Heart Choices: 2014-05-04 -->

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Move it May Challenge


Getting in shape and staying in shape takes commitment. I don't know about you but I'm in it for the long run. It's not a diet but a healthy lifestyle. No matter how old I am I want to be able to move easily and not miss out on life.

The month of May is Move It May.  The Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's (NHLBI) The Heart Truth program is the sponsor and I want to help get the word out.  I worked as a cardiovascular nurse specialist for 25 years.  And I personally had open heart surgery at the age of seven for a congenital heart defect. So I'm very familiar with heart problems.  I want to encourage you to take action to prevent any in your own life.

The Move It May challenge is centered on physical activity and healthy eating. For some time now, I've participated in a group called Weigh-In Wednesday. I've not been consistent in blogging every Wednesday on this topic. But I have been actively working at my goal of living a healthy lifestyle. I want to always keep my eye on the goal.

These posters hang in our physical education (PE) room at our school. I snapped the photos to remind me and keep them front and center.  I love how the children in our school are so active.  They love to run and play. And twice a week our Pre-K 3 class goes to PE. They are learning early in life that moving and keeping active physically is so important to their health.

This morning I exercised on my treadmill for 40 minutes, used my light weights, and then did my little routine consisting of some Pilates, stretching and sit ups. It's a plan that works for me with my busy schedule. As the end of school is wrapping up and summer camp will soon begin, I know I can't afford to not exercise and eat healthy. I need lots of energy and I know how much my daily routine helps my body.

So how about you?  Did you exercise this morning? Will you take the Move it May challenge and do something physical?  I will be posting more on this topic throughout the month here and on Facebook, Google + and Twitter.

Blessings and love,

QuickEdit

My Takeaway from Dr. NT Wright


Last week I attended an event at my church that was hosted by Fuller Theological Seminary. The speaker was Dr. NT Wright. I really wanted to hear what he had to say as I've read his book Surprised by Hope.  It caused me to think more about heaven and the mission of the church.

Dr. Wright is from Scotland and wasn't exactly what I expected. I thought he'd be a stuffy theologian.  After all, he's a prolific writer and New Testament scholar. He was introduced as Tom Wright and I loved his Scottish accent. I can't say that I agree with everything he's written. But then again, I've not read a whole lot of it. :) He was a very engaging speaker and there were several points that I took away from it.

  1. You become like what you worship.
  2. Humans are designed to reflect God's image.  Christians are to be God reflectors, angled mirrors reflecting His love.
  3. Celebrate the beauty of God's creation.

I loved an illustration that Dr. Wright used. He talked about stone cutters who were given a job to do. They focused on their part in the building of huge cathedrals. It wasn't until after it was all put together that they could point to the small part they played in the final product.

Each of us has been given talents by God. We are to do our part even though it may seem small. One day we may get to see how it was used in the larger picture.

I witnessed that type of thing first hand at our school. The preschoolers were in Art Class and had the opportunity to contribute to a mural.  One child painted black lines and another a colored portion.  Here's a look at the final product.


So if you sometimes think that what you're doing is so small, be encouraged. God can use your simple part in the larger picture after all.  Each part counts! Thank you Dr. Wright.

Blessings and love,

QuickEdit
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