Copy Cat

My oldest daughter did an absolute wonderful job in her Thanksgiving performance yesterday...if I can brag just a little.   The song her class sang about being thankful for all the Lord has made, was cute and so true.  Not soon after she was off the stage, her little sister was trying her best to mimic the moves and words she had just watched her big sis do.  We had not been privy to the song's lyrics or motions before the performance...it haaaaad to be a surprise...so this was the first time we had even heard the song.  I couldn't believe after one performance my littlest was copying her sister to a T.

She is really getting into the copy cat mode.  She wants to do and say everything "Sissy" does.  Unfortunately, she has even recently learned how to cross her arms and "HUMMMMPH" just like Sissy.  I constantly say "Be a good example for your sister".  I know my oldest daughter does not like this responsibility all the time, but truth of the matter is, her little sis is watching.  She is learning from her.  She has to be the good example so the copy cat can learn how to listen and obey and not pout and disobey.

I did not have true full-time sisters when I was growing up.  But, thankfully, the Lord did bless me with cousins to serve as my part-time "sisters".  I had three little sisters following me around and copying me constantly.  I can remember getting frustrated with the girls in one minute, but then laughing with them the next moment.  I also had one older sister to copy as well.  There are stories I could tell about playing the copy cat or being the one who is being copied.  There are funny stories and even some sad ones.  But, I will share my favorite copy cat story...the one that has to do with me asking Jesus into my heart.

I was seven years old and it was Promotion Sunday.  I was going to move up to the second-fourth grade class.  My oldest "sister" was a fourth grader, so I was going to be with her.  I was excited to say the least.  I can still remember the flannel graph picture of Jesus standing at the door knocking.  The teacher talked about how easy it was to let Him in and be the Lord of our lives.  The invitation came, and like a lot of seven year olds, I peaked my eyes to see what my cousin was doing.  She raised her hand that she had asked Jesus into her heart, so in true copy cat fashion, I raised my hand as well.  A few others raised their hands that they had not asked Jesus into their hearts, and they were able to leave with a teacher to learn more about asking Jesus to be their Savior.  Craft time started, but I couldn't get the uneasy feeling out of me.  My little seven year old heart was telling me I needed to go with the others.  I had not done the things we had just discussed.  I ran to the other teacher and told her I had to go with the others.  I wanted; I needed; I HAD to ask Jesus in my heart.

I can tell you all the details of that day...but I wouldn't want to bore you!  I am just so thankful for that day.  I am so thankful to be brought up in a Christian home.  I am so thankful for my family.  I am so thankful for all my Sunday School teachers.  I am so thankful for a loving, forgiving, wonderful, I could go on and on, but simply magnificent God!  I am thankful the Lord kept tugging at my heart, and I was not a complete copy cat that day!

Who is watching us?  Would we want others copy catting us today?  Do our neighbors see our love for the Lord?  What about the children in our lives?  I have two sets of little eyes watching me constantly.  Would I be honored that they copied me, or would I be ashamed of what they have seen me do or heard me say?

In Joshua 24, we read Joshua's farewell address.  In verse 15, we have the famous quote to live by, "but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."  The following verses have the copy cat response from the God's chosen people, "And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD...therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God."

Is He your God?  Can other's copy cat you and know that by your actions?  Are we serving Him today?

Today's verse
"And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey."
Josh 24:24

I was reading in the book of John earlier today.  One of the applications in my Women's Study Bible said, "Christians should allow Christ to live His divine life in them, so others will see His influence and glorify God."  The Only Perfect One to ever walk the planet, should be who we are striving to copy.  He is our only Perfect Example.  Let's copy cat Him today so other's can see His love shining through us!


I hope everyone has a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Weathering the storm

Tragedy has struck our neighborhood.  In a matter of minutes, our neighbor has lost his home due to a horrible fire.  It was scary for us just watching.  I cannot imagine what it was like to live through it.  Thankfully he is ok, but the house and all its contents are gone.

The tragedy occurred this morning.  The girls and I were in a back room and had no clue as to the happenings just two doors down from us.  We had just finished our devotion.  We had been learning about the wise builder and foolish builder.  We had been singing the song, "The wise man built his house upon the rock, and the rains came tumbling down."  The words had just left my mouth, "If we have strong faith in Jesus, our family can get through any storm.  No matter what happens, we know He will take care of us.  That is why we have to build our house on The Rock. With Jesus's help, we can handle anything."

The statement kept ringing in my ears just a few minutes later.  While we were praying, we heard the fire trucks.  We went to the kitchen to see the flames and smoke starting to shoot through the door.  Seconds later, the roof was raging in fire.  My daughter said, "Mommy let's pray now", and we did.  We prayed for the man who lives there (he was outside, so we knew he was ok), we prayed for the Lord to show us how to help him, and we prayed for the Lord to keep us safe.  I couldn't help but think to myself, would I be living by the words I just said to my girls if this was happening to us?  If we were loosing everything, would I be weathering the storm like the wise man, or would I be falling apart like the foolish man?

How do we weather the storms in our life?

I know I need to make improvements on how I weather the trials of this life.  I know now more than ever, I need to make sure my faith is built on The Rock.  Tragedies happen, and we have to be prepared knowing that with God's help we can get through anything!

We heard of another tragedy just last week, that involved a three year old who had to be admitted to the hospital.  The circumstances are horrific.  My husband and I talked about how anybody could go through something so tragic without God to lean on?  Is He the center of our life, our Cornerstone, our Rock, our Strength?

The girls' verse for last week was Psalms 18:1 "I will love thee O Lord, my strength."  It was hard explaining to my oldest daughter not to say "with my strength" but simply "my strength".  We have NO strength without Him.  He has to be the strength of our lives!

Is He "my strength" or am I relying on what I think is my own strength?  If we lost it all today, would we "Rejoice in the Lord always" (Phil 4:4)?  Would we "In every thing give thanks" (1 Thes 5:18)?  Or would we crumble like the foolish man?

Today's Verse
"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock."  Matt 7:25

Please be in prayer for our neighbor.  He does not have many people to turn to.  Please pray the Lord will show us how to best help in the situation.  I will only say that this situation is delicate, and we must seek the Lord's wisdom in how to help.  Please pray he will be able to weather this storm and find the healing power of God's love in the midst of this tragedy.

Take a deep breath...then another...and another

This is sad to admit, but I was voted "Most Stressed" as a Senior in High School.  And unfortunately the title fitted me well.  I WAS stressed and did stress out about everything.  Every possible scenario was played in my head, and I came up with things that never would happen.  But those big "what-ifs" were always lurking and I was a stress magnet.  I was constantly worried about tests, friends, work, and all the other problems involved with being a teen.  I worked long hours at a very hard job; I took hard classes like Physics and Calculus; I stayed up late studying and worrying.  I do not regret the hard work, it has help make me who I am today, but I do regret not having a better plan to handle the stress.  I did have faith in God to get me through, and I would post Phil 4:13 everywhere in my site, but I still overreacted time and time again to the worries of life.


In college the stress continued.  There was a class every semester that made me cry on a regular basis.  It was a computer class the first semester, Biology the second, Accounting the third, Chemistry the fourth, an Economics my fifth and sixth and seventh.  I was not an Economics fan, but for my major 4 courses were required.  Now, keep in mind, 5-6 of any one course could gain you a "Minor" in that subject, but I refused to take one more of those hideous classes.  I could do without a "Minor" in the dreaded subject. (No offense to any economics lovers out there.)  

But, the last few semesters, I found my reliance on God strengthening.  I realized in my maturity (I know, you can't really be too mature at 20, but I was definitely more mature than I was at 17) that He did have it all under control.  I am not saying I let my "stressing out" moments completely vanish from my life, for there are times even now that anxiety can rear its ugly head, but I really started handing my stress over to God.  I took a Stress Management course my very last semester, and the techniques I learned truly did help as well.  The problem with handling stress is, you have to practice those techniques in order for them to be effective.  I could not just learn them and expect them to help me without any effort on my part.  My favorite stress relieving exercise was the deep breathing...and with all that said...our final step 8 in our healthy V-8 plan is taking 10 deep breaths every day!

Try it now...10 long, deep and cleansing breaths.  

I know you have to be patient...but it will relax you!

Breathing is vital for living.  But are we so busy living in warp speed that we never slow down and take the deep breaths needed to relax and focus and stop stressing out.  When you feel stress or anger or anxiety creeping in...STOP...PRAY AND THEN BREATH DEEPLY!  

A few years ago my husband had to have a simple outpatient procedure involving kidney stones.  I had thought I was handling everything well, but when they rolled him away I couldn't stop crying.  I prayed and calmed down.  I decided to go to the gift shop to get my mind off of things and the Lord put a little book in my hand that was perfect for that time in my life.  It was called "Your're Late Again Lord" by Karon Phillips Goodman.  She explained a breathing technique that got me through many trials that were ahead in the coming year.  It involved breathing in deeply and saying "In with His peace" and breathing out and saying "Out with my worries".  I used it constantly in stressful situations and still use it to this day.  I have expanded on it...so below are some phrases you can use when you are taking your daily deep breaths.

1 – In with His peace, out with my worries!

2 – In with His grace, out with my sins!

3 – In with His guidance, out with my anxieties!

4 – In with His forgiveness, out with my shame!

5 – In with His mercy, out with my guilt!

6 – In with His fellowship, out with my loneliness!

7 – In with His comfort, out with my strife!

8 – In with His love, out with my hurt!

9 – In with His joy, out with my anger!

                       10– In with His strength, out with my weakness!

I hope these phrases fill your hearts with a calm and gladness, knowing that our GOD loves us unconditionally.  Let Him help you today.  Give Him your stresses and worries today.  Breath in His Peace today.

I added a new tab with a cheat sheet and verses for each step we discussed.  I hope you will take the time to breath today, and I hope you have enjoyed the eight healthy steps.  

Today's verses - I had to share two

"My meditation of him shall be sweet; I will be glad in the LORD." Ps 104:34

"Seek the LORD, and his strength:  seek his face evermore." Ps 105:4

3 Special Steps

For those of you with little ones that love Disney Junior, you may be singing the OSO theme song right now.  For those of you who are not familiar with OSO, he is a "special agent" bear that helps children figure out their problems or tasks in three simple steps.  There is a song with every episode, "Three special steps, that's all you need, three special steps, and you're ready to succeed, your special assignment is starting now, three special steps will show you how, yes three special steps."  So we do have three more simple steps to go over today in our V-8 plan.  I can hear the cheers in the air!  We will discuss step 5-7 today, and then tomorrow we will go over the very last one!  It is my favorite with the exception of reading and praying of course!

Step 5 is all about the dreaded E word or EXERCISE.  Does anyone schedule to workout regularly in your week?

Well, in our steps of the daily V-8, we are talking about just 10 minutes a day.  This is an easy place to start, but again, we have to pray for the time and the motivation to do this.  I love to march in front of the TV while I watch the news in the morning or the evenings.  I am also a big fan of exercise videos.  There are a ton to choose from, so you always have variety, and there are plenty that are simple, easy to follow, and quick. Another thing we also enjoy as a family, is playing the Wii.  Our daughters even has their own Wii Fit game with little cartoon characters.  We have a blast, and the whole family is improving our health while have fun!

  

Fit exercise wherever you can into you day.  You know some of the suggestions like park your car farther away from the entrance, take the stairs, do leg lifts while you brush your teeth or squats while you wash the dishes.  We have a big window at the kitchen sink, and I do not have any blinds there.  It faces our neighbors' house, and they are outside a lot.  I laugh and tell Gerrad I know they think I’m crazy if they see my head going up and down while I do my plies squats (a ballet thing) while washing the supper dishes.  I know I look silly, but I love to multitask, and every minute counts.  Exercise can make us have more energy and feel so much better!  I can tell a big difference in my energy levels when I am not doing my videos or marching.  Every little bit helps!

Does anybody have any tricks for sneaking in exercise?

Does anybody know what the best exercise is for burning calories and upping your metabolism?  

Weightlifting.  It is not just for men, ladies.  I like to use 2-5 lb weights while I march in place.  

In a recent Women’s Health article by Adam Campbell, he listed 12 reasons why every woman should lift weights 2 times a week.  1 – You’ll lose 40% more fat,  2 – your clothes will fit better, 3 – you’ll burn more calories, 4 – your diet will improve, 5 – you’ll handle stress better, 6 -  you’ll be happier, 7 – you’ll build stronger muscles, 8 – you’ll get into shape faster, 9 – you’ll be healthier, 10- you’ll be more productive, 11- you’ll live longer, and finally you’ll be smarter.  So, let's get to marching with those soup cans in hand!

Step 6 is not one to be overlooked.  We have to have someone to be accountable to if we are serious about getting healthy.  I decided my accountability partner would be my husband.  We can talk about anything and I know he never judges me.  Some people do not have that kind of relationship with their husband.  Lysa Terkhurst says in her book "Crave" that she does not like to talk about this topic with her husband.  Everyone is different.  But you have to find someone.  You will be so much more successful if you have someone to share your struggles with and someone who will pray with you through it all.  It is also nice to have someone pat your back along the way.  

James 5:16 says “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.” We have to support one another.  Lysa says in the "Crave" book “when we determine to get healthy, we will have to give up certain things and change our habits.  Doing this can make us feel anxious.  That is why we must have friends to help us remember that what we’re giving up in the short term will help us get what we really want in the long term.”  Find that person and be each other's cheerleaders.  

Our next to last step is all about rest.  WE NEED IT.  This is something I truly struggle with daily.  I am terrible for staying up extremely too late.  I feel like I just can't get everything accomplished, and I tend to stay up until at least 11.  This is not healthy!  Studies have shown that if you rest more, you will have a healthier body including a higher metabolism.  Below is a devotion from Our Daily Bread by Dennis Fisher...

Many people like both the sweetness and the energy they get from chocolate. Yet British auto technicians have found a surprising use for this sweet food. Scientists at the University of Warwick have built a racecar that runs on vegetable oils and chocolate. The fuel provides energy so that the car can reach top speeds of 135 mph.

The Bible also records a surprising source of energy from a food. When Elijah had been used by God on Mt. Carmel to call fire down from heaven, this spiritual high was followed by persecution and melancholy. In response to Elijah’s depression, God sent an angel to provide food, drink, and rest for the weary prophet. The sustaining power of that food from heaven was remarkable: “So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God” 

(1 Kings 19:8).

Just as we need food to sustain our physical lives, we also need nourishing food for our spiritual lives. God’s Word is “sweeter . . . than honey and the honeycomb” (Ps. 19:10) and feeds our souls. It makes "wise the simple" (v. 7) and provides both nourishment and energy for life’s long journey. Take time to feed on it.

This ties everything together.  We need God’s Word and fellowship with Him; we need healthy, nourishing food, and we need rest.  Even Elijah, one of the greatest prophets, experienced depressed feelings.  God used this time to bring Elijah closer to Him. Some might say, “well - when I am feeling down - that is when I eat all the bad things”.  I know that is the case with me.  Like when my husband is traveling, or when I feel overwhelmed, I just want to fill the void with chips and candy.  But those chips are now baked chips, and I have to learn to depend on God for my strength instead of chocolate.  When I lay down and I start beating myself up, thinking what I could have done better in my day, I have to say “Get thee behind me Satan” for I know he uses that time to rob me from my rest.  And next, I say one of my favorite sleep verses Ps 4:8 “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.”  God will provide us with the rest we need, if we ask.

So to recap - Exercise, Find an Accountability Partner, and REST!  We are doing this for our health, but most importantly we are doing this FOR HIM!

Today's Verse

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." Col 3:17

Change my light bulb please

So my fingers are itching to do some real typing.  I have loved the refresher course for myself, but  I know there has been some disinterest in the getting healthy V-8 plan.  It has been a lot of cutting and pasting from the lesson already presented, and I have been overflowing with new things to write about.  So, we will take a quick intermission and finish up tomorrow and Wednesday.  With the whirlwind weeks ahead as the holidays are fast approaching, there will be fewer posts and more time preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  

This time can be a happy time, but it can also be a stressful time.  We can feel overwhelmed.  We can get bogged down in all the details.  We can downright be crabby when we start thinking of the millions upon millions of things to do in the coming weeks.  At least, that is how I can feel sometimes.  There is even added anxiety and disappointments that comes with our holidays this year, with us not having a church home.  We feel homeless but thankfully not hopeless!

When I hear my oldest daughter pray for a new church family, I want to run and cry in the other room.  Today I had to scratch out the dates we had set for Christmas parties with the youth, and it absolutely crushed me.  I have felt so lost not having parties and outings to plan with the youth group or play practices to direct and props to make...it has made me just crabby.

Do the holidays, with all the hustle and bustle, ever put a scowl on your face instead of a big ol' smile?

How can we get a better attitude with the "the most wonderful time of the year" bearing down on us?

As Christians, this is our extra special time of being thankful and rejoicing for the blessings we have and for the birth of our Savior.  Our attitudes while we are preparing meals and out shopping, reflects the love of Christ to others.  Are we reflecting His light as we get in the holiday spirit, or do we need to change our outlook?  I know in the last few days my attitude has not been one of glorifying Him as it should be, and I know I need His strength to change it!  In other words, I need a new light bulb!

What can we do to change our light bulbs and be fully prepared to show His light in the coming weeks?  Plan Ahead - that means planning meals, stocking up the pantry, deciding when to decorate, choosing which special events to attend (and not all of them), making lists concerning buying and wrapping presents, finding time to bake those cookies, and MOST IMPORTANTLY scheduling those devotion times.  We have to plan, plan, plan.  If we don't want to be running around not knowing what to do next, we have to schedule our days.  To-do lists are key in the coming weeks.  And the most important thing to schedule, is spending time in prayer and God's Word.  We will not be able to have a fresh light about us if we are not spending time in His Light!

Today's Verse
"Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established."  Proverbs 16:3

We commit our time and works to Him in this busiest time of the year, and He will establish us with a good attitude and a fresh light to shine to others.  Christians are suppose to be happy people, and yes I know we are all going through something right now that makes us not so happy, but we give it to Him and continue to rejoice in Him.  We count our blessings and not the negatives.  We can shine for Him if our thoughts are in Him!  Let's change our light bulbs and be renewed as we celebrate the ONE who was put on this earth to die for our sins.  It is HIS birthday and we want to make sure everyone sees that is what we know and believe!  Without Him our lives would have no light!  Just as I know we will be changing those tiny little bulbs in our light strands for the tree, let's change our lights and attitudes to shine for Jesus in the coming weeks.

Two for the price of one...

Catch up day...are you ready for not one, but two steps?  YAY!  

Today we are going to talk about two more of our eight healthy steps.  They are in no particular order...but we must discuss resisting temptations and having patience.  These are my two big downfalls.  Goodies and treats are everywhere...especially now that the holidays are a coming. YIKES!  What can we do?  Also, as those of you that know me well may know, patience is a virtue I need help with.  So, let's look to the Lord for extra strength in these areas today.

The fruits of the Spirit are listed in Galatians  5,  and the last, but not least "fruit" is temperance which means self-control.  We have to practice that self-control when it comes to the temptations to eat the unhealthy stuff.  Now I am not saying lets never have treats.  I am just talking about planning for them and not going overboard.  

Does anyone follow or write out a meal plan for the week?

I try to plan our suppers for the week on Sunday night.  This helps not only with the panic of "Oh no, what's for dinner?", but I can make sure we are eating healthy foods at home as a family every night possible.  Planning ahead helps us to resists temptations.  Planning ahead can save us money.  Planning ahead can make us think about making healthier choices in advance.  Just search the internet for plenty of meal planning websites or ideas.  There are tons!

I like the website eatbetteramerica.com for some revised recipes that are a little healthier but still very tasty.  We can also track what we do eat everyday.  This can make us more conscience of our choices if we have to write down everything we choose to put in our bodies (or excuse me His body).  We again have to go back to prayer with this one.  We pray to have  the strength to resist temptation.  We can also pray for the Lord to show us how to use our time wisely so we CAN plan for our healthier days.  Also, keep more healthier things on hand.  I love 100 calorie packs of popcorn for my salty snack or edemame dipped in soy sauce.

Quick commercial break.  Sorry honey I have to share your story.  The first time my husband ever tried edemame, he was on a business trip.  He was popping the whole pod in his mouth and eating the whole thing.  That is a no no.  You are suppose to eat the beans inside and discard the pods.  We had a huge laugh about it.  You can find edemame pods in your frozen food section.  Delicious with a little sea salt or soy sauce!

I also like to make ice cream sandwiches for a cool sweet treat.  You take 2 graham crackers and spread with fat free cool whip and freeze.  Very delicious and very few calories.  The girls and I also love dried cranberries and granola bars.  Just watch how much sugar the bars have.  Healthy things on hand and lots of planning sure is helpful in resisting temptations!

Step 4 can be sooooo hard for me especially...but I try.  We have to be patient!  We all know the song “He’s still working on me”.  He is making us what we "ought to be", BUT it is going to take time.  In fact, it is going to take the rest of our lives.  He is never done until we are walking with Him in heaven.  When we are His - He is constantly working on us.  But, with patience, we can accept our shortfalls and move on, knowing we are doing all we can to live for Him.

We are going to have our bad days if we set out to be healthier.  The devil will try everything to throw us off course.  But patiently, with our Heavenly Father's help, we will trek on.  We will do our part to the best of our abilities, and the Lord will certainly hold up His end of the bargain to strengthen us and help us.

 In today's society, it seems we can get anything we want NOW.  We are just NOW kind of people.  But, there will be no overnight successes here.  Getting healthy will take time, but we can get there.  Remember to continuously go back to step number 1, which is prayer.  That is how we will have the patience we need to continue this healthy journey.  

Two...yes two verses for the day...

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able to; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."  1 Cor 10:13

"I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me and heard my cry" Ps 40:1

These versea are great for memorization.  They can work in so many difficult situations, not just our healthy journey.  1 Cor 10:13 can help with any temptation the devil puts in our path, knowing we will have a way out.  And the Psalms verse is helping our family in our current situation of finding a new church home...which is definitely going to strengthen our patience.  I encourage you, if you are in a trial or feeling a little down, to continue to read Psalms 40...it is surely to "put a new song" in your mouth.

So 4 steps down and 4 to go...woohoo!  Have a good weekend and know I will be praying for you !

Step 2 - This is NOT your body

So, we have read our Bibles; we have talked to God.  What is the next step?  Step 3 - We have to realize this body we are trying to take better care of, is not even ours!  This body belongs to God.  This body, if we have asked Him to be the Lord of our lives, is the "dwelling place" for the Holy Spirit.  We must make choices for our bodies that honor the Lord.

If you read in Exodus chapters 25-27, you will see the details that went into building the tabernacle.  Sooooo much detail went into the planning and the building of this holy place.  Everything down to the candlesticks had a purpose and precise way to be made.  I remember reading theses chapters and wondering why this was important now?  Why do we need to know the "cubit" of the curtains and what kind of wood the altar was made of?

In verse 25:8 we read, "And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them."  The Lord wanted a place to dwell among His people.  Just as this "sanctuary" was the actual "dwelling place" for the Lord in the Old Testament, our bodies our the "dwelling place" for the Lord now in the New Testament time.  He put so much detail in building the actual tabernacle, but think about how much time He put into designing and forming us.  We are so much more intricate than a golden candlestick.  Our bodies are living miracles.  We are His living and breathing tabernacle in which He dwells.

We read in 1 Cor 6:19-20 “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and yea are not your own? For ye are bought with a price therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”  This clearly states we are His.  Our body is His.  We have to honor Him with every aspect of our life.  We have to glorify Him with our choices. We are responsible for taking care of this body.  It is difficult because it is our sinful nature to do what we want and not worry about the consequences.  Yet we must take care of ourselves.   


Do you ever think about the fact that our bodies are not actually "ours"? 


Today's Verse
"I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service.”  Romans 12:1


It is our "reasonable service" to take care of our bodies.  The application in my Women's Study Bible says, “The believer should evaluate every decision on the basis of biblical principles, knowing that obedience brings God’s blessing.”  While we are on earth, we must honor Him in everything, including taking care of our bodies.  It is exciting to think about our heavenly bodies.  We will not have any pains.  We will never have to worry about staying healthy.  We will be made whole.  I believe whole heartily that God will reward us  if we seek to take care of this body, "His" body to the best of our abilities.