Plenty of Water

I just realized that all 7 steps of Stormie Omartian's Greater Health God's Way start with a "P". I think she planned it that way.

Here is Step 4: Plenty of Water

--If water remained in the body there would be no great need for a continual supply.

--We need water to replace what has been lost, and water to flush out the body. Without it, certain toxic wastes will not get out.

--Toxic waste products are eliminated from the body through four major organs: skin (perspiration), lungs (exhalation), kidneys (urine), and bowels (solid body wastes). (The average person loses about three quarts of water a day just through these natural processes.)

--...are you drinking sixty-four ounces of fresh, pure water every day?

--...water is the perfect drink.

--Can you believe that more than a pound of waste is eliminated through the skin daily? That's about one-third of all the body's impurities.

She suggests using a dry brush before a shower and a loofa in the shower.

She also suggests getting a water purifier.

Basically, I am trying to drink more water than I usually do.

Anyway...

Blake is home. I am happy.

I got my monthly therapeutic massage. I can move again. I need to do more stretching on a regular basis.

We ate Red Pepper. It was good. We have fudge sundaes from McD's to eat too. You see, I am a good cook.

Blake loves Cheers. He's been DVRing them and we have been enjoying them.

I gotta go drink some water.

Until next time...

Proper Exercise

Step 3: Proper Exercise from Stormie Omartian's book Greater Health God's Way

--Nutrition specialists say that three things shorten people's lives: too much stress, poor eating habits, and lack of exercise.

--You must know that you were not made to do nothing.

--All exercise helps the body to do three extremely important things: eliminate poisons, increase circulation, and strengthen muscles.

--You have to have a plan.

--Schedule your exercise time. Which times you choose are not important as long as they are consistent and regular.

--The abdominal muscles are the most difficult to firm and will be the last ones to get into shape on an out-0f-shape person just beginning an exercise program. So do not look at your tummy every day...

--As for exercise, Jesus was a walker.

--...plan social events around some kind of physical activity.

--...everything you do counts.

--There will be many times when you won't feel like getting up to do something, but you'll always be glad you did.

Then she lists 40 good reasons to exercise.


Anyway...

It was quite the storm last night! Our streets flooded, so I brought the garbage in during the downpour. Yes, the same garbage I had the whole dog-running-away fiasco for. I got my shower! ha! I was glad to see it was all dried up this morning.

I walked the dog this morning when it was still cool.

I went shopping today at the Christian bookstore and got a cross with grapes and a verse to put up in the kitchen. Then I went to Wal-mart, Target, and Best Buy. None of them had what I want to get Blake for his birthday. It is available online, but I don't have time to order it. Maybe I could get it for him for Christmas. I did purchase a few things for his birthday though.

Emmitt is missing Blake a lot. He keeps looking for him.



I have kind of a hard time when Blake isn't home at night. I miss him.

I am enjoying my time by myself too. I've been kind of relaxed and the tv hasn't been on much. The quiet is nice.

Blake should be coming home tomorrow evening. I'm looking forward to seeing him.

Until next time...

I ran

Yes, I had to run today. Anybody who knows me knows I don't run if I don't have to. Blake is gone on the guys trip to the cities. I got home from the baby shower tonight after 9pm. I decided to put the garbage out when I got home. I let Emmitt out and thought he could be in the garage with me for that few minutes instead of barking at the door for me. I was almost done and he decided to run away. Yes, without a collar. This made me run after him which made him run farther and faster across the street. Then to the next street. A girl on her cell phone tried to stop him, but he caught onto that trick. I'm running in my sandals trying to figure out what to do. I'm yelling and calling. Several guys were talking by a vehicle and they barely blinked at my struggle to get my dog. One was on crutches, but I thought one of them could carry or drive him home for me if I caught him. Catching him was still the first problem. I thought maybe I could just keep chasing him all the way home, which would be tricky. I just kept calling to God for help.

We turned the corner and a lady and her 2 kids were on their front step. He loves kids so he went there right away. They had a leash that I borrowed. While the girl went to get it Emmitt kept barking at the cats he could see in their house. It was his high pitched in pain sounding type of bark. We get the leash on and we walked home. He knew I was upset.

I put him in the house and drove the leash back to return it. I was so sweaty since 1. I don't usually run and 2. it is very humid due to a storm that is happening now. Did I say I was really upset? Did I mention I needed to use the bathroom before I got home the first time? I got home again and he knew I was upset and he laid on his living room bed for a bit, which is not real common for him. Now he is on the couch with no care in the world. I was just so thankful that when Blake called I could tell him a good ending instead of a lost dog, run over dog, whatever. God is so good.

Anyway, I am amazed at how much I miss my husband while he is gone. I enjoy my alone time, but I enjoy being with my husband too. He is so good to me. I am so thankful that God gave me him. It's amazing how I grow more in love with him every day.

There's a thunderstorm right now. I usually sleep pretty well during storms unless thunder wakes me up, but that's ok.

I think I would like to buy Blake's birthday gifts tomorrow too. I'm excited because I actually thought of something that I know he will like.

I'll have to write about step 3 of the book tomorrow. I'm getting tired.

Until next time...

Berries

Yum! We've been eating a lot of blueberries lately. We had them on waffles Blake made for the kids and everyone.

Jill and I went to the farmer's market today. I got a couple things of juneberries. I hope they are good. I also got cucumbers and peas.

Until next time...

Pure Food

I took the dog for a 24 minute walk. Then I watered my little garden. It all added up to about 30 minutes. All activity counts and adds up.

I had a delicious peach with plain yogurt for breakfast.

From My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers, July 25: "The Sermon on the Mount is not a set of rules and regulations: it is a statement of the life we will live when the Holy Spirit is getting His way with us."

I took this picture of a boat "Calm Down" on our trip to the coast of Maine.






I was thinking about peaceful living...

Beth Moore talked about that everybody has somebody who brings the worst out in you. These people are in our lives to bring it to the surface and for us to work through it. For me, unfortunately, it is my mom. I think sometimes my students bring up things in me too. Both bring up frustration, impatience, expectations that I have for them that they may not be living up to, etc. These are people I care about a lot. I need to work through this so that we may have positive times together and loving times together. I know it isn't all the time, but like with anyone, buttons get pushed every once in awhile. I need to react in a godly way.

School is starting in less than a month. I organized some things in my classroom yesterday. I think I am ready to have a regular routine and purpose again. I'm not looking forward to winter. I am looking forward to spending time with students again. There is excitement and nervousness that comes with a new school year...new students, new curriculum, etc.

There were so many things in step 2 of Greater Health God's Way, so I will just try to pinpoint a few.

Step 2: Pure Food

--We are sick and overweight because we eat more refined food than we do natural pure food.

--Natural foods, the way God made them or as close as possible to the way He made them, promote health, strength, endurance, and life. Processed foods promote disease and death.

--Genesis 1:29, 9:3

--When you eat refined, processed, devitalized foods, your body is not nourished and you don't feel satisfied, so you overeat to make up for it.

--Everything is permissible--but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible--but not everything is constructive. -1 Corinthians 10:23

--Every three months we get a new bloodstream, every eleven months each cell in our body has been renewed, and every two years we get a new bone structure.

--We were created to be alive until we die, not dying the whole time we're alive.

--It's what we do every day that determines whether we will be healthy or sick.

--What we really need is less food, better quality food, and simpler food than we tend to eat now.
--Don't let weight loss be your concern at first, let it be good health. Be patient. Take it a step and a day at a time.

--Don't plan for failure.

--Do not think that eating god's way is restrictive. It isn't. His laws are never restrictive--they are releasing. They are there to give us a more fulfilling life.

--Above all, let your main reason for losing weight be to have a long, healthy life of service to the Lord.

--You have 260 trainable taste buds. Eating habits are learned and you can teach yourself to eat any way you want.

--...just keep it simple.

--Don't feel you have to clean your plate because of all the starving children in India. They aren't going to feel any better if you're overweight. (fast and pray or send money)

--Overeating is never good--not even on special occasions. Have a calmness about food, not a desperate greediness.

--When choosing food always ask yourself, "Is this man-made or God-made?"

There is much more about foods to avoid and foods to eat, etc. Good stuff.


Calm down, keep it simple.


Until next time...

Peaceful Living

I haven't been wearing my pedometer, but I think I will during the school year.

Greater Health God's Way: 7 steps to inner and outer beauty by Stormie Omartian is the book study we girls are doing this summer.

The book is from 1996 so some of it probably could stand to be updated, but other than that most of her advice, Bible references, and guidelines are good.

I will include a few quotes from the book that I thought would be helpful as I try to be healthier.

Step 1: Peaceful Living
--We can't control all stress, but we can control how we react to it, and we can strengthen our bodies to cope with it.

--Stress comes from four main sources: Environment, poor diet, lack of exercise, and your attitude.

--In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. -Psalm 5:3

--Time alone with God is vital to our health. Do not neglect it.

--...a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. -Isaiah 61:3

--This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. -Psalm 118:24

--It is very unhealthy to be thinking of ourselves all the time. Focusing inward too much leads to mental problems. Focusing everything outward to God is a wonderful, positive way to bring about mental health.

--Always remember that whatever goes into your mind stays there--you have it filed in your memory forever, and although you may forget it for a time, it is still a part of you.

--Crying is also good for you sometimes. Jesus cried, and there has never been a more perfect man.

--It's God's job to judge and sentence because He's the only one who knows the whole story.

--Remember that forgiving someone doesn't make them right, it makes you free.

--...in quietness and trust is your strength. -Isaiah 30:15
+When you hurry through life there is a wonderful quality of living you miss altogether. A certain depth of communication with the Lord is also lost.

--Let the word SIMPLICITY be always in your mind as you make your choices each day.

--We always have two options in everything we do: we can make choices for life or choices for death. Which will you choose?

Lord, help me make choices for life.

Until next time...