December Advent Week 2

Monthly fitness or food or photo challenges have been part of my new lifestyle for the past couple of years. But, it's December and those of the childlike heart await the arrival of Christmas and Santa and presents. The only challenge is to not sneak a peek! There have been eleven challenging months. December needs no challenge. December is expectant. December is celebration. December is the crossing off of days to something grand!

I choose to mark the advent of Christmas and the New Year with words of importance and contemplating how I respond to those words, daily. Will you sit with me to mull these words? Will you allow them to unlock a puzzle box inside your spirit preparing you for the future?

If we should accidentally drop a day, we will not sweat it, but will turn around from our too-busy stride to reclaim the word and the beautiful gifts of God's thoughts He has waiting just for us.

#impACTforLife ACTion Challenge - Week 3

We are half-way through the 
4-week #impACTforLife ACTion Challenge! Personally, it takes my mind and body 2 weeks to adjust to fasting or a nutritional change. Amazingly, it is then, I feel the effect of each meal. Ending the second week is the pivotal fulcrum for anyone desiring to establish good habits. It's when your effort must outweigh your excuses. We're at the "I don't see any physcial changes. What's the use?" point. Let me encourage you to keep going! Even if it's just to complete the four weeks with a community of like-goaled people!

• Keep hydrated - drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up, before each meal and during exercise - your body will thank you!
• Keep moving - your heart will thank you! 
• Keep making good nutritional choices - your family will thank you years later when they are still making those good choices because of your example!

#impActforLife – Week 3

Nothing Changes until you ACT!

Monday

Meatless Monday!

Show us your delicious meat-free eats on the impACT for Life facebook wall and using the #impACTforLife on twitter and instagram! One such tasty recipe is below.

impACT Blog: Meatless Monday

impACT Blog: Cheesy Mexican Quinoa

Tuesday

Plyo-WHAT?

You’ve heard of people doing the INSANITY workout videos. Plyometrics are designed to get your heart rate up and sweat flowing quickly! Remember, listen to your body and have fun with this. Know your abilities. If you have any questions, consult your physician, first.

impACT Blog:  Plyometric Warm-up Routine

Wednesday

Eat 3 servings of vegetables by 2pm.

No need to save all your veggies for dinner. Work them in at breakfast and lunch too! 

impACT Blog: For the Love of Kale

Thursday

Count your Blessings! After you workout, tend to the family and can sit quietly, note what you are grateful for. Life happens too fast not to inhale, be thankful and exhale. Don’t give up on your pursuit of being healthy in body, mind and spirit! Journal it!

impACT Blog: Don't Give up, You are Loved!

impACT App: Gratitude Diary

Friday

Workout with a buddy! Grab a friend, a family member or even your dog!

Even if it’s simply shooting hoops with your kids! Share your shared workout pix on the ImpACT for Life facebook wall and twitter and instagram using the #impACTforLife hashtag!

impACT Blog: Fitness Friday

Weekend

Your ACTions are having an impACT on your body and self-esteem!

Look at yourself in the mirror and, then, find 3 things you like about yourself!  Share with us on the ImpACT for Life facebook wall and on twitter and instagram using the #impACTforLife hashtag! Here we go into Week 4, the final, in our #impACTforLife ACTion Challenge! YOU GOT THIS!

Well. So, it turns out I'm NOT Super Woman.

1. Make the bed
2. Make breakfast
3. Pack their lunches
4. Feed pets
5. Run
6. Clean house
7. Do laundry
8. Finish the gift list for Christmas
9. Un-decorate the house
10. Pull tubs of Christmas decor from attic
11. Finalize menu for Thanksgiving
12. Write Center of the Pie blog posts & recipes
13. Prepare guest room
14. Grocery Shop
15. Shower, Shave, Shampoo!
16. Dinner with friends, tonite.
17. 
    

...And, that's just today. Does she sound familiar?

Yep, I'm one of those overachiever list makers who, when discovering something to be done that wasn't originally on my list of To Do's, will go back and add it to my list just so I can mark it off as being completed. It only intensifies during the holidays! Knowingly, as if on a suicide mission for Santa, I will create a overly long list of tasks to accomplish before crashing into my contour pillow and clean sheets before midnight. (CRUD! That wasn't on the list... 17. Change sheets)

Oh, sure, at that point is when the Holy Spirit reminds me I haven't read my eDevo and Bible or prayed, yet. 

I really do love reading the Bible, especially the Old Testament partly because it reveals the personality of God. Take for example the story of Moses and the Ten Commandments. God, who in a mighty display of nature, gave the busy leader of Israel ten specific directives in the earshot of the people. The Creator commanded the attention of an entire, busy nation.

In a similar account, Elijah was busy about doing God’s work; predicting famine, raising the dead, calling down fire from heaven and having 450 prophets of Baal slaughtered, when he is threatened by a nasty lady (the Super Evil Woman of her time). In fear and spiritual exhaustion, he runs for the mountains on the backside of the desert.

Sleeping in a cave and depleted of his own reserve, Elijah experienced a powerful wind, earthquake and fire caused by God, yet, was not in any of them. Then, the Creator gently whispered something to catch the attention of a solitary man. No longer busy, he simply sits quietly with the Father receiving supernatural strength and wisdom.

When I need God to speak into my life, my Creator knows just when and knows just how to capture my attention and settle my busy, self-asserted-Super-Woman self.

Take some time to read Exodus 19 & 20 and 1 Kings 19. Have a wonderfully blessed Christmas!

~"Sam"