The Weight Room

March Montage

2008-03-10T20:58:00.000-07:00

This is a montage of thoughts. I've never done this before, but I thought it might be kind of fun.

--Snow, not once, but twice. Not just any snow--the best kind. Wet, fat, fluffy, and huge--extremely huge flakes of winter "fun".
--Strep throat, sore throat, stomach ache, "Please cancel my appointment--I'm not feeling well."
--Politics. Scandal, disgrace, hope, playing mean, playing nice, not playing fair at all.
--Soft drinks and all foods containing high fructose corn syrup. Beware, watch out! 90% greater risk of developing pancreatic cancer. God's speed Patrick Swayze.
--Belly fat. Stubborn, sneaky, out-there, disgusting, will be dealt with. Little meals, very little sugar, keep working out--hard!
--Almost Easter. Trees budding. Thoughts of the Lord and His great sacrifice. New world some day!

I'm Back!

2008-02-09T19:30:00.000-08:00

It's been over 2 months since I've blogged. I apologize if you have been checking and finding nothing all of this time. I will try to make it up to you!

We went on a Cruise to the Carribean the week before Christmas. We were gone from Friday through the following Saturday ( a week plus). We had a great time! We went with some friends from the Club, making it especially fun! In the evening, we would all share about the adventures of the morning and afternoon. Charlie played golf at Mahoganny Run in St. Thomas; we rode horses by the beach and even into the ocean at St. Lucia; we swam with the dolphins at Tortola; and we snorkled with the Sea Turtles at Barbados.

After we got back from the Cruise, I got the "tidal wave" of new clients for the New Year. This is the busiest time of all for Weight Room patrons. I have enjoyed seeing some new, "old friends" that haven't been at the Club for a while.

It's almost Valentine's Day! This year is going by at warp speed. There is an excellent presentation about how big the universe is and how awesome our Creator is. Mike Messerli, one of our pastor's but this on his blog. You will be blown away. Mike's link is: mikemesserli.blogspot.com Check it out!

Good Friends

2007-12-11T20:56:00.000-08:00

I'm good, but I'm tired and I don't have anything significant to share. God is helping me pull everything together and I do so appreciate that. He has blessed me with the best friends that are giving great tips and are so willing to help with anything needed for our Cruise. Thank you, Lord, for such good friends!

Busy, Busy....

2007-12-10T20:13:00.000-08:00

How is your Christmas shopping going? I still have a little more to do, and I seem to be able to stay ahead, one day at a time, for delivery of said items. I am also trying to get ready for a Cruise to the Caribbean (coming up on Friday!). So, please pardon me--I will try to do better tomorrow.

Babysitting Duties

2007-12-09T20:52:00.001-08:00

Charlie & I are babysitting our granddaughters, tonight. They are so, so precious. We are so blessed! Will keep this short so we can spend time with them. I'll be back tomorrow!

Remembering Some of My Favorite Things

2007-12-08T19:32:00.001-08:00

Oops! For some reason, the link doesn't "link" for the interactive Christmas card that I mentioned in yesterday's blog. Sorry about that!

I had an excellent day--doing some of my favorite things:

shopping for Christmas presents
having lunch with a dear friend
teaching group exercise classes
personal training clients
being with friends from our mini-church for a Christmas Party
planning for a Cruise we will be taking at the end of the week

My cup overflows!

The Power That Works Within Us

2007-12-07T20:44:00.000-08:00

Today I received two interactive Christmas cards from Ashland University. You click on a ball of snow and it turns into a snowman. You click the sky and it goes from dawn to star-filled skies. You click a track and a small, gray train starts to move slowly around the track. Words of encouragement and gentle nudging to go on to the next thing appear. Beautiful Christmas music starts to play and you are encouraged to enjoy the moment--stay as long as you like. Each aspect of the Norman Rockwell-like picture being added until the masterpiece is done. This is what the Holy Spirit does in our lives. He gently leads and encourages. As we follow and do what we are shown to do, He gives us new pieces of the puzzle, new revelation to cherish and savor until we come to a full appreciation of Who the Heavenly Father is and how much He loves us.

From Ephesians 3:14-- "For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
3:15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 3:16 that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; 3:17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 3:18 may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,3:19 and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 3:20 Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us."

If you would like to see one of the cards in action, just click this link. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! http://ecard.ashland.edu/2004admission/index.html

If You Want to Be Wise--Memorize!

2007-12-06T20:27:00.000-08:00

I have been listening to a great CD series by Pastor John Aldridge (he's also one of my personal training clients). He has a special gift of sharing the Word in such a clear, concise way that you can't dodge, side-step, or ignore what the Word is saying. One of the things that I so totally agree with is that if you do not remember/know what the Word says, you can not do spiritual warfare and you can not rest in the security and peace that God would have for you. So, I am convicted. It's time to get serious about memory verses! Who's with me? Where shall we start? Let's do one every day. OK, the verse for today: Ps. 16:11 "Thou wilt make know to me the path of life. In Thy presence there is fullness of joy, and in Thy right-hand are pleasures forever." Why do you think there are pleasures in His right hand? I think because that's where Jesus is--seated at the right hand of the Father.

Stay Tuned.....

2007-12-05T21:11:00.000-08:00

This is one of those non-stop days that I have to unwind for a while to think about what God has taught me today. It is late, so I will hopefully, have something good to share, tomorrow. Good Night!

Count It ALL Joy Updates

2007-12-04T20:24:00.000-08:00

Count It All Joy updates: 1) Charlie will start a new job on Thursday (Dec. 6th)! 2) We were able to apply for an insurance policy that will be much cheaper than the cobra rate we had. 3) Charlie was able to get Faith's car loud noise problem fixed for only $35! God is so good!

Sometimes the best thing you can do for a friend is just listen. I did a lot of that today. What a privilege to be chosen to be the listener.

Count It All Joy

2007-12-03T19:37:00.000-08:00

So what do you do when your car is involved in an accident and it wasn't your fault and it's taking a long time to get it all resolved? What do you do when your husband is fired because management wants to cut costs? What do you do when your daughter calls and says, "My car is making a really loud noise that it never made before."? What do you do when you have medical bills that all come to fruition at once? What do you do when you have cobra insurance to pay for and you don't have the usual monthly income to pay for it? YOU COUNT IT ALL JOY!

James 1:2,3 "My brethren, count it all joy when you encounter various trials. Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience."

So why do we want patience? Isn't that overrated? Not in God's eyes. I, by nature, am not very patient, not at all. But through various situations (trials that I have encountered), I have seen God resolve and reconstruct. Because of His faithfulness, I know that I don't have to worry or become anxious. If it were not for the trials, I would not be able to witness Him at work. He is the master of making lemonade out of lemons.

Updates to be coming...

Christmas Lights

2007-12-02T17:44:00.000-08:00

Last night, 9 of us when out to McCormick and Smitt's to celebrate a dear friend's birthday. After that, we drove around and looked at Christmas lights. We saw some beautiful displays!
There is something so uplifting about Christmas lights. The blow up snowmen and snow globes are pretty, but I love the Christmas lights. In the darkness of the night, they are exceptionally beautiful. We, as God's children, are to be lights in this dark world. Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." All the time is best, but especially at Christmas time--people may be watching and really needing some Christmas lights.

Santas, and Snowflakes, and Angels, Oh My....

2007-12-01T21:19:00.000-08:00

We finished putting up our Christmas tree and decorating it, today. My granddaughter, Caelee, came over and helped. Our Christmas tree is a trip down memory lane. Someday, I might pick a theme and start over with all brand new ornaments, but for now....I see snowmen, Christmas trees, candy canes and other Christmas items, made out of yarn by Cathy--she makes one every year for every member of our church! I see an Aerobics Bear given to me by one of my students over 20 years ago--we are still friends and she still goes to HAC! There's a Santa with ski's on--that reminds me of the year we were sponsors for our CBC ski trip to Winter Park Colorado (one of the coolest and most fun experiences of my life). Of course we have Charity and Faith's "first Christmas" ornaments--where have the years gone? (Charity is now 24 and Faith 21.). I see clay ornaments that have been hand painted (the girls and I did that one year while we were waiting for the week before Christmas to pass by). One of my very favorite ornaments is a Macy's shopping bag with a Teddy Bear and other gifts sticking out over the edge--this reminds me of the year that Charlie, Faith, and I went to New York. We saw the Statue of Liberty, Time Square, Little China, Central Park, the Met, all the great stores--Macy's, etc., the angels with trumpets and all of the beautiful Christmas decorations at Rockefeller Center.

What was I thinking? Why would I ever want to scrap these precious mementos of our life? Someday, maybe I'll get a tiny tree and have it perfectly decorated with "theme pieces".
Your right, it will never happen.

What are some of your favorite Christmas tree ornaments?

God's Plans For Us

2007-11-30T20:52:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when it seems everything is coming apart at the seams, it's good to remember Jeremiah 29:11. "For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for your welfare and not calamity to give you a future and a hope." I really love that verse.

Prayers For Sick Friends

2007-11-29T19:54:00.000-08:00

I am going to do some special praying for some special friends that are sick. If you know of anyone that would like prayer for healing, renewed strength, etc., please just leave your comments and I will pray for them. God has chosen us to be His arms of love and encouragement to those in need. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for allowing us to see Your hand at work.

Warm Winter Thoughts

2007-11-28T18:34:00.000-08:00

When I went home for Thanksgiving, it snowed in St. Francis, Kansas on Friday night. It was a beautiful snow. Fat, fluffy flakes that almost glowed in the moonlight. Another time, another year, back in Flower Mound, TX, USA, my daughter, Faith & I walked down a moon lit street just a day before Christmas. We ran, we laughed, it made a memory that is stored under "Warm Winter Thoughts". Other things stored there include:

Small brown paper bags with chocolate candy, oranges, and nuts with their shells still on given to us after performing at our church in first grade, after the Christmas eve service.
Soft warm blankets encompassing our shivering bodies as we wait for the heat to kick on.
Decorating sugar cookies with frosting and sprinkles.
Caroling with others from our church.
Searching for the Christmas star while riding to Christmas eve service.
Finishing the decoration and lighting of the Family Christmas tree.
Savoring the endorphins and friendships after a "Jingle Bell" Aerobics Team Teach.
Smelling the pine, the cinnamon, the chocolate, the vanilla, and the almond aromas of the season.

What is filed under your "Warm Winter Thoughts" files?

Dancing With The Maker of The Stars

2007-11-27T19:14:00.000-08:00

I've been watching Dancing With The Stars. It's the grand finale, so there is a lot of review and special sentiments. It's always so touching to me, to see how each of the dance partners always has such great things to say about the other. You can see how much hard work goes into each dance presentation. I admire hard work. I admire the disciple and the fitness level required to pull that off. If you have been putting off getting yourself back in shape, I challenge you to make it a priority in the New Year! I have the privilege each day, of seeing clients growing stronger, more confident, and really feeling so much better than they have ever felt before. If there is anything that I can do to get you started or inspire you to "take the plunge", please let me know how I can help.

God made our bodies--we should be good stewards. Romans 12:1 "I urge you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, to present yourselves, a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."

I'm Back!

2007-11-26T19:36:00.000-08:00

It's been over 2 months since I've blogged. I have been injured or gotten amnesia--to be honest, I choose to spend my free time doing other things. I think if you are going to be a blogger, you have to stay committed--otherwise, it is a futile experience. So, my dear friends, I will make a commitment to blog every day, unless I'm unable to have access to a computer (that will happen in December for about a week--Charlie & I are going on a cruise to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary!)

How was your thanksgiving? Ours started out with a bang--literally! We were in heavy traffic on I-35. It was stop and go. The car in front of us had stopped, so we stopped, but the car behind us did not. We were hit with enough force to send our vehicle into the car in front of us and the car behind us was totalled. We had several thousands of dollars damage, but were able to drive it to a nearby Toyota dealership and get a rental car so we could follow through on our plans to go to Kansas. The Lord was so good--no one was hurt and it only took 2 hours to get the rental and be on our way--this was 2 days before Thanksgiving! We were so fortunate that they even had rental cars available, much less an economical SUV.

We also were able to visit my 101 year old grandmother and Aunt Cheryl in Nebraska. My Aunt Cheryl had just gotten a new CD--Josh Grobin's Christmas CD, called "Noel". It is some of the most beautiful Christmas music that I have ever heard!

It is so good to be back!

Caelee--My Little Angel

2007-09-23T19:16:00.000-07:00

I'm back! I love to read other folks blogs. I love to blog when I have something that I think will encourage someone. I hate it when I get too busy to blog or when I don't feel that I have much to contribute. So, here I am--returning, hoping those that read my blog will not become exasperated with my on again, off again, attempt at this thing called, "blogging".

My 6 year-old grandaughter is such a source of joy and delight. She is silly, funny, pretty darn cute, persistent, curious, energetic, helpful, and just about the best little side-kick anyone could ever ask for. She is my little "angel". You may or may not know that Caelee basically saved my daughter's life (Charity). Charity had a rare form of ovarian cancer called dysgermanoma, when she was only 18 years old. At Charity's first ob/gyn appointment, the doctor said, "there's a mass on Charity's ovary. I need to refer you to an ob/gyn oncologist. We had a wonderful oncologist that said the chances of the baby surviving would be much better if we would wait until the second trimester to remove the dysgermanoma. I was so concerned about Charity that I really didn't want to postpone surgery (by the time the mass was removed, it was the size of a small football!), but Charity and Chad did--they desperately loved the little one "wonderfully made" by our Heavenly Father. Caelee was born about 4 months later. The previous surgery had not harmed her in any way. If Caelee had not been developing, there would have not been any reason for Charity to see an ob/gyn and the cancer probably would not have been found in time! Caelee was a messenger from God, directing Charity to go to the doctor to save Charity's life!!

I cringe to think that if things would have gone the way that I thought they should, my special little Caelee wouldn't be here, today. I thank God for His Wisdom, His timing, and His love. "Every good and perfect gift is from above."

Life is Peachy

2007-08-23T20:35:00.000-07:00

About this time each year, my Dad (who lives in St. Francis, Kansas) makes a trip to Palisades to Colorado (with a truck and horse trailer) to bring back boxes and boxes of the most delicious peaches you've ever tasted, to neighbors that have placed their orders. The last 2 years, I've gotten to go along, too. Dad pickes me up at the Denver airport and we go up to Palisdaes from there--it takes about 6 hours to get there (from Denver) complete with steep grades and hills. My Dad is a good driver, but there were times when.... well, let's just say, God and I were talking ALOT!

The next 3 days, I will be attending a Fitness Convention in Dallas. I hope to have some great things to share with you. It's great to be back!

A Pastor's Heart

2007-08-05T18:36:00.000-07:00

I belong to a wonderful church family. We laugh together, we work out together, we pray together, we learn together, we worship together, we grief together, and we rejoice together. During the past year, we have done all of the above. Unfortunately, we have done more grieving than I can ever remember a church family doing in a year. Today, we had a great reason to rejoice. A candidate came today and shared not only a wonderful message, but he shared his heart. He loves the Lord and he loves the people he ministers to--it's so evident. We have 4 church services. The one we usually attend is the first service. During the first service, several people including myself, were moved to tears. Pastor Steve shared about compassion and ministry and how our world would be transformed if we could master the art of serving them up together, serving them up often, and serving them up unselfishly. Boy, do I have my work cut out for me. I believe the tears were not only about the content of the message, but also about the deliverer of the message--I believe they were tears of appreciation and hope. Pastor Steve, thank you! I hope you will be our Pastor at CBC, but if God leads you otherwise--thank you for sharing yourself with us, today.

Vine + Branch = Fruit

2007-07-29T19:58:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful Sunday morning worship service today! We sang one of my new favorite songs, "The Revelation Song". Yes, we will be singing it in eternity--it is so majestic and so full of praise to our awesome God. Next, Mike gave an exceptionally good message based on John 15:5. "I am the vine, you are the branches. If you abide in Me, and I in you, you will bear much fruit. For apart from Me, you can do nothing." Mike reminded us that it is not the branches job to do the fruit producing. The branch's job is to stay connected to the vine, then the vine will be able to produce the fruit. So my job is to stay connected to the vine and let God produce the fruit.

On the Treadmill of Life....

2007-07-21T20:46:00.000-07:00

This past week at work, I had the opportunity to eat lunch with my granddaughter, Caelee. We went to the Gazebo and had a sandwich, fruit, and a drink. After that, she wanted to do a "power walk" (it was actual 2 full out sprints) upstairs on the jogging track. Finally, the last item on the itinerary before I had to go back to work, was the treadmill. Caelee had never used a treadmill before, so at first, she took tiny steps very quickly to try to match the speed of the treadmill. We speeded it up a little and it wasn't long and she was walking the right speed, even using her little arms like she was suppose to. Then, for no apparent reason at all, she stopped and bent over. She had a mosquito bite that itched and she had to stop for that. As you can imagine, when she stopped, the treadmill kept going and I had to snatch her from the jaws of the dreaded "drop off" onto the floor. It made me wonder how many times on the treadmill of life, I've stopped to "scratch a mosquito bite" and God has snatched me from the "jaws of death" with a quick and loving pair of "Heavenly Father Hands". I'm sure more times than I could ever imagine. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for being there for me, always!

Vows Are More Than Words....

2007-07-16T20:17:00.000-07:00

This weekend, I attended one of the most beautiful weddings that I have ever been to. It was a young couple from our church, that have been friends for a very long time. They had Dr. Ramesh Richard perform the ceremony. Ramesh is one of the most gifted communicators I have ever had the privilege of hearing. Ramesh is a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary. I worked at DTS while my husband, Charlie, attended seminary. I have heard him share several times at chapel. He is an artful story teller and relays information in such a way that you remember the application and can tell others about it as well. Ramesh relayed the following last Saturday evening:

1. "Vows are more than words". The wedding vows that are made are more than just meaningless words that are said to one another. When one says for "richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part"--that means one partner will bury the other, or it should be.

2. "Rings are more than things". A ring is not just a trinket, it signifies a commitment and dedication to the beloved.

3. "Candles are more than sticks". The couple lit a unity couple, together, signifying the unification of their heart and soul.

What a picture--no wonder God uses the analogy of the church being the Bride of Christ! Thank you friends from Crossroad (Brent & Tracy, Dan & Martha, Bogie & Debbie, Dave & Becky) for making that evening such a wonderful social event as well. We all set at the same table at Prestonwood Country Club. Delicious food! Wonderful music! Just a wonderful evening!

A Jam Packed Weekend

2007-07-08T20:12:00.000-07:00

All is well. Our daughter, Faith, will be returning from her mission trip to Guatemala, Tuesday evening. I sure miss her, and am anxiously awaiting her return and her stories.... She is a great story teller! I'll share some of the best of her Guatemalan adventures with you on this blog.

This weekend, I went "plant shopping", planted a banana tree, took my granddaughter to see Ratatouille (thank goodness for spell check), made blueberry muffins and some brownies, planted some new plants in the landscaping, creating a public relations piece for work, taught 5 group exercise classes, fed our wild birds, made new sugar water for the "hummers"--boy the are elusive (the water is going down, but I just never see the little rascals), made homemade fresh lemonade, got groceries, babysit my youngest granddaughter Cayenne, and did laundry. What did you do this weekend?

The Final Countdown

2007-07-07T21:25:00.000-07:00

If I knew that I only had 2 hours left before some kind of catastrophe occurred, I would:

Call my family members that were near and far away and tell them that I love them and ask them if they know for certain where they will be spending eternity. If there were any doubt or questions, I would share the Gospel with them.
Call my friends that were near and far away and tell them that I love them and ask them if they know for certain where they will be spending eternity. If there were any doubt or questions, I would share the Gospel with them.
If possible, I would try to be with friends and family for a final hug/kiss/group hug.
I would thank God for His Love and commit my soul into His Hands.
I would write a quick "goodbye" note and a testimony of God's greatness and Love in my life in case there were any survivors. I would also ask, in that note, if our sheltie dog, Duke, survives that he would be well taken care of.

The only trouble with this whole scenario is knowing that we don't know how much time we have left--we might be killed in a car accident tomorrow, so the moral of the story is......

You tell me!

What Would You Do?

2007-07-06T21:28:00.000-07:00

If you knew that you only had 2 hours left before some catastrophic event took place, what are the top 5 things that you would do? Where did this question come from, you might ask--maybe it was from watching the new Die Hard movie (seeing the whole country thrown in a state of turmoil and chaos) or just the sheer curiosity of what my friends and blog readers might write. I will post my top 5 tomorrow.

A Day Off With My Guy

2007-07-05T19:51:00.000-07:00

Today, I had an opportunity to do some fun things with my husband, Charlie (I took the day off. I am working on being less of a workaholic.) We:

went to a "Passport Appointment" this morning (we are going on our first cruise to celebrate our 30th anniversary in a couple of months!)
went to Lowe's and Home Depot looking for landscaping stuff
ate at Chili's for lunch
went to see the new "Die Hard" movie (action packed is an understatement--I liked it alot!)

It was a great day--just being together. As I grow older, and maybe a little wiser, too, I am beginning to enjoy and appreciate these "just hanging out together" times just as much as I do the big excitement adventures (like the upcoming Cruise). I enjoy working on landscaping and home improvement projects with Charlie, too. He is just the best--God has blessed me big time with this guy. I hope you have a God-sent help mate, too!

Freedeom--It Means Everything!

2007-07-04T19:36:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love having some time to myself--the freedom to chose to do what ever I want to do. No appointments to keep, no classes to teach, no children to pick up from school or get to something, no other human beings that I have to interact with (unless I chose to do so). This kind of freedom only comes a couple of times a month for me. Part of it is just because I am a workaholic (I am trying to become less of one), and part of it is because I sometimes put way too much on my plate of life--I'm just a "go for the gusto" kind of girl. Freedom is something that God values highly, too--probably more than we will ever be able to understand. He has given us the freedom to chose whether we want to be a part of His Kingdom or not. He could "force" us to do anything--after all He is God. But, He has chosen to give us Freedom to chose our Kingdom. Some folks don't understand how a loving God could send anyone to hell. The problem is they don't understand that God sends no one--they get to chose, and they get to live with the consequences or the joys of that choice for a very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very long time. July 4th! What a great time to reflect on the true meaning of freedom. I hope you all have a wonderful 4th!

Highs and Lows

2007-07-02T20:20:00.000-07:00

Blogging--it's amazing! You get to share what's going on in your mind (that's got to be good for something--even if it's just accountability) and you actually have friends that want to know what's going on in your life. An amazing friend taught me the highs/lows game. Everyone shares the "high" of their day and the "low" of their day. OK--here goes. I've got 2 highs and 1 low:

My high--eating lunch with my daughter, Faith (knowing that I wouldn't be seeing her for a week--she's going to Guatemala with a missionary team!) Also, being there when a friend needed a sympathetic ear.

My low--knowing that one of my best friends had one of the worst days of her life.

I love hearing from you guys--what was your high and low today?

I Feel Good..

2007-07-01T20:27:00.000-07:00

Things that make me feel really good:

Being told that anything that I do, teach, bake, say was "well done/good".
Being told that I am "missed".
Praying to my Heavenly Father, knowing that He heard every word and that He will always answer with my best interest at heart.
Knowing my daughter will be going to a foreign country to help missionaries in Guatemala.
A nice afternoon nap (especially when I'm tired).
My husband's hand in mine.
A big hug.
The feeling that I get after teaching a Group Exercise class--especially if it's a hard class.
A sunny, 73 degree day with my favorite songs blasting while the sunroof is open.
Planting some beautiful flowers/shrubs just before it rains.
Watching a humming bird fly, my dog run, and our plethora of sparrows eating from the bird feeder.

What makes you feel good?

"Evening"

2007-06-30T20:51:00.000-07:00

Life is a series of stories--some happy, some sad, some good, some bad. That's what I walked away from after seeing the new movie, called, "Evening". It was beautiful from a cinematography standpoint, there were some gaps that you had to fill in the pieces, and the acting was very good, but the bottom line--if you don't have the Lord in your life, life is really just a series of events and stories with many unanswered questions.

It's evening, 10:55PM to be exact--my life is full of stories--some happy, some sad, some good, some bad. But I see the hand of the Lord, holding mine--and that makes all the difference.

Grand daughter #2

2007-05-26T21:31:00.000-07:00

Our 2nd granddaughter, Cayenne, was born, Friday, May 25th to parents, Chad & Charity Smith (big sister, Caelee Dawn). She is so precious and small (6 pounds, 2 oz.), so dependent on Mom & Dad, and just a little miracle to behold. Her little cells and bones are growing at astonishing rates and yet, she doesn't feel any pain. Her mind is like a sponge, gather thousands of bits of information through all of the senses and sounds around her. God brought her into this world for a reason--I love watching what He will do in and through her life. It's going to be something pretty amazing, because after all, she is my granddaughter! Thank you Heavenly Father, for such a precious reminder of your amazing abilities and the gift of love that is carried from one generation to the next.

God takes care of His creatures.

2007-05-20T20:34:00.000-07:00

I have just returned from Kansas--my niece graduated from Buehler High School (in Hutchison Kansas). We had a great visit--seeing my dad, sister, brother, nieces and nephews, and just a bunch of my relativies. We laughed, we reminisced, we ate some really good stuff, we walked and talked. I love my family very much and know that for those who do not have family or those who do not have one close by, God provides dear friends that care about us and love us just as much as our own families do. I love how God takes such good care of us!

I have also enjoyed watching the sparrows, cardinals, and other birds eat from the birdfeeder that I wanted for my birthday, last year. I love having a small part in taking care of God's creation--especially since He takes such good care of me! "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet, your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?" Matthew 6:26

2007-05-06T03:50:00.000-07:00

It's 5:49AM on a Sunday morning. Why, might you ask, am I blogging at that hour? I am battling allergies which have led to a sinus infection and I can't sleep. Those yucky sinus infections make your head hurt and keep you from breathing normally, not to mention the sinus drainage making one, cough. I have taken all of my "drugs" (pain relief, antibiotic, allergy decongestant, etc.) and am just now waiting for everything to kick in. I must say, about 95% of the time, I enjoy a life full of health and energy--one of the best dividends of my occupation, so I will not fuss or complain.

I am so looking forward to planting some new landscaping! We recently had a sprinkler system put in (thanks to a refund from the IRS) and will now be able to do a much better job of watering. As I get older, I am finding that what rings my "joy button" are simple things like:

watching the birds eat out of the bird feeder
attending a worship service with dear friends and family--knowing that this is just a preview of heavenly things
going out to eat with grown up daughters and family
hearing the sound of a meadowlark, saying something that sounds just like "Thank you!"
planning for a vacation (I think it's sometimes more fun to plan it, than actually do it!)
helping someone discover the joy of working out and feeling better about themselves
watching a humming bird feed from a feeder that I placed outside with 4 parts of water to one part of sugar
just being with my wonderful husband--he really is one of the most wonderful human beings that God ever made
going grocery shopping (yes, can you believe it--I really enjoy it!)
watching a thunder and lightning show out the window of my Dad's house in St. Francis, Kansas (that area in Kansas is so flat that you can see for miles and miles)
being with my granddaughter, Caelee, who is so loving and full of energy
making decorated Christmas cookies with my girls
going for a walk with our dog, Duke

What rings your "joy button"?

What a Beautiful Weekend!

2007-04-29T20:31:00.000-07:00

This past weekend has given us some of the most beautiful weather that I can ever remember. I did some yard work, walked my dog, and just thoroughly enjoyed being outdoors. Mike, one of my personal training clients was even willing to do an "impromptu" outdoors workout. We used a bench, a tree, a ramp, steps, and a wall which acted as a balance beam to get a really good workout in. Even the birds seem to be saying, "thank you". What a wonderful Heavenly Father we have--thank you for giving us so many beautiful things to enjoy!

Back from Boston

2007-04-19T20:24:00.000-07:00

Boston is a wonderful place! The people talk with a funny accent, but are very friendly and helpful. The folks get around on an underground transit system called "the T". The Boston Marathon race day was not the best weather wise. The whole north eastern side of the U.S. was experiencing a "nor-easter" storm. Lots of wind, rain, and cold weather. On race day, we walked our friend and racer, Gina, to the long row of buses at Boston Commons. The runners are bused to the starting point of the race. I had my parka, rain-proof poncho, 2 layers of clothes and gloves on so that I wouldn't freeze to death. The racers contended with rain for the first 30 minutes or so of the race, then it tapered off and just had to deal with the cold. When you go to "cheer a friend on", you have to select a spot somewhere along the 26.2 mile course. One of the easiest places to get to, is mile 17 of the race. We took the "T" to our destination. With the Texas flag in tow, we calculated the timing of her arrival at the spot and waited. We ducked inside a nearby hospital to warm up and have a little lunch. We almost had cut it too close, but were able to get outside, unfurl the Texas flag, and look intently at the sea of bodies going by (over 30,000 people race!). Gina spotted the flag, then Linda, then Jack (her fiance'), then me. She gave Jack a big kiss and Linda and I a big hug, then she was off. We tried very hard to get back to the Finish Line from mile marker 17, but there were too many people and the streets were roped off in such a way, that it would have been almost impossible to make our way around in time. Gina finished the race in a little over 4 hours--quite a feat in that wind and weather!

God's fingerprints were all over this deal. To start off, we almost didn't make it on the plane to Boston. It was an early flight, so we knew we wouldn't get breakfast, so we sought out coffee and hot chocolate, then realized that the eating place only had muffins and doughnuts. I wanted a bagel instead. We walked around and found a Bagel place. There was a line and they were very slow, but I didn't realize how close to departure it was getting to be. To make a long story short, they were ready to close the doors, but I was able to get the bagels, find Linda, and make it back to the plane in time. Because of a mix-up, we were even up-graded to first class! I love the way God treats his kids! The ironic thing was, because of the bagel incident and the upgrade, we were served breakfast and didn't need the bagels at all.

To be able to find Gina in the sea of people was really a big deal! For the past 3 Boston marathons, Linda had looked for Gina, but had never found her, until this year. The hotel that we stayed in was very nice--when we arrived, they had upgraded us to a bigger, roomier room with no additional charge.

All in all, we had a wonderful time and I would definitely like to go back next year. God is good and takes care of his Kids wherever they may go!

Off To Boston

2007-04-13T21:19:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning at 4:30AM, I will set my alarm so that I wake up in time to catch a flight to Boston. My mission: to route for a friend who will be running in the Boston Marathon on Monday. I have never been to Boston, and am excited about getting to go somewhere that I've never been before. I will be watching and learning--I don't know what God has in store for me, but I promise to come back and share--I know it will be fascinating and enlightening, because that's just the way God works. I won't be able to blog again until Tuesday--so until then, take care!

Way To Go!

2007-04-11T19:29:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I am so proud. Proud of one of my clients who has worked so very hard during a fitness competition that we have at the Health Club Center. The "Shape Up and Ship Out" contest started in January and ran through April 17th. Linda (my friend and client) has done exceptionally well--overcoming some tendinitis and hip issues to score one of the best scores possible! She has worked very hard, she has been very disciplined, and she has "done what it takes" to get the job done. That kind of effort is rare, but I love it and admire it. The pursuit of excellence is an inspiring thing--not easily grasped but greatly appreciated by all who see it in action.

Jesus is our role model of how to act, how to be, and how to seek excellence. I love it when He lets us see our brothers and sisters reflect his awesomeness. It is so motivational! Who would you nominate for a "You Really Motivate Me" award?

100 Days To A New You!

2007-04-10T20:49:00.000-07:00

I read a very interesting article in the Parade magazine about 2 or 3 weeks ago. It stated that our bodies are constantly renewing themselves at the tune of 1% every day. So, at the end of 100 days, you have a completely different skeleton than you did 100 days prior. You have a completely different set of cellular membranes than you did 100 days ago. Talk about getting a chance to start over!

It motivated me to really try and eat super healthy for 3 months to see if I can feel a difference. As a nutritionist, I tried for the most part to eat healthy, but I still love my sugar (whether it be in a Coke--I do limit myself to 8 oz. a day, or something like ice cream or a dessert). I do eat lots of fruits, vegetables, salads, chicken, salmon, and 15-grain bread. I also do take my vitamins and calcium supplement everyday.

If you tried to eat super healthy, what would be some of the things that would be hard for you to eat less of? Do you think giving up the stuff would be worth the feeling that you would get from making better choices?

I think sometimes that's what people think about Christianity. They wonder what they are going to have to give up and if it's going to be worth the "missing out". What do you think?

The Gift Of Health

2007-04-09T20:39:00.000-07:00

I want to get out of double secret blogger probation, so here goes. (This is where Brent puts you if you don't blog for a long time.) I am finding out that if I don't write a blog everyday, it defeats the purpose of doing a blog and it disappoints a lot of people. It is kind of cruel to get people's hopes up and then....nothing. Then you wonder, "What happened?" So, my dear readers, I will do better because I must.

About a week ago, my allergies got the best of me and I came down with a really bad sinus infection. I did the usual--irrigated the sinus system, took a bunch of decongestant and pain reliever for sore throat. That did not do it. After a couple of nights coughing, with no sleep, I knew a trip to the doctor's office was in order. So, off I go, to Dr. Tim Shepherd's. He fixes me up with good old Keflex antibiotic and a very strong decongestant. Oh, I forgot to mention that I had the worst case of laryngitis for about a week, too. Not good when you use your voice all the time to teach classes and to personal train clients. Within 48 hours, my voice was back and I was a new woman. Thank you, Heavenly Father for the gift of health!!! It really is true--when you've got your health, you have just about everything. When you've got the Lord and your health, then you do have EVERYTHING!

See you tomorrow!

Heavenly Things

2007-03-03T18:05:00.000-08:00

Do you ever wonder what heaven will be like? I know it will be more glorious or wonderful than we can imagine. Once a pastor shared that he thought that we would be doing many of the same things that we do now, but with remarkable talent and ability. I believe that God will be allowing us use our God-given talents and abilities to encourage and help our "brothers and sisters". I had the greatest joy, today, leading a cycling class in which our Youth Pastor, Extraordinaire, Brent, attended. He has done so much to encourage and help our daughters grow in their relationship with the Lord, that it was such a joy to give a little something back to him.

Today, another friend that loves the Lord, celebrated his 54th birthday. He had a big smile on his face as he said how much he enjoyed coming to the Health and Athletic Center, especially on this day, feeling strong and good--resisting the aging process a little here and there.

Tonight, I watched the Oprah Winfrey Academy story on TV. It was very touching and uplifting. There are many girls in Africa that Oprah took under her wing--she built them a
multi-million dollar school/academy. These are very poverty stricken girls in Africa--many have lost their mother or father and are living in the poorest of conditions. Very little food, no plumbing, or decent shelter. When the girls were ready to start going to the Academy, they left their homes and families to stay on site. One of Oprah's favorite things was taking the girls around the dorms to show them their new rooms. Most of these girls had never slept on a nice bed or taken a shower, or had running water. They were so excited and so happy to see their "so much better than you could believe" homes. So what do you think our new heavenly homes/mansions will be like? Will we be jumping up and down, squealing with excitement? I think so!! I love it when the Lord shows me just a little glimpse of what Heaven might be like--only magnified a bazillion times more. Oprah loves those girls and has made a commitment to support them and to give them all that they need. How much more has our Heavenly Father committed His love and promise to take care of us for all eternity. Thinking about heavenly things is well.... heavenly!

Beginning and Perfecting Update

2007-02-10T20:53:00.000-08:00

A while back, I posted a blog called, "Beginning and Perfecting" about a client that had trained with me on the treadmill to cut his 5K running time. I have great news! Today he won a medal for his age group! He came in 2nd place! So much of life is preparing and then waiting. But don't you know, if you haven't prepared, there's not much worth waiting for. It's the old plant the seed and reap the harvest metaphor. No seed, no harvest. 1 Cor. 20:24 says, "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run is such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable." What are you preparing for these days?

The Meaning Behind It All

2007-02-04T19:34:00.000-08:00

We are starting a new study in our church on the book of John. Pastor Mike gave us the introduction and overview of the book. It is going to be very interesting. He said that the other gospels are reports of what happened, while John is telling us not what just happened, but what it "means". For example, Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell of Jesus taking the barley loaves and fishes and mutliplying them so that thousands could eat. John says that he did that miracle so that He could proclaim, "I AM THE BREAD of life." (Paraphrase: If you think this is a big deal, you haven't seen anything yet.)

On the fitness front, if you are serious about getting in better shape this year, I would like to give you a tip: get a heart rate monitor. It will give you important feedback as to whether you are working too hard or not hard enough. It will be the "meaning" behind the minutes that you put in.

"So that you may know"

2007-01-21T20:28:00.000-08:00

What do you know for sure? That your house is paid for. That you graduated from school in 1977? That 2 plus 2 = 4. Those are all important things to know, but what about knowing things that you can not see, hear, feel, touch, smell, or perceive with the senses? Some would say, you can not know if you can not perceive with the senses. But that's not what the Bible says. 1 John 5:13 says, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life."

Our loving Heavenly Father wants us to know that we are loved. He wants us to sleep well at night, trusting Him for great and mighty things.

I have decided that I am going to do a Biblical Word study of the phrase, "so that you may know". It will be like finding buried treasure!

In the Weight Room, I hope you know that consistency is the best predictor of your fitness success. Be faithful, master the basics, and don't ever stop!

Ice, Ice, Baby

2007-01-13T21:12:00.000-08:00

Our little north Texas stomping ground will soon be covered with ice. The grocery stores are running low on supplies. Crackers and cans of Chunky Campbell's soups are prominently displayed; not too many loaves of bread are left on the shelves. We got the last gallon of 2% milk at Braum's, and the Health Club was super busy today from 10AM until 1PM. What does that tell you? We are all getting ready to hunker down and be ready for....the ICE.

In Matthew 25, The Bible talks about being prepared and ready. Some friends of the bridegroom were waiting for him to return back to his own home so they can resume the celebration. Some of these friends brought extra oil for their lamps, and some didn't. The ones that didn't asked if they could borrow some. The ones that did bring the extra oil knew that if they gave the ones that didn't, some of their oil, there wouldn't be enough for either lamps. So the ones that brought extra told them to do the logical thing--go and buy some from the oil store keeper. While they were gone, the bridgegroom and bride came back. The ones with the oil were invited in, and the door was shut. After a while, the others that had gone to purchase more oil, came back, and asked to be let in. They were declined because they had not been ready when it counted.

I guess the trick in life is to know when it is really important to be ready. About the most important thing I can think of that you need to be ready for is the opportunity to be with the Lord--whether it be at the Rapture or in death. If you are ready for that, you can handle a little old ice storm.

Good cookies--good daughter!

2007-01-11T20:31:00.000-08:00

I just had a chocolate-chip oatmeal cookie that my daughter, Faith had made. I don't mean to brag, but I make really, really, really good chocolate chip cookies. Faith's cookies, tonight, were just as good if not better than mine. I am proud of her! We are alike in some ways and not so much in others. When I was in my late teens, I, chose to walk with the Lord, and grow in my relationship with Him. Faith has also chosen to build her relationship with the Lord. She leads a Bible study group at OU, participates in several of the Baptist Student Union activities at Norman, and enjoys being with friends from Crossroads Bible Church. I like the choices she is making and the woman she is becoming.

"Train up a child in the way that they should go, and even when they are old,they will not depart far from it." (Proverbs 22:6) Thanks Mom & Dad--your training has not been in vain. We are starting another generation!

Candle of Light

2007-01-10T20:07:00.000-08:00

In the winter, and even in the summer, sometimes, I love to burn candles. I usually buy the combo special from the Old Virginia Candle Company. The candles that I like, are made from 3 different colors of wax and have 3 different distinct scents. For example, the one that I had for Christmas was red, white, and green. It was called, "The Merry Christmas Candle" and had scents of Mistletoe, Evergreen, and Holly Berry. The candles fill the room with a warm glow and a wonderful aroma--you feel secure and content. Matthew 5:14-16 says, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." I want my life to be like that candle and I want to glorify the Candlemaker of Men.

Angels Watching Over Me

2007-01-08T20:42:00.000-08:00

Hebrews 1:3 says, "And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name they they."

Angels fascinate me. They must be something to behold. Everytime a human comes in close contact with one, the first thing the angel tells the human is, "Do not be afraid." The study Bible that I like to read from has some interesting things to say, too.....

All angels were originally created in a holy state, but some followed Satan in his revolt against God and became the demons. Some demons are loose, and some are confined. Angels are created things who must ultimately answer to their Creator. Since they are spirit beings, they are not bound by some of the restrictions that limit human beings. They are organized and ranked. Angels ministered to Christ often and will accompany Him at His return. They serve believers and observe them. Did you catch that??? They serve believers (Heb. 1:14--"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?") and they are watching us.

Isn't God wonderful!! Not only does He share His Son with us, but also His angels!

They are watching. Make the Heavenly Father proud!

Fingerprints of the Lord

2007-01-05T20:25:00.000-08:00

Psalms 42:8 says, "The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime; and His song will be with me in the night, a prayer to the God of my life." I love this verse. It says to me that as I live my life, from the time I get up until the time I am finished with the days' activities, God's fingerprints of lovingkindess are everywhere. They command notice. I pray for each of us that we might see those fingerprints and then at night, marvel in awe--reviewing, verse by verse, as if singing the chorus of a song over and over, each and every loving act of kindness He did for us that day. Sleep well--think of Him and how much He loves us.

Beginning and Perfecting

2007-01-04T19:11:00.000-08:00

There is so much joy in seeing a project completed until the end--especially if the project is a person. As a Personal Trainer, I have had the privilege of seeing the end product of a lot of dedication, consistency, and hard work paying off, big time. Self-esteem built up as weight loss goals are met, the ability to walk without fear of falling, and the ability to do a sport or activity that hadn't been done for 10 years or more are just few of the wonderful things that I have witnessed and been able to be a part of. Yesterday, one of my clients broke his all-time best record for a 5K run on the treadmill. His goal was to finish at under 24 minutes. He came through with a run of 23:16. He faced oxygen deprivation and that fear of not being able to finish the last part of the mile at the pace he had set. But he did it--we worked hard to train him to this point and he did it! His official race is this coming Saturday and I know he will do an excellent job. Go Art!

We are all a work in progress, but I believe our Heavenly Father just loves it, when He can check off some of the character qualities He has been wanting to develop and see in us. He puts us in situations to build our faith and our endurance so that when the real "race"/trial comes, we will run the race well and finish strong.

Philippians 1:6 "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."

It's Never Too Late

2007-01-03T20:47:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy day at the Weight Room. Lots of folks are coming back to deal with the consequences of making some bad eating and exercise choices over the holidays.
Some of these people I haven't seen for several years, but they are back, and I am glad to see them. Some of the folks that I used to see often, I don't see anymore and that makes me sad. Life is about choices.

It's never too late to start making the right choices and decisions. If you don't know how to make good choices/decisions, pray for God to send a friend that can be a good influence. Read the Bible--it is the best problem solver in the world!

Verse for the day: Proverbs 3:5,6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Fruit Stand (Standard)

2007-01-02T20:34:00.000-08:00

Did you have a good day today? I have just adopted a new measuring stick to determine what kind of day I had. It's the FRUIT standard (Fruit Stand for short). Fruit coming from "the fruit of the Spirit" talked about in Galatians 5:22,23. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control--against such things there is no law."

Today, did I show love by doing something unselfish (especially when I didn't feel like it)? Was I joyful (because I chose to dwell on the positive rather than the negative)? Did I choose to "quiet" an unsettling situation rather than stir it up? Was I patient (especially when I was in a hurry)? Did I do something nice (kind) for someone today, not expecting anything back in return? Was I good to my friend, spouse, child--did I make them feel like they had value and worth? Was I faithful in the "small things" so that God could entrust me with the big things? Was I gentle in my response even though I had every reason not to be? Did I conduct myself in such a way that I have no regrets. embarrassment or guilt, for what I thought, said, or did, today?

At the end of the day, I hope you had a great fruit stand and I hope tomorrows' is even better!

Promises

2007-01-01T20:29:00.000-08:00

I have decided that blogging sharpens my mind and soul, much like exercise benefits my body. So if I want to get the most benefit out of it, I need to do it at least 5 to 6 times a week. We will help each other be accountable. Me to you through my blogs and you to me through your comments. I had no idea how many of you are reading my blog and enjoying it. That alone is enough to inspire to keep blogging!

I have made a commitment to read and study the Word (Bible) more each day. So I would like to share a verse--sometimes it might apply to what I'm writing about, and sometimes it might simply be my accountability promise to you.

I don't want to take my promises lightly. I challenge you not to either. We learn to trust others by their ability to follow through. We label people as "dependable" if they deliver and "unreliable" if they do not. God's children should reflect their Heavenly Father. God keeps His promises. God is trustworthy and reliable. There will be times in this new year when we will really need to know that. Circumstances ("storms" of life) will come our way that will cause us to doubt Him and question His trustworthiness. That is why the Word (Bible) is so important. It tells us what is true. It tells us what God is like and how we can know Him. The Bible tells us of how we can be assured of our relationship with Him. It tells us what we need to know and hear when those storms come.

So here is the verse of the day, from Jeremiah 29:11-13, "For I know the plans that I have for you," declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."

Happy New Year!

2006-12-31T21:46:00.000-08:00

It's 11:45PM, Dec. 31st, 2006. The ball has already fallen in New York and in Dallas, Texas, it will soon be 2007. In the fitness industry, January is one of the busiest times of the year. New resolutions and promises are made to "make our bodies more acceptable than they were last year". We promise to make better choices and to be more disciplined.....at least for a while. Some really do mean business and get the job done, but unfortunately, more don't than do. I just want to share a few things that might help:

1. Make mini-goals instead of huge, way-out there, almost unattainable goals. Lose 5 pounds, 4 times rather than 20 pounds.

2. Write down your mini-goals and have rewards along the way. Treat this as if you were the CEO of a major company and you have everything to win if you get the job done!

3. Use a consultant--hire a trainer. You can seriously hurt yourself if you try to lift weights and don't know the correct technique or form.

4. Don't write yourself off or beat yourself up if you make a mistake. Get back on course the very next moment that you can.

5. Get enough rest and enough water. Most people don't get nearly enough of either and suffer for it.

6. Make an appointment with yourself to work out--better yet, make an appointment to work out with a buddy. The accountability factor is huge!

7. If you have not done so, ask the Lord to help you make the most of your time while you are on this earth. Ask Him to help you desire what He desires for you.
Trust Him and love Him with all your heart and while you are at it, look for ways to show love and random acts of kindness to others. I would love to hear about those random acts--it would really encourage my heart!

Happy New Year!

Have a Happy New Year!

Good VS. Bad Christmas Spotlight

2006-12-07T21:25:00.000-08:00

It seems as though during the Christmas season, a certain ebb and flow occurs. Really good things are happening and really bad things are happening. It's like good and evil are struggling for the spotlight. You know of someone that has just sustained a knee replacement and is doing very well and then...you hear of someone that has recently been diagnosed with cancer. You read of people donating money for a special charity and then...you hear of the greedy "rats" stealing that money. You hear of the pregnancy of someone trying to conceive for a very long time and then...you hear of a toddler being abused and beaten to death. The contrast seems to be ratcheted up several degrees during this season. As I have gotten older, I have noticed it more and more. The eternal struggle between good and evil will someday come to a decisive end, but until then, Satan will not go unnoticed. He hates not being in the spotlight, he loves being the spoiler, and he really loves trying to make us believe that God has left the planet and will never, ever come back. Satan is a good liar--a master.

We can counter his attacks by praising God for the good, because "every good and perfect gift is from above."

We can recognize that humans are not forced to make good choices, and for the most part, they do not make good choices. (I see it all the time in the Weight Room--poor eating choices, lack of discipline to exercise, taking drugs to deal with stress rather than working out).

We can pray for spiritual eyes that focus on the real story--that because humans are greedy, selfish, and easily discouraged, we will always need Someone bigger and better to come along and be our Hero, our Rescuer, our Savior. God knew from the beginning that's the way it would be. Jesus, His Son, accepted the job assignment, and willingly gave His life so that we would be "made right" before the Father. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

As His children, we can do all that we can to "feed His sheep", and to encourage and love one another. Yes, there might be a lot of sad and bad that we would like to erase from the Christmas season, but in the ebb and flow of good versus evil, it gives us an opportunity to appreciate even more, the day when there will be no more tears; when things too wonderful for words will be the normal day to day experience. The day when death will no longer separate us from loved ones. That day will come only because of the day that has already come--Christmas! What a wonderful time to say, "Thank you and to Rejoice"--especially when that's the last thing Satan wants us to do.

Thumper's Mom's Advice

2006-11-29T21:05:00.000-08:00

Thumper's mom had it right all along, "If you can't say something nice about someone, ......." You know the rest, don't you.."don't say anything at all". Today, I wish I could have followed her advice. In the heat of the argument, when I knew I was right (and maybe I was--that's neither here nor there), I pick words and say things that will "score the most points" damage-wise. And yes, I can do a lot of damage when I am provoked. When the points are totaled and the "winner" walks away, that's when it hits--"'The winner' didn't win anything!" The "winner" lost self-control, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, peace, joy, and love. The Holy Spirit reminded me of this and I was able to apologize to my dear daughter. Our relationship has been restored, but I would have given anything if I just would have been quiet and respected her wishes. Yes, "If you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything at all."

State of Contentment

2006-11-27T20:33:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving! Yes, it should be a state of mind everyday, but thank goodness, we don't have to prepare that much food everyday! We had a big group for both the dinner and supper. (13 for the noon meal and 19 for the evening meal).I made 6 pies, 6 dozen rolls, a 3-tier birthday cake for Grandma Ruth plus a creative breakfast dish that combined left-over stuffing and eggs and milk (I think it is called a fritta or something like that). My brother melted cheese on top of his little square and said that made it even better. As you can probably tell, I love to cook and love to bake even more. I did manage to jog, non-stop for about 30 minutes. (I am practicing for my next 5K.)

It was a joy to go back to my little community of St. Francis, Kansas (far northwest corner of the state of Kansas). They do things a little differently there. Friday night, the Sr. Center sponsored a soup supper (your choice of potato/cheese or chili soup and a cinnamon roll). This was followed by a "treasure hunt" (numbers are distributed in the local paper, numbers are posted in the different businesses and you take your number, go into the business, and claim your prize.), and a Christmas parade (with floats). I also visited with a high school classmate and a great teacher and principal. All in all, it was a great vacation from my Texas.

I am so glad that the Lord is with me where ever I go. I am also glad that He has helped me to learned to be content in whatever "state" I am in. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

What A Wonderful, Wonderful Weekend

2006-11-19T21:08:00.000-08:00

I have not been a good blogger. I am sorry. I will do better after next week. I can blog a couple of times this week, but then I won't have access to a computer for a few days. We are going to Kansas to celebrate Thanksgiving and then on to Nebraska on Saturday to celebrate my Grandmother's 100th birthday.

This was one of those perfect weekends that I never wanted to end. It started with a 5K race, called "Dorothy's Dash" (an event to raise funds for M.S. race sponsored by the town of Flower Mound). Several of the clients that I train and I ran in the race. Art, Nancy, Kim, Jim, Dottie, Angie, and I all ran. Everyone did very well--some even winning a first, second or third in their age group division! Linda, one of my dearest friends, was our cheerleader and official time keeper and guide. That feeling of being together, working for a common goal and seeing it come to pass, has got to be one of best "highs" that a person can have.

The rest of Saturday involved doing fun things with friends and family (going to see a movie--The Queen; eating out at On The Border). Sunday was really great, too.
Mike, one of our pastors, gave a great message about our relationship with God and how it can be summed up in one word, "Father". If you ever want to listen to any of the messages, they can be listened to from the Crossroads Bible Church website. The rest of my Sunday afternoon was spent pre-shopping for Christmas presents.

I just had a wonderful, wonderful weekend! How was yours?

Thank You Vets--Thank You Jesus!

2006-11-10T19:37:00.000-08:00

One of my clients shared something that really touched me today. She had seen an older gentleman sitting on a bench, wearing his Veteran's hat. She was inspired to visit with him, and asked, "Are you a veteran?" He said, "Yes." She then said, "I just want to thank you for your service to the country--I appreciate what you sacrificed." The man teared up and said, "I've been waiting for 60 years for someone to tell me that." My client gave him a big hug and they visited a little longer, she gave him another hug and she teared up. Gratitude is a big deal. In Luke, Jesus tells us the story about the 10 lepers. He told them to go and "show themselves" to the priest and they would be cleansed (from the leprosy). All 10 left, going in faith, and because of their faith, they were made well, but only one of the 10 came back to thank Jesus. Jesus used his actions to teach us that gratitude is the right thing to do--especially when it's a really big thing that was done for us. Veterans, thank you so much for being willing to die for this country and the principles of freedom that make it a one of a kind place to live. Lord, Jesus, thank you for dying for me, for making it possible to spend an eternity with You, learning about how wonderful You are!

A Boat, A Storm, & A Savior

2006-11-08T20:01:00.000-08:00

It has been quite an interesting last week. I have felt like a boat on an ocean--experiencing extreme highs and wave-crashing lows. Lows--concern over the future of our nation (Will terrorist feel we are now and easier mark? Will our taxes go up even more? Is their such a bipartisan division between "right and wrong" that it's almost as though we are from different planets?) Highs--getting to work with physically handicapped individuals at my job--one with MS and another older client with imbalance and stability issues. As a trainer, I get to work with mostly well folks, but, at one time, I wanted to be a physical therapist, and now, it's come full circle. To see the difference the training makes in the attitude and well-being of the client is such a reward- a true high. I just have to remember that when things get "scary" on the boat of life, the Lord is on board and the storm will subside. If I trust Him with my life, He will give me peace and purpose--no matter what the waves around me create. Pessimism and criticism are two wolves waiting to devour whatever they can--they feed often and they feel well--especially in these days and times. The only way to stop feeding them is to pull out the big guns--love,joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentlness, faithfulness, and self-control. When these are prevalent in our life, the wolves leave and the sunshine breaks through the clouds.

Anyway

2006-11-04T20:42:00.000-08:00

This has come to be one of my favorite poems. I hope you like it, too.

ANYWAY....

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies,
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you,
Be honest and frank, anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight,
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous,
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow,
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough,
Give the world the best you have, anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it between you and God;
It was never between you and them, anyway.

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

2006-10-30T20:59:00.000-08:00

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

2006-10-29T19:26:00.000-08:00

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

2006-10-28T21:27:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-27T20:42:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-26T20:52:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-25T21:05:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-24T20:51:00.000-07:00

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?

2006-10-23T20:18:00.000-07:00

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...

2006-10-22T19:49:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-21T21:09:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-20T21:11:00.000-07:00

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.....

2006-10-19T21:02:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-18T20:52:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-17T20:18:00.000-07:00

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"

2006-10-16T20:32:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-15T20:24:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-14T20:13:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-13T19:49:00.000-07:00

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!

2006-10-12T20:34:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-11T20:38:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-10T20:29:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-08T20:22:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-07T21:48:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-06T21:55:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-05T20:29:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-04T20:28:00.000-07:00

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

2006-10-03T17:28:00.000-07:00

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.