August 30, 2013 - Energy Creates Energy!

Believing God for a great holiday with family and friends - how about you? I am heading to the grocery store in a few to gather some yummy food choices so as to "not fall into temptation." I found a great recipe that I am beginning to play with sounds great. It is called Crockpot Salsa Chicken and utilizes 2 lbs of chicken breasts, salsa, diced tomatoes (I am using Rotel with chilies) taco seasoning, onions, celery, carrots (I am using baby bella mushrooms instead) and sour cream. Cook on low 6-8 hours. I will add a thin layer of mexican cheese and plan to serve with meat skins as my chips. YUMMY!!! That makes me hungry just to type it. :) Hope this new recipe helps you with Sunday lunch. I am headed to the pool for water aerobics shortly and the water does something for my soul and spirit like none other. While I was working out last night, completely surrounded by water, I began to concentrate on how the water has so much to offer. It holds my body, cools my body, helps shield my joints as I run, resists my running when needed, allows me hang suspended without fear.....on and on. To me it's almost the perfect situation for healthy movement. Then I began to think - this works for me, but others are being successful as they exercise in various ways too. My Bubba, Rocky, is really finding great results with bike riding. In fact he rides 13+ miles each time he exercises. Shelly, finds great success with a combo of tapes, walking, and daily squats. She tries to work out daily and gains points due to this. Whatever you do - move those muscles. Whenever we begin exercising, fluid is released into the joints and that really keeps them from becoming stiff and brittle as we age. Being creative with our workout time is challenging for most of us who are busy, but critical to our long-term physical and mental health. Sometimes when we are stuck along our health journey and we need to boost our energy level, we need to throttle up the movement. I told you about being with mom last week. At the age of 78 she is making some health changes so that her life's journey is more positive. Mom had not felt well for a awhile (some of which is the response to all the surgeries she's had) but I started exercising and she wanted to try. She informed me that she would do a segment, sit down, and talk to me while I finished. Check it out - once she started, she sat for 10 minutes ONLY and got right back up. In the twinkling of an eye, she completed four fast miles. The next day, she didn't sit at all. By the third day she was asking me when we were walking. YEA! Here's a TRUE, scientific principle: energy creates energy. Are you tired? Consider getting in the pool, riding your bike with the kids, or walking and jogging. Each of these could easily be family activities. Remember - we are modeling health for our families and teaching our children the correct way to live life to the fullest. How about this challenge: Family exercise PRIOR to family cookout on Monday. Now that will really be a challenge. But I can make you a promise...if you start moving, it will create a desire to move. IT'S THE SAME WITH WATER...IF YOU START DRINKING YOUR NATURAL THIRST WILL BE RESTORED. Headed to the pool and starting my hydration cycle for the day. Enjoy your holiday fam and move those muscles. Our BEST health days are ahead! PK

August 29, 2013 - Monday's Punching Bag

Good morning to everyone, I am really glad that it is Thursday. LONG week - how about you? I am so thankful for Labor Day is right around the corner with one extra "sleep in." YEA! I pray that you are planning your meal well and remembering that everyone at your gathering NEEDS to be healthy. It's amazing that age plays no favorite in our journey. Just recently my mother has decided to really work on getting healthy and she is 78. I was so pleased while on vacation to shop with her and have her read labels and choose differently from the menu. Normally our trips are FILLED with sugared products and tons of salty things. This time she would pick something up and realize how much salt and sugar it contained and we would put our heads together and start talking thorough alternatives for her card club. I told her that as soon as she starts taking healthy things, she will be amazed at the results! People are more likely to eat healthy if taste is a priority and it SOOOO can be. We know that - right? Just takes some effort, some creativity, and lots of dedication to be healthy regardless. Being with mom proved to me that no matter our age, choosing health is definitely an option. Being healthy is like our faith sometimes. I have found it's easy to be healthy or trust God on the mountain top. When all the days activities line up, the healthy components are easy to tackle. When life is "being good" trusting God and standing on our faith is no problem. But how many of you know everything gets tested? Our resolve and commitment sometimes endures daily testing. True that! WHY? Because when tested it has an opportunity to grow and strengthen. It's like working out. None of us particularly enjoy running miles or lifting weights daily, but our muscles respond to being "torn" during this procedure. They immediately jump to the process of strengthening within hours. This is often true of our resolve. Being healthy is never going to be easy for those of us, like me, who were food addicts. I sowed many years into a bad journey and when my resolve is tested, occasionally my flesh wants to "offer" a solution from my past. At that point I have a choice. Choosing to fight for the truth of being healthy NEVER means I won't be tested again. I wish it did. However, I find that the "answer" offered from my past becomes less attractive the longer I walk this health journey. That voice from my past becomes ever so faint. Saying "no" gives me an immediate boost of faith and confidence. How about you? Saying "yes" to those cravings and obstacles on the path never brought me to the place that fighting for the NO did. As you approach the holiday, be prepared. Testing is on the way. Plan ahead to not let excuses of age, past failures, "it's just one meal," or any other obstacle force you into a place where regret will be your Monday evening punching bag. Let's punch this bag ON THIS SIDE and prepare the chicken breasts for the grill with all the veggies and watermelon we want. And, instead of baking the brownies, how about we decorate the watermelon basket in something fun that will bring an "ahhhh" from the crowd. The punching bag is up...hit it now and not Monday night. Love you, PK

August 28, 2013 - Voices, Pt. 2

Good morning, I pray you rested well. I did not - had a lot on my mind. But today is another day that God created and I will listen for His voice throughout my journey. I wanted to do a different kind of blog today. As I was studying in Psalm 5 preparing to teach tonight, several voice-related things jumped out at me. I have highlighted all that relate to wind and voice: Psalm 5 New Living Translation (NLT) 1 O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. 2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you. 3 Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. 4 O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness; you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked. 5 Therefore, the proud may not stand in your presence, for you hate all who do evil. 6 You will destroy those who tell lies. The Lorddetests murderers and deceivers. 7 Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe. 8 Lead me in the right path, O Lord, or my enemies will conquer me. Make your way plain for me to follow. 9 My enemies cannot speak a truthful word. Their deepest desire is to destroy others. Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with flattery. 10 O God, declare them guilty. Let them be caught in their own traps. Drive them away because of their many sins, for they have rebelled against you. 11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy. 12 For you bless the godly, OLord; you surround them with your shield of love I love this! David describes different voices and what emerges from them. Let us all use our voices to praise God, infuse others with hope and encourage ourselves with the fact that all who love God's name will be FILLED WITH JOY. (that's a different kind of infusion - but I love a good pocket of JOY) Let's begin our morning connecting with our Eternal Father in both praise and prayer and end our day knowing God has blessed us and surrounds us with His shield of LOVE. WOW! PK

An Oxygen Infuson

Hey, hey.......I'm back! Great time in the mountains with my family, but so glad to be sleeping in my own bed. :) I love the mountains and I love to camp, but after 8 days in the woods - hello city. (wink) Remember - no Life Group this Sunday due to the holiday, but we will meet next weekend on September 8th at 6:00pm. Please let me know if you can attend. Many of the days while on vacation it rained. Those of you who have traveled long seasons with me know I love the rain, but camping in small quarters and sitting around the campfire in the showers means a lot of smoke to infiltrate one's hair and burn one's eyes. Only TRUE camp people are not bothered by the effects of rain while camping - that would be my husband! Me, not so much. However, as I was sitting one night around a smoky fire, waiting for the heat to dry the wood enough to burn and not smoke (reminding myself all the while that "I am a city girl"), I began to stare intently into the flames of the fire and really concentrate on the burning action of the wood and the coals. Then I began to hear the "voice" of the fire and I began to contemplate how different voices burn (speak) within us and their affect. The fire would meander in and out of consuming flames and smoky pockets where too much water on the wood affected it's ability to burn well. Then, my husband would add OXYGEN and the fire would erupt and the smoke shift. I'm going somewhere with this, I promise. You see each of us burns calories daily - that is a metabolic principle. Now we burn calories differently depending upon a large number of factors. However, we all burn. There have been times when I was operating at peak capacity and burning well and others when I was merely smoldering. That's when I needed an oxygen infusion. The Lord began to remind me that we often associate "voice" with oxygen and wind. Often when smoldering, Terry would get the bellow and gently infuse the fire from the bottom with LIFE. I wonder how many of us have had others speak into our smoldering seasons with life-giving words and cause our resolve for health to catch fire again? How many of us have been encouraged by the voice of the Holy Spirit who ignited our journey again and reminded us that poor health is not God's best plan? How many of us have encouraged ourselves more times than we can remember? After watching this principle acted out in front of me, I was once again encouraged that God sees and God knows. Always! Here's the truth I see - the more oxygen we added to the fire the brighter it blazed. There are times when all of us need someone to breathe freshness into our journey. We are all going to have seasons. STAY in the burning zone with great food and health choices and trust that God, who loves you more than you love yourself, will bring the right "voice" (oxygen infusion) to keep you at maximum capacity. Question for the day: do you need the Holy Spirit to infuse your fire today or a friend to come along side as your bellow? Ask the Lord to send the voice/wind/oxygen infusion to ignite your health journey. Then remember it's easier to keep a fire going as opposed to starting from scratch. Stay to the journey. Much love, PK PS - my book is finishing the first edit stage. I am beginning the journey of soliciting speaking engagements, preaching opportunities, book signings - etc - as I prepare to go and share about FREEDOM as God sends me. If you have somewhere that you would like me to come and share - please let me know. I am planning to launch Freedom Connection Ministries, Inc. in early 2014. I am moving in God's timing and direction.

August 16, 2013 - Lessons From The Dirt Dauber's Nest

Rounding out the week with some of my favorite, A-team folks. Good morning, and praying that you are finding a reason to rejoice this morning. Sometimes the issues of life are simply overwhelming and it seems that everyone BUT us can rejoice. I understand; but Jesus is really kind to offer to come into those issues, get into our yoke and make our burdens more pleasurable. That is a reason to rejoice. If we invite Him into the things which are most affecting how we view life and ourselves, often His perspective and His carrying of our yoke makes the issues not as difficult. Jesus says His yoke is easy - ours, without Him, is often not. I am watching the dirt daubers outside my living room window - I know you are thinking, "another science lesson" - build their nests and throughout the past few months add layer after layer. Some of them are almost 8 inches long. Have you ever explored inside the cones? I have...and with eighth grade students using microscopes. Fabulous! Inside the cone we discover that the dauber has a well planned and crafted plan for survival. They know the key to great planning and that without it - life could end, and not end well. I want us to see something here today. Inside the catacombs we find sections of offspring and sections of spiders. The adult dauber prepares the catacomb, gathers the fresh spiders, tucks them away and seals the end. Then, their offspring are placed in the next catacomb and again sealed for protection. This layering occurs in a pattern for several months until the nest is completed. When you examine the nest and the catacombs (depending upon which season you dissect them), a picture of planning is unfolded. If you pull the nest down in the fall, you will discover more of a "dormant, not-so-many babies emerging" scenario. You will, however, find more spiders who have been captured and sealed for the winter's food supply. In the early spring, however, as you dissect the tube you will find evidence that great planning works. The babies are growing as they have fed off the spiders and in some sections the spiders are soft, as they have not fully been consumed. However, in other catacombs, the spiders are brittle and only certain sections remain. This indicates that the babies have enjoyed food for the winter which has given them an opportunity to live. Let's use this picture as a planning spark. You know the season of life that you and your family are in. Start planning and storing away those healthy things - now - because you know the summer fruits and veggies are decreasing in abundance. Canning and freezing are great options, although I am not certain how to do that with watermelon. :) Planning to keep my pantry and fridge stocked with healthy items for my family when a late night "let's grab something fun to eat and watch a late movie" occurs is critical. This will happen - I have teenagers! I am amazed at how often my grandchildren open the pantry doors and check. How about at your house? Can you imagine the baby dauber checking the cell for spiders and there is none - no food supply to give them any hope of life. UGH. I always want my family and friends to find life in my house, my lunch box, and party invitations. I can do that - we can do that. Right? Let's restock our "catacombs" regularly. Let it be said of us - we are life givers! Talk again on August 27th - I'm on vaca until then with no internet or cell phone. YIKES! PK PS - Next LIfe Group is August 8th at 6pm at my house. Let me know if you can attend.

August 15, 2013 - God's Strength

Yea - vacation on the horizon! Not sure how I feel about no internet and no cell phone for 8 days, but that's what I have starting Sunday. I am, however, looking forward to staring at the mountains, lake, and skies and just sitting quietly before the Lord. I can only imagine coffee, toes in the lake, my Bible and some worship music. Love it! I wanted to bring a passage of scripture this morning from Isaiah that I know is familiar. However, I find that sometimes when life's issues are constant we can tend to forget that God is present in the good and the bad and that He really wants us to accept the offer of His strength. In my own might, I can survive 3 seconds. How about you? But with God's strength, the joy and energy of my youth comes alive again. We need that! More and more the challenges with food costs, health care costs, availability of whole foods, preparation time for meals that are healthy, understanding what REAL truth about our food is........these get wearisome. It's not designed to. Read this: Isaiah 40:29 The Message (MSG) 27-31 Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, or, whine, Israel, saying, “God has lost track of me. He doesn’t care what happens to me”? Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening? God doesn’t come and go. God lasts. He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything,inside and out. He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind. I love this passage! The Hebrew rendering for the word wait is "to wait, look eagerly for, hope, expect." There is an expectation and then God responds with strength. Come on fam - Let's expect that God can give us all the strength we need to be healthy REGARDLESS of the variables this life tosses our way. I know my strength has limits - I look eagerly for His. How about you? PK

August 14, 2013 - "I Really Need That!"

Good morning to you all, I wanted to quickly say that I will be on vacation next week and I will not have internet service on the mountain where I will be staying. So, tomorrow is my last blog until Monday the 26th. I also feel a change is coming in my blog season. I am not certain exactly what that means, but will unfold that in the next several weeks. :) Remember as kids when you were getting disciplined? (whatever that looked like for you) How many times did you comment after being punished, "thanks, I really needed that." Oh my goodness, if you did, you have now become my hero. Being disciplined, for me, has never been something I looked forward too or celebrated upon completion. As I was reading this morning Hebrews 12:6 and Proverbs 3:12 about being disciplined by the Lord, I was reminded that He disciplines BECAUSE of His great love for His sons and daughters. If God never challenged us or corrected us, I am more than certain we would venture into our own journey and become bratty. Maybe just me. Have you ever been around a child at a store who is acting in a "not so pleasant" manner and pitching a fit? Have you ever seen Tiaras and Toddlers? I happened to stumble upon that a couple of weeks ago and got so agitated at the child's behavior I was upset for several minutes. I cannot blame the child - the fault lies with the parents. Keep going, PK. Let's bring this to our daily journey. We are born with a sin nature that wants what it wants, when it wants it, and with no restrictions. This behavior is not limited to simple toys. This behavior is the root of most adultery, sexual sin, criminal actions, etc. But let me venture to say, it is also the root of unhealthiness. I feel strongly about this. Perhaps your parents disciplined you for breaking the rules and that has helped you as an adult to contain your fleshly appetites. Perhaps it's keep you from lying, stealing, and killing others. But if no one ever taught us that eating beyond the boundaries could create havoc in our lives, we probably have no place of discipline to serve as a reminder. Being healthy has only come into a place of great focus in recent years. However, today, we cannot be "bratty" about our health and win. We need to embrace the discipline of our fleshly appetites BIG TIME and add this layer of discipline for our children. Not as a punishment - but as a means of offering LIFE! That is exactly what God is saying in Hebrews and Proverbs. Although disciplining my flesh when I smell pizza baking is easier than it used to be, it still takes work. Not complying equals disaster though. I cannot allow my flesh to win. Bratty kids who "win" in the store, never truly win. Neither does our flesh. I would rather discipline my flesh and say "NO" to the pizza and brownie than suffer the consequences of ill health as a senior. I wish there was another way, but I am not certain there is. Discipline anyone? :) PK