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Author of Turn Your Dreams into Realities Sue Augustine helps women find new ways to add meaning to the ordinary moments of everyday life. Each short chapter helps readers brighten their day, renew their spirits, and experience simple pleasures such as:savoring the unique smell of favorite foods, crayons, flowers, freshly turned soilcreating an inspirational tape of music, voices of loved ones, gentle poemsbasking in the pleasure of complete silencegazing at the stars and delighting in the majesty of God's creationAs women integrate these low-cost, uplifting activities into their daily lives, they'll discover increased energy, spiritual renewal, and a deeper, stronger faith.Rerelease of 5-Minute Retreats for Women.

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Publié par	Harvest House Publishers, Inc.
Date de parution	01 mars 2008
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9780736936514
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0323€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Verses marked NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Verses marked NIV are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION . NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Verses marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible , Copyright 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Verses marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
Cover by Left Coast Design, Portland, Oregon
Cover photo Ligia Botero / Taxi / Getty Images
SIMPLE RETREATS FOR A WOMAN S SOUL
Copyright 2001 by Sue Augustine
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97402
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Augustine, Sue.
[5-minute retreats for women]
Simple retreats for a woman s soul / Sue Augustine.
p. cm.
Previously published under title: 5-minute retreats for women.
ISBN-13: 978-0-7369-2307-1
ISBN-10: 0-7369-2307-1
1. Women-Psychology-Miscellanea. 2. Women-Conduct of life-Miscellanea 3. Self-help techniques. 4. Relaxation. 5. Pleasure. I. Title.
HQ1206.A866 2008
646.70082-dc22
2007029288
All rights reserved . No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means-electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other-except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.
Printed in the United States of America
08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 /BP-CF/ 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
CONTENTS
Innocent Pleasures
P ART 1
PERSONAL PLEASURES
Innocent Ways to Nurture Yourself
Breakfast in Bed Start Your Day Refreshed Restorative Bathing Rituals The Morning Shower-Alive, Awake, and Alert! Hide Out for a Day Try Your Hand at Creativity Come Aside and Rest a While Enjoy Massage Pleasures Give Yourself a Massage Lighten Up Play More Sweet Dreams
P ART 2
COME TO YOUR SENSES
Savor the Silence The Joy of Listening The Sounds of Music Create a Nourishing Tape Delight in the Miracle of Touch Show Caring Through Touch The Pampering Bath Soothing Scents The Scent of a Memory Ah, Food, Glorious Food A Celebration of Tea Tea for One Marvel at the Heavens
P ART 3
NAME YOUR DAYS
Name Your Days Laugh a Lot Have a Laugh at Yourself Cry a Little Groan for Your Health Cultivate a Grateful Heart Count Your Blessings Give Yourself Away Dream a Little Dream Find Serenity in Nature Take Time to Meditate
P ART 4
INNOCENT ESCAPES
Create a Place of Your Own Create Your Own Toy Room Visit Your Inner Shangri-la Arrange a Minivacation Welcome Unexpected Vacations Plan an Imaginary Trip Indulge in a Midday Snooze Delight in God s Creatures The Inspiring Garden Create Your Garden Sanctuary A Garden Anywhere The Refreshing Garden Rest in a Rocking Chair
P ART 5
INSTANT PLEASURES
Welcome the Wind in Your Hair Go Barefoot Find Wonder in Little Things Water on the Inside Take a Stroll Abandon Modern Technology for a Day Wherever You Are, Be There Take Time to Reminisce Add a Little Buffoonery to Your Life Make Your Own Music Dance by Yourself! Rejoice in the Wonders of Water
P ART 6
TURNING THE PAGES
Family and Friends in 8 x 10s: Enjoy the Magic of Photographs Escape in a Good Book Surround Yourself with Books Build Your Personal Library Lose Yourself in Children s Books Give Poetry a Chance! Journal Your Thoughts Share the Story of a Lifetime Alternative Journals Leave a Precious Legacy
P ART 7
FAMILY PLEASURES
Strengthen Family Ties Celebrate a Tradition Break from Tradition Water Fun Play Tourist in Your Hometown Play for Free Have a Fun and Games Night Have a Winter Picnic Plan a Treasure Hunt Start a Collection Enjoy Your Collection Memory Gifts Put Your Memories on Display A Photo Memoir Storybook Photo Storybook Themes
P ART 8
TEA FOR TWO OR MORE!
Deepen the Bonds of Friendship Nurture Your Friendships Hospitality Pleasures Tea for Two or More! Meals with Friends Spontaneous Entertaining Creative Meals Send Thank-You Notes Phone a Friend Share the Laughter Read to Someone Be Creative in Gift Giving! Love and Be Loved
Conclusion
Other Great Harvest House Books by Sue Augustine
About the Publisher
I NNOCENT P LEASURES
I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string .
L UCY M AUD M ONTGOMERY , Anne of Green Gables
A re your days filled with working through agendas and meeting deadlines, counting fat grams, eating more fiber, keeping up with yard work and car repairs, fighting off the flu, and practicing self-denial? Are you longing for the pure and simple things of life? In the years that I ve been speaking and writing about living with more joy and contentment, I ve seen a resurgence of desire for innocent pleasures that will revive our spirits and refresh our souls.
These five-minute retreats describe easy-to-implement experiences that enable us to marvel at the wonders of nature, enjoy the serenity of quiet contemplation, and tap the creativity we need to heal the areas of our lives that are out of balance. They introduce us to innocent pleasures that help us get in touch with how we want to live and then give us vibrant energy to do it.
We ve come to mistrust anything not associated with hard work and believe that if something feels or tastes good, it can t be appropriate. Because we ve not been encouraged to derive pleasure from ordinary experiences, the absence of joy is more prevalent today than ever. It seems we are no longer inspired by life and routinely deprive ourselves of the delight of playful spontaneity.
With 99 innocent pleasures at your fingertips, you can begin to experience the fullness of living without investing a great deal of time or money. When you are taking life far too seriously and need to recapture lost dreams or gain a fresh perspective, innocent pleasures are good for your body, mind, and soul. Besides stopping to smell the flowers, pause to smell clean sheets, old leather, new books, a turkey roasting, and fresh bread baking. Rediscover simple indulgences like frolicking in a pile of autumn leaves, going barefoot, listening to the rain on the roof, taking a midday snooze, and doing jigsaw puzzles.
Innocent pleasures motivate us to be creative thinkers and positive problem solvers. Scientific evidence suggests that pleasurable experiences may prove to be the most significant ingredients in a long, healthy, effective life because they promote the release of endorphins and boost immunity.
This book is my invitation to you to become immersed in simple indulgences. Let them renew your peace, comfort, and satisfaction. Let them enrich your days and lift your spirits.
P ART 1
PERSONAL PLEASURES

I nnocent W ays to N urture Y ourself

BREAKFAST IN BED
Pamper yourself into wellness with little indulgences .
I ordinarily walk by the lake first thing each morning and then start writing, so having breakfast in bed was not high on my priority list. But when I began incorporating innocent pleasures into my life, I couldn t think of a more appealing way to start the day. So, bright and early one Saturday morning, I meandered into the kitchen and put the kettle on to boil for my favorite English breakfast tea. Then I set up a tray, complete with lace doily and linen napkin, fancy china cup and saucer, the prettiest teapot in my collection, and a few fresh flowers. I blended fresh raspberries with french vanilla yogurt and poured it into a crystal dessert dish. A pineapple-pecan muffin topped it all off.
Once the tea began to steep, the tray, the cat, and I went back upstairs to bed, along with a stack of my favorite gardening magazines and a good novel. With my cluster of fluffy pillows waiting, I lit a small candle on my nightstand and put on some soft background music. Best of all, I gave myself permission to stay put for a while. Occasionally indulging in this perfect morning fantasy feels like a little piece of heaven on earth.
One day soon, why not treat yourself to breakfast in bed, either alone or with your sweetie? Keep it as simple as possible because the whole idea is to spend time relaxing in bed, not cooking in the kitchen. Serve in-season fresh fruit topped with yogurt or cream. If you re feeling ambitious, bake a fruit cobbler the night before. Or try toasted English muffins with strawberry preserves, pumpernickel toast with apple butter, or quiche with spinach and cheese. Another favorite is cranberry muffins spread with honey-lemon butter, which you can make yourself by adding a little honey and lemon juice to some softened butter. Whatever you choose, remember that you want limited knife and fork activity. When it s kept simple, I can t think of a more delightful way to practice innocent pleasures.

START YOUR DAY REFRESHED
The morn is up again, the dewy morn, with breath all incense, and with cheek all bloom, laughing the clouds away with playful scorn, and glowing into day .
L ORD B YRON
I f you have a difficult time relating to Byron s description of morning, you re not alone! When people are asked why they get out of bed every morning, most say it has more to do with needing to go to the bathroom than with viewing the grandeur of dewy grass or clouds being laughed away. Aside from that, many folks admit it takes them an hour or more to feel alert once they are up. Others can t