Thoughts about:

breath

breTH

noun

the air taken into or expelled from the lungs

The Book of Genesis tells us:

- then the LORD God formed the man of the dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, ant the man became a living creature. ~ Genesis 2:7

Idioms or cliches about breath:

out of breath

time to catch one's breath

under one's breath

breath of fresh air

catch one's breath

Don't hold your breath!

gasp for breath

I don't have time to catch my breath.

waste one's breath

with bated breath

take your breath away

How many times have we all used these idioms?

I was taught how to breathe during childbirth.

I was taught how to breathe when I learned to do Pilates.

I had the great blessing to watch each of my five children take the first breath of life.

I held my father's hand during his last days and would literally tell him,

"breathe in"

"breathe out"

in an attempt to help ease his breathing as he struggled through the effects of congestive heart failure.

When I have an asthma attack,

I use my flow meter as an aid to understand how my breathing is doing.

At high altitudes, as I gasp for breath, I use my finger oximeter to check my O2 saturation levels.

My therapist cautioned me about 

holding my breath.

She said that she thinks that when I get worried and anxious and stressed,

I am doing great harm to my body when I don't breathe deeply and practice stress releasing breathing.

She said that she thinks I go around "holding my breath" too often.

She means I am not relaxed and taking life as it comes.

I am uptight.

I'm not breathing deeply.

I am stressed.

She is right.

My GI doctor told me that when the body is not breathing easily in deep sleep at night,

it is out of balance.

When adrenaline is pumped up, one's body goes into 

fight or flight

response.

When one sleeps deeply and well, one's body is able to 

rest and digest.

These two bodily responses to life need to be in balance.

Breath gives life.

I've been thinking about breathing a lot lately.

Interestingly, this past week, I had my breath collected.

I know, that sounds crazy,

but really I did.

I spent three hours at National Jewish Heath

where a nurse had me blow into a balloon type object so my breath could be 

collected and analyzed.

Why?

This test is called the

hydrogen breath tes

t. (click to read about the test.)

It is used to diagnose several gastrointestinal conditions.

I should have the results on Friday.

And then, today, for the first time since the first of 2013,

I let out a huge sigh of relief.

It has been a rough year for my family.

There have been a few bumps in the road.

Two of my children have been searching for jobs.

Both have always worked since they were sixteen years old.

Both have been highly successful.

This year there were reversals in employment for both.

Job searches are trying, difficult, discouraging, and disheartening.

I have prayed daily for the Lord's provision for these two and for their families.

The Lord has provided every single day with what was needed for their needs.

Then, two weeks ago, one was offered a job opportunity where the salary was the same as the last wonderful job.  Opportunities for growth and advancement are also there.

Today,  the other one also got a wonderful job offer with the same salary and benefits as the last great job.  Opportunities for growth and advancement are also there.

I am breathing again!

I am doing the happy dance.

I am so relieved.

I am so thankful.

Praise the Lord!

Many prayers have been answered.