Change your underwear Change your attitude

ATTITUDEby: Charles Swindoll

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude...

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.

I woke this morning thinking about "attitude".... of course my internal dialogue was a little off when  I thought that we should change our attitude like we change our underwear.  WHAT is wrong with me sometimes.... weird

But then it came to me.  I have a "almost ritual" every night... habit, ritual... whatever you want to call it.

I MUST take a shower or bath every night.  Yes, I just don't feel right not doing this.  It's like I WASH off the day and prepare for a good night's sleep.  I figure I spend 1/3 of my life sleeping and dreaming.  Yikes, I have a Very active sleep life. Crazy dream life.  (another subject) Anyway.... getting back to the ritual thing.

Mentally I need to wash away my day also.  We are bombarded all day long with situations, talk, TV... work.. people talking at us... words words words our minds capture.   At the end of the day our mind is full of the events of the day.

We need to wash our minds at night..... letting all the negative words and  unhealthy thoughts wash down the drain!  This again takes reading the word of God.  

THE BIBLE is a powerful cleanser..... it's words can scrub and bubble out the stains of unforgiveness, resentments, jealousy, covertness, bitterness, anger.... 

YOU'VE GOT THE PICTURE. 

Go to Bed cleansed from the day... 

physically, mentally, and spiritually.  

Then when we wake in the morning, jump in the shower, put on clean underwear... we need to do the same thing with our mind and spirit.

GET UP.... clean up and prepare for the day by putting on clean underwear and a fresh new attitude for the day.

OK, so you get your underwear out of a drawer.  

GET YOUR CLEAN FRESH Attitude each morning out of the Word of GOD.

The Bible is overflowing with words that encourage, uplift.... they're philosophical, life changing, positive healthy WORDS that fill your mind and thoughts until there is NO room for unhealthy, negative, self defeating thoughts.

AGAIN.... I'm shouting it out.  B A L A N C E  yourself.

Body

Mind

Spirit

When you are balanced.... you CAN NOT FALL (fail)!

What is your attitude right now about exercise?

What is your attitude right now about food?

What is your attitude right now about taking care of you?

Do you need to lose some weight (me too.... still a few pounds to go).

It's simple:

decrease calories + increase activity + *TIME  = weight loss

*all things take time.... patience... you WILL loss weight and become healthier"

So, what's the problem?

ATTITUDE!   When you put on the right attitude of "CAN DO"  your behavior will change.  

You'll choose the right healthy nutritious food

You'll choose activity instead of sitting and watching TV 

Question:  When you have a "can do" attitude how do you feel?

I know I feel motivated and energized when I have a "can do attitude"  

Philippians 4:13  

 I can do all things through 

Christ

who strengthens me

Salute!!!!  To your Health and Wellness

Delightful Desire

 Psalms 1-41

 ¹ Blessed is the man 

       who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked 

       or stand in the way of sinners 

       or sit in the seat of mockers.

 ² But his delight is in the law of the LORD, 

       and on his law he meditates day and night.

 ³ He is like a tree planted by streams of water, 

       which yields its fruit in season 

       and whose leaf does not wither. 

       Whatever he does prospers.

Balance:  Body, Mind and Spirit!

if we only spent as much time feeding our spirit as we do our bodies.... oh how blessed and prosperous we would be  

Salute!  To your Health and Wellness

Snooze button - Day 10

Why?   Why is there a snooze button on ALL alarm clocks?

Good thing, because I've always like to hit the "snooze" button.

Why is there a snooze button?
       (sounding like my Dad.... curiosity is the wind that moves us to grow!)

This is a question   resonated in my head this morning.

Question: What else in life do I hit the "snooze" button on?

Proverbs 10:4

Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.

S T O P    That!

If I went to bed last night with the intent on getting up at 6:30am because made a plan... then why did I hit the snooze button?

Because..... ( in Italian the slang word would be... "Ma).... ha ha  I just thought about the fact that the slang word  for because is "Ma".  Because is used at the beginning of   EXCUSE!  Twist that around and it sounds as if we're pleading with our Ma (mothers).  hahaha

I digress (As usual)

Seriously,  what else do I make a plan and then find excuses to not do or put off?

I know, exercise!   Absolutely.   I make a plan like..... I'm going to walk  during my lunch hour at work.   S N O O Z E

I'm going to stretch every night before bed.  S N O O Z E

I'm going to NOT eat any white food.  S N O O Z E

I'm ..... well, you get it.

As I have been traveling down this road,  I've been seeking the ROOT cause of my failures.  Like in the years of attempting to lose the weight. Weight that I had SLOWLY put on over the years.  20 lbs over my ideal weight!  Many Many Many attempts to get "back in shape"  all seemed to fail.....  why?
I HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON tooooo many times.

Well, enough!

Root cause, (I believe) is because I was UNBALANCED.

I've listened to MY BODY toooo many times and not engaged my mind and spirit to balanced what I heard and felt.

My body in the morning say's.... "ooohhh ooooo..... hit the snooze button cuz it's really ok to catch a few more winks... can't you feel how achey and tired I am...I'm too tired to get up yet.... ooooo, I'm so comfy in this bed.....it's really ok "

Where is my "Spirit" when this is happening....I know that my mind is too out of it to tell the body to SHUT UP and GET UP.

WHO controls WHO

Balance!   My answer to the morning thing


When I begin to awaken in the morning.... I put on a BIG SMILE (this takes NO effort),


then I say some type of morning Praise to the LORD (again, no real effort). 

Several things have occurred.

MY mind tells my body to Smile big (this is a habit that should happen without thought)
MY body tells my mind "hey I am happy,  look I smiling"
MY spirit tells my body and mind "hey she's grateful for the day"
MY body tells my spirit "I don't want to get up, I'm tired"
My spirit and my mind tells my body.... "TOO bad We are ready for a new day"

Notice how I wrote the above with the "I" when my body talks... and I'm in the 3rd person when my spirit and mind talk..  Interesting.

Visual imagery is VERY powerful.  Like the blog I wrote about when I said " SEE Jesus" standing with you all day long.  Imagine him NEXT to you when you're sitting, standing, walking, eating, talking, sleeping..... it'll change what and how you do things! It should.

Well, today I'm going to imagin when I have to make a decision that I SEE a  BIG SNOOZE BUTTON next to me.  When I have something I need to do, am I choosing the snooze button.   If so, let my body, mind and spirit have a talk!

Balance!  Can't fall when Your balanced.
  (ok, if someone or something tries to push you over it'll be more difficult if your balanced... if they succeed (doubt it) then the LORD will catch you.... remember He IS in you and besides you.  HE IS... he loves you so very very dearly.  He just wants to have a relationship with YOU.  Imagin the GOD of the UNIVERSE wants a relatioship with YOU.

John 3:16  

 ¹⁶"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,

 that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life

Now,  Go show God you love him too!  Take care of HIS temple "YOU".


Salute!  To your health and wellness


PS
Putting on Worship music is an INCREDIBLE power tool to center yourself and create the atmosphere that  actually feeds your BODY, MIND and SPIRIT! 
Listen to worship music when you wake, when your driving..... everywhere... Mangi! 

Opportunties - Day 8

Colossians 4:5  

⁵Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; 

make the most of every opportunity.

  

⁸For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ⁹(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)

 ¹⁰and find out what pleases the Lord.

 ¹⁵Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,

¹⁶making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil

 Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 

¹⁹Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. 

Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 

²⁰always giving thanks to God the Father for everything,

 in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Last evening the sky was brilliant with color as the sun was setting.  
I caught a glimpse of it as I was standing in front of my kitchen window washing dishes.  
It captured my attention and I wanted to soak it all in.  I quickly went to grab a cup of coffee so I could just sit and take it all in and enjoy the moment.

The sky was so breath taking that I wanted to capture it on my camera (love to take pictures).  So, I literally ran to get my camera.  I ran because I know how quickly the scene in the sky can change.  And so it did.  I was still able to capture a few pictures and felt some disappointment that my camera just could not capture the beauty that I saw with my eye's.  

Two things I thought of during this brief experience.


Too often We miss out on opportunities for Something God has for us or wants us to do because we're "so busy" or caught up in "our own thing"  Or we're just NOT PAYING attention .... listening, watching for what God has for us.


The opportunities, like the sunset fade away and are gone.  Every sunset's is unique.  


Second,  only we can experience what God has for in the moment.  We can try to save it like a picture and remember the moment in the future.... but just enjoy the MOMENT!  You can never truly recapture the sights, sounds, feelings of a moment.  It's a precious gift. 


Live in the Moment.... 
When Your seeking something.... You will find it.  Even in the mist of our daily lives, You'll find it.


God so wonderfully made us, we are incredible creatures.

We don't even know we're seeking things.  

But we are continually seeking. 

(unconsciously happening.... )

For instance, when I was blessed to become pregnant with my first child (after 5 years of praying and believing).... everywhere I looked I felt as though I saw pregnant women.  WHY, because I had a different focus in my life, Living and breathing a pregnancy.   


When I've thought about purchasing a new car... and liked a certain type of car.... everywhere I looked it seemed I saw this kind of car.  WHY, because I had a focus in my life of something I wanted.


What we desire takes over our life.   This is why we need to clean house.  Go with the Lord into each room in side of our minds.... opened up the closets, sweep under the furniture... open up the cabinets and get rid of that old stuff.  Old unhealthy thoughts, boxes of unforgivenss, resentments, bitterness.... OLD idea's and belief's that are not in sync with the world of God.   


Then  YOU HAVE to fill it with the things of GOD!  (1 Corinthians 13).  FILL it so there is NO room for any thoughts of unforgivness, resentments, bitterness.... anger.


Then Your Desire will be to please your creator.  Then Your desire will be to take care of HIS temple.  Then through your desire you'll see and seize the opportunities GOD has for YOU.


You will DESIRE healthy Foods
You will DESIRE exercise and activity


When I'm B A L A N C E D it's because my foundation is the "rock" (my Savior), and I'm taking care of my MIND, BODY, and SPIRIT.   This Prevents: falling, slipping  


When I'm focused on taking care of ME.... physically, mentally, spiritually.... I'll SEE OPPORTUNITIES that BRING me health and wellness.  


TODAY:
I will  make time for 15 minutes (at least) of feeding my MIND, BODY, and SPIRIT things that are healthy and Good
TODAY:
I will see Jesus standing besides me... ready to hold my hand, pat me on the shoulder to encourage me..... Carry me if I need him to.
TODAY:
I  will look for Opportunity to LOVE THOSE AROUND ME that God has put into my life.
TODAY:
I will CHOOSE and SELECT foods that bring my body LIFE! (not fulfilling my lust for food that has no nutritional value and choosing portions no bigger than my fist!)
TODAY:
I will seize every opportunity to MOVE!  walk, stretch.... Even if it doing squats while talking on the phone... or leaning against the kitchen counter and doing "counter push ups"... or stretching while watching the News on TV... MOVE MOVE MOVE  ..... seize opportunities to strengthen my body!
TODAY:
I will be the best I can be ...
TODAY:
I will respect my body and life that GOD gave to me as a GIFT
TODAY:
I will look for the opportunity God puts in front of me to be a witness for HIM


Salute!  to your Health and Wellness

What are you thinking? Day 7

Psalm 139

 ¹ O LORD, you have searched me

and you know me.

 ² You know when I sit and when I rise; 

       you perceive my thoughts from afar.

 ³ You discern my going out and my lying down; 

       you are familiar with all my ways.

 ⁴ Before a word is on my tongue 

       you know it completely, O LORD.

Psalm 139:23-24 (New Century Version)

 ²³ God, examine me and know my heart; 

       test me and know my anxious thoughts. 

 ²⁴ See if there is any bad thing in me. 

       Lead me on the road to everlasting life.

I Can't Fool GOD!   I can lie to myself, stick my head in the Sand.... Pretend ...  but HE knows me inside and out.

When I fail at making healthy choices or exercising.... I can make ALL the EXCUSES in the world and even believe my excuses BUT  GOD KNOWS.

That is why on this journey I've had to really truly stop and have a talk with the Lord.  WHY oh WHY do I make choices I KNOW are not right?   Like the late night Snack that I don't really NEED.

Quite Honestly, the foundation of what I found out is this.   EXAMINE my HEART!

Where are my desires?  

I know I say I want to serve the Lord

I know I say I love my family first

I know I say I want to be healthy and well

BUT, if it's not happening

If I don't read and pray each day

If I have "issues" with family members of resentment, upsets, unforgiveness... things harbored

If I don't make choices every day towards health and wellness...

Then MY TRUE DESIRES are not where I think they are!

That's what I've discovered

I'm so elated that I have entered into a new level of Health in my 50's!  I feel more energetic, stronger physically... can run without passing out, wake up without the aches and pains in my feet and joints.... I've lost weight .... my body is more toned....

WHY!  Because I found out that to be BALANCED I need to set my focus (desires) on The LORD!   

He is my creator

My Body is HIS TEMPLE

I seek to please HIM.....  All that I have HE has given me

TODAY I will again re-enforce those HABITS that reflect my focus:

I woke up and PUT a big SMILE on my face and quoted 3 times: this is the day the Lord

   hath made, I WILL REJOICE and BE GLAD IN IT.

I did my thing (ya know) and then stepped on the scale.  BE ACCOUNTABLE!

I got my "organic" coffee (still working on changing that to herbal tea- better choice)

JOURNALIZING!!!  Which is nothing more or less than putting MY FOCUS for the 

   day on my walk with the LORD.  Reading HIS word, LISTENING and Talking to 

   the  LORD.  Reinforcing my thoughts about making HEALTHY CHOICES!

21 days to Health and Wellness is about MAKING NEW HABITS

but ya can't make new habits until you are HONEST about your current HABITS!

you can't make new habits until you exam and clean inside- MIND and HEART

then You can exam and clean up the BODY.

EXAM yourself IN GOD's WORD!

Salute!  to your Health and Wellness