"Train a child up in the way he should go...."

With the media coverage of the Swine Flu illness that has been seen in addition to the normal seasonal flu, and found to be present in the deaths of several children in this country and around the world, I found it necessary to further educate myself on the condition of the people who were found to be most susceptible to the sickness; to the point of death.

After searching around for statistics on the internet to see what was available, I was able to find a medical research paper on the flu, its victims, and their conditions prior to becoming sick with the swine flu. Majority of the children had been suffering with very serious conditions that clearly weakened their immune system and obviously effected their ability to fight the bug. I was surprised to see that one of the conditions listed on the sheet as pre-existing, and an obvious factor in the body's ability to effectively fight off the illness, was obesity. OBESITY! A completely preventable "disease"! And this got me thinking, "God, we must do a better job at raising our children in the way they should go; taking care of their bodies, and treating them with the same love and respect that You show us in your design and creation!" But, I praise our Lord who has given us a path to follow to help rear our children and protect them with the knowledge of healthy living that they may be girded with the best chance for physical success. Thank you Lord that there are some areas we can "control" with the wisdom and knowledge that You have provided for us to use in our lives.

Although this topic is pressing at this time, because of it being the season for sickness, the information is valuable all throughout the year. First of all, we as parents, are the teachers our children will learn from the most, whether or not they are in school out of the house. We have been sanctioned, by God, to teach them "the way they should go", (Proverbs 22:6); not teachers, not principles, not bus drivers, pastors, youth leaders, etc. Us! Deuteronomy 6:7 says, "Impress [God's commands] on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." So, to me, this looks like let your lifestyle be a teaching tool. This is not a subtle request; it is a mandate, one about which I am sure God is very serious. So, when we are regularly taking our children to McDonald's for fried foods, Burger King for a milk shake, or indulging them with their pleas for "more" candy, dessert, etc. or allowing excess tv watching and not enough active play time, whether indoors or out, we are preparing them for an adulthood of the same habits. I know there is not a parent alive that wants to prepare their child for weight struggles, but this kind of habitual and regularly malnourished food and lack of health activity will lead to just such an adult existence. I'm not talking about the "once-in-a-whilers" either, because even complete refraining from things such as fast food or a fun movie-going experience can have backwards effects on the mind of a child, especially if the "why" of refraining is not explained as the intellect of a child increases. Complete denial of these things is not the answer either.

The goal is to find the healthy balance. "Do not swerve to the left or to the right; keep your foot from evil," Proverbs 4:27. We must learn to develop nutritious meals that we enjoy as a family, so that we can teach our children the benefits and the enjoyment that can be gained in eating the wonderfully delicious foods God Himself created! We can also enjoy the occasional treat to the candy store, or ice cream shop, knowing that it is a treat, and not something that should be put into our bodies on a routine basis. What is the point of a decadent chocolate cheesecake if you cannot enjoy it since you eat it all the time? It is awesome to teach our children how to enjoy the things that we can enjoy once in a while; what a valuable lesson that is in life.

In addition to nutrition, we can all, both adults and children alike, benefit from adding activity into our lives. I must admit, I definitely understand the difficulty of this as a family in today's indoor and high-tech lifestyles, but a return to traditional enjoyment can still benefit us today. Family bike rides, walks, trips to the playground, games of tag, and other fun activities are a lively way to increase the pulse and get loads of laughs. We do not just need to teach our children that activity means doing 1000 sit-ups or climbing a Stairmaster for an hour. I do not know many children that would jump for joy at the thought of sharing in such an activity (nor do I know many adults who would....) Other great ways to increase activity, and build up the family togetherness, is through a common labor project outdoors, such as gardening, painting, building something, etc. I envy the farmers of the field, who so easily have a valuable teaching tool at their disposal each and every day.

But, it is not too late to increase the knowledge and wisdom of our children, so that they too can grow to be health conscious and life loving adults when their childhood is behind them. I most definitely believe that we all as mothers will look on with much joy knowing that the lifestyles that we worked so hard to develop within ourselves did not ring back empty, but nurtured fertile soil which sprouted into trees bearing fruit. What a great day when it will be said, "May your father and mother be glad; may she who gave you birth rejoice!" Proverbs 23:25. Now, that is a reason to eat-in.

Ready to Fly!

It has come to my attention that some people think that pursuing fitness is a vain or ungodly endeavor; that anyone who desires to be fit must be doing so for the reasons of vanity and wanting to get attention. Some people think that muscles are built for the reasons of pride and that beauty should be muted as much as possible.

As I reflect on the thoughts of some, it comes to mind that God created our bodies and has asked us to partner with Him in caring for them. In yesteryear this was easy to do, since nearly all work was manual labor, and the foods eaten were grown right in your yard, but today that has all changed. Is this a bad thing? No, but it certainly changes the way it looks to take care of God's beautiful creation; man. Today we must be more mindful about getting in activity, because most of us are in cars or at desks day in and day out to make a living. We must be evermore aware of what we put into our mouths, because most of us are time-crunched and need foods that are available quickly. Is this awareness evil? Of course not...it is wise! Should it be all-consuming? Absolutely not, but it should be a factor in the minds of every God-fearing individual each day.

In order to maintain a healthy and fit body, we must be living healthy and fit lifestyles, which means eating healthy foods and getting regular activity. "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body," (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). What does your body say to God?

Of course, there are definitely other sides of this factor, like our mindset with everything. Is there a possibility that when getting fit and healthy that temptations for pride, lust, vanity, etc can come? Yes, absolutely, but just because there is a temptation does not mean there will be a fall, and just because there may be a temptation does NOT mean that one should not follow that path at all. Living healthy, getting fit, having muscles, etc is not evil in and of itself. It is not against God, in and of itself. The bible even uses athletes as some of the best examples for us to look at to see how we should discipline our lives! "I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified," (1 Corinthians 9:27). Is getting fit the be all and end all of existence? No, absolutely not! "All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize," (1 Corinthians 9:25).

But, what can be gained through getting fit and healthy? Well, there is certainly the aspect of discipline that is learned. If you learn how to discipline yourself you can apply that in every area of your life! What lost cause is that?! You can also learn plenty of information about self-control, contentment, patience, perseverance, and more. All of these are beautiful qualities of the character of God, and they are available to the person who desires them! Can a person go into physical training with purely superficial intent? Of course, but can God use it to teach them even deeper lessons for His great pleasure and use? MOST DEFINITELY!

But, someone may be thinking that it is safer to stay unchanged in the safe little life that has been created around you. "After all, I know this life, and I am prepared for this life, so I can handle any temptations and tests that fall within this structure." But, where is the faith in that? Where is the challenge to grow and press forward, and strive, and mature, and prosper?! The life that remains unchanged becomes a cage to restrict us from becoming more and more influential for Christ! Staying put is a fear-based decision of not wanting to rock the boat. Jesus wants us to walk on water! Stop looking at the enormous waves crashing around you (i.e. the potential for failure, or pain, or hurting others, etc) and keep your eyes of Him who makes you able to walk!

I have been held back by my own mind, stagnant in my life and comfortable where I was, but I realized that it was exactly where Satan wanted me, because I my sphere of influence was severely limited! Do I still struggle with this? Yes, absolutely, but I am willing to walk with God to get me through this tunnel, because I want to be used by Him! By dealing with my weight issues, I have received such immense freedom! By trusting God's leading to take control of my health, I have gained so much energy!!! I am now so much more usable for Him, because I have vitality in my day! I have life to offer Him! Do I believe God will finish what He begins? Absolutely! "...He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion..." (Philippians 1:6). But, do I also believe that it is up to me to take care of my body so that I am able to do the things God asks me to complete? Most definitely!

If we want to have healthy bodies, should they just magically change? Or should we use the minds that God put in us to tend to our lives, take a hold of the self-control that is in us through the Holy Spirit, and discipline our bodies to act according to our knowledge? Should we manage our days effectively to allow for adequate time to have physical activity, and ensure that it is part of the normal daily routine? Absolutely! That sounds a whole lot more like what God teaches throughout His Book. We have the ability to take a hold of our lives, working within His creation, to "reap what we sow"; sowing healthy foods into our bodies and regular activity into our days and reaping increased energy, healthier bodies/minds, and a longer presence on this planet. These are the things we can control. God has given us all the tools necessary to take care of ourselves, but we must use them! And, as always, there are certainly plenty of people along the same path who want a partner to walk with them. We should be encouraging such endeavors as this, knowing the difference between healthy intentions and idolizing a particular physique result. If we know our brothers and sisters are healthy in their intent, lets show support and offer a helping hand! We can all serve each other in this way, too!

Be the Hero!

I have come to recognize in recent days that we are often given two choices in our lives for how we can proceed with the paths we take. We can either make a choice and follow through, or we can make excuses for why we have not done something that we say we want to do. Those who follow the first example are normally seen as those with a strong-will, and those who follow the second "do not." But, the reality of these two paths is that one takes a mindful approach to decisions and then makes everything in life reflect that choice, while the other approach becomes the victim where things just "happen" to them to hold them back. I call these roads either having a hero-mentality or a victim-mentality.

The person who chooses to have the victim-mentality is always stuck in a rut. There is always something about which to complain, someone did something to them, or something came up that stopped them from proceeding with their plans. It's never their fault that they did not do what they said they were going to do, because there is always someone or something else to blame. Little responsibility is taken in their lives because they make themselves none responsible for the consequences (I mean, if you take responsibility for something that means that you have the power to fix it, right?) It is easier for these people to point the finger at someone else than to look at themselves to see what they personally can do to amend the situation. They will likely stick with what they know, never really widening the scope of their lives, or pushing the bar, because they are comfortable in their known lives, even if they are miserable or lonely, etc. Rarely is change seen in the mentality or lifestyles of these people, because change means facing some area of themselves and accepting responsibility, which a victim does not do. They likely will have a negative self-image because they "can't do anything right," and therefore become the victim again (the "woe is me" mindset). Their attitudes are usually spikes and valleys of emotion and little disruptions to their plans through everything out of whack. In my experience, it is the life that "talks the talk" but rarely "walks the walk."

Those who have a hero-mentality take charge of their own lives, knowing that they are in control of the decisions that are made and the consequences of those decisions. They realize that they are responsible for making the outcomes of their days exactly what they want through the little decisions that are made throughout their days. Although they may have a slip-up here or there, or some random event through a wrench in their plans, they immediately pick-up where they were, and ask themselves, "Okay, what can I do right now to get back on track to reach my goal?" They do not make a habit of making excuses. They make decisions and then their lives noticeably change because of those decisions. Everything they do is purposeful and intentional, and they are rarely surprised by the results they get. These people are doers, not just talkers. They usually have a positive self-image and are confident in their ability to accomplish the task they set out to do. They make commitments and stick with them. They usually have no problem reflecting on their decisions to see what they did right and wrong, and then making adjustments accordingly, as they feel no condemnation for those decisions because they are what they are. They view events in the large scheme of things, knowing what is just "spilled milk" and what is actually a big deal. Their attitudes are usually very temperate, calm, and controlled.

These two mentalities play into every facet of our days, and most of us oscillate between the two. Obviously, the goal would be to more regularly adopt a hero-mentality, because more gets accomplished and lives begin to come together. If we look at these perspectives through spiritual eyes, the victim-mentality is felt by a person who is still consumed with their "old life" and has put back on the heavy yoke of slavery. But, Christ says that we can go to Him to get rest. His rest is all-consuming, so it is not just the kind where we lay down on the couch and sleep or do nothing, but it is a mental rest, one of peace and comfort, knowing that no matter what happens He is in control. He says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light," (Matthew 11:28-30). Those who are secure in Christ's control over their lives will be more "even-Steven" in their handling of life's ups and downs.

Always being secure in the fact that Christ is in control will play into the fabric of our day. Everything will play against this truth, and our reactions will span accordingly. Will we adapt this mindset in one foul swoop? Heavens no! It takes time to really be secure in the truth of Christ's control, but the more we focus on it and the more we gauge everything against it, we slowly but surely begin to see everything through spiritual eyes. Eyes that can say, "Well, big picture, this does not matter so much...It's just _____." Will we still struggle sometimes with our old, fleshly mindset? Of course, because it takes time and diligence to mature. But, we can be assured that the more we make it a priority to respond (which is mindful) to events instead of react (which is emotional) we will find our maturing process moving steadily ahead.

So, how does this play into a decision to get healthy and fit? It plays into everything! For one thing, to be the hero of our own lives, we must take responsibility for the areas in which we have not effectively succeeded. We must recognize where we need to focus and then plan accordingly. If we have not been diligent in exercising, we must begin to structure that into our day and plan around it, not allowing for it to be an option (because if it is optional it will not get accomplished). If we have been weak in healthy eating, we must begin to make steps to clean up the food we eat, even if only one small step at a time. Just like someone who is engaged in overtly sinful behaviors needs to stop doing to sinful behavior (like pre-marital sex or alcoholism), we need to immediately cut out those larger acts that hurt us the most (like binge eating, or regularly eating incredibly high calorie/fat foods). We must begin to plan out our meals for the day so that there are few surprises, if any, and stick to our guns when presented with temptation. We should begin to see that temptations of all kinds (whether food, laziness, pornography, affairs, drugs, alcohol, etc.) are purposed to stop us from following through with our decisions to abstain from something. They all test our self-control and dedication to actually sacrificing our fleshly desire to satisfy ourselves. And, the ultimate fact: Truth can be applied ANYWHERE at ANYTIME in ANYTHING. One truth that a wise woman once told me regarding commitment to a decision was to "do the right things and the right feelings will follow." The fact is, sometimes we will not WANT to do what we have committed to do. Sometimes we might feel like we should just give in to the temptation to stray from our goal-path, but if we make the decision to continue to do the right things (things that follow the necessary path to achieve our goals) we will begin to have an easier time doing them because we will begin to prefer that way. A common statement I have heard from those who begin to implement a healthier lifestyle is "Wow, I just feel so good, now that I'm eating healthier foods and working out regularly," and on the contrary, when they miss a workout or eat something that is lacking in nutrition, "Wow, I noticed that when I did not workout I felt so sluggish the next day," or "I ate some fried food last night and I feel totally drained and bloated today! I am so not going to do that again." It's amazing the results that can follow determination that is not dictated by an emotional or feeling-fueled engine.

The moral of the story is BE THE HERO OF YOUR OWN LIFE! Decide today that you are ready for more. Do not let excuses hold you back any longer, but begin being purposeful with your time and actions, making everything move like a well-oiled machine. If things pop up and get you off track, or if you encounter a season of "falling off the wagon," get back up and jump back in. Who cares if the time frame for achieving the goal has changed! Better late than never! God wants what is best for us, and healthy living certainly falls into that category. He sees us as valuable and worthy, so we must view ourselves through His eyes and take care of the things with which He has blessed us (i.e. our bodies, minds, etc.) We know that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, so shouldn't we make it a habitable place both inside and out? Shouldn't we make choices to keep our bodies healthy? Don't get me wrong, there should be no pride or vanity included in this mentality. We really have little value without God as our redeemer. But, He has given us free-will and a charge over our own lives, the ability to make decisions and to reap the benefits or to destruction of those decisions. As always, in all things, "Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously," (2 Corinthians 9:6). Put in the effort, be diligent, and you will experience great results!