Friends and Accountability

There is something extra special about having a group of solid like-minded Christian friends. I have a group of them and we get together every week to fellowship and pray. Since we are all girls we occasionally have girl talk. Last night was one such night.

We spoke briefly about eating better and holding each other accountable. We are eager to help support one another in things that have to do with our faith walk, but we are not as eager to tell one another to think before we eat that extra brownie, etc.

I feel challenged to stick to my word about helping to hold my friends accountable not just about faith things, but about physical things too. I am serious about this because I need it for myself. Encouraging one another is beneficial for all of us. The Bible tells us that we are to help build one another up.

Today I am thankful for friends and for the joy they bring.

Getting back on track...

I had a rough week last week both physically and spiritually. I am ready to get back on track. I need to focus. I did exercise, but not as much as I am suppsed to. I made a lot of excuses, and even worse, I ate very poorly in an attempt to "feed" my cravings. What I crave, truly, is a more wholistic life-more of God, more of life, health, wellness, etc.

I am posting this blog as a confession that I am getting back on track. Lord, please help me.

Phil 1:6 states loosely that "He that began a good work in you will see it through to completion."

Lap Swimming

The pool I use has been closed since last spring. Last night it opened again. I swam my laps, not as many as I normally do, but it still felt good to get in the pool. Swimming is so good for your body.

According to the U.S. Water Fitness Association (USWFA), water exercise offers many physical, social and mental benefits:

Improved strength and flexibility
Better muscular endurance and balance (Many professional and amateur athletes cross-train in the water)
A stronger heart
Enhanced physique or figure
Improved circulation
Rehabilitation therapy for used or healing muscles and recovery from accidents and injuries (like my lower back injury)
Weight control
Relief from stress and tension
Increased energy

Plethora of food

As I've been doing the Daniel fast I have noticed how much food just really isn't good for us. I LOVE to eat and I have been reflecting on how much I overeat and crave things that are not good for my body. Granted, everyone deserves a treat every once and a while, or at least that's what we tell ourselves, but we should eat it in moderation.

I went to the mall on Saturday (I'm not a mall rat, so it's a big deal that I was there) and I began to realize how "food crazed" our culture is. There is food everywhere. I drove past dozens of food places on the way to mall, not to mention all of the advertisements and billboards. And then once at the mall there are food kiosks, restaurants, and two floors of food court. As if that weren't enough there is a little snack shop as soon as you walk into the door from the parking lot in Target and a chocolate shop after you exit through Target on the other end of the store. I noticed quickly that most of the food offered I cannot eat right now, but albeit from that, there are not truly healthy options. Salad is as good as it gets at most places, and that's if they even offer salad as an option. I started to feel a little bad about being so picky about the food options because there are people around the world who are starving. There are people here in our country who would love to be treated to a nice warm hamburger or piece of pizza. Where's the balance?

I'm not saying that food is sin, but sin is all around us and food can become "sin". We live in a "sin crazed" society. On the drive to the mall I also passed several "sin" places...the corners, the billboards, the shops, etc. and then again sin abounds in the mall in many different manifestations from greed to sexual promiscuity. Sin is all around us. Does my body crave sin, too? Aren't those cravings my fleshly desires?

Just as I need to "train" myself to not eat and/or want bad foods I also need to "train" myself no not want to sin and to not crave fleshly desires. The good thing is that I'm not in this alone.

I miss running.

I was in a bad car accident this past April 26th and I hurt my lower back. After many weeks of physical therapy, pain medication that I didn't like to take, and an odd familiarity with an orthopedist's office, I still can't run. It is now several months later.

I have tried walking and have even tried some different plans for getting back into running after injury, but nothing has worked. I ran a mile twice, and three miles once, but the pain the following days afterwards told me that it was definitely not the right thing to do.

I went from running an average 20-25 miles per week to walking just a couple of miles each week. The soreness of exercising again feels so good because of the desire that I have to do something to improve myself physically, but it's not running.

I used to dislike running a lot. It was something I forced myself to do to relax and de-stress. Running was the time for me to listen to my Jesus jams on the ipod and focus on focusing. Running was the time when no one could interrupt me. Running was the time when I could clear my head, take a deep breath (sometimes literally) and allow the Lord to renew me. Now I don't have that. I miss it. I miss that time. It was almost sacred to me.