My Beach Body.....

My Beach Body

Amazing and beautiful individuals of all size, color and orientation---
this may or may not be an add- you decide.

I am surrounded by images of measuring tapes. Bodies strangely browned (reminding me of the freshly basted and greased bird that has been devoured---leftovers transformed to bone broth and sandwiches-- and has then gone the way of all foods-- )-- back to the human images.

In the photographs, I know most have been edited. Now not only our the sides of women's necks being erased, but the inner parts of our thighs?!? I laugh with my children that some of these beautiful ladies legs would snap at right angles from simply trying to hold the emaciated and photo- shop thinned frames.

 I laugh with my husband. The men in these adds have strange formations. It seems like there are strange creatures- from Science Fiction Lore-- wrestling under the single layer of fried epidermis. I might add that the facial expressions match that same imagined struggle- "grimace" only barely describing the gleaming white bared teeth.

And, this is my intro-- I am now a beach body coach! I am one of these! I have before pictures and even my children are learning about Sean T and others..... How did this happen?????

I am on a journey, not to transpose my face onto a skin cancer drug-test subject with skin so tight my motion and speed is hindered as I attempt to reveal my freshly whitened enamel, but to journey to my best. Now, I might simply need to eat more chocolate and wine, this is a theory I am testing also-- (please stay tuned)-- but what of the best for my family and many others who find themselves in a place of "what am I doing??"

My current "weight" is not an issue of concern. I am not built to be a stick. That is something that used to haunt me. I have made myself vomit. I have gone on long spiritual "fasts" in which there was very little praying except to my scale. I have also made the right choice, putting the chips on my plate instead of simply tilting back my head and enjoying the contents of the whole bag of Juantitas "Flipping Awesome" Chips TM :) I now have a lowest weight acceptable number-- it happens to be the number that doctors and my WiFit tell me I should be shooting for-- the stinkers. I will not go lower.

What my focus is, is the pursuit of health. Real Health. Not the cover of a magazine that will make people spend money on something so that they too can be airbrushed. But so that when someone says," Would you like...?" We can answer confidently, without the worry of-- "what did ---- say", "what should I say?", "how will I make ----- feel",  "Is my face getting so red I blend in with my sweater?"...... and other perfectly standard thoughts.

The journey, right. My brain-- my son's brain-- heck to be honest my entire family's brains. If you yell squirrel, we are the ones running to the nearest window. We watch for shiny things and God Help Us if you need a straight answer in less than 5 minutes- this coming from someone in Pre Nursing hoping to become an Advocate and Successful RN (Hello future employers :) ). Still dreaming to encourage to live and if I can maintain a non diabetic body. --Yes. Even while working 40+ hours at a desk job, going to school and then sitting for a church service instead of going on a 20 mile bike ride on Sunday ams- I will TAKE IT!

There is NOT a right answer for every body. Ha ha! That's not true- bummer. We need to move and to be nourished. With love, WATER and food. Whatever moves me makes my brain function. After almost 8 years of trying protein drinks I am using Shakeology-- yes and I'm still trying other things! But the test is that my 7 year old will drink it AND I am seeing more focus! For myself and him!

Quick protein table though:
~ Hemp requires too much chewing to be called a "drink"
~Whey- way gassy bloated and lactose sensitivity in kidlets
~ Soy- did I mention that mentally hormones are a big deal?
~ Soapbox----- bubbles ... (POP)... pop-pop........

~Vega is on my next list to try- less sugar than Shakeology, more protein- less amino acids though-- and to see if Simeon will ingest it ---

Long Post! Too graphic! Okay I will Sum Up (Imagine Indigo Montoya voice here)

If you want to try a shake, hit me up:) I have samples- Vegan :) If you want to avoid me for my crazy- feel free:) If you want to pray for me PLEASE!! If you want to give advice! Do it! Just be aware that I am doing my research. And I want to find what WORKS- mentally - physically -emotionally and spiritually. I do not think a corporation can define health for me. It's not about a magic potion but a way of life, a pursuit of dreams and a hope for the future...

At the top I posted my beach bod pic!! I hope you like it:) Please feel free to share your story with me! Let's chase after truth and hope! NOT a # -whether on a scale or a tape- lets grab hands and LOVE instead of playing "my protein is more digestible than your protein":) Hey, chances are we can all find some thing to love :) ( and out with the Beetles "all you need is love..)

www.shakeology.com/renah86

Let them come… yep those loud smelly ones...

Recently I've been asked what my vision for children is. I've been thinking of this, meditating and pondering this question my whole life.

child |CHīld|noun ( pl. children |ˈCHildrən| )a young human being below the age of puberty or below the legal age ofmajority.• a son or daughter of any age.• an immature or irresponsible person: she's such a child!• a person who has little or no experience in a particular area: he's a child in financial matters.• (children) the descendants of a family or people: the children of Abraham.• (child of) a person or thing influenced by a specified environment: a child of the sixties | OPEC was in a sense a child of the Cold War.
I would love to hear response to these definitions from those that work closely with children. My children, any chidden… I have been involved in some extent of childcare for the last 17 years of my life. If you want we can go back to my earliest memories of rocking mysister back to sleep often, if we count that it's been almost 23 years. Whichever is more accurate I can tell  you there has always been a nagging question: Are they (we) valuable?
I know every canned answer but the more moving is the "actual value" given a child. I some countries a child is either valuable or useless depending on the amount of labor you can get out of them. From hard manual labor, to factory work, to working the streets begging or selling their bodies… each of these children's "owners" could give you an accurate monetary description of their value. In a less harsh reality we can look at areas where a child's value is not determined by services rendered,But rather in respect or how many hassles they provide a parent. The over all question remains: are they valuable? 
Because of who I am I am going to see what Jesus said. There is a moving story in the gospels that we are so aware of it becomes Sunday School bland. I'm going to liven it up a bit… and I'll use my children because they are NOT calm docile children like in the picture books.
    Once there was a famous man, he was powerful and awesome and everyone wanted a piece of him. Paparazzi were constantly crowding him and he needed 12 bodyguards!! Even so his entire goal was touching the people around him, making his body guards a frustrated group in the least. One day specifically Jesus spent all day at a HUGE conference. THEN he made time for question and answer! After all that Esther and Simeon Kline came running up onto the stage. Esther almost strangling the smallish Asher who couldn't quite keep up, but she desperately wanted to be included in meeting JESUS! (Renah had tripped over someone's abandoned crutch and was floundering in a sea of people trying to catch up)    No worries, the body guards were there. they closed in a tight group, denying access to the man of the hour while allowing him to continue answering the NET or Gross Question of "How much is 10%?" Interrupting the questions, Jesus stands… creating a huge stir. He doesn't excuse himself or apologize. Instead he nudges his way through the wall of backs, swings Asher up onto his back. grabs both Esther and Sim by the hand,leads tumbly- interruptus up on the stage and asks Simeon… "What do  you think about that question?" Honest Sim, "i dunno"… no worries Esther is here with her love of a mic and Jesus gives her full range. No there is no deep profound message delivered she probably tells a story about chasing boys at school. After Q and A… Jesus doesn't go home with the pastor… he goes to the park.
Now we can all easily see that these children were encouraged in being rebellious, they were distracting and worst of all WHAT ABOUT THE 10% QUESTION!!??
What really happened? These children in a moment had an encounter where they knew they mattered. They will take this encounter every where they go for the rest off there lives. They didn't receive a "one liner" to spit out and look important. They got to see Jesus, and because of that they will want to become like him!! In truth the bible states that Jesus wasn't laid back with his bodyguards, he was pissed. Why?? Because Jesus knows if we stop new life, new growth, the messy stuff , the children, his message is already dead. Jesus wants the dirty people. He provides the showers. Too often we are so worried about being clean before we show up, we forget there is no running water without him and that the best we can do is cover our smell.
Children can usually care less how they smell, they care how YOU smell(: They will run straight to Jesus and he can wash there sticky fingers or not…
Are ChildrenValuable? Priceless. Why? Because no matter if it's my best day or my worst, a fat or thin day, I need to see that. TO see that value has nothing to do with 'sound doctrine' even less, "what can you give me" It's in the person. Asher need only throw back his head and giggle and mommy will keep him up 15 minutes past bedtime making puppy faces and blowing raspberries. That is my Jesus. He looks more like that dirty kid at the park than me any day… and I want to be like him….

...personal adventure stories...

   Recently I went to the park with a dear friend only to instantly realize that my seven year old princess had on her best "bully" out and was trying it on for size. Of course the main focus of her intentions went directly to my kind hearted, although imperfect in his own right, newly five, bright and twinkly knight. (He knows he is a king, but would rather be called a knight, I'm guessing he grasps more job description details than I can imagine.)
   Back to the park, my friend knows my heart and was quick to draw Esther up when she acted out of my sight. I came to a not so fun realization, actually a few:
1. I'm not perfect (Gasp) 2. My extremely intelligent girl requires me to put my best big girl panties on and be just as powerful as she is every day.
   Now this is definitely a to be continued story as my writing muse appears to be nocturnal, but I am slowly learning how to enforce boundaries, again. My excuses for not enforcing well simply are not good enough. On occasion, (Love and logic parents beware) I now feel I can lovingly use a tool in my parenting toolbox called: a swat.
   Now at the park, I had such good reasons (super good) about why my seven year old is beyond that kind of discipline. But as I thought over my friends wisdom, I realized something. My children are not at all dumb. They look at me and somehow gauge my extreme sensitivity to their hearts and to keeping them whole. Tey then use this keen vision to get away with things. (Not horrible things, but making farting noises when ever a grownup speaks can be considered rude in some circles) I had to admit, in these past few months, I have allowed them to get out of hand. they are once again testing boundaries with the thought, "What would happen if I ....?"
 "The park" was a turning point for me. When we got home we had this amazing confrontation. My children knew they could argue with me, knew they could find something to convince me in another direction than what I had just said.
   It's not because they are bad, and honestly, I love the conversations. But conversations cannot turn into blatant brushing off of any authority. Again, my powerful kids looked me square in the face but I believe that they are beginning to see someone who will not only love them well, but will also help guide them. Even when it requires painful pruning.
 Now before I seem to give consent to major corporeal punishment, I must interject that my true conviction is that I cannot control, my children. I can only guide them. There are many ways to be a guide. The very mature can follow an extremely rudimentary road map, but we all have days when we are not so mature and we need consequences to follow directions. Then when we choose to ignore consequences there is another option. Yay and hoorah for options!
    Today was a very good day! Esther and I have been connecting at an even deeper level. Simeon is a love. Asher is the cause of major rioting in the streets whenever he bats an eye. Life is good. And good night!

Oregon or bust...

    That was the title of the blog that I was writing sitting in 85 degree weather on a Redding morning with thoughts of gigantic spiders creeping through my mind. At the time Oregon was a promised land with fewer exotic style arachnids and weather I could wrap up in and sip hot tea. Unfortunately, many frustrating phone sessions later, I finally accepted the fact that my phone was not a successful blogging device. Therefore this blog will have to cover a larger span of time. I'll try to condense.

    As I sit here, I'm full of so much anticipation for the things that God is bringing into the next chapter(s) of our lives, and Redding is a place that holds precious memories but even more, so many precious people that will continue to hold onto tiny pieces of our hearts effectively spreading us across the globe, (with some concentration in the US and Australia).

    Our last weeks in California were filled with packing, cleaning, and saying goodbye to jobs, friends and family. It was a tough, yet invigorating time as we dreamed with God and each other. Life is never what we expect, but we know the value of making plans, while what they ultimately look like is not entirely up to us, which is both comforting and frightening.

     Theresa's Arts conference that Ben helped orchestrate here was a massive wave of success. Businesses on both sides of the river were given art and just thanked for being in business.I was excited to see the welcome the arts received all over. People sang, danced, decorated cookies, took pictures,wrote poetry painted and drew. It is so good to see!!

    Our dreams are not simply for the arts. We want to see people released into their dreams. All of them. Business, family, creative, financial, spiritual and even health wise.... nothing is left out. It is fun to see what begins to knit together as we dream. There were aspects of Ben and I that, in the beginning, I would have thought were incompatible. Now I can see them as perfectly supporting, even contributing to the success, of each other.
  
     Specifically, my hope is to step more into dance. I'm outing myself a little here. While I'm in no way a professional, I know that dance completes me. Watching others step into freedom of movement frees them up in their thinking and in their hearts. I hope to take more training myself and would love to see more dance happening around me. No matter what our age, when we dance knowing that we are powerful and beautiful the sky breaks wide open!

    Okay, to sum up. I love this area and there is much (many) still that we miss in Redding. We are excited for what will happen next, tying together all our hopes, experiences and personalities.  I look forward to seeing each of you and hugging you relentlessly . May all your dreams come true.

I.Dignify

Hello friends!!!

Life is an adventure! Right now the birds are singing outside and I have the coldest house in Redding due to a large basement and all hardwood floors, most days I'd be thrilled but today I'm just hoping my feet thaw sometime. Okay....now on to actually writing ;)

I have recently started pursuing one of my life long passions. I'm taking a class through a ministry called IDignify. There aim is to educate and certify people to work alongside individuals that have been rescued form sexual trafficking.

Even when I was a young girl in Nevada, my heart broke when we went places and saw women out on the corner. I didn't even understand quite what they were doing, but they all looked cold and sad... Even though some of them were laughing... Fast forward to now.

 I thought it would be difficult/ impossible for me to work in this arena since I made the choice to marry and have small children. That was until I met two beautiful women Kimberly Johnson and  Rebecca Hathaway. Both of these women have young children, Kimberly and I were both carrying our third child at the same time. Rebecca works with a ministry called Unlikely Heroes out of SanFran and Kimberly and her husband Bob founded I.Dignify here.

I'm only taking my fourth week of class and you guys come in because I'd love some help with homework. I've written a survey and I'd so appreciate your involvement. Thank you so much and I'd love to hear what you think!!!

Please copy and paste the following in you search bar to participate:

http://kwiksurveys.com/s.asp?sid=rqb0rbtrsjjvyvg99196

Thank you!! Blessings and more love than you can imagine!!!!!!
                                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~  Renah

living with pillagers

okay... maybe they are more like burglars but I like the word pillage better...
time.money.food.love.foot scrub.... okay I'll explain further

I'm beginning to appreciate life more and more, yes this is in direct response to my little pillagers.
Tonight, in the tub I was taking a moment to scrub my toesies with a nice salty scrub and I used extra... because I may never see it again.
You see in my  home, when something is left out, say on the tub so it can dry, it is pillaged. Taken and scientifically mutated into a pony poultice or alien repellant to be smeared on pillows at nighttime.... both true stories.

this is an incredibly short post, mostly saying... I'm getting new perspective, I'm recognizing things of value.

Also realizing  the task of writing the entire 'Kline Family Adventure' was apparently so burdensome I couldn't type a word for almost a year. So for now I'm simply writing my own, my own perspective my own adventure.Which will have frequent interruptions from the pillagers and other loves in my life.

thank you

Life as we know it...

  Hello again, I hope this post finds you all enjoying your holiday season as life goes on around you. Redding is 59 degrees and I'm wearing a sweater when I go out. I feel like a ninny but the upside means I survived the summer. 

   Life can be insane sometimes. In my family of four we have 3 attending school and we work 7 days a week here or there. Still, we continue everyday to be more and more aware that we are exactly where we are supposed to be. 

  We have all been growing so much. I feel the learning curve for us right now is huge. Every chance we get  for failure, distraction or just anger has been highlighted as opportunities to learn. 

   Ben took on not only a custodial position, but a custodial position at Walmart. Many of you already know this, but something you may not know is that he has been coming home Happy (even though he gets some of the most disturbing stories!! :) It's too amazing to watch my husband's Joseph like attitude and actions gain him the attention of every manager in the store. 

    Still, this is not to say that the last months have been easy. We really are living in a tension of knowing where we are supposed to be... and where we want to be. We are still waiting and not making any definite decisions about the future, Simeon is talking about Africa a lot, but we know that the North West is our home. It's where our hearts live. We miss you all and since being away we are seeing more and more clearly all that really is going to happen there.

  The North West is a pivotal and strategic area. I feel like there is a hub of a kind there that connects people, dreams and movements. I also see it as a place where people can step into their individual destinies. Ben and I love to hear what is going on in all of your lives. God is doing so much. Something I know He has been speaking over me is that what he is placing inside of us is meant to be eternal. I know this is something He is doing in the whole Church. God is wanting to start something that has no end, in us. For that to be possible only He can be the foundation. He has continued and continued to dig, removing every bit of weakness. There has been so much sifting. The only thing that has held me up during this time is to lean into him.

   During this time more than any other I see Papa God as Aslan with Eustace removing the scales. As a Daddy with a wash cloth wiping our sticky fingers. Our job is NOT to clean ourselves up! Simply put, we need to stand still. We need to let him get between our fingers, and toes if necessary. Trusting that He is always good!! Life as I've always know it..... will NEVER be the same. He is too good everyday for me to want "same". I want Him, even when it hurts.

   Thank you so much for keeping us in your prayers. We really feel it everyday and we are praying for you also! Ben got in his deposit for his Thailand trip in the Spring so we're a little over 10% through paying it off. Thank you to everyone who has been donating to him. If anyone else is interested they can go to ibssm.org there's a donate link at the bottom of the page. Make sure that the donation goes toward Ben Kline missions. (Tuition is already paid in full! Yay!) 

   All the prayer, encouragement and support of all kinds being poured out over us has been overwhelming. YOU GUYS ARE BEAUTIFUL! Thank you again! We love you and I Hope you all have an amazing Holiday Season!!!!!!

    ~Merry Christmas and Happy New Year~

                                                  with love and hugs~    

                                                                          Renah