Walking and Health

Today is Veteran’s Day.  Remember the men and woman around the country and around the world, who stand for freedom.  They volunteered to fight for our country. Some of them fought in wars from the past and some of them are currently deployed throughout the world.  They stand for all that is right trying to protect freedom that we sometimes take for granted.  In honor of them today, let’s remember them and say a small prayer for them.  May they continue to stand firm in their commitment to protect our rights.  May God Bless them and watch over them.  May all veterans of all wars and military branches know that they are not forgotten. 

To all of our military, we salute you:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again.  Who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause.  Who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.  So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
     — Theodore Roosevelt, The Man in the Arena

As a Christian and a Catholic, I try to walk in faith with the Lord each and every day of my life.  Sometimes it’s hard.  I find myself not walking on the straight and narrow path.  I’m far from perfect, and I make mistakes daily, but the older I get and the more I make an effort to talk with God, the more I feel like I am growing spiritually.  The Easter Celebration is a time to celebrate the joy that Jesus has risen from the dead.

As I write this on Good Friday, one of the most holiest and dramatic days in the Christian and Catholic Lenten season, I am reminded of the The Passion of the Christ , the movie that came out a few years ago, directed by Mel Gibson.  I saw it in the movies in Dolby stereo.  It was powerful.  I saw it with my husband and my mother and father.  I tried to imagine what it would be like, to be Jesus and to suffer all that pain and I had to keep reminding myself that it was just a movie.  I didn’t want to get caught up in it and have others see me cry.  I have a weakness is this area and I have a hard time showing affection sometimes.  As we were leaving the movie theatre, we were the last four to leave because we just sat there and took it all in.  I remember my parents were walking behind us and as we were making our way out of the theatre my mom stopped and leaned up against the wall and cried.  She cried that evening in the theatre for the suffering that Jesus endured.  She cried for the hope that we all have knowing that we are forgiven.  She cried for all the times she sinned. She cried because by her sins, she helped nail Jesus to the cross.  She cried because, as he hung on the cross, he looked up and said, “Father, forgive them.”  She cried for me, because I wanted to cry, but I just held back.  She cried and I wished I could have cried.  I will always remember that moment. 

Good Friday is an annual event that always inspires me to continue to walk in faith with the Lord.  It is a solemn day because this is the day that Jesus dies on the cross.  When I attend the Good Friday service at my church, every year the choir sings a somber church song that brings me to tears every time.  I quietly wipe my eyes.  My heart is filled with sorrow and joy.  I know He died on the cross on Good Friday, but I look forward to the Easter celebration, when we see that He is risen!

Here are a few of the lyrics to the song: Were You There When They Crucified Our Lord?

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?   Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Ohh….tremble, tremble, tremble, were you there when they crucified our Lord?

 Were you there when they crowned our King with thorns?  Were you there when they crowned our King with thorns? Ohh….tremble, tremble, tremble, were you there when they crucified our Lord?

Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?  Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? Ohh….tremble, tremble, tremble, were you there when they crucified our Lord?

Were you there when they crucified our Lord?   Were you there when they crucified our Lord? Ohh…tremble, tremble, tremble,  were you there when they crucified our Lord?

 Have a wonderful Easter Season.  Let me know if you saw the The Passion of the Christ  and how you felt after you saw it.

Topic for Today: Gratitude

We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is good, because it is good, if bad, because it works in us patience, humility and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.

Lewis, C. S.

C.S. Lewis puts it so simply.  No matter what your situation is in these uncertain times of a down turn in the US economy, take a step back, take a deep breath, and slow things down.  You’ll find that you have a lot to be grateful for in your life as compared to others around you.  We are all living the best that we can until the economy revives.  Be thankful for all that you do have and do your best to get by with what you have available to you at the moment.  If life throws you a curve, work it out, learn from it, and get to a better place because of it.  You’ll learn patience and humility as the quote from C.S. Lewis above states as he shares his thoughts on gratitude.

I have a family of four children ages three, seven, eleven and thirteen.  I perform a juggling act every month so my income doesn’t run short before my next pay day.  The other day, my husband was heading back home from a twelve hour shift and his left steering tire blew as he was traveling normal speed on the freeway.  He held his composure when the tire blew and he carefully moved over to the right.  He couldn’t make it all the way off the highway and was in a dangerous situation. The highway patrol was called out and the CHP officer stayed with my husband and the truck until the tow truck arrived to remove the damaged tire and help put the spare on as a temporary fix.  My husband called me from his cell phone when it happened and told me he would be late.  He sounded calm and in control. 

When he finally arrived home, he went on the Internet to look up the price of two new front tires.  The only problem is how were we going to pay for these two new tires?  My head starting searching for ideas.  I went in to a quiet place (my bedroom) and asked God for guidance.  My husband knew our financial situation.  He also felt a sense of urgency in purchasing the tires because we needed tires on his truck. The truck was the only means for him to get back and forth to work. 

Our only solution was to call his older brother and ask for a cash loan until we got paid again.  He picked up his cell and dialed the number and I could barely hear his brother from where I was standing.  They talked briefly and then the conversation was over. My husband hung up the phone and put his head down on the computer keyboard where he was sitting.  I went over to him and gently placed my hands around the back of his head and looked down upon his reddish hair and held him tight against my chest.   He cried for a few brief moments. He looked up at me as he wiped he had tears in his eyes.  In a broken, quivering voice, he said he was scared out there when the tire blew and for a split second he wasn’t in control of the truck and he was so thankful to God that he made it back home to me and the family.  My eyes started to well up with tears as he went on to say that his brother would loan us the money and that we could take our time repaying him.  My husband stood up and held me tight as we hugged right in the middle of a busy family room. 

That day we were full of gratitude.  We were grateful that he made it home. He could have been involved in a single car or multiple car deadly incident on the highway.  We were also grateful to his brother and family in general.  A close family provides support and comfort in times of need. 

Spiritual gratitude can come in many forms.  Thank God for all you have around you.  It may not be exactly what you want at the moment, but it is usually what you need to get by for the moment.  God will see you through the worst situation and you’ll be a better person because of it.  

The Five Finger Prayer

Your Thumb is nearest you.  So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you.  They are the easiest to remember.  

Your next finger is the Pointer Finger.  Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal.  This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers.  They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction.

The b=next finger is the Tallest Finger. It reminds us of our leaders.  Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administration.  These people shape our nation and guide public opinion.  They need God’s guidance.

The fourth finger is our Ring Finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain.  They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them. 

And lastly comes our Little Finger - the smallest finger of all which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others.  As the Bible says, “The least shall be the greatest among you.”  Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself.  By the time you have prayed the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

Note:  I found this Five Finger Prayer in our church bulletin. It doesn’t say who the original author is or I would give them due credit. I wanted to share it with you.   Keep your prayers simple and basic and pray for others first.

The Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s and any other winter holiday you may celebrate during this time (since my son’s birthday right in their) are now beyond us.  The New Year’s resolutions are either up and going or have slowed down and are almost forgotten. 

If you started a weight loss and exercise program, don’t let the Valentine’s Day romantic dinner spoil all your hard work.  If you are on a diet, work around the Valentine’s Day meal and have a light breakfast and a light lunch, then enjoy your evening.  If you get chocolates from your sweetie, indulge in a one or two then share them with family and friends and even co-workers.  If you feel like you can’t handle the chocolate, kindly ask your sweetheart to not get you chocolates this year and explain that you would rather have something that won’t interfere with your weight plan. 

Other items for that special day that say, I love you:

• A fun night out taking a walk on the beach or somewhere romantic.
• A night out of shopping while the kids are away.
• Stay at home and rent a good movie to set the mood.
• Enjoy a Saturday family fun night of crafts and simple snacks.
• Stay up late and play cards or bingo with friends and other couples.
• Surprise your Valentine with a small piece of jewelry with his/her favorite hobby.
• Order flowers from local shop and hand deliver them that evening.
• Make your own Valentine;s Day card and tell him/her exactly how you feel in your own words.
• Create a personal Valentine’s Day card with a hand made IOU such as a Free Car Wash or a Free Hug.
• Write “I Love You” in Lip Stick on the mirror.
• Slip a single red rose into his or her shoe so he/she will see it in the morning.
• Get red “Post Its” and write single line love thoughts on about twenty of them and put them in places where your sweetie is going to be surprised all day long.
• Write a good old fashion love letter and spray your cologne or perfume on it.  Seal it and place it in his or her briefcase or lunch bag.

The list could go on and on and you get the message here, that Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to involve eating out and falling off your weight loss program.  Valentine’s Day also doesn’t have to shoot an arrow through your wallet.  Keep it fun and keep it simple.  Most of the fun things to do are free.  If you have kids and just need to get away, ask for help from family or friends.  If not, just make a great evening of it and enjoy the moment.  Let the kids see your love for each other and surprise them with fun things, too.