Feb. Week 2 Day 2: Choose Fun Exercise

You and I like to have fun. We are more likely to do something that is fun more than we are to work. If you have struggled with exercising it is because you make it a chore. It is time to have fun getting healthy.

Establishing an exercise routine will be easier if you make it something you enjoy or fun. There are so many options out there. You just need to find what you enjoy.

I used to love kickboxing because I worked out a lot of stress. I also enjoy dancing. I will just dance or use a ballet or Dancing with the Stars workout DVD. Last night my workout ended up being a wrestling match with both my boys (By the way they still cannot take me.) When it is pretty, I want to be outside. I take the kids to the park and play with them. I swing, slide and even try the obstacle course. And a game of tag is a great workout, too. I just pick my exercise for the day depending on my mood. I pick something I will enjoy.

So the rest of the week, try different things that are fun to you. Check the stores for workout DVDs of things you enjoy. There are plenty out there under $10. If you have a baby, crawl around with them. You will wear out faster. If you have kids or a spouse, dance around the living room. Getting healthy is not boring, it is fun.

Your reason to exercise is you are God's. It is your choice to enjoy it. So go have some fun and get in shape!!!

February Action Plan
Choose an exercise routine and program that fits your schedule.

Week 2 Action Plan
Choose to find a way to get your fruits and veggies and memorize Psalm 139:13-14.

Week 2 Day 2
Choose to thank God for creating you and making you so unique.
Choose to read Psalm 139 again. Do you really get believe? Do you mean it?
Choose to have fun exercising.
Choose to do a Family 15 and pick up.
Choose to go to bed on time.

Feb. Week 2 Day 1: Choosing To Remember Your Reason

I hope you took time to get some rest this weekend. It is a new week with new choices to discuss.

We are going to continue discussing choices about our physical health. I know this is a sensitive subject for many of us. So I would like for us first to choose to remember why we should make better choices about our health and weight.

First of all remember, we are not making this choice to lose weight to meet the world"s standard (too thin is not healthy either).

Today, you and I are going to choose to be healthy. Our focus for being healthy will be because we our God's. As David said we are fearfully and wonderfully made by God. God created these amazing bodies. Isn't it time we treat them like His creation? It is not just the trees we need to save, but ourselves too.

I am keeping this short so you can talk to God. Please spend time giving God your struggle with weight, eating habits, smoking, laziness etc. If God has even numbered the hairs on your head and created you in your mother's womb, He cares about your health.

February Action Plan
Choose an exercise routine and program that fits your schedule.

Week 2 Action Plan
Choose to find a way to get your fruits and veggies and memorize Psalm 139:13-14.

Week 2 Day 1
Choose to lift your burdens that effect your health to God.
Choose to read Psalm 139:1-18. Read it aloud to God.
Choose to jog, dance, kickbox and/or jump rope.
Choose to clean up the kitchen.
Choose to go to bed on time.

Feb. Week 1 Day 5: Choose to Rest in Him

Today, just stop and come before God. Find rest in His arms. Renew yourself in His Word.

Psalm 63
A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.
1 O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.

3 Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.

4 I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.

5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

6 On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.

7 Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.

8 My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.

9 They who seek my life will be destroyed;
they will go down to the depths of the earth.

10 They will be given over to the sword
and become food for jackals.

11 But the king will rejoice in God;
all who swear by God's name will praise him,
while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

February Action Plan
Choose an exercise routine and program that fits your schedule.

Week 1 Action Plan
Choose to rearrange your schedule to get 7-8 hours of sleep and memorize Luke 12:7.

Week 1 Day 5
Choose to sit in God's presence and refresh your spirit.
Choose to read Psalm above or any scripture that encourages you.
Choose to jog, dance, kickbox and/or jump rope.
Choose to put up laundry laying around.
Choose to go to bed on time.

Feb. Week 1 Day 4: Choose A Day of Rest

Have you noticed how our weeks seem to get longer and longer, but go by too fast? I know this may be surprising, but there is still the same amount of hours and days in a week. No extra time has been added over the years even though we keep trying to add it. So, I am thinking that may be the reason you are so tired and worn out. But, besides a good night's sleep, there is another choice you can make...have a sabbath, a day of rest.

I hear you already telling me why you cannot take a day of rest. As I tell my son, please don't interrupt. Please just give me your complete attention with an open mind.

You start your day with a cup of coffee sitting on your porch or in your room. You turn on some wonderful worship music and just sit in the presence of God. You take a few moments to sit in awe of a loving Father. (If you choose your day of rest to be a Sunday, you get up a few minutes earlier to enjoy this time and keep the music going while you get ready.)

You take this day to eat sandwiches or eat off the dollar menu for lunch. You plan ahead so you do not have to cook today. And it is ok if you use paper plates.

You go to the park to play or for a walk. If it is cold, you stay inside and read a book, watch a movie or play a game with the kids.

You take a nap with your child or everyone has quiet time in their room.

And if your day of rest is a Sunday, you go to worship and fellowship with other believers. But if you are working the whole time at church and spend 6 hours there, you might want to find another day of rest or reevaluate your Sunday.

You choose to do all these things from when you get up and at least until 5 pm. You do not check emails or do any work. You let your mind and body rest. You refresh your spirit by being with God. I want you to realize the importance of recharging your batteries.

Now for all of you rolling your eyes because you have little ones at home. You and your spouse need to decide how you can both take that time in the morning once a week. Maybe you alternate and the other one can feed the kids breakfast. And the rest of the day, they are resting and playing with you. Most kids do not act up when they have your undivided attention. If this becomes part of your routine then they will fall into it.

Just please give it a chance. We were created to take this day. God himself took a day. Choose to have a day of rest. You have all week to be busy, it can wait until the next day.

February Action Plan
Choose an exercise routine and program that fits your schedule.

Week 1 Action Plan
Choose to rearrange your schedule to get 7-8 hours of sleep and memorize Luke 12:7.

Week 1 Day 4 Action Plan
Choose to seek God.
Choose to read Exodus 20:8-11
Choose to exercise by doing squats and lunges during commercials and jog during the show.
Choose to pick up your room.
Choose what day will be your day of rest.

Feb. Week 1 Day 3: Choose Rest for the Rest

Short tempered...Little patience...Grouchy...Irritated...Sound familiar?

If you have ever been a new mommy or been around one, you know that new mommies can be very cranky and irritable because the poor things get little sleep. A new mommy does not have a choice. It is part of being a new mommy. But the rest of us (unless it is due to a medical condition) have no excuse not to get rest so we are not cranky.

For the sake of your loved ones, coworkers and friends, please choose to get the rest you need. Yes there may be times that due to sickness or emergency keep you from a good night sleep. But most nights you just have to choose to get rest.

Please choose to get rest for all those others you may interact with today. It is hard to reflect Christ when you are snapping at everyone you meet.

Tonight choose to go to bed and get a full night rest for the sake of others. And we will say thank you when you do.

February Action Plan
Choose an exercise routine and program that fits your schedule.

Week 1 Action Plan
Choose to rearrange your schedule to get 7-8 hours of sleep and memorize Luke 12:7.

Week 1 Day 3
Choose to sit in God's presence and refresh your spirit.
Choose to read Matthew 11:25-30
Choose to get up and move. Play a Wii game with the kids or dance around the living room.
Choose to wipe down the bathrooms.
Choose to go to bed on time.

Feb. Week 1 Day 2: Choose To Say Goodnight

Is rest really important? You only have to look at the first chapter of the Bible to answer that question. So why do we try to do so much and put rest on the back burner?

Our bodies were made by God. He created us to get rest. Why fight with the way we were made? Or why drink all these different things for energy instead of healthy eating and sleep for energy? If the creator and Lord of all things can rest, why shouldn't we?

What is keeping you from a goodnight sleep? Too busy? TV? Cannot fall asleep? Children?

If children are keeping you up then maybe you should give them an earlier bedtime. Children require a lot more sleep than we do. Depending on the age they may need 10 hours of asleep. You can put them to bed an hour or two before your bedtime and give yourself enough time to get ready for bed. Choose to set a bedtime for all of you.

If it is your favorite show on TV, then record it or catch it online at a later time. Let technology benefit you. If it is the news, you can catch it online or catch it earlier. I know in my area there is local news on at least one of the channels from 4 pm to 10 pm. Choose your bedtime and watch your shows around it, instead of a choosing a bedtime around your shows.

If you cannot fall asleep, you may need to look at a few things. You may need to cut out caffeine earlier in the day. You may need to read instead of staring at a computer or TV before bed. Some people need a warm bath to relax. Find a way to let your body unwind sooner to help you fall asleep when you get to bed. Choose to take steps to relax (including your mind) before bed.

If you are too busy and getting home too late most of the week then you definitely need to reevaluate your priorities. It is not healthy for you or your children. Choose to put your health over too many activities.

If you get your body on a bedtime schedule, it will become easier for you to fall asleep and get a goodnight's rest. Choose to do it for you, your body, your work and your family.

February Action Plan
Choose an exercise routine and program that fits your schedule and life.

Week 1 Action Plan
Choose to rearrange your schedule to get 7-8 hours of sleep and memorize Luke 12:7.

Week 1 Day2 Action Plan
Choose to ask God to show you how to get the rest you need.
Choose to read Genesis 1-2:2
Choose to work out your abs during commercials and lift cans during the show.
Choose to do a Family 15 and pick up at least the living area.
Choose to go to bed on time.

Feb. Week 1 Day 1: Choosing Good Health

The first month of the new year of the new decade is over. We have started a new month that comes with new choices everyday. Some of the choices are very important especially the ones concerning your health. We are going to start this month looking at our choices to get in better shape and better health.

We have talked about the three choices that effect our health in previous blogs, but let's do a quick review. You have to choose to exercise, eat healthy and get plenty of rest. They are all choices you have complete control over. You know if you choose to eat too much or not enough there are consequences. You know if you choose to get little sleep several days in a row, you are not productive. You know if you choose to not exercise, you are at risk not only for weight gain but also heart disease.

Making three better simple choices could lead to feeling better, more productivity, and probably happiness. The reward of choosing to take care of your health is too great, yet so easy to reach.
And these choices are not just for people who are over weight. These choices are important for everyone. The question to you is, "Is your health and life important to you?"

I hope you said yes. If you want to say yes, but are hesitant here are some reasons.

1. You were created by God. You are His masterpiece. Treat yourself like one.
2. You were created for a purpose. Your good health effects you fulfilling that purpose.
3. You may have been blessed with a precious gift, your child(ren). Your health is important in raising them.
4. Your success in work, raising a family, etc depends on good health.
5. Exercise and rest can lower you stress level.

Let's choose to start making our health important. Let's choose to start today.

February Action Plan:

Choose an exercise routine and program that fits your schedule and life. (we will be discussing it)

Week 1 Action Plan:

Choose to rearrange your schedule to allow for 7-8 hours of sleep and memorize Luke 12:7.

Day 1 Action Plan

Choose to thank God for creating an unique and special you.

Choose to read Luke 12:6-8. Reread it again. Do you get your importance?

Choose to exercise by jogging, jump roping, dancing during your TV show.

Choose to clean up the kitchen and give it a fresh start for the week.

Choose to get a full nights rest.