Finding Time and Motivation to Exercise

It is always amazing to me how quickly I forget the fruit that develops from regular exercise.  Earlier this summer, my schedule  finally opened up and allowed for me to work out on a regular basis.  I  found a class that I LOVED attending and looked forward to each day.  I trusted the child care and while it was not always easy to get there, once I was there, I just disappeared into the music and let the instructor tell me what to do. It was wonderful.  My clothes began to fit differently, the numbers on the tags got smaller, my energy level went up, and so did my confidence.  I felt capable.  I felt healthy and I felt strong in my body, mind and spirit.

I should tell you that working out regularly is not something I naturally default toward.  Oh, how I wish I did.  No, it takes a lot of effort for me.  While I do enjoy a good work out and savor the inward and outward glow that comes from physical exertion, given my druthers, I’d choose to curl up on the couch with a good book and a blanket any day.  It is amazing how many creative excuses pop into my mind when it comes time to decide whether or not to work out on a given day.

Flash forward to today.  It’s been over a month since we moved into our new house and I have not worked out once since we moved.  Boxes have been gradually disappearing as ever so slowly I have been getting our family settled.   It seems that every free moment has been consumed with unpacking, cleaning, organizing and de-cluttering.  And free moments that have not been spent doing those tasks, have been spent thinking about how I should be doing them.  (Having a toddler underfoot has done nothing to expedite the process or diminish my frustration level either!)

I have felt frustrated, depressed, hopeless and socially invisible these past couple of months.  My spirits and energy level for anything have been l-o-w.  When I’m feeling this way, I tend to gravitate toward food and lethargy- a dangerous combination.  My list of excuses for not working out (aside from going for walks with my daughter) has been long....too much to do, need to find a new workout place closer to our new home (which is a hassle), child care concerns, scheduling conflicts with class times on and on. 

Until today.  It was a very long day in our house, lots of things to accomplish, lots of tears, lots of frustrations and finally, I reached my limit and we packed into the car and headed off to find a possible new place to work out simply because I needed a break!  It was challenging, but after an hour of sweat and physical exertion, I was beyond thankful we had faced all of the deterrents in my mind that had been standing in our way of doing this sooner and had gotten back on track.  I’m even going again tomorrow.  

It is worth every bit of effort and hassle to get there and in the future, when life gets busy, and especially with the holidays looming, I hope I never forget it!

Having a difficult time jump starting your work out too?  Here are some things to consider:

First thing- pray.  Ask God to fill you with a supernatural desire to exercise and take care of yourself.  Ask him to help you to be the best example of health and positive self care you can be for your children and family.  Ask him to help clear any obstacles that may be standing in your way (attitude, energy, illness etc).  Ask him to fill your heart with grace toward yourself as you work to get this area of your life back on track.

Then ask yourself- 

1. What kind of worker-outer are you?  Do you enjoy solitary exercise (you and a treadmill)? Are you more energized by a class setting? (Zumba, Step etc), Do you need a friend to go walking/running with you?  Do you prefer a DVD in your own home?

• Find what you love to do and what makes the time fly and do that!  Regularly!

1. Tell someone about your struggle and your desire to change.  Ask them to hold you accountable for exercising/eating healthy...whatever your challenge may be.

3. Be prepared to take little steps toward progress each day and be kind to yourself on the journey.  Our children’s impressionable eyes are watching! 

- Sarah L.

Knowledge Seekers

 

Getting Unstuck . . . Healing  

Our speaker today is Michelle Pemberton, Children's Ministry Pastor. Click HERE for a copy of her handout. 

What is healing?  What does healing involve?  Well according to an online dictionary it means the following:

1. To restore to health or soundness; cure 
2. To set right; repair
3. To restore (a person) to spiritual wholeness

Do you need healing?  You may be thinking, "I'm not sick.  Sure I have some minor ailments but nothing I need "healed"."  Well I don't know about you but I get stuck and need healing from losing my patience so quickly with my husband or kids over little things.  I need healing from my perfectionism.  I need healing from my obsession to accomplish and be productive.  I need healing from my need to have control.

What would you say to Jesus if he asked you whether you wanted to be healed of your own illnesses, physical or otherwise? Do you want to be rid of your addictions and other sins?  Do you believe Jesus can actually heal you?

In our study today of John 5 and 6, we see a man that Jesus healed.  Although Jesus healed this man physically, Jesus was also after healing this man spiritually. 
 

Jesus takes the initiative, as he did with the woman of Samaria, and approaches a man lying by this pool who had been ill for thirty-eight years.  The NIV translates the general term astheneia ("weakness," "disease") as invalid, due to the present context, but a later reference to healing "the whole man" may suggest a more general illness (7:23).  The man is there with no one to help him. . . this man has no hope of getting healed anyway because he cannot get to the pool. In other words, this is a situation of utter hopelessness and futility. But while the man cannot get to the pool, Jesus can get to him. The man is met by the one who is the stable, constant source not just of healing but of life itself, indeed, of eternal life . . . God finds each of us as helpless as this man. The good news is that he desires to grant each of us life, not necessarily mere healing in this life, but eternal life beginning now.  (from Biblegateway.com commentary - click HERE to read the entire write up)

 

Isaiah Says God's Word Will Not Return Void

          In John Chapter 6, Jesus had been teaching and healing and a large crowd had begun to follow Him.   Verse 5 says “Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?”  He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do”. Verse 9, says “there is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?  Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.  Jesus then took the loaves and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated.  So also the fish, as much as they wanted.”  After Jesus had fed the five thousand, with the boy’s five loaves of bread and but two fish, and “everyone had eaten their fill”, there were twelve baskets left over.  (more than enough)

          Time and time again we see this principle played out in our lives.  We offer what we have and God makes the increase.  When I was 23 and my little brother was only 10, on this particular day in his public school classroom, they had a substitute teacher who randomly (yet not random at all) gave the young class the word of God.  She told them the bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17; if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:  old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.  Such big words for such small children.  She also told them, that if they asked……God would make them a new creature.  My little brother pondered these words and believed.  He asked God to make him a new creature.  And God did!  

          At the young age of 10, my little brother became a brand new creature  and we all watched in awe, as his life changed before us.  He was already sweet, caring and trustworthy.  You could always count on him to do the right thing, but he, as all of us, had a sinful heart that needed a savior.  That day, he met the Savior and got a new heart.  He started telling others about Jesus.  God’s word was continuing to move and work in the lives of those around him.  Little children were telling their parents they needed Jesus.  God took the offering of this substitute teacher and began feeding many.   

          My parents were good people, but they didn’t know Jesus like this.  They wanted what he had.   So, they asked God to make them a new creature.  Then, there were 2 more.  God was making things “new”.  My dad was a cop and began telling his coworkers about Jesus.  Policemen were becoming new.  My mother prayed fervently for her other 4 children.  She began giving that Word to the rest of us.  We rejected it for many months.  I was happy with my life and wasn’t looking for a change. But faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.  She continued to give us scripture……..my faith was born…….I became new.  In the span of 1 year this family of 7 found Jesus because someone brought a small offering.  That family of 7 is now a family of over 40, telling others of the one who makes all things new.  

           The teacher?  We don’t know her.  She was just there for a day.   But we love her, and we thank God for her because she changed our lives forever.  We wonder if she’s in heaven now.  We wonder if she can see the ripple of souls coming to Jesus because of her small offering.

- Debbie Walker

FUNList - A Reward System for the Family

You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance. ~Franklin P. Jones

A few months ago, I learned that my patience for whining had run out. I could only think of two remedies for this; scream or motivate my children to do the things that needed to be done, without whining – or at least with less whining. Since my throat was sore from a sinus infection, I chose the latter (just kidding). I decided to create a reward system to get the behavior I wanted and to give them something they wanted. A win-win situation. Most of the items on our FUNList create quality time for us as a family, which is a wonderful added bonus.

There is debate on whether rewards should be given to kids to do things that should be done – however, as adults, we tend to think in terms of a reward system ourselves. People go to work and, even if they enjoy their work, expect to be paid. We volunteer because we get the reward of feeling good when we do something needed, useful, or helpful. However, since young children have not developed this internal reward system for a lot of things we need them to do, they need motivation.

As children grow, different strategies and parenting techniques work – and fail to work. The key to finding out how to motivate kids is to find out what is important to them. Most kids enjoy quality time with parents, outings, gifts, etc.  Then of course there’s the balance of what they want, what you want, what you can afford to do, and what you have time to do.

First, I had to decide what was most important to me for my kids to do, specifically. If the desired behavior outcome is not specific, it typically will not work for you or your kids. There are about 50 things I would really like to see happen during the day, but I knew I had to choose only a few and they had to be doable so my kids would not give up trying to meet my expectations and end up feeling defeated. It’s important that they are able to achieve success so they can get the reward and understand what they are working for. Also, if they are not successful, then I still do not have the behavior I am looking for and it’s back to the drawing board.

As I mentioned, for my kids, WHINING is a huge issue right now. With that in mind, I chose the 4 behaviors below.

1) Morning and Night Time Routines (done without WHINING) – They each have a routine list to follow.  They know what the morning and night time routines consist of and are able to do them. If they do it, but whine, then no checkmark. I give one warning.

2) Homework (done without WHINING) - They did their homework before with a considerable amount of whining included. So, adding it to the list decreased the whining to a sigh – which was a nice change.

3) Eat Healthy (done without WHINING) - Of course, I am in charge of what they eat, but I was tired of them whining about the food I served, so added this to the list.

4) Exercise (done without WHINING) - This is important in our family because my 5-year-old son is hyperactive and needs to get out and run and my 8-year-old daughter wants to exercise, but would rather watch TV, so she needs a little nudge. Even though I was already making them go outside with me and ride bikes, play tag, etc. (I know, torture, right?), they would both whine about it, so I added it to the list.

Here’s how our reward system works – After 5 days (does not have to consecutive) with all 4 boxes checked – 1 box for each behavior), my child will get to choose an item off of the FUNList. I created a sections for inexpensive, middle, and pricier. I usually verbally give them 3 choices off of the FUNList, depending on what we can do that week, and then add things to the list such as “pumpkin patch” when I want to do that anyway and then make the other 2 choices much less appealing.  You have to be tricky sometimes, you know?

The number of behaviors on the list and the types of behaviors would change with age, though anymore than 5 may be too many for any age to keep up with and remember. For a 3-year-old, maybe 1 or 2 items would be all they could handle. Find out what you care about most and try incorporating that behavior - be specific. Also, the “after 5 days” system works for me because my children are older and can grasp more abstract ideas. If you have younger children or children who need more immediate rewards, you will want to change that time frame to work for them and you. Maybe your 3-year-old needs a doable reward every day.

Kids’ behaviors will change and what is most important to you will change. When that happens, change the reward system or scrap it entirely - creativity in changing parenting techniques is a must for success and peace.

Here are the items on our FUNList –some of them sound crazy because our children helped us make the list. This approach assisted my husband and me in getting the children to buy-in to the reward system.

- Tara Godard

John 4 - The Truth Will Set You Free, The Woman at the Well

 

Today during our table study and discussion time we are focusing on the interaction between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well from John 4.  What can we learn from how Jesus approached and talked to this woman?  What can we learn from her reactions?

Well here is the situation they were in . . .

The shortest route between Jerusalem in the south and Galilee in the north required walking through Samaria.  For Jews in Jesus' day, this region was definitely on the "wrong side of the tracks."  Samaritans were despised by Jews and did their best to return the compliment.  Jesus seemed to go out of his way to challenge these traditional animosities.  He showed up at the well of Sychar just as a woman arrived.  

Here is what happened . . .

Remarkable.  Jesus didn't reveal the secret to King Herod.  He didn't request an audience of the Sanhedrin and tell them the news.  It wasn't within the colonades of a Roman court that he announced his identity. 

No, it was in the shade of a well in a rejected land to an ostracized woman.  His eyes must have danced as he whispered the secret.

"I am the Messiah."

The most important phrase in the chapter is one easily overlooked.  "Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did.  Could this be the Christ?""

Don't miss the drama of the moment.  Look at her eyes, wide with amazement.  Listen to her as she struggles for words.  "Y-y-y-you a-a-a-are the M-m-m-messiah!"  And watch as she scrambles to her feet, takes one last look at this grinning Nazarene, turns and runs right into the burly chest of Peter.  She almost falls, regains her balance, and hotfoots it toward her hometown.

Did you notice what she forgot?  She forgot her water jar.  She left behind the jug that had caused the sag in her shoulders.  She left behind the burden she brought.

Suddenly the shame of the tattered romances disappeared.  Suddenly the insignificance of her life was swallowed by the significance of the moment.  "God is here!  God has come!  God cares . . . for me!"

That is why she forgot her water jar.  That is why she ran to the city.  That is why she grabbed the first person she saw and announced her discovery.  "I just talked to a man who knows everything I ever did . . . and he loves me anyway!"

The disciples offered Jesus some food.  He refused it - he was too excited!  He had just done what he does best.  He had taken a life that was drifting and given it direction. 

He was exuberant!

"Look!" he announced to the disciples, pointing at the woman who was running to the village.  "Vast fields of human souls are ripening all around us, and are ready now for the reaping." (From Six Hours One Friday by Max Lucado)

1. How did Jesus demonstrate his love for this woman?
2. How did the woman react to her encounter with Jesus?
3. In what ways can you identify with the woman in this story?
4. What does this story reveal about God's attitude toward sinful people?
5. When have you felt God's concern and love for you?
6. What keeps you from showing God's love to others?
7. How does the woman's response to Jesus inspire you?

When we least expect him in our lives, Jesus shows up.  Sometimes when we are actively trying to avoid anything that would remind us that our lives are not as they should be, we find Jesus waiting in the very place we have run to hide.  Jesus never forces himself on us, but he does have an uncanny way of interrupting our thoughts and actions with truthful questions and challenging ideas.  Think about the times Jesus has showed up in your life, as a way of starting a life-changing episode with you.

For more Bible passages on God's mercy and love for sinners, see Exodus 34:6; Deut 4:31; Luke 1:50; 19:1-10; John 3:16; 8:3-11; Eph 2:1-6

(All of this is from The Gospel of John by Max Lucado)

Being a Disciple

What does it mean to be a disciple?  We have established the Biblical mandate to make disciples and explored what a disciple is.  Essentially, we are to accept the teachings of Christ and assist in spreading those teachings to others because God entrusted us with this mission.  So, now we have our mission, how do we make it happen?

In order to spread the teachings of Christ to others we have to enter into relationship with them.  Heartland’s Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG), the thing around which we as a community are called to rally, is “To Advance a Discipling Movement in Our City by Inviting Everyone Into a Life-Changing Relationship Over the Next Five Years.”  The Strategic Plan and the BHAG are unpacked in greater detail here.  Let’s highlight a few things.  Heartland’s expression of this mission is through a discipling movement where one person disciples another, and that one disciples another, and that one disciples another, etc. reaching beyond our group, beyond our church community, into our city and beyond.

The word inviting is used very intentionally.  We are not trying to sell our specific brand of theology.  We are not pushing people to do or believe things they are not ready for.  We are extending an invitation, which requires that we are willing to have someone come along side us in our faith walk.  This leads us to the phrase “life-changing relationship.”  There is that relationship word again.  The Apostle Paul tells us how the Apostles did relationship, saying “...Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” (1 Thessalonians 2:8).

This relationship is not so much about a mentor and mentee, but two people (or a group of people) come alongside one another and intentionally and consistently practice four things: 

• Abiding...in Jesus as our lead discipler
• Grounding...ourselves in the Bible as the main text
• Shaping...our lives together through prayer
• Committing...to an accountable relationship

Author Greg Ogden writes that, “This intimate, highly invested experience brings together three ingredients that the Holy Spirit will use to form Christ in you: vulnerability, truth and accountability.” (Discipleship Essentials: A Guide to Building Your Life in Christ)

Ogden goes on to say that in order to form a true discipling relationship you have to be vulnerable with one another.  You have to “open your life in a self-revealing way to other believers, giving permission for the Spirit to work in you.”  The truth necessary in this relationship is revealed in God’s word, the Bible.  Accountability is huge.  Ogden explains that “accountability involves entering into a mutual covenant with others in which you are giving each other authority to hold one another to your commitments.”  

To sum it up, two or more people immerse themselves in the Word and meet together regularly to ask one another, “What’s God telling you and what are you going to do about it?”  

Which relationship(s) in your life can you become more intentional about, moving from friends or acquaintances to fellow disciples?

Using Your Photos: Cards and Gifts

Alert! Alert! There are sixty-seven days until Christmas! There is a lot to think about surrounding the holidays and it’s right about this time of year when I start “thinking” about getting my list organized. I am NOT one of those early shoppers, even though I REALLY want to be! Try as I might….
Wherever you are in your planning, I hope you find some ideas below. This information is a continuation of my presentation from the October 3rd Practical Skills Sharing Day.
 
Tips for Christmas cards on a budget:

• Swap with a friend to get your family photo.
• Don’t forget to shop your closet for outfits.
• Print your family photo as a 4x6 and write on the back with a metallic sharpie. Send it as a postcard ($.32 each). People mainly like the photo anyway!
• Hand out as many cards as you can vs. mailing them.
• For a more professional/economical look go to http://www.simplytoimpress.com for single-sided cardstock cards. Save 20% site-wide till Oct. 22nd! http://www.photocardcafe.com/index.php is another site.

Professional-quality card resources:
 
http://www.peartreegreetings.com
http://www.tinyprints.com
http://www.inababycarriage.com   
http://www.minted.com
https://pinholepress.com

Gift Ideas:
 
Accordion albums $15.99  http://www.mpix.com/products/funstuff/accordionmini
Photo calendars (one sheet) $2.39 http://www.mpix.com/products/calendars/photocalendars
Canvas Gallery Wraps starting from $34.99 http://www.costcophotocenter.com/gifts/gift_landing.aspx?q=1iyjY7s5fI,qODxXVC1sosaPAIa79Ermqa,TAGJ1DrJk-
Holiday photo ornaments $10 http://www.mpix.com/products/funstuff/ornaments
Iphone cases (sales right now! $29.71) https://www.shutterfly.com/photo-gifts/custom-iphone-cases

There are lots of DIY photo gift ideas if you just Google it or look on Pinterest.com. Check out these cute Polaroid photo magnets from http://www.ambrosiagirl.com/blog/tiny-polaroid-magnets/

 

If you go to any of the above websites you will get lost in the vast amount of products and ideas. What I’ve given you is just a start. The most important thing is to DO SOMETHING with your images. (I keep telling myself this too!) Start small. Baby steps!
Denise Williams