Beloved, I hope you are prospering in every respect and are in good health, just as your soul is prospering. 3 John 1:2
I think I’m done watching TV for the next week. With so many political attack ads running right now, it’s hard to keep from getting depressed. So much negativity can really drag us down, and for a lot of us, we’re already struggling in so many ways. Maybe you’ve found yourself asking, can it get much worse?
I’ve been feeling a bit guilty lately. Instead of mixing gym visits with walking, I’ve just been doing the walking. I rationalized this decision because walking is my favorite form of exercise, and I love being outside, enjoying the summer. But then my bank statement comes, and I’m reminded every month that I’m paying for something that I’m not using.
Being on vacation these past couple of days has given me the chance to review the goals I set for myself this year. One of those goals, a really important one, was to get to the gym at least three times a week. Darn. Again, the rationalization kicks back in. “At least you’re exercising…” You know how it goes. Maybe you’ve got a couple of New Year’s resolutions that have a similar outcome?
Well, enough of that. I just got back from a great workout at the Y and am feeling tired. I also signed up to meet with a trainer once a week for the next three weeks. I think she’ll help me get back on track.
I wish I could do some traveling right about now. No luck this year. I’m taking this week off, but I’m staying around the house. I have a lot of catch-up work to do, and I’ve got a sick dog. Oh well.
More than anything else, I just need some down time. Like just about everyone I know, it seems like we continue to jump from thing to thing, taking each day as it comes. It’s hard to see the transformation in that. More like just getting through another day. Not the best way to live, and that’s why we need a recharge from time to time.
This past weekend, I was with a great group of college students making a retreat. It was wonderful to have the chance to spend some time with them, and I’m really looking forward our interactions in the fall. One of the things that was discussed several times throughout the weekend was the importance of balance. I don’t think there’s many people who are called to juggle as much as active college students do. Ah, but they have youthful energy and can recharge much faster than the rest of us. Well, most of them.
This week, I hope to finalize some of the changes I want to make on my blog. I’m planning a few dinners as well, and hopefully we’ll use up some of my tomatoes which seem to be especially bountiful this year. I’m thinking a nice marinara sauce, bruschetta, gazpacho. The list goes on…
I hope you have a very blessed week, and get the chance for a little recharge yourself. If you don’t think you have the time, use one of the 3 minute retreats from Loyola Press. They’re great.
Do you ever feel like this donkey? You’re plugging away, doing the best you can to keep your balance, and then…
It seems like life is just one big balancing act. Whether it’s trying to balance work and family, good eating and unhealthy eating, exercising too much and not exercising at all, watching your spending and putting everything on a credit card. Whatever the situation may be for you, I know the balancing act isn’t easy.
But when our bodies start talking to us, reminding us that we’re not taking care of ourselves, we have to pay attention. When we change our diets, we have to be sure we’re getting balanced nutrition.
This morning, I was reading an online article in the Los Angeles Times about a vegan couple. On the surface, you would think that they were paying attention to what they were eating, and that they were choosing the right blend of foods to keep themselves in peak shape. But they weren’t, as the article tells us (be sure to read it). Yes, a bag of potato chips might be considered vegetarian, but that doesn’t mean that’s all you have for lunch. Or that you’re taking care of yourself by just eating bean burritos from Taco Bell. Dumb.
So, keeping ourselves in proper balance, body, mind and spirit can make all the difference. You have to work on it, every day. If you messed up yesterday, get yourself back on track. Whatever you do, don’t give up! What needs to get balanced out in your life?
While I was out for a walk tonight, I ran into some friends from Church. We ended up talking and walking together, and it was nice to catch up. The same thing happened about a year or so ago, but at that point, I was still struggling to improve my health. Walking wasn’t easy back then. In fact, I think pretty much everything I did was difficult.
I tried to be optimistic, and took it one day at a time. Sometimes, when you try to do too much all at once, it’s easy to give up, frustrated and discouraged. But making small changes, a little bit at a time, can be an important key to success.
My friend reminded me that, during that first conversation, I told him that I knew that some greater good would come from my efforts to improve my overall health, but I didn’t know what it would be. I don’t think either of us would have guessed at the transformation that would ultimately take place.
Transformation can take place in everyone. Most don’t happen overnight. Instead, you have to be in it for the long haul, taking it slowly. Keep going, and never give up. You’ll be glad you did.
——
Some people were asking me if the lilies in yesterday’s post were from my garden. Yes, and I got those Yelloween Asiatic lilies from Whiteflower Farms.
I’ve got a challenge for you. I want you to think about some important issue you need to work on but have been avoiding or not really trying hard enough on it. I’m guessing something has already come to mind. It’s possible that you could create a whole list of issues, or maybe it’s just one or two.
Now I want you to ask yourself, “what’s holding me back from dealing with it/them?” Most of the time, what’s holding you back is, well, YOU. There’s a whole lot of people that carry around a self-defeating attitude. We’re our own worst enemy. That has to stop.
Today, I want to challenge you to start doing something about these issues, so that you can get moving on with your life. It’s going to be hard, and it might take a long time. But we need to do something about it, starting today.
If the issue is your health and you haven’t seen the doctor lately, make an appointment. When was the last time you got your blood checked? I know sometimes those visits/tests can be kind of scary, but I think I’m more scared of not knowing.
Over the last couple of years, I’ve learned that I have to be my own health care advocate. I need to be informed, and I need to take care of myself. If you are overweight and continue to eat at fast food restaurants, you need to stop. There is an unbelievable amount of data out there that shows the harmful effects of our poor eating habits. But no one is forcing you to eat that food. Stop. What health issue can you start working on today?
If the issue is your finances, get control of them. Do you have a budget? Do you have any idea where all the money is going? I know this is an area that I’m personally working on right now. I met with a financial planner last week, and have begun, after a very long hiatus, to start putting money aside for retirement. I just can’t wait anymore to do this. I can’t go backwards and try to make up for what I haven’t done. I can only go forward and become disciplined with my money. What are some things you can do to watch what you are spending?
If the issue involves a relationship, what can you do today to begin to improve it? Last week, I was talking to a group of teenagers about something called the “cube of love.” Basically, the cube has different sayings on each side related to love. Not just an ordinary kind of love, but the kind of love that marks us as a Christian. A person throws the cube, and whatever is written on the top of the cube when it lands is the challenge that day for the person. My favorite one is “be the first to forgive.” What a great thing to be doing. You don’t need to have your own cube of love to start being the first to forgive.
Maybe the issue with with your employment. You’re just not happy with what you’re doing. At this point, I think anyone with a job paying a decent wage should be grateful to have it. But that doesn’t mean we should be trapped. Are you trying to do your job better? How can you improve your skills, or learn something new that might be of benefit to your present employer, or a future one?
These are only a few issues that many of us are avoiding, and maybe you can’t relate to any of them. But I know that all of us has something we are not fully dealing with. No matter what the issue, it’s time to start working on it.
My point in all this is that we have to start taking responsibility for ourselves. We can’t wait for someone else to make it all better. With God’s help, He will make something new of us. That’s His promise. More than likely, though, He’s asking us to do our part too.
I hope that you will open to taking a look at those things you’ve been avoiding, and make a commitment to begin the process of working on them. We can’t just sit around waiting for something to happen. If we wait too long, I think we’ll have too many regrets to count.
Start believing in yourself! Have confidence in the Scripture passage found in the Prophet Isaiah (43:19) from where the theme of this blog comes from, “See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? In the desert I make a way, in the wasteland, rivers.”
I read this article today and thought it was good enough to share. Sorry to break the news to you.
There are no bad foods, right? Only food you should eat in moderation? Well, not really. The following foods are so bad for your body that there is not really any reason to eat them. Not only do they have zero nutritional value, but they also give your body a healthy dose of toxins, which should make the idea of eating them really hard to swallow.
1. Doughnuts
2. Soda
3. French fries (and all commercially fried foods)
4. Chips (corn chips, potato, tortilla, and other chips)
5. Hot dogs (and processed meats)
6. Fried non-fish seafood
7. Margarine (hydrogenated & partially hydrogenated oils)
8. Sugar and artificial sweeteners
9. Salt
10. Crackers, Toaster pastries, sugared cereals
(Assisi, 2007)
In his cookbook, Sacred Feasts, Brother Victor-Antione D’Avila-Latourrette (what a name for a monk) wrote that he hoped his readers would discover an affinity for the monastic (vegetarian) approach to cooking. Brother Victor (much better ;)) wrote ,
this style of cooking is characterized by simplicity, tastefulness and resilient frugality. It’s also imbued with the innumerable joys and ways of praising God daily through the practice of food spirituality in the humble sanctuary of the kitchen. (pg. vii)
When I first purchased this great cookbook, I didn’t know that for centuries, monks ate an almost exclusively vegetarian diet. As I read through the recipe commentaries, I began to understand not only the rhythm of monastery life, but also how simply the monks ate. Brother Victor presented the monk’s favorite recipes with the hope that everyday cooks would recreate and experiment with the dishes, which he called authentic food for the body and soul.
Being an everyday cook, I did just that, and through trying the recipes, I became hooked on vegetarian food. I loved the line about authentic food for the body and soul. Yes, that’s what I think we need to do. Link our physical and spiritual nourishment together to improve our overall health.
If we eat only junk food, which we know is not the best for us, do we also not pay much attention to what we consume for our spiritual growth? It’s a pretty good question to ask yourself. When I look back to the time that I was eating very poorly, I can now see that I wasn’t taking care of myself spiritually either. Today, I’ve got both in sync, along with positive mental growth, and I’m in the best overall shape I’ve ever been.
All this got me thinking, and I decided to begin inviting friends over to my house for simple vegetarian meals. I wanted the food to be really good and easy to prepare. I had my first sacred feast a few months ago, and all of the recipes can be viewed in the recipes section on the right. Everyone loved the food, and it was a great experience for me.
My goal now is to start having these dinners every month. I’m encouraging you to try some of the recipes, and then host your own sacred feast. So many people are looking to get healthy, not only physically but also spiritually. I think hosting a sacred feast is a really cool way to help those we love to take care of themselves a bit better.
In the next week, look for a Sacred Feasts tab to the right. I’m going to get some menu ideas posted, along with some new recipes for you to try out (I have to test them first!).
Thanks to everyone who continues to follow this blog. It has taken a life of its own on, and I’m still learning. For those who have subscribed and get the blog through email, I have a tip for you.
When you open the email, click on the title of the blog entry (using today’s for example, Sacred Feasts). This will take you from the email to my actual blog, Making All Things New. You’ll be able to see everything the way I’m intending it to be viewed, which I think will make it a more meaningful experience for you.
Todd Burier is a friend of mine and he works hard at helping people live healthier and happier lives. He does this as a motivational speaker and wellness expert. The other day, he sent me a really inspirational email, and I asked him for permission to share it with you. He said yes and you can read it below. Todd has two websites at the bottom of his email. Take a minute and check them out.
Sunday as I was traveling, I landed in Memphis and was picked up by the man who typically shuttles me to and from the airport. As we were walking to the van I noticed someone walking very closely behind us. Almost like they were going in the same direction as us, but didn’t realize they were walking so close to us that it seemed strange. As we got to the van, this woman was still right next to us and at this moment the man introduced me to her as his daughter. This was the first acknowledgement that she was with us.
This woman is 40 years old, and the man had told me in the past about the disease that she and some of her other siblings were born with. Essentially they were born with no sweat glans, no ability to have teeth, and no hair. I don’t know the name of the disease only that the things I descirbed are just the tip of the ice berg. For many years it was questionable that they would live very long.
As we were riding to our destination I learned that she had spent all day at a Zumba seminar to get certified to teach this aerobic dance/fitness style (which she must teach with an air conditioner blowing directly on her or her body will overheat and she could die). It was hard to get her to talk because she was very shy.
On the way back to the airport a few days later I asked her Dad some more questions. She is unemployed, has had a very hard life (as you can imagine…not just living with the disease, but dealing with the verbal abuse she took from schoolmates making fun of her) and is trying to start her own business teaching Zumba. She has no experience running a business and no money, but she rented a little warehouse space and is giving it a try. I told the man that if he had her call me I would be happy to help her in any way that I could.
I was surprised when she emailed me and said she would like to talk. I called her yesterday and spoke to her about 20 minutes. I learned that she has a passion for helping peoiple with their weight (because she has had her own struggles) and she has a passion for dance, and Zumba gives her a way to do both at the same time. Of course she is going out on a limb by renting space in a warehouse, with no experience and no way to pay her bills, and no understanding of how to run a business.
I gave her a few ideas about how to make sure she could keep the doors open first, while she kept a roof over her head. She was so thankful, because she had no idea how to even think about what to do. Basically all I did was encourage her and help her see that she can do it.
That phone call felt very good for me. There is no interest or gain in this for me. It was purely to encourage and help someone else. And that’s the point of the story.
People who are trying to accomplish something need encouragement. They need people to cheer them on and be there for them. Not just because this helps them, but because there aren’t many people who do it.
People spend more time telling people why it won’t work or questioning the attempt. Why?
Sometimes out of ignorance…they simply don’t know any better.
Sometimes out of jealousy….you are doing something which makes them reflect on themselves.
Sometimes out of fear….that you will succeed and things will change between you.
Sometimes out of concern…they genuinely are worried you might fail (unfortunately this is a limited view becasue it is far better in life to try and fail than to not try)
Sometimes out of selfishness…because your goal will take time away from them.
There’s more, but this gives you an idea. Having been someone who has strived for goals in a very open way for years I can attest first hand that encouragement is a rare commodity. Anyone who is attempting to accomplish something is going to have struggle, doubt, fear, fatigue, etc. at various times.Help them. Be there for them. Encourage them.
Think of someone you know today who is working toward something. Call them up and let them know how much you respect what they are doing and how much you believe in them. Let them know that you know they can do it and that when times get hard, you will be there for them. Ask them if there is anything you can do for them. It will be a gift to them…and not bad for you either.
Many Blessings,
Todd
Todd Burrier-Making a Million Lives Better
“When we know about something that can help people we have a responsibility to share.”
The other night, I happened to catch the season finale of The Biggest Loser. I’m usually at work when the show is on, but I saw it for the first time during one of our big snow storms. I guess that was towards the beginning of the season.
Having recently undergone my own weight loss journey, I was amazed at the exercise routine of these very obese people. Without a doubt, they had to have the show hosts after them non stop in order to achieve their goals. Those that didn’t meat their weekly goal got bumped off the show.
When I saw these folks at the end of the series, having lost an unbelievable amount of weight, I was impressed. They didn’t look like the same people. They have a lot to be proud of, and I hope they are able to keep the weight off. It’s an ongoing battle, and will be probably for the rest of their lives.
I’m bringing this all up because I think that it’s very important to set goals for yourselves, and then keep following through until you achieve them. Maybe your issue isn’t weight, but rather you want to find a new job, or you want to get out of debt. Whatever it is for you, start setting up some reasonable goals.
I say reasonable because if you begin with false expectations, you’ll quickly give up and go right back to where you were, or maybe worse. I’m guessing none of us have the luxury of personal trainers like the ones on Biggest Loser. We’re probably going to have to do it on our own.
For me, achieving my goals by myself has been hugely rewarding. I studied up on what I needed to do, got some good advice, and set reasonable and measurable goals. These weren’t long range goals, but weekly, even daily. When I met a goal, I celebrated. When I missed one, I went back and figured out why, then worked on it again until it was accomplished. This was not easy. Achieving good goals usually never is.
Do you have some things you need to work on? Summer is a pretty good time to develop a plan, since things slow down a bit and you can focus. There are tons of resources, including 974 titles at Amazon to help you. Or, you can do it the old fashioned way. Put pen to paper, and write them out. Don’t forget to ask for a little Divine Assistance. It always helps!
The experts say this step of writing goals out is important. If you don’t you’re almost surely doomed to failure.
Lastly, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. Bring God into it. Watch what happens 🙂