To Blog Or Not To Blog--That Is The Question

This is one of those nights that I am about ready to fall asleep at the computer, but I have not blogged. Is it better to wait until you have something important to share or is it better to blog everyday, rain or shine, as a discipline? I am thinking it is beeter to do everyday, but I am not sure what the blog "rules" say.
Blog readers, what do you think? Is it better to blog everyday--even if it's just a little something or wait until you have lots of good stuff to share?

Pray & Vote

My political bent: conservative Repbulican. Am I anxious about the upcoming election? Yes. I am afraid that people are just wanting a change not realizing that change doesn't mean things are automatically going to change for the better--they can also get worse--much worse. I am angry with the unfair way the media bias tries to influence the outcome of the elections as well. With all of my venting and frustration, I realize that God is in control, and that I can participate in the process, best, by praying. Would you pray for our country, too?

Clock Talk

Spring ahead--fall back. That's how I remember whether to move the clock ahead or behind an hour this time of year. We just changed all of the clocks--and there were a bunch! My body takes a while to adjust--my stomach is still on the old schedule and gets hungry about the same time each day. Just think, one day, when the Lord returns to take us to be with Him, we can throw our watches away--we won't ever have to be concerned with time, again. Fitness tip: Make time for your workouts--just like you would an appointment with someone. That will keep you on track and help you get the results you want!

Treasures

In the blog world, there are some days that are "neutral". Nothing bad happened, nothing really great happened. If I dig a little deeper, I can always find something to treasure and be thankful for: I sleep well (but could use a little more of it), I eat well, I have a comfortable home, I have a great job, I have a wonderful family, I have good health, and I have a home with the Lord, forever. I am truly blessed! My blog reader, I hope you had a good day, but if you just had a "neutral" or even a "bad" day--I pray that you can dig a little deeper, and find some "treasures".

Grandma Ruth

My grandmother is going to be celebrating her 100th birthday very soon. We are having an open house gathering on her birthday day and a birthday/Thanksgiving dinner the Saturday after Thanksgiving. My Aunt Cheryl has asked everyone to submit a letter or memory "notes" and any pictures that we would like to contribute, so that she can make a special scrapbook for Grandma Ruth. I am looking forward to writing that letter--going down memory lane. I lived in a small farm community and had the great priviledge of being around both sets of grandparents ever since I was a little girl. So, I do have some very special memories--wiping the dishes after eating a meal together, eating pancakes for supper, watching her "not argue" with grandpa, getting to "spend the night" in her extra bedroom that was decorated with Irish things, taking walks around the block after supper with her and grandpa (I think that's one of the reasons she has lived to be 100), watching her make a "good batch" of homemade icecream and grandpa getting out the old hand crank freezer and freezing it. But most important of all, she modeled this verse better than anyone I've ever known. (1 Peter 3:1 "In the same way, you wives be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectable behavior. And let not your adornment be merely external...but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit which is precious in the sight of God.") I am so blessed to have nothing but good memories and thoughts of a very special lady that loves the Lord, and will some day, soon, be in His presence.

God Hugs

It's hard to describe, but I felt like I got a "God hug" today. In my Weight Room world, I supervise trainers and help manage the Club. There was an incidence this week that could have caused a lot of problems/dissension, but logic/reason prevailed and things went well. One of my trainers thanked me for my support and help with the situation. In yet another situation, someone was upset with the way a program was run and took it out on me. The next day, this person apologized and thanked me for what I had done to make the situation better. Today, a fellow co-worker was feeling overwhelmed and was uncharacteristically abrupt and short with me. Within 10 minutes, she called back and apologized. In all of these situations, God enabled the spirit of kindness to come through in my response and actions. As a result, a very positive outcome occurred. These little events have been happening all week, but after the phone call from my co-worker, I felt as though God had given me a big hug. His presence was very real. As I thought of my Wonderful Heavenly Father, I smiled in admiration and appreciation for His ability to "cause all things to work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Rom 8:28)

Thank You For Your Prayers

Good news! God has answered prayer for Scott and Hannah--both are doing well. Thank you so much for your concern and your prayers. This is a short blog, but I will have more to share tomorrow!

How's Your Balance?

There is a principle in weight training: one of the ways you can make an exercise more challenging is to take away stability or balance. For example, if you do a push-up, that is a challenge, but if you have to do it with one one arm pulled behind you back, you are talking--"real challenge"! I think that's how the evil one operates. He is always trying to make our life harder by throwing us off balance. We watch too much TV and don't have "any time" to read the Word. Or we work so hard and so late, we don't build the relationships that we should with family and friends. Or we worry about things in the future to the point that we no longer trust our Heavenly Father to take care of us. I love this verse--it puts things into perspective. "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor do they gather into barns and your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?" (Matthew 6:26) The answer is "YES"!

Say A Little Prayer For...

I am sorry to have to report that in the last 8 hours, I have gotten several requests for prayer. One from a dear friend whose father is having surgery to remove cancer--hoping that the cancer has not spread; another from a dear neighbor whose wife was rushed to the emergency room last night. I have a sense that their is a storm brewing on the horizon--a feeling of uneasiness. I know that God is bigger than any health problem or any other issue, but it sure is nice to know that friends and neighbors, and sometimes, even people we don't know, care enough to say a prayer and hope for the very best. So, I will be saying my prayers for my friends and know that some day, I will be asking them to return the favor. If you would like to pray for them, their names are Scott and Hannah. "Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phillipians 4:6,7)

Running The Race

In a sea of humanity, mostly women in pink, I ran in the Komen Race for the Cure (for Breast Cancer) 5K run this morning. It was a brisk, cool morning. My dear friend, Linda picked me up and we headed toward Dallas. I needed to upgrade to a "runner"--I had signed in as a "walker", but Linda had encouraged me to run, so I changed my mind and decided to go for it. I teach a Treadmill class at the Club, so I was use to starting out faster and then slowing down and speeding up in an interval fashion. There were so many people that for the first two minutes, it seemed like I just couldn't get around or through all of the people--finally a path opened up and off I went. There were hills (but not too steep), which made the race a lot harder than I had thought it would be. Running on a treadmill and running outside are NOT the same thing! I stuck to my strategy of running as steady as I could, taking a walking break when needed, and then sprinting for a while until I needed to return to the steady pace, and then a recovery walk. I finished in a little over 28 minutes (7th in my age group). My goal was to do it under 30 minutes, so I was pleased. This verse especially became real to me--Hebrews 12:1,2 "Therefore since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside very encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of our faith..." All those people today (a cloud of witnesses) not watching in judgment, but cheering us on, because they wanted us to finish, and finish well. When the going gets tough (you run out of gas or there's a steep hill to climb) just remember, it's nothing compared to what Jesus has dealt with physically or spiritually. He knew more than anyone how important an encourager would be to the success of "the race". That's why He sent the Holy Spirit--the author and perfector of our faith knew an encourager could make all the difference in the world. And He is so wise and so right! Have you had an opportunity to encourage someone today?

Lacing Up

Tomorrow morning, I will be running in the Komen 5K Breast Cancer Race For The Cure.
There are several of us going from the Health & Athletic Center (that's where I work, that's my weight room). I have a very special interest in this race as I was diagnosed with breast cancer about 8 years ago. I discovered the lump myself. I was very sore and thought that the lump was from working chest muscles harder and differently after attending a Group Exercise convention just a few days earlier.
After seeing all of the doctors, I got the diagnosis--Stage I in the ducts, cancer. I elected to have a bilateral masectomy, chemo, (no radiation) and no other oral drugs. It was one of the hardest periods of my life, but one of the most rewarding. It brought me to a place of contentment and trust in my Heavenly Father, as nothing else ever has or probably will. I remember praying that God would send me encouragement "every day", so that I could make it through the ordeal. And that's exactly what He did. Letters, flowers, meals brought in, phone calls, acts of kindness--some from people that I didn't even know, sustained and uplifted me in an unexplainable--you had to be there sort of way. I am so thankful and grateful that God has given me 8 years and still counting, since the diagnosis. I cherish and celebrate every birthday--never complaining about getting older, because I know about the alternative (I've danced at that door and it is sobering and real.) I will polish off my running shoes, dress warm (with layers), and eat a little cereal with milk before I go. I am not planning on winning the race, but I hope to finish in under 30 minutes (a 5K is about 3.1 miles). I'll report back tomorrow.

From generation to generation.....

When I was a little girl, I would sometimes stay with Grandma Emma while Mom would go grocery shopping and do errands. Her little cottage always smelled like cookies and talcum powder. She was a really good cook! Her specialty was apple pie and gingersnap cookies. Her gingersnaps were just the right blend of spice, sweetness, and "snap". (Snap meaning crispness and chewiness.) Grandma Emma lived to be 103 years old. Charity (my daughter) is pregnant with her 2nd child has had quite a bout of morning sickness. I made up a batch of Grandma Emma's gingersnap cookies in the hopes that the ginger might help with the nausea. And it did! I think it would tickle Grandma to know that her cookie recipe is being put to good use, and is soothing her granddaughter (that would be me--the overprotective worrier) and her great granddaughter (that would be Charity--the expectant mother). "For the Lord is good. His Lovingkindness everlasting. And His faithfulness to all generations." (Ps. 100:5)

The People Fabric Of Life

Do you ever wonder Why God brings the people into our lives that He does? The clients, the students, the teachers, the neighbors, the friends, the children, the parents, the clerks, the doctors, the husbands and wives; the accountants, the brothers and sisters. I see many people every day and am so blessed to be in an environment where that happens with regular frequency. These people that God puts into my life bring laughter and joy. They help me to see things from many different perspectives. They make me care more, pray more, and invest more of my time and spirit into life. They make me feel important and needed in this time and place. They give my life balance and purpose. They dwell around me and we sove problems together and we celebrate life together. What a special gift!

God--the Perfect Personal Trainer

In the world of Weight Training, there is a principle that goes something like this:
what you train gets stronger and the more resistance that you use, the stronger you become. Translated into simpler terms, it means that if you do bicep curls, your biceps will get stronger--not your hamstrings. If you want to get stronger, you have to increase the workload.

God has plans for us. Plans for our welfare and not for calamity, to give us a future and a hope. Do you ever feel that God has put "too much weight" on your bar of life? He knows better than anyone how much we can handle, and what it will take to develop our faith to the next level. "All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." (Heb. 12:11)

Praying Ahead For My "Little Partner"

I am going to be a grandmother, again! Caelee (my granddaughter) is going to be blessed with a little brother or sister in about 8 months. Unfortunately, Charity has been very sick with nausea. Does anyone have any good home remedies for morningsickness? I suggested ginergersnap cookies and milk. Even though the baby has not been born, I am already praying that he/she would come to know the Lord at an early age. It is a wonderful thing--having someone pray for you. It is an even more wonderful thing knowing that the Holy Spirit is praying for us. "Romans 8:26--
And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness for we do not know how to pray as we should but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." What a wonderful Heavenly Father we have! My prayer is that Baby will know that, too.

Caramel Apples

When I was a little girl, on Sunday evenings, we wouldn't have your typical meat and potatoes supper. On Sundays, we would have popcorn and apples. I don't know if Mom & Dad were trying to economize or if we had popcorn and apples because that was the only food that wouldn't spill and make a mess while we were watching the "Wonderful World of Disney" and "Bonanza". In October and November, we would get a special treat--"caramel" apples! I remember helping unwrap what seemed like a hundred of the caramels and putting them in the double boiler. We would stir the little cubes until they turned into a smooth river of caramel. Then Mom would place a popsicle stick into each apple and plunge it into the "liquid gold". Onto the buttered cookie sheet they would go and into the refrigerator until they were cold. When we were ready to indulge, we would wrestle the apple off the cookie sheet and try to take a bite. It was usually more than our little teeth could stand--it was so cold that it made us want to retreat in defeat. But the taste was so wonderful that our second attempt to take a bite was usually successful.

Fast forward to 2006. Now we have a wonderful product called, "Caramel Dip" that allows us to have a few slices of apple with a little carmel dip without blowing our calorie budget for the day. It probably helps with the dental bills, too. (I am quite sure that I lost a baby tooth that was loose in one of those caramel apples.)

I am so thankful for those special family memories. I am also thankful for the friends and brothers and sisters in the Lord that God has placed in my life. They nourish my soul and create more special memories to enjoy and to savor.

The Best Defense

It's Saturday. Do you know what I did for 10 hours today? I took a concealed handgun licensing course (and passed--yipee!). My friend, Cindy and I did the class together. Her Dad is a gun expert and will, in the near future, be helping us secure our weapon of choice. Why, you might ask, would I want to do this? Our world is getting more violent everyday, and I believe the best offense is a good defense.
In the course, we learned that deadly force is always a last resort and can only be used if certain criteria are met. I hope that I am never in a situation where it would be necessary to defend myself in that way, but if it happens, I will be ready.

Spiritual battles and attacks, unfortunately, are not just a once in a lifetime occurrence. In our spiritual battles, the best offense is a good defense as well, and we have the best defense that God could ever give--His Son. I am also reminded of the verses in Ephesians 6:10-17 "Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one.
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

4 Steps Forward, 3 Back

Life was a little "ajar" today. Nothing went terribly wrong, but nothing went really well, either. I don't believe in superstitions, so, I'm not going to blame in on Friday the 13th. If life was a board game, I guess I would have gone 4 steps forward and 3 steps backward.

Until the Lord returns, there will be more days like today, but I hope not very many of them. Until then, Lord, please help me to be more patient; less critical; more discerning; less worrisome/fearful; and all that I can be through You.

Thank you Lord, for your Holy Spirit (the encourager) and for the Body of Christ that lifts me up when I need help. Thank you for your Word--living and breathing, sharper than any 2-edged sword.

Fitness Tip: Some days you will feel that you have not made much progress--the 3 steps forward, 4 steps backwards concept, but take heart, after consistent work, in no time, you will be seeing some great results.

Autumn is coming!

It's coming...it's coming. The cool weather is coming! You can feel the excitement in the air. I picked up some long stemmed pumpkins for a personal training special for the Health Club, today, at Home Depot (only $3.99 each--what a bargain!). Duke is acting friskier, the water bill and electric bill are lower, and I am actually thinking about fall colors and warmer clothes. God, in His wisdom knew that we would need and enjoy some variety. So he gave us not just one, but four seasons to anticipate and prepare for.

Our bodies also respond best to varitey, too. That's what cross-training is all about--one day you might ride a bike, the next you might go for a walk in the park.
Different activities use different muscle fibers and help make for a well-trained and balanced body.

What's your favorite season? What do you like to do for a cardio workout?

Good Soup

Yesterday, I began the process of making good vegetable beef soup. First, you have to throw a meaty beef bone in a pot of boiling water with a tea strainer half full of pickling spice and let it simmer for several hours (you can add barley or rice to the boiling soup, too). After this cooks several hours, you can pour the soup into a big pitcher so that the saturated fat will get cold and hardened at the top. Once that is done, the rest is easy--skim off the fatty layer at the top,then,just add corn, vegetables, rotel tomatoes or whatever else you like. I love soup because of the synergistic affect. Any one ingredient by itself is nothing to get excited about, but with the right combination of meat, starch, and vegetables--it's heavenly.

Brent did a very interesting blog today. He wanted his blog to be a "group effort" so he started telling a story about his 20th High School reunion. Commenters could add to the story as it moved along, but they had to keep it in context with what had previously been written. Many flavors and personalities came out as the story was being written. It was so intriguing (and funny) to see what twists and turns the storyline would take. I really loved it and hope he does it again, soon.

I am thankful for the many ingredients (people and events) that God brings my way. He make my soup of life so interesting and so goooooddd!!!

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

I love my job! The hours are long--but I decide how many of them I want to work. The environment is friendly and upbeat. The clients are awesome. The pay is good. But the thing that I like most about my job is the miracle of change that occurs in a few special clients that "get it". These clients have discovered that each choice either brings you closer or further away from your goals, and they have chosen wisely. My walk with the Lord is much the same. I need to make choices, consistently, that say, "I love you, Lord Jesus." Actions speak louder than words--in the Weight Room and in the Kingdom.

The Shot

The immune system--what a marvel to behold! When everything is working as it should, it keeps the body disease free. When the bad guys invade, just like a scene from Star Wars, the body sends all kinds of forces that destroy the enemy and even a "clean up crew" to deal with the devastation. Today, I wanted to give my immune system a "leg up" on the flu season, so I got "the shot". It was quick and easy (the Health Club where I work offers it on site), and relatively painless.

If you have ever gotten a full blown case of the flu (aches, fever, chills, nausea, etc.), you know that you would do almost anything to make it go away QUICKLY!
And that's the problem, in most cases, it won't go away quickly. You are talking 7 to 10 days of "hard time".

So I admonish you: wash your hands frequently, get plenty of rest, exercise to build up your immune system and relieve stress, take your vitamins, and please get your flu shot.

If you get sick anyway, take heart in knowing that you did everything that you could.
If you are a believer, you can rejoice knowing that one day, you will have a new, glorified body that will never get sick! Hallelujah!!

The Sun, The Moon, and The Stars

Checklist for Sunday: Get groceries: (fitness tip-- make your grocery list before you go and stick to it, so that you aren't tempted to buy things that don't fit into your calorie budget such as doughnuts, Sara Lee cheesecake, chocolate covered oreos, etc.; 9AM personal training session, church, picnic lunch with Caelee (my granddaughter), help a dear friend organize her clothes closet, do lanudry,
mini-church, and blog. With this itenerary, I knew that I would need to set the alarm early so I could squeeze it all in. So, I was up and going by 7:15AM. To my delight, as I backed out of the garage, I could see a beautiful coral and baby blue sunrise. And, as I drove west toward the grocery store, I saw an ivory, full moon. Each was where they were suppose to be, "And God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also. And God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth.(Gen. 2:16)." I believe that God has placed each of us, just as He has the sun and the moon and the stars, to give light to the expanse. When you "place" something, it implies that there may be change or movement from the original starting point. Today, as I heard Pastor Mike's words of encouragement, and have seen my church family respond with honesty and compassion to one of Satan's most tragic attacks, I know that God can place each of his children where they need to be, just as He does the sun and the moon and the stars--to bring light. Are you a sun, a moon, or a star?

A Clean Carpet

We have a light, taupe-colored carpet that until about 12 hours ago, had spilled beverage and food stains, dirt spots, and who knows what, all over it. We blame our dog and our granddaughter for the "carpetitis". Carpetitis makes me walk in the house and lose all focus. Instead of doing the task at hand, I am compelled to exam the carpet in detail to see if there are any new spots or problems. It's just a big distraction! I think Satan likes to remind us of all the spots on our "carpet". He want to take our focus off the job/task at hand, spiritually, and make us focus on the spills and dirt that happen along the way. Praise God for a Savior that has permanently dealt with the messes on the "carpet" and made them clean and new! Oh, how I love a clean carpet!

Running The Race

This evening, I was training a client that wanted to run 3 miles in 27 minutes. He is able to do one of the miles in 9 minutes but he runs out of stamina to finish the other 2 miles in the allotted time. This evening, the same thing happened. I quizzed him about his lunch and found out that he had eaten french fries and chicken crispers for lunch. Those items have a whole bunch of fat and were probably still not even completely digested. I also noticed that as he was running, he was cutting his stride a little too short. After realizing he wasn't going to make the distance in 27 minutes, he wanted to bail, but I kept encouraging him to keep working, and he did! A lot goes into "running a race with endurance".
You need:
--the right food
--the right stride
--a desire to pursue even when things don't look so good
--an encourager

When "running the race with endurance" spiritually, we need the same things:
--the right food (the Word of God)
--the right stride (We do not want to "over stride"--we need to be using our God given gifts in such a way that we don't get too tired before the race is over ("burn out"). We do not want to "under stride"--not use the gifts that God has given us and come up short.)
--a desire to pursue even when things don't look so good. Our ultimate example--the Lord in the Garden and on the Cross.
--an encourager (the Holy Spirit, brothers and sisters in Christ, anyone and anything that the Lord desires to use--a song, a phone call, an e-mail, a blog, an act of kindness, an angel, a gift,a smile.)

Here's hoping your race is going well!

Living Upside Down

The fitness world is just "upside down" from the real world. In the real world, you want things to be easier, more convenient, warm and cuddly. In the real world, buffet lines with lots of food choices are the best. In the real world you want a close parking spot and you don't want to have to take the stairs. In my world of fitness, I am showing people how to make an exercise more effective by making it harder (more intense and challenging). I think it is a good thing to sweat, and more food is NOT better. To burn more calorie, I park far away from my destination and I take the stairs. In the real world, people want to sleep in. In my world, people get up at the crack of dawn so they can workout, and they are happy to be there!

Do you live in an upside down world? What things are "upside down" for you?

Today's HIghs and Lows

Blogging brings out the analytical side of me. My highs (highpoints) for the day:
training three dear gals at 5:15AM; eating lunch with my daughter Charity at Quiznos; teaching my Wednesday Pilates class (I always feel so relaxed and flexibile afterwards); being able to throw away no bake cookies made with chocolate and peanut butter (I thought they sounded good when I made them, but realized that they do not fit in my calorie budget and are just to much of a temptaion for me); interacting with friends from CBC (Crossroads Bible Church--my church) who are being strong and courageous and stepping up to the plate to encourage others; finding out that new friends are reading my blog! My lows: (having to return a project to the printers that was not done correctly); watching my beloved Sheltie, Duke, just not act his usual chipper self, today; not being able to figure out how to add "other links that I like to read" to my blog. Fitness tip for the day: if you are having a hard time making it to the gym or getting up to workout, ask a friend to join you--"Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up." (Ecclesiastes 4: 9,10)

My First Blog

You may be wondering why I call my blog, "The Weight Room". As a personal trainer, I can tell you, a lot of things happen in the weight room--egos are created and deflated, comfort zones are stretched to the max in an effort to add more muscle and burn more fat. Many folks do not deal well with "growing older", not well at all. I let them know that there is always hope--they may not have the same bodies they did in their 20's and 30's, but they can always improve and feel better by exercising and watching what they choose to put in their bodies. I also like to jokingly remind them of the alternative--if you are not growing older, you are dead. Now if you know the Lord and you are dead, that's one thing, but if you don't, that's quite another. I hope to provide a few fitness and nutrition tips, a little motivation to take care of the bodies the Lord gave to us, and a place where we can grow stronger every day by "lifting up" one another and "running the race" with endurance.