Jumpstart! Day 3

DAY 3: I started a NEW WORKOUT today for the first time in over a year!!! JUMPSTART, RIGHT?! Last year's workout was a foundation builder. This year's is continuing maintenance and growth. It was HARD! But my body will thank me later.;-):-) It was also my FIRST day back to early morning workouts since my kid's break started, YUCK! My eyes were so heavy and those covers OH SO WARM when I woke up! But I chose to get up and get my blood pumping and I KNOW I'm having a better day NOW because of it. You can TOTALLY make the same CHOICE!! You've got this!

FITNESS MOVE: Tricep presses/kickbacks (we worked on bicep-the larger arm muscle, time to balance that out) I have a band that I stick above any door. Face the door, grab handles, start with elbows a little behind you and pull back until your arms are straight, then release until your hands are in front again and repeat. Add this to the bicep curls and do 3 sets of 15. If you want a band, check out amazon for workout bands! super inexpensive and easy to use ANY WHERE! If you want to do the tricep kick back instead, you can see that here.

DIET TIP: Get your greens in!! You HAVE TO! Your body needs to many vitamins and nutrients that are found in things like spinach, kale, dark leafy greens. You can add a hand full or two of spinach to a morning fruit smoothie and not taste it a bit!! No excuses!!;-) I have a ningxia blender which really helps because it makes the texture completely smooth. If you're blender is not that great, it could be stringy... YUCK!

YOUNG LIVING SUPPLEMENT: Sorry, I have two today!! Lemon EO and Grapefruit EO. These two are VERY inexpensive and have ENDLESS health benefits, including powerful antioxidants and metabolism support!! I took both as a dietary supplement in a capsule this morning, post workout. You can read more about them HERE and HERE. If you'd like to purchase them, contact me!

FOOD FOR YOU SPIRIT: "For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well." Psalm 139:13-14
Did you know that God thought of you and created you? This is what the Bible teaches. God CREATES life in the womb. Yes, He's given us the pleasure of participating, but HE does the creating. HE SET THAT UP!! You are so valuable to Him. As you make good choices about treating your body well, you are taking care of the ONE BODY He gave you. And HIS WORKS ARE WONDERFUL!!! That means your body is WONDERFUL and needs your best efforts at caring for it. At times, we struggle with self-care because we do not realize our value. You are worth it! God says so!!

JAM of the day: Trip Lee's "Monolo" THIS JAM IS PERFECT MID WORKOUT... for me...wink emoticon ‪#‎jumpstartyourjanuary‬

Hugs and Love to you today! You've got this! Don't quit!

***I am not a licensed professional. Please ask your primary care physician before starting any new workout program. None of the statements above are meant to treat, prevent, diagnose or cure anything.***

Jumpstart! Day 2

DAY 2: TODAY has been about FAMILY FUN!! I don't do my workouts on weekends but I try to stay active. I get my REST in too! Today we took a trip to the Johnstown Children's Museum and made some
Memories with my little ones! My husband is gone unfortunately, but we were brave and got up and out and about and I'm SO glad we did! So here goes a couple of tips for JUMPSTARTING YOUR JANUARY:DAY 2!!

FITNESS MOVE: REST-yep! Your body needs it and it is an art these days! It really takes discipline to REST!

DIET TIP: Think of food as fuel. What are you fueling your body with? Where does it come from, what's in it and how do those ingredients affect your body? Eat to live don't live to eat!😉 This is especially difficult for me as I LOVE, rich, unhealthy foods! It's not that I can't have those, I just can't have them daily or I will not be healthy and well!

YOUNG LIVING PRODUCT: Slique Tea. It's something I just started trying this week and I have to say, I enjoy the flavor with a teaspoon of honey! It helps me avoid coffee drinking daily. Coffee lover here!🙋🏻 Too much caffeine reaks havoc on our bodies (messes with hormones and blood sugar balance)!! The tea also has some wonderful health benefits. You can check the tea out HERE.

FOOD FOR YOIR SPIRIT: "Do you not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

The price was Jesus' life on the cross. He bought us. Paid for our sin and died to make a way for us to be reconciled with God! He gave us one body to honor Him with! Let's take the best care of it we know how and are able!!! Be cautious and thoughtful about what is going in it, on it and around it!😊For the believer, it is the Holy Spirit's living space.

JAM of the DAY: "My Story" By Big Daddy Weave...

Much love and hugs to you all today!

***I am not a licensed professional. Please ask your primary care physician before starting any new workout program. None of the statements above are meant to treat, prevent, diagnose or cure anything.***

Jumpstart Your January!

Hi Friends!! Happy New Year! I hope the first day of January 2016 has been kind to you! I'm kicking off the month with series called Jumpstart Your January and how it's a blessing to you! Wellness is something we all should value. May your 2016 your year of getting well! I periscopes today on getting off to a good start. It's my first scope!! Ahh! Starting the year off with a bang! You can watch it HERE!

I posted the following in Facebook, but in case you didn't see it, here's what the jump start content will look like.

LONG POST WARNING!!😊😊 First, wellness is not just about working out. It's about total, emotional, spiritual, mental, physical and social goodness!! I'm hoping you'll get some encouragement physically and spiritually with this JUMPSTART and that will spill over into your mental, emotional and social well being!! WHO'S WITH ME?! Each area of your wellness is intimately connected and affects the others more than we know!!

FITNESS MOVE: I'm keeping it simple to start with basic bicep curls. In my circuit I do 7 low (from hip to nipple line), 7 high (from  nipple line to shoulder) and 7 full (from hip to shoulder) slowly, with elbow back and tucked in. Will post today's circuit later!

DIET TIP: When I say diet, I mean what is going in your mouth as fuel. UP YOUR WATER INTAKE. We lose water through perspiration, respiration a DM elimination all day long. We need to replenish to help flush toxins out of the body! A study has shown that drinking 17oz of water at one time can boost metabolism up to 30% 10 mins after you drink the water!! Water also helps balance your appetite. HAPPY DRINKING!!

YOUNG LIVING SUPPLEMENT: You all know I'll start with my beloved NITRO. YL's Ningxia Nitro is something I drink before every workout. I can't even list all of it's benefits here but I'll list some. It's a berry based supplement which feeds your BRAIN! It contains C3G, an antioxidant that helps burn fat and aids in glucose uptake (helps balance blood sugar). Items packed with B vitamins which support energy production. I really wish I could list everything else, but that's for another time. You need NITRO in your life!!👍🏼😊

FOOD FOR YOUR SPIRIT: "I lift my eyes up to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2

If you're a believer in Christ, the one who made the Heavens and the earth is your help!!! In this new year, may you know Him more then ever and depend on Him more then ever as your HELP. He loves you, desires relationship with you and LONGS to help you grow into who He made for you to be for His glory. As you move forward into this year and all the things set before you to achieve, lift you eyes to the hills and to Him and remember who your help is! If you are not a believer, please DM me so that we can talk how much God loves you!!!

Workout JAM for the day: New Drems, By Trip Lee😊

#jumpstartyourjanuary

Oh Aaaaaaand...case you're wondering, our focus for the month with the kids is KINDNESS! The memory verse for the week is Ephsians 4:32.:-)

Here's to your BEST YEAR YET!! Hugs to you!

The Joy of the Morning

Hey There! So I missd the entire month of November with the business of the season, but our family was focusing on Joy for October so here's one of our memory verses from way back then.;-)

Psalm 30:5 "For His anger is but for a moment and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may endure for the night but joy comes in the morning."

There's something about a new day. I've only recently started getting up before all of my kids and getting Some time for quiet and prayer (and a workout) before encountering the first mishap, request or basic need of the day. With young children, those mishaps can come very early in the day! It took me having 5 children to make this change. I wish I would've made it sooner, because for a few moments, I haven't made any mistakes in a new day. I haven't yelled, given a short, snippy answer, chosen my own agenda over my little one's needs for attention. That all faded with yesterday. I find joy in that! On the flip side, I've had nights filled with sorrow so deep that the morning seemed to bring no joy. Only heartache. That is when I have to trust in His plan and his favor! His favor is for a lifetime... how sweet is that! I'm not really sure how to engage my kiddos young minds with this verse. What I'm thinking is instilling that God  is for them (to communicate His favor). I think I will just keep it that simple. As they mature I'll be able to introduce the concept that His will, not YOU, are what He is ultimately for but what an amazing blessing to be invited to be a part of that!

No Greater Joy

Hi Friends! It's been such a beautiful, chilly fall day in southwestern PA. I got to enjoy coffee with a sweet new friend today. It's amazing what a couple hours out of our home and in someone else's can do for me. It's a cycling lesson in my life. The more we focus on caring for others and reaching out to others, the happier we become. That's where some of our deep joy can be found... serving and doing life with others. I say that to say that I was encouraged by my friend and her precious kiddos and felt excited to write today, so here comes week 3!:-)

Our memory verse for this week gets at the core of why we're raising our kids the way that we are... Why we're teaching them to memorize God's word, why we long to teach and train them well in who God is and why that matters.

Our verse for week 3 of this month is, "I have no greater joy then to hear my children walk in the truth." 3 John 1:4 

The truths in the scriptures are timeless. The principles, unchanging. The life-changing movement of the Savior in our hearts, undeniable. We long to look at our children in 25 years and be able to say, they're walking in truth. A good family friend of ours, Pastor Chris, likes to call it C.A.S.H... Character, authenticity, substance and humility... but that's for a different post.:-)

 As we hide His word in our hearts and minds, our prayer is that TRUTH shines through in our lives! When we walk in truth, we are able to impact every single human being we encounter because, at base level, we all need the same things. Under all of these layers, it becomes quite simple. So simple, that people tend to doubt the truth of this "gospel" because it seems too easy. It's too straight forward to actually be true. The fact that Jesus came and lived a perfect life, died for our sins and rose again for us; all we have to do is believe in that to be saved to an eternity in heaven with God, our creator and Father? No, it couldn't be, right? Yes, it is. But it's not too simple to be true. It is too simple to deny. If you've been denying it, it's time to believe. Today is the day! It's time to be forgiven, handed a new life to live and live it on purpose... for Him. The One and only Lord of all. It's time to walk in TRUTH and swim in grace. If you want to read about when I made the decision to believe with all of my heart and surrender my life, you can read the My Story post here.

There is no greater joy!

 

 

Week 2

Memory Verse: Psalm 16:11

"You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

I absolutely love this verse! It's so true! At one point in my life, I thought I had everything I needed to be happy. Then The Lord opened my eyes to the depth of joy and purpose found in Him and let me tell you there is nothing better... nothing even compares to the pleasure His presence!  When I realized who I really was and who He really was, I was heart broken over the amount of time I had lived without knowing Him and being on His agenda, rather then my own.

 

  You have probably heard it before...that J.O.Y. stands for Jesus, Others, You. You remember in our verse from last week that Jesus tied joy and love. Last month when we focused on love we learned that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength, and the second is like it, to love your neighbor as yourself. When we love as Jesus loves, not only will we have Him first, but we will prefer others above ourselves. In doing so, we will have joy, which we define as, "being excited no matter what." All of our definitions will carry an unconditional quality because we are talking about the fruit of the Spirit, and His production is not based upon our circumstances. Therefore, we want our children to know that God's presence is the first place where they need to find joy. If Jesus is not first, others are certainly not second, and we forfeit our joy. But when Jesus is first, we will desire to see the best in life and in others, regardless of the circumstances.  

I've got this one down! Psalm 16 is one of my favorites so it was very familiar to me. The kids are super close. Today will be the last day for them to get it!:-)

 

I'm curious to know if anyone else has strategies on scripture memory that are working for you? One other thing that has been great for us are scripture songs! We love Steve Green's "Hide 'em in your heart", Linda Biery's "Living Lyrics" and Jamie Soles "The Way My Story Goes". I'd love to hear and learn from you!

The Joy of October

One of my dearest friends is named Joy... I love it! Hopefully I'll get the chance to use it as one of my children's names in the future. :-) I have to remind myself not to get it confused with happiness. Happiness is circumstantial. Joy runs deeper than circumstances. It's unavoidable when you run into it. I find myself thinking, "There's just something about... so and so..." There's a peace that goes along with it and a touch of humility. Joy is not something we look outward for, but something we reach inward for. As Christians, we have UNLIMITED reasons for joy and hope in our lives.

October is the month for JOY! We will focus on teaching our children that we can possess joy, even when we aren't happy and the things going on around us aren't what we would like them to be. We have joy, simply because of who Christ is, who He says we are, and the future that He promises. Nothing can take that away. It's protected by God's covenant with us. We'll spend our time pointing them to the reality that when we love one another, as Christ has loved us, and abide in that freeing love, JOY will flow freely.

Some questions I'm asking... What does joy look like? When you think of joy, what do you see in your mind? How does Jesus love us? What can we do to show others that same kind of love?

Some cute answers I've gotten... What does Joy look like? GOD (Kayla-with the Sunday school answer;-)) Jumping up and down and smiling.... it looks really nice. (Simeon)

October - JOY
Definition: "being excited no matter what."

Week 1

Memory Verse: John 15:11-12
"These things I have spoken to you that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."

When Jesus said this, he had just finished teaching about abiding in Him and His love, keeping His commandments and bearing fruit. We have the most joy when we abide in Him. During that time, I feel the most free and the most loved. They haven't been the easiest times-not by a long shot. But they have been the best. Jesus shares His love for us and reminds us that when we abide in that love that our joy will be full and complete. When I start looking elsewhere for joy, I may find some happiness, but will always end up lacking in the end. In the deep places of my heart, there will be no joy. Joy is completely wrapped up in knowing Christ and His love. As the pastor at our church said, "We mistake a pursuit of pleasure for happiness. And in our pursuit of pleasure we often forfeit our happiness."

This week, the kid's were not successful at memorizing the verses completely, without prompting. They were very close! But, guess what, I GOT IT DOWN... and I got my candy.;-)