VOLUME 2 ISSUE 6

Keep Healthy by Keeping Active

Let’s face it….this is a tough time of year.  We’re in the midst of the over-eating and candy holidays which started at Halloween and extend through Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, and Easter.  The cold and flu season is also upon us.  We want to stay inside due to the cold weather outside and this brings us in closer, prolonged contact with those who might be fighting these viruses.  So, aside from becoming a hermit, what can we do to keep ourselves healthy this winter?

First, get checked by your healthcare provider to determine how vigorously you can exercise at first.  Just about everyone can do some form of exercise and increase their activity level.  The key is to start off within your own limits so you don’t get too sore and become discouraged.  As you get stronger, you can increase the time and/or intensity to the exercise to yield even greater benefits.  

Second, consider a balanced program of: 1) an aerobic activity to improve heart and lung health such as walking briskly for 30 minutes 5-7 times per week, 2) weight training with hand weights (or cans of soup!) to improve strength and coordination, and 3) stretching after the muscles are warmed up to improve flexibility and balance.  

It’s hard to start any kind of lifestyle change especially one that involves regular exercise.  However, there are a number of techniques you can use to help make exercise become a habit:  1) make a time and place for exercise that works with your schedule and then put it into your calendar, 2) combine activities such as listening to podcasts while you exercise or talking with friends by having them walk with you, and 3) give yourself a non-food reward for accomplishing a goal such as walking every day for a week.  Those that exercise regularly say that it was tough to start such a program and there are many times when they want to skip it, but when they stick with it they feel so much better afterward that it was definitely  worth it.  

 Happy Exercising!

by Katherine Koudele, Certified Group Fitness Instructor

Joy! 

The parable of the talents recorded in Matthew 25 ends with an invitation from the returning master to the faithful servants, “Enter into the joy of your Lord” vs 23 NKJ.

A “well done” from an earthly supervisor is of great value to a worker, but Christ in the parable directed the thoughts of those listening to a Heavenly Lord, Himself, who would be leaving and one day soon to return.

The servant’s faithfulness was and will be rewarded, but what is this “Joy” and what are the keys to experiencing it?

First, consider that “the joy of your Lord” suggests a singular devotion to one master.  A loyal servant recognizes the master as lord and owner of all.  Selfless devotion drives the use of every talent entrusted to him or her.

Secondly, the master alone determines the type and size of each talent(s) the worker is to use.  The dedicated servant will have a complete trust in the master’s choice of service.

Christ, the Master, is soon to return.  His joy is our redemption.  Empowered by the Holy Spirit we enter into the joy of our Lord when we along with the talents and blessings received, together with all the increase, are dedicated to the salvation of others.

The familiar chorus proclaims, “If you want joy, real joy, wonderful joy, Let Jesus come in to your heart”.

Sing it now! Sing it each day as you enter into the eternal Joy of your Lord.

by Don Wilson, Finance Committee