more than they will ever know, unconditionally.

Watch Christa’s Video Interview online.

Naomimautzphotoblog.com/sdemag

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On the Cover:

CHRISTA Age 39 She loves to paint, sing, play the drums, writing comedy and being a mother to her five children.

Her husband is currently serving in the United States Air Force.

“I love being a military wife!”

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NAOMI MAUTZ PHOTOGRAPHY

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WHAT IS A HERO? The simple definition of a hero is, someone with compassion, empathy and a willingness to stand for good no matter what. We recognize the heroes among us who serve in the military, fire department, police department and an array of medical professions. Are these the only heroes among us? I think not. I fully believe that each and every one of us has the capability of being a hero.

Let me share with you a morning that changed my outlook on life and restored my faith in humanity. Have you heard of the Pay It Forward movement? Neither had I until I walked into a gas station one morning.

Stumbling through the double doors, I went straight to the coffee machine avoiding eye contact of any kind. I was on a mission. I needed at least a sip of coffee before I could be pleasant to anyone, let alone a convenient store full of strangers. I poured my cup, took a sip and proceeded to the counter to pay.

There was a short line but people seem to move aggravatingly slow at gas stations. I felt my patience waning as I sent up a prayer that no one in front of me had the need for a lottery ticket. The line consisted of three of us. A lady at the front, a man behind her, and I brought up the rear. We all three yawned and hugged our newly acquired coffees.

As the lady in the front stepped forward to pay, I heard her say, a little too cheerfully for so early in the morning, “I’d like to pay for my coffee and that of the man behind me”. I think everyone was stunned for a second. The clerk gave her a weird look but rang up both coffees. More than a little shocked, the man awkwardly offered his thanks. In response she smiled and said, “Just remember to pay it forward” before turning and skipping out of the gas station.

In response she smiled and said, “ Just remember to pay it forward”.

BY KATY MARTURANO

EVERY DAY HEROES

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I couldn’t help but smile, and I wasn’t even disappointed that the man in front of me failed to pay it forward and buy my coffee. In fact I was disappointed that I was the last one in line and had no one but myself to buy coffee for.

That simple act brightened my whole day and now if I have some extra money I do the same thing for an unsuspecting stranger. It’s not expensive to buy an extra cup of coffee and it has such a huge impact.

Paying it forward doesn’t always have to cost money. Even something as small as a kind word to someone can make all the difference in their attitude and outlook. We’re all in this together and sometimes we forget that. We tend to focus inward and ignore the fact that we could be the change we wish to see in others. I think it is time all of us open up and see the strangers around us. We never know what is going on with the guy or girl in line behind us at the gas station. Maybe we could be a hero for them by just sharing our heart, a smile or an extra couple of dollars for a cup of coffee. Anyone of us could be someone else’s “hero” today.

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BY MELINDA THOMPSON

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Rahab: An Unlikely Hero

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BYGONE BEAUTY

Our world is changing, that is undeniable. Our nation has largely turned away from God. There is no fear for his wrath and no reverence for his mercy. As the scripture says in Isaiah 5:20, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” If I am faced with the opportunity to stand up for what I know to be right and true and good, or sit quietly, what will I do?

One woman, Rahab, had to make these difficult choices. Beyond her courage, compassion and decision to do what was right, the most beautiful thing to come out of her story was the display of God’s grace. In Joshua 2 and Joshua 6, we are given the story of Jericho. The people of Jericho were an immoral people. Through their defiance and deviance, they had brought on their own destruction. God’s anger burned against them and he planned to utterly destroy them because of their unrepentant hearts. When Joshua sends two spies in to scout the city, God puts into motion the beautiful story of Rahab, an unlikely hero.

Rahab was a prostitute. If you’re like me, you tend to categorize sins. These sins are worse than those sins, and that person is worse than this person. But all sin separates us from God, (Isaiah 59:1-­‐2). When I hear the word prostitute, or harlot as it says in the NASB, I immediately make a judgment. I know that was purposeful and that God used Rahab to teach us about his goodness and his grace, but more on that in a minute.

When Joshua’s two spies snuck into the city of Jericho, they found shelter in the home of Rahab. The King of Jericho was notified that there were spies in his city. He sent word to Rahab and told her to hand over the spies in her home. This is where Rahab earns her place in the heroes of faith hall of fame. Faced with an impossible decision, one that put her life and the lives of all of her family on the line, Rahab chose to hide the spies. She chose to risk everything for something she knew was right. This woman, a lowly prostitute, knew in her heart that God was in control. She tells the spies that she knows “the Lord has given you the land.” She shares with them how all of Jericho heard about the miraculous things God had done for his chosen people and how the knowledge of these things terrified the rebellious city. In short, they knew they were next on the list to be destroyed.

Here’s the best part; Rahab then says to them in Joshua 2:11,

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BYGONE BEAUTY CONTINUED

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Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

-HEBREWS 11:1-

“When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.” Even though the city was in a state of fear and despair, Rahab believed in the one true God and his power to save. This faith and belief gave her courage to do something dangerous, crazy even, because she knew it was right. She protected the men of God and in return asked them to spare her when they destroy the city. But she didn’t just ask them to spare her life. Rahab pleaded for the lives of her entire family. Because of her faith in God and her courage to act in the face of danger, her and her family were spared.

If placed in a similar situation, would you make the same choice? Could you do what you knew to be right even if you were afraid? Could you do it no matter the price? I hope that the courage and faith of Rahab gives us all the strength to follow her example, even in the face of adversity. There is more to this story than just the message of faith and courage. The fact that God chose Rahab, a woman who made her living through sin, to fulfill his will is so important. He chose a woman who was looked down upon and despised to become a hero for his nation. We are told in Joshua 6:25, “Rahab the harlot and her father's household and all she had, Joshua spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.”

It is important to realize that Rahab’s life was spared, but more than that, she was saved. She was embraced as one of the chosen people of God because of her faith and her courage to act on that faith. Isn’t this our story also? We are lost, condemned to die, and defined by our sin. It is only by God’s grace and the gift of his son Jesus Christ that we are saved. It is not because of who we are because we are no better off than Rahab. God showers his love and grace on us when we have a repentant heart and chose obedient to the Gospel of Christ. There are no stipulations, no past too heinous for God to wash away. As we are told in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Let us not only rejoice in God’s grace, but also increase our faith and take a courageous stand as Rahab did.

Just as we remember to thank the soldiers who live courageously, risking so much every day and sometimes laying down their lives for the sake of our freedom, let’s not forget to look heavenward, thanking God, who gave the sacrifice of his son to release us from sin and grant us ultimate freedom. Today I challenge you, my fellow beautiful, courageous women. Let us stand up for what is right, for what is good, for what is noble for what we know in our hearts to be true, no matter the cost.

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Healthy Living Issue [#]: [Issue Date]

By MeLinda Struska As a personal trainer I have a deep desire to help adult and teenage women become the people they were meant to be. I don’t believe God wants us to be unhealthy and overweight. It hinders us in our daily schedule of school, work and family. It can also limit our enjoyment of many activities life has to offer. We were created individually with our own shapes and figures and what is right for you is between you and God. I am here to guide you on your way. I want to encourage you to make good choices in order to live a healthy life daily.

One of the most common things I hear is, “I don’t have time and I don’t have money and healthy living is both time consuming and expensive!”

It doesn’t have to be. Living a healthy life isn’t always about joining a gym and shopping at expensive grocery stores. Living healthy is about getting into the habit of making healthy decisions.

Healthy decision-making can be achieved by taking control of these four important areas of your life.

YOUR THOUGHTS- positive thinking goes a long way in determining the decisions you ultimately make throughout the day. Keep your thoughts focused on uplifting things and visualize the future.

YOUR FEELINGS- Eating makes us feel good and certain foods make us feel really good… for a minute. When we are not careful it becomes easy to fall into the habit of making eating an emotional experience or even a form of temporary therapy.

YOUR ACTIONS- It is important to separate the act of providing your body with sustenance from the act of eating to fulfill some unmet desire or sudden urge.

Do not make decisions compulsively. Stop and ask yourself what the consequences will be.

Photo by Johannes Mercier Elliott

YOUR CONNECTIONS- Learn to see food as a means of nourishment and fuel for your body. Listen to your body and learn to recognize its natural signals. Don’t allow those signals to be misinterpreted by letting emotions such a stress, boredom or insecurity act as translators.

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10 Things You Can Do Today

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“Living a healthy life is all about getting into the habit of making healthy decisions.”

Photo by Johannes Mercier Elliott

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Total body circuit workout.

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Photos by Johannes Mercier Elliott

1. Push Ups-­‐ This exercise strengthens your arm muscles. It is performed by lying face down with the palms of your hands on the floor straight under your shoulders. Keeping your body straight from head to toe, push your body up and down using your arms. For a beginner’s version, keep your body straight from your head to your knees, and keep your knees resting on the floor.

2. Leg Lifts-­‐This exercise strengthens your glutes and hamstring. It is performed by getting down on your hands and knees and slowly lifting your leg behind you in an arc as high as comfortable. Slowly bring your leg back to the starting position and repeat for 30 seconds. Switch legs after 30 seconds.

3. Jumping Jacks-­‐This exercise strengthens your cardio endurance. It is performed by jumping to a position with the legs spread wide and your hands touching over your head and then returning to your feet together and your arms at your sides.

4. Bicycles-­‐This exercise strengthens your abdominals. Lie with your lower back pressed flat on the floor. Place hands gently behind head. Lift your knees to a 45 degree angle. Slowly go make the motion of pedaling.

Alternately touch your elbows to the opposite knee as you twist back and forth. Make sure you breathe throughout the entire exercise.

5. Bicep Curls-­‐This exercise strengthens your arms, especially your bicep. Stand with a dumbbell in each hand. Elbows should be close to your waist. Rotate your hands until the weight are facing up with your palms tightly squeezed. Curl the weights forward or up until they are at shoulder level. Slowly, bring the dumbbells back down to the starting position

6. Jump Rope-­‐This exercise strengthens your cardio endurance. You remember this from elementary school. Swing the rope over your head, and then jump through each time it reaches your feet.

A hop or skip is fine.

7. Calf Raises-­‐This exercise strengthens your calves. To perform this exercise, stand with the front half of your feet on the edge of a step or flat, raised surface.

If balance is an issue, rest your hands on a wall or railing. Raise your heels until you are standing on your tiptoes. Slowly lower your heels to the starting position.

8. Wall Sits-­‐This exercise strengthens your quadricep muscles. It is performed by sitting against a wall as if there were a chair underneath you, and sliding down to form two right angles at your knees and waist. Your feet should be shoulder width apart.

Safely do as many repetitions of each exercise as you can in 1 minute. When the minute is complete, switch directly to the next exercise until you have completed all 8 in the circuit. Use a stopwatch, clock, or phone app to keep track of time. Start with one time through the entire circuit, and add additional circuits as you are able.

Always warm up before beginning to exercise, and also cool down and stretch after your workout is complete. (Before beginning any exercise routine, consult your Doctor.)

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Photo by Johannes Mercier Elliott

Are you enjoying your life as it is right now? If not, give these simple ideas a try. You will have more energy and you will be proud of your accomplishments.

When you feel great from the inside out, it shows. Having confidence makes you look and feel beautiful. Take the 30 Days of Healthy Living Challenge. Use the accountability calendar on page 50 (download your copy HERE) and put it on your refrigerator. Mark off each day that you live healthy. Let me know how you did. I am excited to hear from you!

Let’s get started living a healthier lifestyle.

MeLinda Struska

Certified Personal Trainer with the IFPA MeLindasFitness@gmail.com

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Eat or Be Eaten?

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Beauty from a Man’s Perspective

The Male Box

BY PHIL STRUSKA

Photo by Naomi Mautz

Have you been bombarded with ever-­‐present Internet advertisements and articles that over-­‐ simplify life? “Ten steps to never have a dirty house again.” “One Weird Trick to a Flat Tummy.” “Six ways to attract any man you want.”

“Eat one fruit and have boundless energy.” People often think that extreme solutions must categorically be better fixes than balanced ones.

Balance sounds boring. It is way more fun to say, “I lost 45 pounds eating quinoa and hazelnuts!”

It is easy to get caught up in extremes, but in my experience, a life of balance makes a woman attractive.

We all know someone who won’t consume so much as one tablespoon of ice cream because, “It’s not on my diet.” The flip side is someone who sits down to a triple cheeseburger and extra-­‐large fries and justifies the poor decision with, “There’s just more of me to love.”

Extreme attitudes are rarely an attractive approach to life. I find that

all of us have the qualities that we need to be attractive people, but we often slide off the chart to one side or the other by not balancing our attitudes. An example that quickly comes to my mind as a guy is the extreme of confidence versus humility. Women are often challenged to have confidence in their abilities, skills, character, qualities, and appearance. You are told, “You can do anything you can dream up,” right up until you dream you can fly without a plane and decide to test that dream at the Grand Canyon. The danger of so-­‐called “confidence” taken to the extreme is that it turns into cockiness and narcissism. This causes people to be too full of themselves to be open to the input of others. They miss out on becoming a better person by listening and accepting advice and perspective form anyone outside of their own opinions. To live in over confidence also causes us to run the risk of not learning from the mistakes of others, because it creates in us a pride that encourages the idea that our own devices are good enough.

Cockiness robs us of the pure joy of injecting positivity into someone else’s life without looking to get something in return...other than joy and fulfillment. When do give a compliment or encouraging word as someone consumes by over confidence, we become offended when we are not offered the same in return. Over confident, cocky people are never fun to be around because everything has to be about them. It quickly becomes exhausting to others.

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Photo by Naomi Mautz

The balanced version of confidence eliminates the extremes and polishes off the rough edges with some humility. You may have heard someone described as having a “quiet confidence.” They are open to the input of the important people in their lives. The approval of their loved ones is enough and they do not need to brag in order to gain respect or acceptance.

The flip side of an extreme confidence is self-­‐ degradation. While humility itself isn’t dangerous, there are those who, under the guise of pursuing “humility,” have fallen into the trap of self-­‐degradation. These are the people who are awkward to be around because their constant insults of themselves feel like fishing for compliments, and you don’t have the energy to be “hooked” today. You have probably seen picture captions on Facebook that typify this attitude. They say things like, “my chubby self on the beach,” or “My husband of 10 years; I can’t imagine what he sees in me.” People eventually give up complimenting and encouraging these people because every word is fought off with a defiance of self worth.

The key is to balance confidence with humility and avoid the unhealthy extremes. King Solomon (who knew a thing or two about women) said in Proverbs 27:2: “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.” The advice is not to turn down every compliment while insulting yourself, nor should we feel the need to let everyone know that we are the best. Let someone else compliment you.

Receive it with a polite, “Thank you,” but receive it.

The most beautiful women I have ever known are those who have a healthy sense of balance in all aspects of their life. Through this mature balance they become humbly confident, fun to be around and absolutely beautiful.

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There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right. Ronald Reagan. Courage is being scared to death... and saddling up anyway. John Wayne. Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin. Those who lack the courage will always find a philosophy to justify it. Albert Camus. Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage. Confucius. You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.

You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' Eleanor Roosevelt. It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare. Mark Twain. Character contributes to beauty. It fortifies a woman as her youth fades. A mode of conduct, a standard of courage, discipline, fortitude, and integrity can do a great deal to make a woman beautiful. Jacqueline Bisset. Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. C. S. Lewis.

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AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY GOLD BY BRITT NICOLE CAPTIVATING BY JOHN AND STACI ELDERIDGE NIELSEN DESIGN AND FABRICATION, LLC T ANTHONY CONSTRUCTION COLORADO DECK BUILDERS JOHANNES MERCIER ELLIOTT WENDY CARNS KATY MARTURANO MICHAEL MAUTZ MELINDA STRUSKA PHIL STRUSKA MELINDA THOMPSON CHRISTA WOLFE NAOMI MAUTZ PHOTOGRAPHY

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Her Life RememberedI held you in my hands when you were just a sparkle in your mother’s eye.

I gently placed you in your mother’s womb and watched you grow and come to life.

Those who loved you and love you still are too numerous to count And those whose lives you touched for me will one day before you give account.

Your life has been a gem, a precious stone amidst the sand And now my child the time has come to finally take my hand.

When your little form was born that day and placed in your mother’s arms, I whispered a promise in your ear to always keep you safe and warm.

Those who have gone before you are eager to look upon your face My child come near and know the warmth of my strong embrace.

I saw in your eyes an angel and I longed for you to be always near So I touched your heart and closed your ears so only my voice you would hear.

Come be my bride in heaven and don your angelic wings Sit beside my throne and close your eyes and listen to the angels sing.

I was with you as you grew and gave you strength in times of need And I watched you laugh and cry and love and always plant my seeds.

Your heart shone with a beauty that others can only seek And I sat with you for hours on end in the silence you would keep.

You learned to speak to others with a silent voice they’d understand All the love and warmth you spread to hearts you touched with elegant hands.

Your life, not always easy, was carefully guarded by my wings.

And although your ears were deaf, my angels to your heart would sing.

You made me smile daily as you joked and teased and played And in my heart I gathered all the laughter those around you made.

When you found yourself alone and facing some despair, I wiped your tears and took your fears and placed you in another’s care.

Those you leave behind will mourn and miss the daily glow of your heart But your smiles will be felt from heaven and from your memory they will not part.

Your life will be honored and remembered in the hearts of the children, women and men You touched and blessed as they await their own days in heaven to embrace you once again.

Publish your Poetry Do you have an original work of poetry? Share it with us and yours could be the next Poet’s Voice.

You were my earthly angel and your heart so full of love I gave you to another family to bless as I protected you from above.

You’re health began to fade, but I was never far away I lent my own heart to another who would care for you each day.

My hand was always on you as you experienced both joy and strife And I gave to you the friendships of my saints as you journeyed through this life.

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