Sophie Woman's Magazine - July 2015 Issue

VOLUME 11 - ISSUE 5 / JULY 2015

INSIDE: Girlfriends In God ~ How will you come out of the storm? | Page 14 Sophisticated Women ~ Are you prepared to make a choice in your life? | Page 8 Me, Myself, & Inc. ~ Are you exercising your freedom? | Page 28

INSPIRATION ~ EDUCATION ~ MOTIVATION

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Heart from the

From The Editor: Judy Smith

“I’ve got a million of ‘em”. That is a line that Jimmy Durante used to say after telling a corny joke. I feel that way about stories. I have a million of “em”. When people ask me to speak at an event, I have to know what they would like me to speak on. My arsenal has a lot of topics that I have firsthand experience about. I have come through a lot of things in my life that fit in the category of “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”.

There were so many times in my life that I wish I would just had some more of the good and not so much of the bad and ugly. I really don’t feel that way anymore or at least most of the time. My flesh takes over every once in awhile and I want to throw myself a pity party but then I remember how very blessed I am.

Others bring out stories in me. While talking with a lady the other day, we were talking about our childhood and having siblings.

It brought me to a story that was so intriguing to that person, not because of me but because of the way things used to be. Here is what I shared with her.

Quite a few Saturdays we would load up the car and head over to my uncle’s house in downtown Newton. I would get so excited because I knew us kids were going to have some fun, one way or the other. My dad, uncle and a few others would get in a “friendly poker game” with some betting and some drinking....well, for my dad it was usually a lot of drinking.

end, you just went in and stayed through the next showing and the next....and the next! One price.

My youngest brother and youngest cousin were only about three years old at the time. We were loaded with popcorn, I paid the money and got our drinks and in we walked to a darkened theater with a huge screen. Right at that time, on the screen, a head went rolling down the stairs. We stopped in our tracks...movies weren’t rated back then although you really didn’t worry about sex or language, but horror movies were something else. Who knew Two On A Guillotine was showing?

My youngest brother and cousin started screaming and crying to the tops of their lungs and crawled under some chairs before I knew what was going on. It did not matter how much I bribed them, they would not be still, nor would they come out from under those seats.

People started yelling and walking out in the lobby COMPLAINING of all things. Could they not see that I was just a thirteen year old girl doing the best I could with a bunch of cry babies? Needless to say, it didn’t take long for the owner to come and ask me to step out in the lobby.

Turns out it was a good day for me. He knew us from being there many times before, taking up the seats all day long and he knew we were there for the long haul. He also knew where my uncle lived and he asked me if I would take those two brats....um, I mean those two boys home. He would give me all the popcorn, drinks and candy I wanted the rest of the day.

Two On a Guillotine turned out to be one of my all time favorite movies, even with heads rolling! I loved Cesar Romero.

Now I warn you....do not try this now! I used to pay 25 cents to stay all day and now I am lucky if I get in for less than 8 dollars and don’t be late because they don’t care if you missed the previews or anything else....out you go.

My drink and popcorn used to cost me 25 cents total and now.....

Oh, that was my corny joke. Remember, “I’ve got a million of um”. I bet you do too and I would love to hear some of yours!

This one particular Saturday, we just seemed to be getting in everyone’s hair. Since I was the oldest of the nine kids, myself and four younger brothers plus my uncles four kids, two girls and two boys, they made me an offer.

Here’s some money, you take all the kids and walk downtown to the theater and stay there the rest of the day. They even gave us enough money to get a drink and a bag of popcorn. We were ecstatic.

Had no clue what was on at the theater but it did not matter. Back in those days, you could go to the Five & Dime store and buy your popcorn cheaper and take it with you to the movies. Also, you could stay all day long if you wanted to. It did not matter when the movie started or stopped. Whenever you arrived, the middle or close to the

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Message from the Heart Reaching Your Full Potential Sophisticated Women

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Finding Extraordinary in Everyday Life

12

Girlfriends in God

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Refreshing Ways to Escape the Everyday

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Woven Together

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Freedom to Love

24

The Front Porch

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Me, Myself, & Inc.

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Bring Your Not-A-Lot

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Recipes for Life

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Cool Ideas for a Warm Day

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Day In & Day Out

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Fitness and Fellowship

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Bon Voyage!

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REACHING YOUR FULL POTENTIAL:

“I’m Coming In After You”

by Kim Fletcher, Life Coach, Speaker, Author

J

ust a few weeks ago, I met a friend for dinner at a favorite Mexican restaurant. When she came in, she was obviously shaken. She had been driving to meet me along the usual route which included a bridge that crosses over a local lake.

As she came onto the bridge, she noticed a woman unclothed standing on the bridge. The woman then stepped over the railing as if she was planning to jump into the waters below. My friend pulled out her cell phone, called emergency assistance and looked in her rear view mirror … she saw a man jumping from his vehicle and running toward the woman.

Submitted by Lauren Crump

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“I just prayed for her all the way here,” remarked my friend.

“I can’t help but wonder what was going on to make her life so hopeless.” We took time to pray for her in place of praying for our food.

Our meal was somber.

Just tonight, we met again. “Did you read about the woman on the bridge in the paper,” asked my friend. I had not, so she shared the story. As it turned out, the man who jumped from his vehicle was no less than a certified scuba diver. Isn’t it just like God to send a professional? He told his story to the reporter, remarking that as he approached the desperate woman, he told her that nothing was worth what she was about to do. He went on to tell the woman that she could jump if she wished, but he was coming in after her. He followed with the fact that he really wished she would not go in because he really was not in the mood to take that plunge.

She jumped as if she did not even know he was there. And he made good on his promise … he went in after her and pulled her alive to safety.

I thought of this woman tonight as I was driving home from dinner and how this man represents God’s great desire to rescue us from ourselves every day.

We strip off all garments of hope and step over the edge of the rail that divides the life He has planned for us from the life of our limited choices. What rail have you stepped over as you balance

pg 6 | Sophie Woman’s Magazine | May July 2015

on the edge of reason, considering jumping into the dark waters of hopelessness? Have you stepped into an addiction, into the despair of a broken relationship, into the darkness of an illness or a heartbreak that seems impossible to heal?

Even if you leap, freefalling to the death of His plan for your life, can you hear a splash behind you in the waters of your hopelessness? If you will be still just for a moment, you will also hear the voice, “I’m coming in after you.”

God keeps His promise. He always comes in after us, following us into our foolish choices and crossing over any rail that divides us from Him, longing to pull us to the safety of His loving plan.

The next time you cross over a bridge, think of this woman and all she represents for each of us. Then think of your loving God who stands on every bridge of your life, holding a life ring that bears your name. And make the choice at that moment to step back over the railing onto God’s side and allow Him to show you the way to safety, yielding to Him any part of your life that may appear hopeless. And if you make the mistake of jumping again, just listen for the splash behind you and for the voice, that unmistakable voice … and wait to be rescued. “I’m coming in after you … again!”

But the woman had a choice. We HAVE a choice. She had to decide, as do we, whether to surrender to His rescue or whether to take one last breath, dive under and drown … refusing to be saved from herself.

Will you and I surrender to His rescue? Don’t fight Him. Don’t try to save yourself … just give in to the One who comes from underneath as you are sinking into the dark, murky depths and lifts you out of the cold into the warmth of His eternal rescue.

This article was inspired by Kim’s highly valued relationships. As a Life Coach of global impact, Kim and her team would love to share these principles of influential leadership and cultural transformation with your group or organization. Contact Kim today for a FREE proposal on a powerful coaching partnership. You may contact her team of coaches and speakers directly at: kimfletchercoach@aol.com / 828 327 6702.

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Sophisticated

Women...

Wear Pearls

By Nicole Greer, PPCC Founder and Principle Coach at Vibrant Coaching

“The world is my oyster.”

From Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor:

Why, then the world is my oyster, Which I with sword will open.

Shakespeare is right. It’s true. Options abound everywhere.

Every day life asks us, “What will it be today?” This is a powerful question. And you stand in choice.

As a sophisticated woman, you can and must acknowledge that each and every day you are capable, resourceful and empowered to choose. You must pull out your sword and crack open the shell of your life.

Submitted by Jessica Hemphill

Discover your pearl.

An oyster creates a pearl to protect itself from a foreign substance that has worked its way into the shell. The oyster starts to secrete a chemical that surrounds the substance creating a beautiful jewel.

This can be your life.

Unwanted substances like bad relationships, 20 extra pounds, the wrong job, being seriously over committed, and a lack of something can slip into our life. Like the oyster, our aim is to get conscious, notice the grit, and take action. You, too, can create pearls.

Three Steps to that Transform Grit into Pearls!

1. Get Conscious! Start by telling yourself the truth. The facts about your current reality give you the data you need to survey the choices available. What unwanted substances have slipped into your life? I imagine there are several unwanted and surprising obligations, duties, tasks, or unpleasant realities you’d like to see transformed. A great self-assessment exercise is found in Richard Swenson’s book, Margins. Richard suggests that you take stock of your current “load” of obligations against your available “power”.

You’ll get up close and personal with the truth so you can stand in choice. Take your irritating crazy busy life and create a pearl.

2. Second, research what is possible. In the information age, ignorance is a choice but not one I endorse. Anything you need is one click away on the computer. If you need to know how you could: o Get an education o Engage with counseling

pg 8 | Sophie Woman’s Magazine | July 2015

o Find a good church o Become physically fit or o Meet new people The information is out there. You simply must stand in choice. Standing in choice means you acknowledge there is a way to turn the grit of you life into a pearl. Start to look for options that you WILL choose to take action on. The options out there will amaze you! There are blogs, Pins, and posts that offer up information that could give you insights into a future you didn’t think were possible. Go find solutions that cover up the grit beautifully.

3.

Wear pearls today as a reminder that each choice you make to turn grit into a pearl adds up. As you string together choices followed by action plans that transform your life, you’ll end up with a beautiful necklace, one of kind piece of fine jewelry that becomes your vibrant life...the ultimate accessory for any woman.

You know this process works in nature. You may have doubts that it can work in your life. I get that. I offer this real life story about creating pearls as a testimony.

Pearls are

a lw ay s appropriate.

-Jackie Kennedy Onassis

About six years ago, I experienced some serious discomfort when I was turned down for an opportunity because I did not have my college degree. I was given the opportunity to work for a prestigious university speaking to their senior female students. Based on the feedback forms after my collaborative coaching session, I shamelessly share that they loved it! Later that day, the woman in charge of the event and a leader in the university told me that she was going to introduce me at the alumni lunch. I was thrilled. But, then she asked me a question. She asked me, “Where did you go to university?” I quipped, “The school of hard knocks.” Her face and demeanor changed instantly. “Oh,” she said. And, she walked off. It was a surprise to her that I had been invited by one of her colleagues and I was not qualified. I have shared this story many times. Most people are shocked, upset, or find her reaction ridiculous.

But, it wasn’t. This university is in the business of four-year degrees.

Period. The people they hire need to fit the brand. Period. I understood the reality of this business principle when the following year my proposal to return for this event was turned down. I was irritated. This was grit in my oyster!

At its deepest level, working with a coach frees you to identify your birthright gifts, discern your deepest passions, and fulfill your highest purpose. A coach can pry you off dead center. As Principal Coach for Vibrant Coaching and Workshop Leader for The Lydia Group, LLC, a collaboration of individuals focused on work, life and spiritual growth, Nicole is on a mission to impact, energize, and influence people to lead a Vibrant Life by engaging the possibilities. As a life and business coach and workshop leader, Nicole views her role as a conduit to release all that you want to achieve. www.thevibrantcoach.com/www. thelydiagroup.com

I stood in choice.

Celebrate with me! It’s never too late (I’m 48!) to go back to school.

Sophisticated women wear pearls.

I could either stay irritated by the situation or I could create an action plan to FINALLY get my college degree done. Don’t miss this! This experience brought some serious consciousness! I told myself the truth about not having a college degree. And that truth is: it will limit the possibilities. Next, I finally researched going back to school and found that there are A LOT of programs, people, and places to help me finish my degree. And slowly over six years, I took the classes that added a layer to the grit eventually turning my irritation into pearls...pearls of wisdom.

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pg 10 | Sophie Woman’s Magazine | July 2015

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Finding Extraordinary In Everyday Ordinary Life

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Watching Someone Drown (printed with permission)

Screaming hysterically, a mom followed the paramedics holding her 4-year-old little girl into the Emergency Room. Mom and daughter had been enjoying a day at the lake. As the mom’s back was turned the little girl ventured too far and found herself in deep water. By the time mom turned back, the little girl was drowning.

Because I was a phlebotomist (someone who draws blood), I was not directly involved and could do little to help. I often think back to this scene when I’m watching someone with whom I’m not directly involved, self-destruct. It may be a friend’s husband or child struggling with drugs, having an affair, starving themselves, or performing any other destructive behavior.

Being a bystander makes me uncertain how to help or boundaries I should follow. However, a story in the bible helps me understand the part I should play in these types of situations.

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In midst of a terrible storm at sea, Jesus’ disciples become frightened.

Suddenly, they see Jesus walking on the water toward them. Fear turns to courage and excitement for Peter, one of the disciples. He jumps out of the boat and walks on the water toward Jesus.

Peter quickly realizes how horrifying it is being outside the safety of the boat. The waves are tumultuous and the wind is relentless. He also grasps the absurdity of walking on water so deep he can drown within seconds. Understandably, his attention turns away from Jesus and is put on the ferocious waves. As soon as his eyes are off the Man with the power to keep him on top of the water, he sinks and begins to drown. He screams out “Lord, save me!”

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Jesus immediately reaches down and catches Peter. (Matthew 14:2233.)

Okay wait. That’s it? That’s the story? What does that have to do with being a bystander?

When Jesus and Peter take center stage in the story, the disciples become part of the background, the bystanders. What are they doing as they watch this scene play out? Are a few gossiping about Peter being reckless? Is one yelling, “You’re a moron, Peter!” Is another updating his Facebook status with this turn of events? What were they doing?

What were they feeling?

6/12/15 9:57:28 AM

Climb into the boat as we live out the scene as the bystanders.

Our peaceful, calm, middle-of-the-night boat ride is suddenly interrupted with a powerful storm. The massive waves threaten to capsize us. We’re tossed violently unable to stand. We hold tightly to the side of the boat to avoid being thrown into the sea.

Trying to get our bearings, we see Jesus walking in the midst of the storm, on the water. It’s baffling but beautiful. We feel as if the Coast Guard has arrived. There’s hope, excitement, relief.

However, one of our friends gets so excited he jumps out of the boat!

“What is he doing? He’s lost his mind!” As we strain to see over the waves, expecting to see him swallowed by the sea, we instead see he’s walking on the water toward Jesus. But suddenly, he gets distracted by the powerful storm and fierce waves, sinks, and begins to drown.

We are helpless in the boat being beaten by waves and are of no help.

So we scream to Jesus, “Save him!” We watch Jesus’ strong arm reach down into the water and we begin to yell to our friend, “Take His hand!” But the choice is his whether to accept Jesus’ hand or try to save himself.

When his choice is to save himself, we are forced to watch helplessly as everyone hurts over his misguided decision. What are we to do?

Here are 4 things we can do as a bystander: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Pray!!!!!! The disciples did this as they yelled out to Jesus to save their friend. We must pray for the drowning person’s family to hang on tightly to Jesus through this storm. We must pray for the drowning to realize he can’t save himself and accept help.

Don’t judge! “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down…” (Luke 6:37 MSG). All of us have made poor choices and hurt people we love.

Love the drowning person. Speaker and author Max Lucado was asked, “What does love say?” He responded, “Love says nothing.

Love stays silent. Love doesn’t expose. It doesn’t gossip. If love says anything, love speaks words of defense. Words of kindness.

Words of protection.” We can dislike the decisions and still show love to the person.

Don’t leave the scene. Relentless storms cause weariness which causes many bystanders to just walk away. Want to make a difference? Stay there. Link arms with the family and surround them with love and support. Keep praying. Ecclesiastes 4:12, “….a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

In case you’re wondering, the little girl in the emergency room lived with no lasting negative effect. As a bystander, I was able to comfort the mom as the doctors worked on the little girl. We may be bystanders but we can still make a difference in the life of the drowning and their family.

Connie Davis Johnson is a Christian Women’s Speaker and Writer. She has a passion to help all women recognize just how extraordinary they are and how much each has to offer. Her goal in speaking and writing is to take each woman through a journey where they will laugh, cry, and feel full with some practical takeaways. Connie is also a Senior Director with Hearts at Home but her most important position is being wife to Craig of 24 years and mom to Calan, Cauriana, and Colby. You may find her blog online at ConnieDavisJohnson.com.

Did you know 11% of people are left handed Did you know a bear has 42 teeth Did you know 8% of people have an extra rib Did you know 85% of plant life is found in the ocean Did you know the Hawaiian alphabet has 12 letters Did you know the longest recorded flight of a chicken was 13 seconds Did you know when lightning strikes it can reach up to 30,000 degrees celsius (54,000 degrees fahrenheit) Did you know Tennessee is bordered by 8 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina and Virginia - more than any other in the US Did you know about 90% of the worlds population kisses Did you know sound travels almost 5 times faster underwater than in air Did you know Koalas sleep around 18 hours a day Did you know that 90% of an iceberg sits under water Did you know African Grey Parrots have vocabularies of over 200 words Did you know a giraffe can clean its ears with its 21 inch tongue Did you know the blinking in one day equates to having your eyes closed for 30 minutes www.sophiewomansmagazine.com | pg 13

My Safe Place in the Storm

by Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth

Lord, you are my strength and my protection, my safe place in times of trouble (Jeremiah 16:19, NIV).

Friend to Friend

The comfort of God is faithful and strong - even during the fiercest storms of life. I enjoy movies that have a happy ending. My family constantly teases me about my surreal perspective of movie entertainment, but honestly, life holds enough reality. Why would I want to pay good money to see even more reality made bigger and more frightening on a gigantic movie screen? When the movie “The Perfect Storm” was first released, the previews suggested it had a happy ending. I should have known better, but we love the water and I remember thinking it couldn’t possibly be that bad – right?

We bought tickets, popcorn and drinks, found the best seats in the theatre and prepared to be entertained. Wrong!

Every scene showed tiny boats caught in the grip of frightening waves and fierce winds. I kept waiting for the storm to die down so everyone could go home with a boat full of fish to their anxious families who were confidently waiting for them on dry land.

Crash! Another monstrous wave belted the boat and crew.

By the end of the movie, I never wanted to set foot on a boat again and was worn out from trying to get everyone home where they would live happily ever after. I was tempted to demand a refund because of false advertising. Believe me, there was definitely no happy ending, but I did come away with a new fascination and deep respect for the sea.

I have a friend who loves to sail. When I asked him if he had ever been caught in a bad storm, he responded, “Many times!” I shook my head in disbelief, concluding that my friend was obviously a glutton for punishment.

“Then why on earth do you keep sailing?” I asked him. His answer was profound. “Mary, every sailor knows there will be storms. You just learn what to do when the storm hits. In a severe storm, there is only one thing to do and only one way to survive. You have to put the ship in a certain position and keep her there.”

The same is true in our lives. When the fierce storms of life overwhelm us, there is only one thing to do if we want to survive. We must position ourselves in the right place – in the hands of God – and He will keep us safe and secure until the storm has passed.

The words of the psalmist are filled with confidence and hope. “He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed” (Psalm 107:29). We really can trust God to bring peace and to reduce the fiercest storm to a mere whisper. The faithful provision and sustaining comfort of God at work in our life depends on the character and heart of God and our willingness to trust Him. I love our children with all my heart. Naturally, there are times when they make me angry. They make wrong choices and sometimes even disappoint me. But if they are hurt, sick, or in trouble, the anger, disappointment and even disobedience is overruled by my love for them and a driving need to comfort them. If my imperfect heart responds to

pg 14 | Sophie Woman’s Magazine | July 2015

my imperfect children that way, think about how the perfect heart of our heavenly Father responds to us.

Richard Fuller writes: “This, Christian, is what you must do.

Sometimes, like Paul, you can see neither sun nor stars, and no small tempest lies on you. Reason cannot help you. Past experiences give you no light. Only a single course is left. You must stay upon the Lord; and come what may - winds, waves, cross seas, thunder, lightening, frowning rocks, roaring breakers - no matter what, you must lash yourself to the helm and hold fast your confidence in God’s faithfulness and His everlasting love in Christ Jesus.”

We can face every storm with confidence, knowing God will redeem it for good. We can trust few things in this life, but God’s faithfulness is one of them. When the hard times come, and the storms roll in, trust God and hold on. He is with you. He is your safe place.

Let’s Pray

Father, Thank You for Your faithfulness. Forgive me when I let fear and doubt rule my heart and mind instead of choosing to trust You. Give me eyes to see the treasure buried at the heart of every storm, and help me choose joy - even when I don’t understand what You are doing in my life.

Teach me, Lord. Let my life be an illustration of Your strength perfected in my weakness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Looking back at the storms in your life, how would you rate your response to those storms? What changes do you need to make in order to experience victory?

Memorize Proverbs 3:5-6 and record it in your journal. Share your decision to become a woman of faith with other women who have the same desire.

More from the Girlfriends

Need help learning to study the Bible? Check out Mary’s weekly online Bible Study, Light for the Journey. The current topic is “Anger Management 101” after which is the series “Learning to Study the Bible”. Connect with women across the world learning how to study and apply the Word of God. Be sure to check out the FREE MP3s on Mary’s website. Connect with Mary through email or on Facebook.

Seeking God? Girlfriends in God P.O. Box 1311 Huntersville, NC 28070 info@girlfriendsingod.com www.girlfriendsingod.com

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Woman’s Magazine

Inspirational ~ Educational ~ Motivational

S

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INSIDE:

VOLUME 10 - ISSUE 5 / JULY 2014

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INSIDE:

Girlfriends In God ~ Are Happy Endings Really Possible? | Page 14

Girlfriends In God ~ Do You Know That You Are Perfectly Loved? | Page 14

Reaching Your Full Potential ~ Don’t Miss Your Moment of Influence | Page 6

Sophisticated Women ~ Get Ready To Take The Next Right Step | Page 8

Me, Myself, & Inc. ~ Are You The Princess or the Pea? | Page 29

Me, Myself, & Inc. ~ Are You Taking Life Too Seriously? | Page 29

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Refreshing Ways to Escape the Everyday (Family Features) When the demands of a busy lifestyle have you ready to leave it all behind, a getaway to the tropics can be a strong temptation. But when the realities and responsibilities of life keep you firmly in place, remember there are dozens of ways you can escape without having to take a vacation.

Take a break. When a rough day at the office has the pressure building, get up and take a break. Try a refreshing Nestlé® Pure Life® Exotics™ sparkling water to be transported to a whole new frame of mind. This line of unsweetened sparkling water is packed with unique bold and all-natural exotic fruit flavors including Strawberry Dragon Fruit, Mango Peach Pineapple, Tangerine and Key Lime.

Initiate a new hobby.

Losing yourself in an activity that brings personal satisfaction is a great way to leave a long day behind.

Whether you begin a collection inspired by a special pastime or memory, or tap into your artistic side to express yourself through painting, a hobby is an opportunity to refocus your energy and learn something new.

Make time for you. Revitalize your body and mind by setting aside time on a regular basis that affords you an uninterrupted, guilt-free escape. A relaxing bubble bath has a way of melting away your stress, and recharging you for your next adventure.

Get active. When your mind has been pushed to its limits, shift your energy into pushing your body to its boundaries and beyond.

Conjure the tropics with a trip to the local beach, where you can

pg 18 | Sophie Woman’s Magazine | July 2015

find all sorts of physical activity to help leave your cares behind.

Set a long-term physical goal, such as completing a marathon or mastering a new sport, to work out more often.

Explore new flavors. When you need an escape so badly you can taste it, turn to the kitchen for a getaway your taste buds will thank you for. Quenching your thirst can be a guilt-free treat with a zero-calorie indulgence like Nestlé® Pure Life® Exotics™ sparkling water, which is made with no sweeteners and comes in a variety of natural exotic flavors to help you escape the everyday.

What’s your version of an exotic escape? Share your Exotic Escape by tagging @NestlePureLifeUSA, using #MyExoticEscape on Facebook and Instagram and online at www.MyExoticEscape. com Materials Provided by NWNA, Inc. Photos courtesy of Getty Images 14TH ANNUAL

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Woven Together

From Lesotho to Carolina Exhibit At Hickory Museum of Art

Exhibition photograph by Karin Borei

About Maseru Tapestries Cooperative Lesotho, an independent kingdom surrounded by South Africa, is a mountainous country whose mostly rural residents still depend on herding goats and sheep for subsistence income. At the same time, Lesotho has one of the highest literacy rates in Africa; and unlike in most other countries, Lesotho’s female literacy rate (94.5%) is higher than the men’s. However, it is a region that, while politically stable, is beset by general poverty and has lost an estimated third of its population to HIV/AIDS. As a result, many of the women are the sole support of their families.

Income-producing opportunities for women here have historically been limited, but in the 1980s several women-owned tapestry businesses were organized and local women were trained as spinners, dyers, and weavers. European initiatives started these businesses, but in the late 1990s the local women took them over as cooperatives. Maseru Tapestries Cooperative (MTC) is one such business. MTC buys mohair from local angora goats and merino wool from local sheep for the weaving. MTC currently has a steady, low-volume business providing for a few tourist craft outlets and handling a substantial number of custom orders.

About the Carolina Artists The established fiber artists Lillian Trettin and Linda Elksnin met in Charleston, SC in 2009 and soon recognized that they shared a love of textiles. In addition, they work out of studios in the South Carolina Low Country (Linda) and the North Carolina High Country (Lillian), and therefor can conveniently get together to collaborate.

At around that same time, Lillian’s husband Carl Trettin started an agricultural consulting job in Lesotho where he also photographed the weavers at work, bought some tapestries, and began to make regular trips between Africa and North Carolina.

pg 22 | Sophie Woman’s Magazine | July 2015

Lillian and Linda became enchanted with the MTC women’s work, and soon commissioned MTC to produce weavings from Lillian’s and Linda’s original designs.

Folk art and textile design influence both Lillian’s and Linda’s work Lillian creates her imagery by piecing together paper shapes like a jigsaw puzzle. While the stories she imagines for the eccentric and sometimes supernatural characters in her collages are occasionally disturbing, they show dark humor in bright colors derived from Appalachian folklore, Southern literature, and the art of Charlotte’s Romare Bearden. Some of her works also are influenced by African landscape and characters.

Lillian grew up in East Tennessee with banjo music and gospel lyrics as well as the Beatles. She returned to making art full time in 2011 following a career as a teacher, researcher, and consultant, and after raising two sons.

Despite having lived in other parts of the country, she claims (as do so many southerners who move elsewhere) to be permanently “South haunted.”

Lillian Trettin, “Mountain Shaman”, cut-paper collage on paper

Linda creates mixed-media paintings by layering watercolors on a painted background and then building up color and texture using more paint and colored pencils. She incorporates symbols,

shapes, and subjects from a variety of cultures, including those of the American South, Appalachia, Haiti, and the aboriginal peoples of Panama and Australia. Her inspiration comes from many sources, including textiles, folk artists, and, like for Lillian, Romare Bearden. The common thread in all her work is color and pleasing design.

Shutterbuggerz

Linda Elksnin, “Jonah in the Whale’s Belly”, mixed media

Linda’s passion for art began in elementary school when she took classes at the Philadelphia College of Art. After graduating from Syracuse University, she taught art to children with disabilities which led to pursuing additional degrees in special education from the University of Virginia. Linda then coordinated the Graduate Special Education Program at The Citadel military academy for a number of years. She retired in 2006 and returned to painting full time.

The Tapestry Exhibit

“Woven Together: From Lesotho to Carolina”, currently (until September 6, 2015) at the Hickory Museum of Art in Hickory, NC, showcases a blend of art from these multiple sources: tapestries designed and woven by the women at the Maseru Tapestries Cooperative, tapestries woven by the Maseru weavers from designs commissioned by Lillian and Linda, the two Carolina women’s’ mixed-media works related to the tapestries, and Carl’s photographs of the entire tapestry-making process. The exhibit is sponsored by Valdese Weavers in Valdese, NC.

Submitted by Moose Photo

Submitted by Julie Raper

Images © Courtesy of the Artists and Hickory Museum of Art

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www.sophiewomansmagazine.com | pg 23

Love

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This month we celebrate the Fourth of July, and even though to most it means family gatherings and cook-outs, to some it means so much more. For the past year I have been gathering stories along with the personal observations of others who have traveled around this glorious world. Even though I am jealous of anyone that can travel and see the amazing places that are available to those that can afford it, I know that sometimes what a tourist sees is far from reality.

A dear friend of mine recently got back from an extended trip to one of the many undeveloped countries that she has worked in. Most of what she does is to help the people, mostly women, learn the basic skills of raising a family.

Simple enough you might think, but not really. In the last place she worked it was common for the woman to be not only the breadwinner, but everything else as well. The only thing the man did was supply the sperm for their next child. Most of the men had more than one wife of course, because there was always one that was pregnant. In that country your wealth was the number of children you had along with the number of goats you owned. As if this weren’t bad enough, the women didn’t have their choice of mate. It was always arranged marriages and the girl’s dad had to give the groom a number of goats in order for him to marry his daughter.

What? I had thought the phrase, “barefoot and pregnant”, was long gone, but apparently not. In this day and time there are still many countries where the women die very young from childbirth from lack of medical care and having too many children too soon. And this with a man they barely know.

Some are “married off” when they are as young as twelve.

I was told that there was always fear in the face of the young girl that was about to be married. No grand wedding or reception here, just an exchange of goats and a girl. Can you imagine? And it’s not always goats, sometimes an assortment of livestock is offered, depending on the country. In some countries, the men are served the meal separate from the women. And if there is meat, they get the “prime” cuts with the women and children eating the rest.

I know we live in a fast food mentality in this country when it comes to marriage. If you don’t like it, get a divorce, and marry again. And even though as someone that had been married almost forty-five years, I don’t agree with that, but I do celebrate the fact that we can marry whomever, whenever we please.

This July 4th, think of all the things you have to celebrate, your freedom to marry, vote and work. That you can get an education in whatever field you choose. The only person holding you back is YOU! So be thankful, praise God for all the many blessings He has given you. We still have a way to go, but look how far we have come! Now I’ll get off my soapbox and go have a hotdog.

pg 24 | Sophie Woman’s Magazine | July 2015

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Don’t get me wrong. I am not complaining. Just because I get out of the shower and dry off and ten minutes later, I am still dripping wet….no reason to complain. It just makes me all the more happy to know that I have a home in heaven instead of hell.

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W ITH I NDOOR & OUTDOOR S EATING A VAILABLE

There are not many people who suffer with sweating the way I do. I have tried all the tricks but nothing works more than a few minutes. Part of my sweating comes from heredity. Some people get rich but I get sweat. Even in the winter time, my dad would roll down his window in the car. I used to think how mean that was because of those of us in the back seat where the heater didn’t reach. Now I know how it is to be so hot you feel like you can’t breathe.

Another reason comes from the cancer medicine I have to take but how can I complain about that? It is keeping the cancer away.

You know the old saying “take a chill pill”? Does anyone know if that has been invented yet?

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So why is it then, that all of my grandkids baseball games are played in an open field, no shade and 100 degree weather? At least their games are not as slow as they are on television. Some of my friends just love baseball….Di and Marie. They can sit for hours and watch that pitcher think about throwing the ball and then they can talk about it for hours after that. “D-i-d y-o-u s-e-e

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t-h-a-t t-h-r-o-w h-e p-i-t-i-c-h-e-d?” Ahh, no, I fell asleep!

So now it sounds like I am complaining about the weather.

Nope…not me. I am complaining about sweating. My husband never sweats. In fact, he is cold most of the time. I don’t know why. I check the thermostat and it is always on 64 degrees. After all, he can put on a long sleeve shirt if he wants to.

You go ahead and complain about it all you want. In a few months you will be complaining about how cold it is. Me, I will still be sweating!

Seriously, the hot weather is not always something to joke about. Did you know the average number of children that have died from being left in a hot car is 38 per year? That is one in every nine days. How does that happen? Please don’t leave children in a hot car, even if you think you are going to be inside for just a few minutes. You never know what could happen.

Let’s also look after our outside animals. Make sure they have fresh water and shade that they can get to. Did you know that dogs don’t sweat like we do? That is why they pant.

Wow….I never thought of that before. Okay, I am glad I sweat instead of panting!

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Are you exercising your freedom?

With July best known for our celebration of independence, it seems fitting to take a look at the freedom we have, each of us, to live our lives to the absolute fullest. In spite of being in a place where we have many freedoms, too many of us can allow our own thinking or societal influences to fool us into a mindset of limitation and confinement.

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pg 28 | Sophie Woman’s Magazine | July 2015

Consider these freedoms that you may not be honoring: Free Will: How are you allowing free will to move you forward towards your dreams?

To have free will is to possess a self-determination and autonomy in how you approach your work and your life. You are giving yourself the power to act and make choices without constraint by current or prior circumstances. Call it willpower. Call it iron will. To be able to decide what to do independently demonstrates a level of confidence and conviction that what you are striving to do is important and desired beyond any obstacles or situations you may face.

Free Spirit: How are you allowing your inner spirit to be free and unconfined by others’ influences and pressures? Too often people associate a free spirit with someone who is wild and unyielding without a care in the world. The reality is that each of us possesses a free spirit within us that craves to be heard. Our inner thoughts and senses are sometimes trying to tell us what we need to know.

Call it gut instinct or intuition, freeing your mind of clutter can open up this spirit in ways that will open up your ability to know what is right and best in any given situation.

Free Time: Did you read this and laugh at the idea of when you could possibly have free time of any kind? The reality is that we all are given the same exact amount of time each day - 24 hours, 1,440 minutes, 86,400 seconds. No more. No less. Free time is essential to allow your body and your mind to reconnect, rejuvenate and refocus. When you are continually charging ahead, you are treating time like a ticking bomb instead of an asset and resource. Give yourself permission to have a little free time for yourself and with those you hold most dear to fill you with satisfaction, gratification and enjoyment.

Free Thoughts: When you are dealing with a problem or challenge, how free in your thinking are you really when trying to come up with a solution? Preconceived notions can wreak havoc on our ability to creatively think, which requires free association of thoughts, some of which may feel random and totally unrelated.

When you truly allow your mind to wonder beyond the obvious, you are allowing your mind to escape into a realm of free thinking

that opens up possibilities and connections you may not have considered before. Getting others involved in a no-holds-barred brainstorming session adds to the potential for problem solving at its highest level.

Free Rein: How are you limiting others’ freedom to perform, complete or achieve? It can be hard to admit sometimes, and yet, a quite freeing epiphany when you realize that your control of someone else’s freedom “to do� may be just the thing that is limiting you. Have the faith or willingness to let someone do a task in their way or approach a problem from their perspective to devise a solution. By removing constraints that you place on others, you are also giving yourself the freedom to focus on other things.

Don’t allow yourself to get caught up in believing you cannot do something, cannot think something or cannot achieve something.

We each are here to make a difference in small and profound ways.

Allow your free will, spirit, time, thoughts and rein transform your current reality into an ideal future of your making.

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Bring Your

“Not-A-Lot”

by Mary Felkins

“You give them something to eat.” (Mark 6:37) The thing that tells in the long run for God and for men is the steady, persevering work in the unseen... looking to God...eyes to the Risen Christ. (O. Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest) When Pastor Paul Cummings (www.cornthtoday.org) ended his engaging message that Sunday on the miracle of Jesus feeding the five thousand he simply extended his hands to the congregation and said, “Just bring your not-a-lot and God will use it.”

At times my heart aches as I consider the monumental ministry needs around me, in my community, around the world. Drowning in life’s demands, gasping for air, I’ve begged, “Lord, what can I do?”

Consider this: What if I saw a woman mistakenly drop a small piece of paper on the ground and I bent to pick it up and handed it back to her. She would likely smile and say, “Thanks” while I’d return her smile with a “No problem.” I might even shrug thinking, “Eh, not-a-lot.” But what if that paper had contact information scribbled on it, a potential job opportunity. What if the woman made the call, was hired for work, and could better provide for her three children? Better yet, what if her faith was encouraged enough to darken the door of a church? My church, in fact. And what if after worship one afternoon I discovered that my car wouldn’t start and that same woman stopped to offer assistance, maybe even prayed quietly as I fumbled with the jumper cables wondering if it’s red clamp on positive lead and black clamp on negative? Or, uh, the other way around? Bzzzzzst!

Okay, this scenario is unlikely. But not impossible. The point is, God takes my simple act of kindness and makes it so much more than a shoulder shrugging, not-a-lot.

What if an elderly man at the grocery store can’t reach his Fiber One? If I grasped it and placed it in his cart I wouldn’t even break a sweat. Not-a-lot. But it would mean a lot to him. And likely means everything to God Who sees all.

The wail of a squad car? I would call on the Angel Armies of God and pray. It could mean a badged officer was in serious danger standing the blue line, one whose anxious spouse and children are hopeful he’ll survive his shift.

For me it’s easy to become handicapped by the idea that starting anything less than a world-wide ministry or civic organization with

pg 30 | Sophie Woman’s Magazine | July 2015

global reach will be effective. And discouraged, I may do nothing leaving the monumental work to those ladies who have the gift of administration. And what could my not-a-lot do for them? Likely those women need a lot of “not-a-lot” help to carry the weight of their task.

I need to remember a few things about bringing my not-a-lot: • Local news guys aren’t going to arrive at my door thrusting a mic at me, wielding their cameras, and beg for an interview because I laundered an unprecedented volume of clothes for my family, or because I scribed in ink and snail-mailed a thank you note written on real paper, wiped vomit from the floor, waved at the janitor who speaks no English, chopped onions for a homecooked meal, prayed quietly for a friend, a child, a spouse. It’s God Who spectated the work of my hands in the secret places.

And He cares deeply about those not-a-lot investments.

• When I learn of an overwhelming need yet haven’t got “eight’s month’s wages” (Mark 6:37, John 6:7) to provide for it I must overcome the temptation to do nothing at all, especially when my not-a-lot might make a huge difference.

• God isn’t overwhelmed by the smallness of the offering and the largeness of the need. On the contrary, in Mark 6:37b He told His disciples, “You give them something to eat.” (Code for “Give them ME, guys.”)

• There’s no measure for whether my offering was adequate. I’m called to bring my not-a-lot anyway because - that’s right - it’s still not about me. Or you.

• Jesus took the two fish and five loaves and paused to give thanks for them (John 6:11). So that not-a-lot smile I gave the cashier when she had none of her own? He gave thanks over it.

• I must choose to be content with offering not-a-lot because the little things are huge to God and yield great blessing.

God may, indeed, call me across the ocean to serve Him. Or He may not. But He’s always called me to “give them something to eat”. The multiplication of that not-a-lot offering will be ultimately up to Him. And that’s more than enough.

About the Author Mary Albers Felkins is a former Registered and Licensed Dietitian turned writer. Throughout the course of her private nutrition consulting business she wrote much of her own teaching materials.

Mary is currently constructing her first Christian contemporary romance using principles taught by My Book Therapy (www. mybooktherapy.com). She considers scripture the most alluring romance ever written.

She is married to Bruce and they have four (adolescent to young adult-sized) arrows in their quiver.

Mary cordialy invites you to take a plunge into the deep oceans of thought or to stop and laugh out loud at her website, www. maryfelkins.com Email contact maryfelkins@charter.net

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1:58 PM www.sophiewomansmagazine.com5/19/15 | pg 31

Recipes for ife

L

A Prayer for God’s Blessing Loving Father in heaven, You are a God of forgiveness and freedom. I confess my all-toofrequent choices to sin rather than choosing righteousness. Thank You for sending Your Son to die and set me free. Please increase my desire to choose Your ways over my own and sanctify me daily for Your glory. In Jesus’ victorious name, Amen.

Food for the Soul I know. This recipe doesn’t specify how much chicken to use or how long to bake the dish, which might challenge those who rely on precise directions. Yet I have confidence even an inexperienced cook can function well within the given parameters. Everyone who tries his/her hand at this chicken creation is allowed to choose: more chicken = less sauce while less chicken = more sauce. Likewise, more baking time = well-done chicken vs. less baking time = moist chicken. Whatever choice you make, I hope you enjoy this addition to your meal.

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Food for the Body Texas Two-Step Chicken

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Today, the term choice garners much attention. Principles like freedom of religion, the right to bear arms, and freedom of speech invoke an opinion in everyone. While perspectives vary, all people value choice in some capacity. America’s founders highly esteemed the freedom to choose, and many loyal countrymen and women have died to protect it. For that, I’m deeply appreciative.

But what happens when we make a wrong choice?

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Colossians 3:5-9 contains clear instructions for the Christian: “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices.”

Friend, I’ll be first to admit that sometimes I choose not to obey these directives. Allowing my flesh to take precedence, I’ve nurtured impure thoughts, succumbed to greed, yelled in anger, and spewed hurtful words … as a Christian. While I’m ashamed of these choices, I recognize they’re not who I am because I’m a new creation in Christ. Though I regret these choices, I’m grateful for God’s forgiveness when I confess my sins. And I learn from these choices. As new opportunities to choose sin arise, I can choose righteousness instead by the power of the Holy Spirit.

All because of Christ.

The Lord Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, chose to sacrifice Himself on our behalf. When we place our faith in Him, we immediately enter the Christian life, which is full of choices.

Clothing us in Christ’s righteousness and indwelling us by the Holy Spirit, God “has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3). Suddenly, we’re free to choose like never before. Sometimes we make mistakes. Other times we fail. Yet God forgives. What a gracious, loving, amazing Lord we serve! Christ’s choice to sacrifice Himself enables us to recognize ourselves as “dead to sin … alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 6:11).

After being a Christian for numerous years, this realization unexpectedly hit me: I don’t have to choose my sinful tendencies—I don’t have to react in anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, or so on.

Though these responses rise up quite naturally, I’m no longer under sin’s power. “For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace” (Rom. 6:14). Christ has set me free!

As we gratefully contemplate the freedoms we enjoy in the United States of America, let’s remember the eternal freedom we possess in Christ. Let’s choose to imitate Him and walk in His ways today, knowing obedience to God’s Word honors and glorifies Him.

Explore each of our leadership development programs at www.catawbachamber.org, and become one of Catawba County’s next community impact leaders. For more information, contact the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce at 828-328-6111.

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Emily Wickham gently reaches women’s hearts as she teaches God’s Word. ! Through various writing endeavors, she encourages readers into close relationship with God. Additionally she hosts and speaks at the Connecting with Christ Conference.

Visit www.proclaiminghimtowomen.com to read Emily’s blog. Connect with her via social media: www.facebook.com/emilywickham.author www.twitter.com/emilywickhamPH Emily, grateful to God for His blessings, enjoys life with her loving husband and children in western NC.

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www.sophiewomansmagazine.com | pg 35

COOL IDEAS FOR A WARM DAY

by Susan Guest, ASID

S

ummer is such a fun time for many of us. Vacations, cookouts, swimming, summer camp, and family fun. It is also time to prepare your home for soaring temperatures by lightening up your décor. Even though most of us have air conditioning, it is important to alter the home visually during the warmer seasons.

I know this by personal experience! One winter I painted my kitchen in a beautiful shade of red. That summer, I came in from the pool and almost had a heat stroke. The color did not feel so great in the sizzling temperatures of August! Immediately, we wallpapered the room in a light background pattern with accents of red and green (the popular colors at the time). The color scheme worked year round and was lovely and cool.

These are some ideas that might help you mentally reduce the heat in your home this summer: •

Consider painting your living space in a lighter color.

•

Pull up rugs and store until fall. You might want to use natural fiber rugs such as sisal or even rag rugs during the warmer months

•

Remove dark heavy drapery and leave only the blinds or shutters that control sunlight.

•

Make a fun area outside under a shade tree, awning or porch to entertain or to relax. A waterfall or small ornamental pond soothes the soul and can be a focal point for your garden.

•

Add some tropical trees inside your home, either silk or real, for a resort feel.

•

Slipcover your furniture with a lightweight fabric such as

pg 36 | Sophie Woman’s Magazine | July 2015

muslin. Cover the heavier fabrics on upholstery that make your body temperature rise just by sitting on them.

•

Add ceiling fans in bedrooms, kitchen, and screen porch.

•

Temporarily replace your heavy bedding with thinner comforters or sheets in pale colors. Many of my clients have reversible coverlets or separate looks for each season.

•

Move some of the furniture out of your family room to give a lighter, airier feel.

•

Thoroughly clean rooms to make them sparkle -- including crystals on your chandeliers, lamp shades, and windows.

Allow the light from outside to transform your interior.

•

Decorate your home with foliage or fresh cut flowers from you yard. No green thumb? You can buy bouquets at the local farmers’ market or grocery.

•

Trade your dark accessories out for lighter colored itemspeach and teal are great for this season.

Hopefully these simple tips will make your environment happier. Have a glass of lemonade and a slice of watermelon and enjoy your cooler environment!

Susan Guest, ASID is an award-winning interior designer in Hickory and owner of Guest Interiors, LLC. She is one of the designers featured in “Spectacular Homes of the Carolinas”, found in high-end bookstores around the country. President of ASID Carolinas. For more information, visit www.guestinteriors.com.

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www.sophiewomansmagazine.com | pg 37

How to find more time to

t ravel

pg 38 | Sophie Woman’s Magazine | July 2015

F

ew people would likely say they don’t enjoy traveling. Travel provides an opportunity to experience different cultures, visit idyllic locales and enjoy some rest and relaxation.

But as much as people love to travel, finding more time to do so is not always so easy, even for those people with a sufficient amount of vacation days at their disposal. Oftentimes, finding more time to travel requires some extra and earlier planning.

• Reconsider when you travel. Building a trip around a long weekend is an easy way to find more time to travel. Consider the holidays that fall on a Monday, such as Memorial Day, Labor Day and Columbus Day. Plan a getaway for these long weekends and you won’t even need to use a vacation day. If you have the vacation time to burn, extend the trip one day by leaving on Friday or returning on Tuesday. By the time your trip ends, you will have enjoyed a three-day getaway without using any vacation time or a four-day extended break during which you used just a single day of vacation time. Planning a week-long trip on a holiday week is another way to save a vacation day for later in the year.

• Extend business trips. Business travelers who typically travel on Mondays and/or return home on Fridays can extend those trips to include the weekend preceding or following the trip. This gives you a better chance to explore the city where conferences or client meetings are being held, as business trips typically leave little time to get to a know a city or see its attractions. Business travelers can plan family trips around their work trips, giving families a great and often cost-effective way to see various locales.

• Use your allotted vacation time. A 2013 study from Oxford Economics found that American workers took an average of 16 days of vacation in 2013, which represented a roughly 20 percent decline from 2000, when workers took an average of 20.3 vacation days. The United States Travel Association discovered a similar pattern, finding that in 2013 workers used just 16 of their nearly 21 days of earned time off.

Perhaps the easiest way working men and women can find more time to travel is to make use of all of the vacation days they earn as oppose to letting them fall by the wayside at the end of their companies’ calendar years.

• Negotiate with your employer. Many employers have grown increasingly flexible as technology has made it easier for employees to work remotely. Men and women who want to find more time to travel should not be afraid to negotiate more travel time with their employers, even offering to work remotely from whichever destination they plan to visit. This can be an especially effective way for parents to extend family vacations in the summertime, as one parent can take the kids in the mornings and afternoons while the other works. Come nighttime, the whole family can still enjoy all the fun of a typical vacation.

Travel is a luxury that even busy men and women can enjoy if they employ certain strategies to create more time to get away.

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Even though we can all say that we live in a free nation, I fear that many Americans are more enslaved than ever before. No, they are not facing unjust imprisonment under the tyranny of a dictator or fearing captivity or interrogation by corrupt rulers. The enslavement I am referring to comes from the powerful forces around all of us and within every mind Following breast surgery, it’s important to get back to the things you love doing.

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I also think of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the Lutheran pastor known for his staunch resistance to the Nazi dictatorship, who was imprisoned and eventually hung for his opposition. Even prison couldn’t rob Bonhoeffer of the freedom and life he experienced in his spirit because of his deep and abiding relationship with God. About freedom, Bonhoeffer wrote, 6/12/15 10:18:40 AM

In truth, freedom is a relationship between two persons. Being free means “being free for the other,” because the other has bound me to him. Only in relationship with the other am I free. Creation and Fall Temptation: Two Biblical Studies He says that ultimately freedom is extended to us by another. Perfect freedom, then, must come from the God of the Universe, the one who has created all things and rules over them. Only when our spirit is bound to Him can we be extended boundless freedom. The good news worth celebrating is that when His spirit invades ours through a personal relationship with Him, our mind and heart can also be free.

Shutterbuggerz Submitted by Moose Photo

Though we live in a free nation, we are daily surrounded by cultural pressures, political agendas and prevailing principles that threaten to control our minds so that we remain oppressed. Even if we resist those influences, however, we often succumb to the internal voices of shame or perpetual lies birthed from a past mistake or a painful experience. For the man or woman who has been set free in Christ, we cannot allow these subtle forces to overshadow the freedom we have been given.

So, as we celebrate our nation and observe the red, white and blue, let us use these colors to invite us to explore our heart, mind and soul as well.

Are we living as a woman who is fully alive, free in Christ? Or, are we experiencing mental or emotional oppression because we have perhaps, unknowingly given in to empty philosophies, worldly influences, or perpetual lies? Remember, you have been granted freedom if you have a relationship with God. Not because you are an American. Nor, because you have earned it. You are free because God loves you and allowed you this through Christ’s death on the cross. This act enabled you to bathe in His grace and to be fully alive.

St. Irenaues once said, “The glory of God is man fully alive.” If we are fully alive we are experiencing the richest freedom of all. For we know that we have been freed from the greatest oppression of all- a life apart from our Maker. May He be glorified this month as we allow His spirit to daily saturate our hearts and minds so that the world can see what real freedom looks like.

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations

— Colossians 2:8-10, 20

Jackie E. Perry, MS, LPCS, NCC is a North Carolina Licensed Professional Counselor.

For the past 20 years her primary focus has been working with adolescents and families to address a myriad of problems typical of this season in development. Jackie is also a frequent speaker and writer who is passionate about using her experience to equip and encourage parents and professionals through her seminars, articles and blogs. You can follow her weekly blog, LifeGiving Streams, check out her next speaking engagement or learn more about her work at www.jackieperry.net. She is married to John and together they are parenting three teens of their own.

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pg 42 | Sophie Womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Magazine | July 2015

Fitness and Fellowship Combine for Better Health (MS) -- As a minister in East Harlem, Joan Williams-Jarrell is always looking for new ways to bring people together. She also wanted to be more physically active but had a hard time getting to the gym. So when she found a program that brings church members together to walk for fitness, it was a match made in heaven.

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“It allows us to have fellowship and be physically active at the same time,” said Joan.

She and her congregants also learn how to eat better through the program.

Cooking demonstrations, for example, have taught them how to use herbs for flavor instead of salt. They also have learned to control portion sizes and avoid sugary drinks.

Joan’s group is among the more than 12,000 people in 119 faith organizations that have taken part in “Walkers for Wellness.” The program is just one of several aimed at making healthy living easier across the country and is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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“Physical activity and eating well are essential to health. But in many communities, that can be a challenge,” said Leonard Jack, Jr., PhD, MSc, director of CDC’s Division of Community Health. “Programs like ‘Walkers for Wellness’ bring communities together to overcome hurdles and make healthier living easier for all Americans.”

For Joan, the “Walkers for Wellness” program has made a big difference in her health and well-being and that of her congregation. She has lost 15 pounds, her high blood pressure is not as high, and her doctor may even take her off blood pressure medication. The best results are that, “I feel better, sleep better, and have more energy,” said Joan.

To learn more about ways to get involved in making healthy living easier in your community, visit www.MakingHealthEasier.org.

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www.sophiewomansmagazine.com | pg 43

Bon Voyage!

by Cyndi Caldwell

TRAVEL! It’s one of the brass rings of retirement but there’s more involved than grabbing your suitcase and heading out the door. Baby Boomers and Seniors take note- it’s about the planning. First things first!

Where am I going?

Make a travel bucket list and start checking off destinations! The travel industry is anxious to help so if you have some limitations don’t let that squash your wanderlust. Go somewhere you’ve never been.

How long will I be gone?

You may want to wander the world for weeks on end, or you may think a long weekend is just enough, so consider how long you think you can be away. If you have medical concerns don’t let that stop you. Talk with your health care professionals in advance. They will want to help.

Who will go with me?

Traveling companions can make or break a great trip. It’s important to think about who you are prepared to share living space with, meals with, and even possibly expenses. Knowing your tolerance and that of your traveling companions is important. If you prefer traveling alone or with just one other person this can streamline your trip.

What should I pack?

Two words – pack light!

Check the weather for your destination. See if your accommodations have laundry service or washer/dryer. If traveling by air – make sure you pack a bag to “carry on” the airplane. In your “carry on” you should have: • a minimum of one change of clothes, • any prescription and over the counter medications in their ORIGINAL containers placed in a one quart clear freezer bag, (medication dosages put in a pill box will NOT go through security), • a photocopy of any prescriptions, and/or physician instructions, • a photocopy of all insurance cards and emergency contact information.

• Documentation for foreign travel. (A government passport is considered the highest level of identification by the federal TSA) I suggest making at least two photo copies of each of the following: ◊ passport, ◊ driver’s license, ◊ Medicare or any other insurance cards, ◊ travel tickets and boarding pass, • All confirmation receipts for events you have pre-scheduled for your trip. Keep one set in your “carry on” bag, a separate set on your person or in your purse. (Remember health coverage here

pg 44 | Sophie Woman’s Magazine | July 2015

in the US is not considered coverage overseas – so please make arrangements when traveling out of the country for trip insurance/ health insurance).

•

Think comfort. A pair of comfortable shoes can save your life. Most important tip - if you don’t really need it don’t take it. You’ll have to carry it, pack it, unpack it, fold it, and sift past it so if it’s not essential leave it at home.

How will I get there and once I arrive how will I get around?

Transportation is often a multi-faceted element of your trip. Traveling by car, plane, or train all have different pros and cons. If traveling by air consider asking for the aisle seat for easy in and out. On long car trips factor in time for short stops to walk about at a rest stop or grab a bite to eat.

Consider if you will be using public or private transportation and the cost.

Let your travel agency or your hotel concierge help with ground travel.

They are the pros and know the ins and outs. If you’re lucky enough to have family or friends living at your travel destination they can assist in navigation and travel. Last but not least thank heaven for GPS – it can provide navigation instruction whether walking or riding in a car.

Should I set an itinerary?

Yes, yes and yes! You can always adjust the itinerary if you find something off the beaten path that’s a must do. An itinerary means that you can go ahead and book in advance the best reservations, excursions, and get the best tickets. Read TripAdvisor @ www.tripadvisor.com. Real reviews from real travelers! (Always give a photo copy of your itinerary with phone numbers and addresses of where you will be to your emergency contact) Schedule some downtime and put it IN the itinerary.

I know you want to cram in as much fun as possible– but everyone needs time to rest and recharge. You’ll enjoy your trip much more if you don’t over schedule.

Should I consider a Tour or a Cruise?

Absolutely! Let someone else do the homework. A tour or cruise is planned, operated and staffed to provide the best experiences. They also have the people to handle unforeseen circumstances that might arise.

Travel being handled by a professional could be the perfect combination of escape and security.

So, make a plan, grab your bags, and pack your comfortable shoes there’s no substitute for the new experiences that travel can bring.

Bon Voyage, Cyndi As a CERTIFIED SENIOR ADVISOR* Cyndi is on a mission to advise Seniors and their family members on viable options in Senior Care and Dementia Care. She has extensive training in senior services and has a solid track record in the senior services industry. Her extensive experience in the areas of Assisted Living Care, Dementia Care and In Home Care comes from having worked and trained with the finest providers in the industry Bell Senior Living, Five Star Senior Care and Seniors Helping Seniors. She is an accomplished public speaker - focused on educating the community on senior services and Alzheimer’s disease. With the heart of a true caring provider - Cyndi provides up to date information and solutions through her business Senior Sounding Board Consulting to seniors and their families as they navigate through the process of aging.

Cyndi’s broad media background of sales, marketing and management experience with DISNEY, ABC-RADIO, and CUMULUS BROADCASTING. has provided a strong platform for her success in the senior services industry.

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www.sophiewomansmagazine.com | pg 45

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pg 46 | Sophie Womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Magazine | July 2015

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