Celebrating Miracles

I believe in miracles. One of my favorite miracles is the miracle of life.

We have a new miracle in our life. Her name is Maxine, and she is our granddaughter. She was born on Saturday, declaring her independence from the womb two days before America's birthday. I have been talking to her about the fireworks and telling her that the world is celebrating her birth. I think she believes me.

There are lots of reasons that Maxine is a miracle baby. The labor was long and hard. Her mom had health challenges that made having a baby seem risky. Maxine's parents waited a long time for her. They worked hard at getting healthy and minimizing the risk of having a baby.

Maxine is our miracle. What's yours?

Every life is a miracle. Every birth is worth celebrating and every life is worth living.

I am always amazed at the miracle of birth. What began as a single cell grows into a tiny human with a brain, a heart, and lungs. The human body is a complex bundle of organs, nerves, bone, and muscle. Think of the things this body is capable of. Imagine the gift of sight, hearing, thought. All these gifts are wrapped in an incredibly beautiful package and delivered in a most unusual way.

Did you know that babies are born without kneecaps, but fully equipped with a blueprint for their development at the appropriate time. Every beautiful body is encoded with instructions that will last a lifetime, and it's mostly automatic. No owner's manual to read.

Consider these amazing facts. The average human heart will beat 300,000 million times in its lifetime and pump 48 million gallons of blood. The average human brain has 100 billion nerve cells. Nerve impulses to and from the brain travel as fast as 170 miles per hour.

There's more. During a 24-hour period, the average human will breathe 23,040 times. Human blood travels 60,000 miles per day on its journey through the body.

We could go on an on. The human body is the most miraculous amazing machine ever invented, and you are the proud owner of one. Celebrate the miracle of your body. Create a beautiful life.

Why not give your body the respect and care that it deserves. Clean air and water, nutritious food, and invigorating exercise are just the ticket. Thank your body for it's tireless service. Do something wonderful for you body every day. Today is the perfect day to start.

Celebrate life.

Linda Garner

Making Friends with Your Body

2 out of 5 women would trade 5 years of their life to be thin.

More women are suffering from anorexia or bulimia than are fighting breast cancer.

Most American girls begin to diet when they are just 8 years old.

Why are we our own worst enemies? How did our views get so distorted? We have a serious body image crisis on our hands. (from the operation beautiful video.)

Do you have a love/hate relationship with your body? Many women do. Do you cringe when you look in the mirror? Do you feel that beauty is reserved for the thin or the young or the well dressed? What a damaging message that is. Your body shows up for you 24/7 and does amazing work for you. How about a little appreciation?

Have you ever considered what a miraculous machine your body is?

The average human brain has 100 billion nerve cells. Nerve impulses to and from the brain travel at a speed of 170 mph. It takes the interaction of 72 muscles to produce human speech. The human heart creates enough pressure to squirt blood 30 feet. The average human heart will beat 3,000 million times and pump 48 million gallons of blood in its lifetime. Human blood travels 60,000 miles per day on its journey through the body. Each square inch of human skin consists of 20 feet of blood vessels. During a 24 hour period, the average human will breathe 23,040 times.

Those are startling facts, but let’s bring it home. Consider the value of the tasks your body does for you each day. Consider your feet which carry you anywhere you care to go. Consider your fingers and hands which serve you in so many ways. Think of your eyes and ears. Notice the beauty and joy they bring into your life. Imagine functioning without sight, without hearing. Your body is beautiful beyond belief. How about a little appreciation?

I like to take a few moments each day to thank my body for its service. Mentally and emotionally I send love and appreciation to every cell in my body. We’ve been friends for a long time, and I’d like to keep it that way. I also love doing kind things for my body like getting 8 hours of sleep, eating healthy foods, and finding time for exercise. I know my body is grateful when I take good care of it, but nothing beats a kind word.

Have you made friends with your body? Today’s a good day to start. Send a little love and appreciation out to your brain, your heart, your blood cells. Speak kindly to your your feet, your legs, your fingers. Send a smile of gratitude to your eyes, your ears, your mouth, your voice.

Enjoy your beautiful body, today. It is your very best friend.

Linda Garner