Week 14: Manna and Bubbles - Walk to the Beach Fitness Challenge

Week 14 Manna & Bubbles - Walk to the Beach Fitness Challenge

Week 14: Manna and Bubbles

Healthy Spirit: Manna

The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a habitable land; they ate manna, until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. Exodus 16:35

We, like the Israelites, are blessed with miracles every day. Perhaps we do not recognize the amazing daily gifts given to us because we are accustomed to seeming them on a regular basis. I began to become much more thankful for simple pleasures as I served as a cancer nurse. Our family, friends, career, health, time, and life are not our own. There aren't any guarantees, but we can look for each day's pleasures and purpose with renewed resolve today and every day. When we choose to turn off the cell phone, television, computer, and other distractions, perhaps we will get a better glimpse of the miracles around us.

Healthy Mind: Delco/Sandy Creek

Delco is a small unincorporated community in North Carolina located 18 miles west of Wilmington. It was previously called Brinkly and Pershing and is in Columbus County. Approximately 350 people live on this 1.5 square miles.

Sandy Creek is located in Brunswick County with a population of about 260 people on 1.3 square miles and is part of the Myrtle Beach metropolitan area. Beach....yep, we're so close that perhaps we can hear a few seagulls calling. This is our last stop on the map before we get to Wilmington. One more week to go...

Healthy Body: Bubbles

Bubbles remind me of manna. They seem to appear out of nowhere and only last a short period of time. If we look closely, we may see our reflection in a bubble. If we peer through a bubble, we may see objects through a unique and constantly changing lens. My family blew bubbles yesterday while we waited in a 2-hour line. People all around us, young and older, began to smile and pop bubbles as the dancing spheres bounced along the line.

Did you know we can enjoy health benefits when we blow bubbles? This can be a great way to experience stress relief and imagine our stresses disappearing as the bubbles are carried away and disappear. Blowing bubbles can encourage us to take deep breaths, opening air passages. Exhaling through pursed lips can be a helpful lung exercise. If we blow bubbles with or for others, we might also find a common connection with them.

If you are interested in learning more about lung health, visit the American Lung Association web site.

And...I encourage all of us to blow bubbles this week!