Value Your Vision

Hi Balanced Life Family,

Being able to see is a gift from God. So many people are born without vision. Others lose their vision some time during their life. Those of us that have sight should value it and protect it. I’m going to give you a few tips that will help you to protect your vision.

You may not realize it, but eating certain foods can help preserve your vision. Foods like spinach, kale, collards (any leafy greens), tuna, salmon, (oily fish), nuts, beans (non-meat proteins), and citrus fruits are all good for your eyes.

If you are a smoker you need to quit. Smoking makes you more likely to get cataracts. Smoking can also cause damage to your optic nerve. Not to mention all of the other health hazards smoking causes.

Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from ultra- violet rays. Choose a pair that block 99 to 100% protection from rays. Don’t forget, you need sun glasses even during the winter months.

Another thing to remember is to look away from your computer or cell phone screen. Staring at a computer or cell phone screen too long can cause eyestrain, blurred vision, headache, trouble focusing at a distance and dry eye.

And finally, be sure to get an eye exam every one or two years just to be sure that your eyes stay healthy. So remember God has given you the gift of sight. VALUE YOUR VISION!

Hidden Sugar

Hello Balanced Life Family,

I wrote a blog a while ago about sugar. In that blog I mentioned that sugar is hidden in foods where you wouldn’t expect it to be. Well, today we’re going to talk about some of those foods.

Did you know that women should consume no more than 6 teaspoons of sugar a day, but the average woman in the U.S. consumes about 22 teaspoons of added sugars every single day? Wow!  Much of this sugar comes from foods that you actually think are healthy.

Some of these foods that harbor hidden sugar are flavored yogurt with fruit, canned soups, salad dressing, mayonnaise, tomato sauce, bread (even some brands of whole wheat), granola bars, dried fruit, fruit juice, energy drinks, ketchup, pickles, relish, bar-b-que sauce, hot and cold cereals. . .  Shall I go on? There are many more. There are so many foods that you eat when you aren’t even thinking about sugar, that’s how you can unknowingly consume 22 teaspoons a day.

Now obviously you won’t cut out all of the foods with hidden sugar, but it helps to be aware. Read the labels. Manufacturers have all of these fancy names for sugar on the labels. Whenever you see corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, maltose, lactose, sucrose, glucose, evaporated cane juice or fruit juice, caramel, carob syrup, dextrin, and there are a few others, all of them mean SUGAR.   

Exactly why is sugar bad for you? A large body of research now shows that consuming large amounts of sugar negatively impacts just about every organ system in the body – increasing your risk for most of the chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even cancer.

So if you ever wondered why you’re not losing weight or continually gaining weight, even though you think you’re eating healthfully, the truth is, many foods that you think are healthy may not be as healthy as you think! Know what’s in the foods you are eating. Familiarize yourself with alternative names for sugar. Check the label for the ingredients and be aware of HIDDEN SUGAR!

Hold On

Greetings Balanced Life Family,

God never promised you a trouble free life. You’ll have trials, tribulations and test to go through, but you’ve got to HOLD ON! “Hold on to what” you may ask. Hold on to faith! Hold on to the promises of God! You will be victorious, if you stay in the race and continue to HOLD ON! For He hath said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee”;  Hebrews 13:5

Holding on through hard times is the test. There is certainly no testimony without a test. You must have a testimony. God wants us to know what he can do. To learn what God can do, you must be placed in the middle of a problem that is so big, that you, your resources, nor the help of your friends, will be able to get you out. That’s when you go to your source. GOD! “Is any thing too hard for the LORD?” Genesis 18:14     I’ll answer that…NO!

When your way gets dark and you can't see your way out, you’ve got to trust God and HOLD ON.  “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105  Jesus is the light, and in him there is no darkness. He’ll lead the way, but you must HOLD ON.

I have noticed that some of my sisters tend to run from the church when trouble comes. They’ll say, “ I just haven’t felt like going to church.” “There’s just too much going on.” Well that’s just the time when you should be running to the church to get a word, to get strength, to be inspired to HOLD ON.

When it seems like everything is failing you, and time is running out, you simply must not let go of your faith. God is always on time. He won't fail you. Through sickness, pain, confusion, disappointment, heartbreak, betrayal, financial problems, temptations, dilemmas, all of it, God can and will deliver you, but you must HOLD ON!

Skin Care

My Sisters,

Good skin care can keep your skin healthy and glowing for years to come. It doesn’t take a lot of time to pamper your skin. Just use the basics. A healthy lifestyle along with good skin care can help you delay the natural aging process and help you prevent various skin problems. Ready? Here are 5 easy tips you can use to get started.

Firstly, one of the most important ways to care for your skin is to protect it from the sun. Some of my sisters enjoy lying on the beach soaking up the sun, but doing this year after year can cause wrinkles, age spots, and other skin problems. And then you also have the increased risk of skin cancer. So, protect your skin from the sun by using sunscreen, seeking shade, and wearing protective clothing.

Secondly, remember that smoking causes wrinkles and makes you look older. Just think of all of that squinting from smoke and pursing of lips while smoking. Wrinkles! Smoking narrows the tiny blood vessels on the outer layers of your skin, which decreases blood flow. This means the skin doesn’t get the oxygen or nutrients that it needs to be healthy. Smoking also damages the fibers that give your skin strength and elasticity.  If you smoke, the best way to protect your skin is to quit. Ask your doctor for tips or treatments to help you stop smoking.

Thirdly, of course you want to keep your skin clean, but be sure you don’t shower or bathe too often or too long, especially in the winter months. It’ll remove needed oils from your skin and cause your skin to dry out. Avoid strong soaps which strip oil from your skin. After showering or bathing gently pat your skin dry, which will leave a little moisture on your skin, then moisturize. Use a moisturizer that fits your skin type. You should consider one that contains SPF.

Fourthly, eating a healthy diet can help you look and feel your best. You need to drink plenty of water, eat plenty of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins. The association between diet and acne isn't clear, but some research suggests that a diet rich in vitamin C and low in unhealthy fats and processed or refined carbohydrates might promote younger-looking skin.

 And finally, acne breakouts and skin problems can often be caused by uncontrolled stress, which makes your skin more sensitive. To promote healthy skin, work on controlling your stress factor. Set reasonable limits for yourself. Remember you can’t do everything in a day. My mom used to say, “Rome wasn’t built in a day!” Make time to do the things that you enjoy. Take some time to simply relax. The results may be more noticeable than you expect.

So remember, these 5 basic tips for good skin care that can help keep your skin healthy and glowing for years to come. Practice good SKIN CARE.

Time Well Spent

Balanced Life Family,

Time is precious. It seems that time passes by so quickly. Days, weeks months and years fly pass before you know it. And once they’re gone, you can never get them back.

You spend your days doing many things. Some things are profitable, others are simply a waste of time. Some things are planned others are unexpected. But it is true that you make time for things that you really want to do.

My sisters, do you want to have a closer relationship with God? Then you need to make time for him. Making time for God is the only way you can develop a personal relationship with him. He already knows you, but you have to get to know him. You’ll never develop a personal relationship with God by simply attending your local church on Sundays. Yes, that’s important, but what are you doing all week long?

You must spend time in prayer. How can you call God your father and you don’t spend time talking to him? The scripture tells us that men ought always to pray, and not faint; Luke 18:1  Not faint means not get tired. It’s time well spent.

You must spend time reading your bible and meditating on the things that you read. I know, some of you say “I’ve tried, but I keep falling asleep.” Sometimes that’s because you’ve put everything else that you wanted to do before your time with God, and then you are too tired and sleepy. And then there are times when the devil will send a spirit of sleepiness to hinder you. Don’t you know the devil doesn’t want you looking into your bible reading and meditating. But you can’t let the enemy defeat you. Keep trying! Don’t give up! Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  James 4:7  Time with God is never time wasted, it’s time well spent.

Finally, you must spend time in worship. Worship him because he is the creator of all. There is none like him, none above him, none beside him. He is God! To worship God you must get in the spirit. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth. John 4:24

So be mindful to make time for God. Pray, read your bible, meditate and worship God, because time is precious and time with God is TIME WELL SPENT!

Care For Your Feet

Dear Sisters,

It’s so easy to take your feet for granted. Your feet work hard for you every day, and usually don’t get the care and attention that they deserve. Some of you jam them into high heels. Some smother them in sweaty socks or pantyhose. And some walk barefooted on surfaces that are likely to be germ infested. Yes, feet take a lickin and keep on kickin!

Along with all of the punishment that I just mentioned, your feet also endure hundreds of tons of impact during the course of a normal day of walking. That pounding impact, explains why feet oftentimes are so likely to get injured.

Your feet need some attention. You don’t have to go to an expensive spa either. Make a point of washing your feet regularly and be sure to wash between your toes. Afterwards, dry them thoroughly. This will help prevent athlete’s foot, odor, bacteria and fungus.

A nice treat for your feet would be soaking them in warm water. You can add some bubble bath or liquid body wash to the water to soothe your tired feet.

Remember to moisturize your feet, especially during the winter months. Cold weather tends to dry out your skin. You don’t need anything fancy or high-priced, just a regular lotion or cream will do the job.

Be sure your shoes fit properly, not too tight. Tight shoes can cause bunions, distort toe shape and cause painful foot growths. Also, be sure to let your shoes air out. Keep your socks and stockings clean, to help avoid foot order and infection.

Don’t forget that flip flops, completely flat shoes, and barefoot walking provide no arch support. No arch support will cause flat feet, which can lead to other foot problems. So don’t let your feet spend too much of the day without support.

Aging, diabetes and pregnancy can all affect your feet. Some older women loose some of the cushioning fat on the balls of their feet. They should choose shoes that have more shock protection.

 If you’re diabetics you may develop serious conditions related to your feet and lower legs. You should check your feet daily and see a podiatric physician at least once a year.

Pregnant women should get your feet measured because oftentimes your shoe size will change with the added weight. I know you want to be cute and fashionable, but health reports say that you need shoes with broad heels, arch support and good shock absorbency. Stop frowning! It’s only for a few months.

Yes! You should get a pedicure and pamper your feet, but be careful where you go. The soaking tubs and instruments used MUST be clean. If you’re diabetic talk to your doctor before getting a pedicure.

Your feet work hard for you. They need your attention. CARE FOR YOUR FEET!

Spiritual Growth

Greetings Balanced Life Family,

The life of a Christian is a journey of spiritual growth. When you first start out, you are as a new born babe in the spirit, or like a tiny sprout getting ready to grow. You don’t know God’s word, ways, or his will, but you must have a desire to learn.   As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 1 Peter 2:2 As you grow there is so much to learn about faith, love, obedience, patience, suffering and so on.

I can remember when I first started my spiritual journey. I always watched the older seasoned saints. They were full of the spirit. They were kind and loving. They were full of faith. They were strong in the Lord. I wanted to be just like them. What I didn’t realize was that it took years to grow to the level of strength in God that they had achieved.

How do you grow in the spirit? You grow by reading and studying God’s word.  God's word to your spirit is like water to a young sprout. You grow by being taught the word of God and having experience with God. You don’t grow strong overnight. It takes time.  You need to have the word get inside of you and take root, so that it can change your nature. And as you grow, you need the Holy Ghost to keep you.

Read the parable of the seed sower and note… Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. Matthew 13:5&6  The seed is the word of God. Those on stony ground are the ones who received the word with joy when they heard it. They sprang up quickly, but they had no root or no depth in Christ. They believed for a while, but when the test came they withered away.

We live in a fast paced society. We have microwave ovens, because people want to decrease cooking time. We have fax machines, because people want the documents now. We have emails, because the postal system is too slow for us. We have social media to get information out to the masses quickly. But there is no short cut to spiritual growth. It takes time. You must dedicate your life to it. It is a wonderful rewarding journey, and you can enjoy your life as you grow, but there is absolutely no short cut to SPIRITUAL GROWTH.

New Readers: If you would like to have inspirational blogs sent to your email twice a month, please send your email address to me at getsomebalancenow@gmail.com I’d love to have you join our family of readers. Be sure to add this address to your email contacts to avoid it ending up in spam.

Oral Hygiene

Hello My Sisters,

Taking good care of your mouth, teeth and gums is extremely important. Good oral and dental hygiene can help prevent bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease. And here’s something to think about, it can help you keep your teeth as you get older.

Colgate refers to a study that found that “an unhealthy mouth, especially if you have gum disease, may increase your risk of serious health problems such as heart attack, stroke, poorly controlled diabetes and preterm labor.” Now that ought to grab your attention.

Did you know that your doctor can take a swab of saliva and find out tons of things that are going on in your body? Sure can! It’s like looking into a window where he/she can see what’s going on inside of you.

Did you know that most of the bad breath that you smell comes from the tongue? A really good way to help eliminate bad breath is to get a tongue scraper and scrape your tongue daily. You can pick one up in a health food store. And then rinse your mouth with a good alcohol free mouthwash.

Eat a healthy diet to provide the nutrients necessary (vitamins A and C in particular) to prevent gum disease. And be sure to avoid cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, which are known to contribute to gum disease and oral cancer.

Visit your dentist regularly for cleaning and exams. Don’t be afraid! You’ll be glad you did. These are some of the most effective ways to detect the early signs of gum disease. Ok, now let’s hear 3 cheers for ORAL HYGIENE!

Prayer Life

 My Dear Sisters,

Do you have a prayer life? Yes, I know that you pray while you’re at church when they say,   “ Let us bow our heads in prayer as________ takes us to the throne of grace.” That alone is not a prayer life. Because you say a few words to God before you hop into bed at night, doesn’t mean that you have a prayer life. When trouble arises in your life and you pray for God’s help, as you should, that doesn’t mean that you have a prayer life.

The scripture says “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;” Luke 18:1 

To have a prayer life you have to purposely set aside time to be with God in prayer daily. Think of all the things God does for you. Surely you can set some time aside to talk to him. Don’t just wait until you’re in trouble or until you want something. Take time out to thank him for what he’s done and worship him for who he is.

Not only do you set aside time for prayer, but you must be prayerful throughout the day. Prayer isn’t always long and drawn out. Sometimes it’s just a few sentences or maybe just a few words. We need to be in constant communication with God. “Pray without ceasing.”  1 Thessalonians 5:17

Once when I was teaching Sunday school, I told the class that if someone told me they’d give me a million dollars, if I didn’t speak to God for one full day, as badly as I’d want that money, I probably wouldn’t get it.  I’m so accustomed to talking to God throughout my day, I’d probably slip and accidentally say something to him. If I didn’t speak to God out loud, I’d speak to him internally. He’s my father. I love him.

A very wise man once said, “If you were married to someone who said he loved you, and some days he wouldn’t even speak to you, how would you feel?”   You can answer that yourself. The same applies to your relationship with God. If you’re a Christian, you’re married to God. You say you love him. You must communicate with him daily. Now ask yourself this question. DO I HAVE A PRAYER LIFE?

The Power of Peppermint

Sisters,

Who isn’t familiar with peppermint candy? Peppermint candy comes to our church so often that some people have started calling it the “church mint”. How often have you popped a peppermint candy into your mouth? Most of us know that peppermint is great for freshening  your breath, and peppermint tea is delightful to drink, but did you know that peppermint has other health benefits as well?

Peppermint oil can be taken orally as a dietary supplement or used topically as a skin cream or ointment. There is evidence that suggest that peppermint oil relieves indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome and heartburn. The aroma of peppermint is delightful and has been shown to enhance memory and increase alertness. It may help to clear your respiratory track too.

How about this? A nice warm bath, after a hard day, with a few drops of peppermint oil to relieve your stress. Or, dab a few drops directly on your body, then get into the tub for near-instant stress relief. Some people choose to massage the oil directly onto their temples and forehead to relieve headaches.

These are only a few of the benefits that peppermint can provide.  You can eat it, drink it, bathe in it, inhale it or just rub it on. WOW! How versatile is that? Let’s hear it for the POWER OF PEPPERMINT!       

 Be sure to talk to your health care provider before using peppermint oils or ointments to see if they’re right for you.

Watch Your Associates

Sisters!

Friends and associates are great to have, but you need to be very particular with your selection. The people that you call friends or associates will influence your values, your character and your mind set. I’m sure that most of you have heard the saying, “Birds of a feather flock together.” In other words, you to tend to behave like those you run with.

If you run with a gossip, you’ll gossip. You’ll find yourself saying unfavorable things about people, things that you don’t even know to be true. “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”   1 Corinthians 15:33  “Girl have you heard the latest?” “Girl you’d better sit down before you fall down when I tell you this.” Somebody said that somebody said. It may be a lie, it may be true, but it’s still gossip. Sometimes when you gossip you’re telling the truth, but some truth should not be broadcasted.

Run with a liar and you’ll start lying. Sometimes it’s so much easier to lie than to tell the truth. At first lying may seem hard. Your voice may tremble a bit. You may feel nervous. You may not be able to make eye contact while lying. But after a while, you’ll find that you can lie with ease. My mom always said “practice makes perfect”. She wasn’t talking about lying, but it applies to lying too. You may even pride yourself on how believable your lies are to others, but God is not pleased. “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;” Colossians 3:9

Run with someone with an ungodly character and you’ll see the evidence of that in your life too. You’ll find yourself doing things that are unbecoming to a Christian. They’ll tell you “There’s no harm in it.” We do it and we’re Christians”.  After a while you’ll be doing things you never thought you’d do, just to keep up with your friends, and associates. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,”  Psalm 1:1

Do you see the point I’m making? You tend to be like whoever you run with. Just as you can pick up negative traits from people, you can pick up positive traits from people. Hang with people that love God and are striving for perfection in their lives. Run with people of faith, who trust in God. Associate with people who love to read and study the Word of God. Find yourself in the company of those who have discovered how to enjoy life to the fullest, without pursuing sin. A wise man once told me that if you “run with the wise, you’ll be wise” and he was absolutely right.

You’re going to have friends and associates in this life. My advice to you is…be careful to choose wisely. WATCH YOUR ASSOCIATES!

Read The Label

Hello Balanced Life Family,

If you want help finding foods that have nutritional value for you and your family, you need to start reading labels. Yes, it takes a little more of your shopping time, but believe me, it is well worth it.

Food labels can help you limit the amount of fat, sugar, and cholesterol in your diet, by making it easy for you to compare one food item with another, and then choose the one with lower amounts. Now that’s what we want.

Please know, that understanding what you read on labels can be a little tricky.  I’m going to help you. The nutritional information found on a food label is based on one serving of that particular food.  The label may say that the food has 100 calories and 3 gram of sugar per serving. But be sure to look at the number of servings contained in that package. It may contain 4 servings which means, if you eat the entire package you will have consumed 400 calories and 12 grams of sugar. WHAT? Yep! That’s quite a difference.

Food labels also tell exactly what’s inside the package. Just look at the list of ingredients. The first ingredient represents the ingredient with the most amount included in that food, the second ingredient is the second highest amount and so on. This stuff is important to know.

All packaged foods come with a nutrition label meant to provide you with the information necessary to know exactly what you’re eating. Beware of labels that have a lot of ingredients that are really hard to pronounce, that’s not a good sign. So if you want to be healthy and you want to be informed, READ THE LABEL!

The Peace Stealer

Hello Balanced Life Family,

Have you ever experienced having a great day? There was a peaceful calm in the air. You were just happy to be alive, and all of a sudden, out of the clear blue sky, POW! Something happens to ruin your day. It disturbs your peace.

It could be a grouchy boss or co-worker. It could be one of your children or a spouse. It could be a notice in the mail or in these days and times it could be something on social media. Whatever the cause, suddenly you are irritated, angry, upset and your peace is gone. You’ve just had a visit from “The Peace Stealer”!

Now, peace is a fruit of the spirit. As a Christian, God intends for you to live a peaceful life. “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7  Make up your mind that nothing will disturb your peace. Events may catch you by surprise, but they are never a surprise to our father God and he is in total control. So stop stressing and allowing the devil to steal your peace.

When the devil sends the “Peace Stealer” to steal your peace, you have to be prepared with power to resist him. To possess that power, first you must have already submitted yourself to God. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 Notice, you must submit yourself to God first, then you get the power to resist the devil and make him flee.

So when trouble comes to disrupt your peaceful day, don’t forget submit, resist and keep your peace. Live the peaceful life that God intends for you to live, and don’t give in to the “PEACE STEALER”!

Curvy Girls Can Move Too

My Dear Sisters,

Exercise is so important. If you are a curvy girl and none of the exercises I’ve mentioned in previous blogs appeal to you, maybe you will consider aqua aerobics.  Aqua aerobics is exercise done in a swimming pool. It’s a type of resistance training done in waist deep or sometimes a little deeper water. And no, you don’t have to know how to swim. That’s good news for many of you.

I realize that everyone is not comfortable with the same type of workout, but practically everyone can be involved in exercise. You may not like hiking, biking, or lifting weights, but you may enjoy the water. I’m not recommending something that I haven’t tried. I took aqua aerobic classes for years and loved it. You get a really good workout and some instructors make it really fun with music.

This is a workout that can be enjoyable for young women and men as well as seniors. What’s so wonderful is that you can do it all year round. In the summer the water is a bit cool and in the winter the water should be warm. Don’t be startled, if when you first enter the water it feels icy cold. Give your body a chance to adjust, and then you’ll be fine.

You’ll find that your body moves better and is much more flexible in the water. Don’t forget that God didn’t make these bodies to be sedentary. You’ve got to get up and get moving to improve your health. So make up your mind to go get that swim suit (get a cute one it’ll make you excited about wearing it), and head for an aqua aerobics class near you. If you don’t want to go alone invite some of your friends and make it a group experience. You may find that you really enjoy it because CURVY GIRLS CAN MOVE TOO!

How's Your Love Life

Hey Balanced Family,

How’s your love life? I’m talking about your spiritual love life. After you are saved and you have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, you possess the fruit of the spirit as it is found in the book of Galatians. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."  Galatians 5:22 & 23.

Let’s talk about the first one, love.  Love is the one that is listed first and is most important. As you probably know, God took all ten of the commandments and reduced them to two, which are both based on love.  "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30-31

Now, check your love life. Love is unselfish. It’s not all about you. When you pray for yourself, remember to pray for others as well. How about this? Try fasting on behalf of someone other than yourself. Now that’s love! Regarding your finances, every dollar you get is not for you. You should save some, spend some and give some away. Here’s a good one. When your enemy mistreats you, don’t try to get even. Insist on treating him well. Love is kind, patient and forgiving.

Now mind you, the things that I tell you are things that I practice, and I am trying to perfect them in my life. Am I telling you that these things are easy to do? NO! But they can be done with help from Father God. Jesus is our example. No one showed greater love than Jesus. He gave

Fiber Up

Family,

Why not add more fiber to your diet? This is a great idea for your health. Why? Because fiber  relieves constipation. It helps maintain healthy weight. Fiber may also help lower risk of diabetes, heart disease, hemorrhoids and stroke. We certainly don’t want any of that.

Some good choices are fresh fruits and veggies, legumes which include nuts and seeds, popcorn (don’t cover it with butter or load it down with salt), and whole grain products. Now don’t confuse multi grain with whole grain products as some people do.  

There are some wonderful whole grain products on the market. I’ve tried many of them. There are pastas (spaghetti, linguine, rotini, and lasagna noodles), whole grain rice, bread (not multi-grain), cereals and more, and they are so delicious. Preparation is about the same as usual.

Fresh fruits and veggies are wonderful. They can be eaten raw or  prepared so many different ways. Just don’t cook all of the vitamins out of the veggies. Cook them gently and don’t use too much water. And watch it, don’t top those fruits with sugary toppings or dips.

Legumes provide fiber as well. Peas, peanuts, clover, lentil, alfalfa and beans belong to the legume family. Beans are great. There is such an assortment of beans. Decide which ones you like best and go for them.

Mixed nuts are very good or if you have a favorite nut, you can choose to snack on it. Just be mindful to eat the unsalted ones. Nuts are great for holding you till the next meal (especially almonds) when you get that urge to snack between meals.

So if you hate constipation, want to do something to help control your weight, and help to lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease, hemorrhoids and stroke, “FIBER UP!”

Watch Your Mouth

Beloved Family,

I can’t stress enough how important it is to be mindful of the words that come out of your mouth. Don’t let your mouth defile your Christian character. Profanity and evil speaking should never proceed out of the mouth of a Christian. “But they made me so mad.” That’s no excuse! “Pardon my French.” That’s not French and you know it! “Oops, that slipped out.” It shouldn’t even be in there! You’ve probably heard all of these reasons, but let me assure you, not one of them is an excuse.

I’ve heard people stand in the pulpit and say, “If you push me, I’ll curse you out!” WHAT? Exactly who are you representing with that message? How do you bless God and curse your brother or sister with the same mouth? The bible speaks against it. "Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be." James 3:10 When you become a Christian you are a representative of Christ.

You must be mindful of your conversation. Telling dirty jokes or engaging in gossip is not christlike. The bible tells you to get rid of that. "But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth."  Colossians 3:8  

Think about it. If God came to visit you here on earth for a day, would you tell him a dirty joke (or even laugh at one), or bring him some juicy gossip? My mother taught me that God is the unseen guest at every conversation. Don’t let your words corrupt your Christian character. "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."  Matthew 15:11   WATCH YOUR MOUTH!

Take A Hike

Hey Family Members,

There are many ways to get exercise, and there are just as many excuses! Swimming? “Can’t bear to get my hair wet.” Running? “ I get painful cramps in my legs.” Spin class? “Too strenuous and hot.” Step class? “Can’t keep up.” Racquetball? “I’m afraid I might get hit.”

Walking? Can you think of one valid reason why not? Finally, we’ve found a workout which probably has no downsides, providing you are not physically challenged in that area.

According to scientific research, walking properly and regularly can give you quite a few benefits that are even more impressive than those gained from sportier activities. You may want to do power walking or you may prefer a more relaxed pace. Whichever you choose, you can be sure that it will be better for your health than becoming a “professional couch potato”.

Now, I understand that you are not going to want to get out in the winter, in the midst of a cold blustery day and hike. Who would? When cold weather hits, you can always walk in an indoor mall. And when the weather is pleasant, it can be a pleasurable experience to walk outdoors. If you don’t care to walk alone, organize a group and do group walks.

Long, peaceful walks calm you down, pace your thoughts, and clear your head. Walking also has other physical benefits. It battles obesity, curbs stress eating, and helps to tone your butt and thighs. Now who wouldn’t want those benefits?

You can get benefits like these and more without breaking your bank with a costly gym membership. All you need to do is make up your mind to do it, grab your walking shoes, and TAKE A HIKE!

Knowledge Verses Wisdom

Balanced Life Family,

Are you walking in wisdom, or do you just have knowledge? Let’s talk about knowledge verses wisdom.

Often you don’t know that you need wisdom until you’re faced with difficult decisions. When you have difficult decisions to make or problems to solve and you don’t know which way to turn or what to do, then you realize that you need wisdom. Wisdom is the ability to make wise decisions. The scripture says ..."be ye wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." Matthew 10:16

Sometimes you have knowledge but lack wisdom. Now you may ask, ”What’s the difference between wisdom and knowledge?”  You go to school, study, read books, listen to lectures, do research and so on to obtain knowledge. Knowledge comes from man. Wisdom comes from God. Knowledge is raw information, but wisdom knows how to use that information.

God gives wisdom liberally. He’s generous with giving wisdom according to his excellent greatness. The scripture says  "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."  James 1:5   “Upbraideth not” means he won’t get angry with you for asking.

God wants you to have wisdom, that’s why he provided the Word of God. Many people don’t realize that the Word actually is a book of wisdom. In it you’ll find the answer to every question you’ll ever have. God has chosen men and women to teach the Word, and he gives them the ability to explain it, so that it can be understood. After being taught, you must study and ask for wisdom, and God will give it.

So family, the point that I’m trying to make is, knowledge is good, you need it, but you need wisdom to go along with it.  Knowledge doesn’t do much good if you don’t know how to use it. I suggest that you be sure that you’re being taught the Word and study the book that is loaded with wisdom and knowledge, the Word of God,  and begin to WALK IN WISDOM!

Wash Those Hands

Sisters,

Thank God for hands. Without them there are so many things that you wouldn’t be able to do. You greet with a hand shake. You cook, eat, pick up things, open doors, click onto my website (well you did), and so much more.

You need to take care of your hands. You need to keep them clean. Keeping your hands clean is one of the most important steps you can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Many diseases and conditions spread by failing to wash hands with soap and clean running water.

Always be sure to wash your hands thoroughly when you come into the house from outside, before eating, after using the toilet, changing a diaper, blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, touching garbage, pets, raw chicken or anything that might transfer germs.

Washing your hands with soap and water is the best way to reduce the number of germs on them in most situations. If soap and water are not available, you may use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Seriously, hand-washing can be like a do-it-yourself vaccine. It includes five simple and effective steps: wet, lather, scrub, rinse and dry. It’s just that easy. So wash your hands often and avoid spreading germs. It’s quick and simple and it can help keep you and others from getting sick. Hand-washing is a win for everyone, except the germs. WASH THOSE HANDS!