Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Balanced Life Family!

Welcome to the holiday season! It’s one of my favorite times of the year. Many say, “Tis the season to be jolly.”  I feel that it’s the season to be thoughtful and thankful.

I realize that this isn’t a joyful season for many people. Many people grieve themselves through the holidays thinking of people they’ve lost, possessions they lack and opportunities they’ve missed.

Well, let me tell you this. No matter what your condition, you have so much to be grateful for. Your heavenly Father has given you the opportunity to possess the greatest gift anyone on earth has ever received.

It all began when he sent his only begotten son Jesus, to earth as a baby, who was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.  That was the night when the sky lit up with a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace good will toward men.” Luke 2:13 WOW! Can’t you just see that in your mind? What a spectacular sight!

That baby was 100% human and 100% divine. That baby brought joy to the world and the gift of eternal life. My God, what a powerful birth! That birth gave you the opportunity to have joy while living on earth, even as you endure hard times, and after this life is over, the gift of eternal life. No one could offer a better gift.

Family, through the hustle and bustle of shopping, gift giving, decorating and feasting, remember whose birthday you’re celebrating. If you don’t receive a gift, remember it’s not your birthday. As you feast, be thankful that you’re able to do so. When you turn on Christmas lights, think of it as lighting up a small part of the world to celebrate the birth of Jesus. What a blessing to have a Father who loves you so much, that he sent his son to be your savior and offer you the greatest gift of all. So let’s celebrate! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!

If you would like to become a member of the Balanced Life Family of readers, send your email address to getsomebalancenow.com and these blogs will come directly to your email, whenever they are published

Ginger - The Super Food

Hey Balanced Life Family,

Quite a while back one of my sisters and I were talking about healthy spices and she told me I should do a blog on ginger because it has so many health benefits. So, I did some research and found that she was right.

Ginger is said to be among the healthiest (and some say most delicious) spices on the planet. It’s loaded with nutrients that have powerful benefits for your body and brain.

Ginger comes in many forms. It can be used fresh, powdered, dried, as a juice, or an oil. Ginger is a popular spice that has powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. And hey, you can tell an expectant mom you know, that it’s great for treating all kinds of nausea, especially morning sickness.

For those of you who like to work out like me, it’s been reported that ginger is great for muscle pain and soreness. And did you know that studies have shown that it can help people who suffer from osteoarthritis? It helps relieve joint pain.

Look at this! It has been reported that ginger may DRASTICALLY lower blood sugars and reduce your risk of heart disease. It can help treat chronic indigestion, menstrual pain, lower cholesterol levels. It even has a substance that may help prevent cancer, fight infections, improve brain functions and protect against Alzheimer’s disease.

I buy fresh ginger root, peel it, slice it, boil it in water for about 30 minutes. Then add it (just the liquid, although you may add the ginger root too if you wish) to my 64 oz thermos of water. I put it in the fridge overnight and drink it while in the gym working out.

It tastes great and I’m getting all of those health benefits while I’m drinking water. Ginger can also be added to foods in many other ways. This is just one really simple way to add it to your diet. You really might want to try this. Yep! I guess you can say it. Ginger is a “SUPERFOOD”!

Be sure to check with your physician to see if ginger is right for you.

If you would like to become a member of the Balanced Life Family of readers, send your email address to getsomebalancenow.com and these blogs will come directly to your email, whenever they are published.

A Thankful Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Greetings Balanced Life Family,

It’s that time of the year when many people think about the things that they’re thankful for. Christians don’t need a particular season to be thankful. It’s important to develop an attitude of thankfulness throughout the year.

The Word of God says to thank the Lord regardless of your circumstances. If you’ve got problems (and we all do), don’t panic! God is your refuge and your strength. He’s your help in the time of trouble. God says to cast “all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”1 Peter 5:7  That means you can talk to God about what you’re going through and believe that things will work out, because you realize that  he cares. Then by faith thank him, believing it’s already done.

Sometimes life is a challenge and it seems hard to find something to be thankful for. That’s the time when you’ve got to make a point of thanking God. If it feels like your world is crumbling around you, it’s not the end. You’ve got to remember that God is good and he loves you. His love is always present. Now that’s something to be thankful for.  “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever.” Psalm 107:1

Once you develop a spirit of thankfulness, thanksgiving will come naturally. It’s easy to be thankful when all is well. The challenge comes when you meet up with trouble. Remember, the world is watching. You’re God’s representative on earth. “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18  Don’t be upset, stressed or anxious about trouble. Pray, believe and give thanks.

This holiday season many of you are planning big feasts, preparing a guest list or preparing to take a trip to see family members that you haven’t seen for some time, which is all good. I encourage you to spend quality time with family and friends, I certainly intend to.  Some of you may not be planning a big Thanksgiving celebration. Maybe you have just enough to get by. Whatever your situation, remember to center your thoughts on God, reflect on all he’s provided and be thankful!

 “HAPPY THANKSGIVING!”

If you would like to have blogs from this website sent directly to your email whenever they are posted, send your email address to getsomebalancenow@gmail.com and I’ll be more than happy to send them to you. Blessings!

A Pure Heart

Greetings Balanced Life Family,

The scripture tells us to “Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life”. Proverbs 4:23  So, exactly what does that mean? It means to be careful and persistent in protecting your heart from sin, because the source of your life flows from your heart. What’s in your heart determines what type of person you really are.

It’s absolutely impossible to be a good person with an evil heart, just as you’ll never find an evil person with a good heart. The heart is who you are in the secrecy of your thoughts and feelings, when nobody knows but God. You can clean up the outside and pretend to be right, but if your heart isn’t clean, it’s just a show. God won’t reward you for that. God is concerned about the inward you, your heart.

Be mindful of what you speak, because what you speak come out of your heart. “. . . . For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” Matthew 12:34

If you’ve been born of the spirit, then you’ve had a change of heart. You’re the recipient of a spiritual heart transplant. God took that old heart that was full of sin and replaced it with a new one that was clean and pure. Praise God! Ain’t that good news? The new heart is filled with love, joy, peace, goodness, righteousness which causes you to become Christ-like.

When the world looks at you, they should see that your character and conduct is different from theirs. Your conversations, your deeds, your reactions should reflect Christ. Can’t do it with that old heart.

Now this doesn’t mean that you’ll never do anything wrong or make any mistakes. But when you do, if your heart is pure, you won’t be content until you make things right. You’ll apologize or repent or do whatever it takes to correct the mistake.

So remember what’s in the heart will come out. Just be sure that it’s Christ-like and comes from a Pure Heart.

If you would like to have blogs from this website sent directly to your email whenever they are posted, send your email address to getsomebalancenow@gmail.com and I’ll be more than happy to send them to you. Blessings!

Breast Cancer Awareness

Balanced Life Family,

This blog is geared primarily to women, however it can be helpful to men as well. Did you know that after skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women? Breast cancer in men is rare, because they don’t have breasts like women, but it does occur and can be fatal. Since this is breast cancer awareness month, I want everybody to be aware.

This is a very serious subject for me because my sister Debra, who was one of God’s precious saints and my best friend, passed away because of breast cancer. PLEASE, don’t let this happen to you. She was in the fourth stage before we knew about it. She knew that something was wrong, but she didn’t know what. She never had a mammogram.

Symptoms of breast cancer can include a lump or mass in the breast, breast swelling, breast pain, retracted nipple, nipple pain, changes in the skin, nipple discharge, and swollen lymph nodes. If you have any of these symptoms, please get checked by a doctor immediately. Don’t be afraid. All is not lost. Pray, trust God and see a doctor. If you don’t have any of these symptoms, I want to encourage you to do preventive care.

My sisters, when did you have your last mammogram? My brothers, I want you to encourage the women that you are close to and love, to get checked. Now if you are under the age of 40 sisters, you probably don’t have to worry about having mammograms yet. But what you should do is discuss with your doctor, your family’s health history, to determine when you should start having them.

 Sisters, if you are age 40 or over and are not already getting mammograms,  talk to your doctor about scheduling an appointment for one. You’ll need to have one every year or every other year. You may say, “I don’t need one. I do self-exams.” Self-exams are great, but you need more. You need a mammogram!

When the word mammogram is mentioned, some of you automatically think PAIN. That’s not always the case. Let me tell you, the process has gotten a lot better than it was when they first started.

Maybe you had a painful experience with mammograms. So did I at first. But I have a secret to share with you that should eliminate most of your pain. I found out that if you take a pain reliever like Tylenol, Motrin or Advil, about a half hour to an hour before your exam, the procedure is so much better. I’ve tried it and it works. (Be sure that your body can tolerate these pain relievers.)

Mammograms play an important part in helping to insure good health. They can detect breast cancer in its earliest stages long before either you or your doctor can detect a lump or tumor. And the earlier you find breast cancer, the better your chances are of beating it. If you’re afraid pray first, trust God and then just do it. Take good care of the body God gave you.

If you would like to read more blogs directly from my website, click on the link below.

www.getsomebalance.com

Let The Grudge Go

Dear Balanced Life Family,

Are you holding a grudge? Did someone make you so mad that you felt like you’d never forgive them? Have you been deceived, let down, betrayed? Well, you’ve got to let it go!

Holding a grudge keeps you in bondage. It gives the person who did you wrong control over your emotions. Are they worth it? Holding a grudge steals your peace and your joy. It can ruin days, deprive you of sleep, interfere with plans and put you in bad health.

The scripture says “Be angry, and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath:” Ephesians 4:26. That means don’t go to bed mad! And here’s the crazy thing about it. All the time you’re going through these changes, and losing sleep, the one who made you mad probably isn’t even thinking about you. They’ve moved on with their life. They sleep well at night. (Some people have no conscience.)

Often times you don’t want to forgive them because you say, “Nope! I’m not about to let them get off that easily.” Well, you’ve got to realize that you aren’t forgiving them for their sake, you’re doing it for your sake. It’s to free yourself from the bondage of hate, anger, distrust, stress and whatever side effects came along with that unfortunate experience.

You may say, “I just can’t forgive and forget because they’ve done it so many times before and you don’t know what happened and how badly it hurt me. The scripture says “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”  Matthew 18:21 & 22. 

What I’m saying to you is you MUST forgive or you’ll be stuck in the misery that you experience each time that person comes to your mind. You’ve unknowingly given them some control of your life. This is where the power of God comes in. You’ve got to pray earnestly to God and ask for the spirit of forgiveness. It’s a power that only He can give. Then sincerely, deep within your heart forgive that person and let it go. Now, I’m not saying that you have to be friends with them, but forgive them and move on with your life. Experience God’s joy, peace and happiness every day. LET THE GRUDGE GO!

If you would like to read more of my blogs directly from my website, click on the link below. Blessings!

www.getsomebalance.com

Health Benefits of Massage

Hello Balanced Life Family!

Some of you may be wondering if there’re really any health benefits gained from massage. Sure, we know massages feel good, but are there any health benefits? Well, there sure are! Research backs it up.

Massages help to counteract all the sitting that you do, if you have a desk job or some job that requires you to sit. Prolonged sitting can cause painful stress in the shoulders, neck and lower back. And yes, massage can relieve that stressful pain. It’s a natural pain reliever.

I bet you didn’t know that massage can help relieve depression. It has been reported that massage increases the level of serotonin in the brain which helps prevent or lessen depression. Feeling down? Treat yourself to a massage!

Massages reduce tension and induce relaxation, which relieves anxiety. Massage also relieves some of the physical symptoms of anxiety, such as rapid heart rate. In other words it can cause you to calm down.

Are you having trouble sleeping? Well a good massage just might be what you need.  Anxiety, pain and depression often interfere with a good night’s sleep, and when massage helps relieve those conditions, it might also improve your sleep.

Now there are a number of different massages that’ll benefit your body and help to keep you in good health. Find one that suits you. You can go with a relative, best friend, spouse or alone. Just go, enjoy and get relief!

Next Blog: Let The Grudge Go

(If this blog has been informative and helpful to you, please bless someone else with it and click share.)

Can You Really Live Holy?

My Balanced Life Family,

Times are changing! We are living in exceedingly sinful times. Society has accepted couples living together before marriage, starting families before marriage and same sex marriages. The spirit of murder is running rampant. Drugs have taken over the lives of many people. We see corruption in our governmental officials. Our church officials are being charged with sexual indecencies. Television and motion picture celebrities are using their prestige and position to acquire sexual favors. We even have employers on the job taking advantage of employees, and so many other evils surround us in the world today.

With all of this corruption, and sin, is it possible to live holy? Absolutely! Yes it is! Without a doubt! Just because sin is prevalent, doesn’t mean that you have to jump in and take part. Sin is not new to the world. Neither is it a surprise to God. Sin existed before you and I were born, however the scripture says “Be ye holy; for I am holy” 1 Peter 1:16  That’s not a request. That’s a commandment. There’s no option here.

Don’t think for a moment that God sees how sinful the world has become and decides to lower his standards of holiness, so that you’ll be able to meet them. Nope! He’ll never do it. His word doesn’t change. You, the people of God are chosen to be holy.

So how can you live holy? First of all you’ve got to desire holiness and present yourself to God. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ”Romans 12:1

Then, ask God to help you. You’ll also need the Word of God to strengthen you and the spirit of the Holy Ghost to keep you. You have to be taught good moral teaching from God’s word as well as how to live spiritually.

Finally, watch your associates! Make sure they are striving for holiness just as you are. Develop a personal relationship with God through prayer, and watch God work. Don’t play God cheap! The power of God is well able to keep you in the midst of a sinful world. Can you really live holy? YES YOU CAN!

If you have enjoyed this blog, please share.

Next Blog: Health Benefits of Massage

Good News!

Greetings Balanced Life Family,

First, let me say, I love you so much and thank you for taking time to read my blogs. I pray that they have given you insightful health tips and spiritual inspiration.

Now I have exciting news! I originally created the website, Balanced Living Body and Spirit, about two and a half years ago exclusively for the Sisterhood. Since then I’ve published fifty-four blogs. Yaaay! All glory to God!

During that time I have acquired some male readers. They have told me that they really enjoy reading the blogs. Most of them can be helpful to men as well as women. Soooo, I’m excited to say, I’m going to broaden my family of readers to include the men too!  What?   Yep!

As you may know, I recently formed a mail blast that will send the blogs straight to your email. My goal is to get 500 readers on the email list. So far I have over 200.  I have readers in Chicago, Michigan, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Los Angles, Arizona, Hawaii, and Italy. Please help me to reach my goal. I need you to send me the email addresses of men and women (get their permission first of course) who you think would enjoy reading the blogs. I want your fathers, brothers, nephews, cousins, uncles, husbands, co-workers and friends. I want EVERYBODY!

It’s my desire to share with as many of you as I can, information that will help to balance your life both physically and spiritually. God wants us to prosper spiritually and be in health.

Blessings to you all, Balanced Life Family!

 Sincerely,

Rockeal Jones

Your next email blast will go out on Monday, September 9th.

Title: Can You Really Live Holy?

Covetousness

Greetings Balanced Life Family,

Have you ever wanted something, and then witnessed someone else get it instead of you? Were you happy for them, or did you have feelings of disappointment, which led to jealousy and anger? Did you feel like you should have gotten it and they didn’t deserve it? Well, if you did, you should know that those feelings come from a covetous spirit.

Covetousness is a greedy spirit and it’s ungodly. And as long as you possess it, you’ll never be satisfied or have peace in your life.

The correct response is to be happy for that individual and wait patiently on God to bless you. God knows what is best for you. He knows when you’re ready for increase and elevation. Learn to put yourself in the will of God and ask him to make you content.

Realize this, when you belong to God and you’re living in his will, any opportunity for increase or elevation that passes you by, (no matter how bad you wanted it) was not meant for you and would not have served your best interest. Psalms 84:11 “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.”

Your father is rich! He owns and controls everything. “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”  Hebrews 13:3  

Yes, strive for excellence! Yes, work to improve yourself! But, while doing this sisters, be grateful for what you have and trust God for what you want.  NEVER give place to COVETOUSNESS!

Just something to think about and share with others. Blessings to you and thank you for taking time to read a blog from Balanced Living, Body & Spirit.

Laughter

Greetings Balanced Life Family,

Can you think of anything better than a contagious laugh that you absolutely can’t control? I’ve laughed so hard that tears have streamed down my face. I’ve laughed so hard I had to roll on the floor to get relief. That was quite a sight to see, glad you didn’t witness that. Laughter can be awesome and it also has some long term health benefits.

Researchers have discovered that laughter can lower your chance of a heart attack. And laughter also boosts heart rate and the production of certain antibodies, which strengthens our immune system. Laughter has also been said to lower your blood pressure. Just as getting upset (“blowing your stack”) can cause your blood pressure to rise, laughter can cause it to lower.

Want a quick work out? Laughter can work out the diaphragm, abdominal, respiratory, facial, leg and back muscles and you’ll be so tickled you won’t even be thinking about exercise.

Laughter can certainly improve your mood. Now tell me, how can you remain angry, when a truly serious laughing spell hits. Impossible!

So if you’re feeling stressed out, you need a dose of laughter. It will definitely reduce your stress level. There’s plenty to laugh about. A good clean joke, a funny movie, a hilarious experience, and sometimes we just have to laugh at ourselves.

How to Develop a New Healthy Habit

Greetings Balanced Life Family,

Have you ever started an exercise program or maybe a new diet but didn’t stick with it? If so, you’re not alone. You started out with really good intentions that lasted for a while, but then your enthusiasm and willpower began to dwindle and you failed to follow through. Could it be that you used the wrong approach?

Here are a few suggestions that will help you develop a new healthy habit:

Set small goals. Setting big goals is exciting, but by setting small goals you’re more likely to follow through. If you want to exercise, try taking a 15 min walk daily. If you want to change your eating habits, try replacing one of your regular snacks with a healthy one. If you want to learn to meditate, start meditating for about 10 minutes daily. Always start small.

Do it early. If you’re going to exercise or meditate, do it early. Do it before you get too busy with your day and before you get too tired. Do it while you’re fresh and before you forget about it.

Prepare yourself. If you’re going to meditate, have a quiet spot designated. If you’re going to eat a healthy snack, be sure that when you did your shopping you bought a supply. If you’re going to exercise (walk) have comfortable shoes and proper attire.

Make it convenient. If it’s too inconvenient, you’ll talk yourself out of doing it. For meditation, choose a time when you won’t be distracted.  For exercising, lay out your clothes the night before. And have your healthy snack prepared and waiting.

Make it fun. If you don’t enjoy doing something, you’ll never stick with it. Now, meditation isn’t meant to be fun, but it can be pleasant. So be sure your meditation spot is clean and comfortable. If you’re walking, get a good friend to walk with you. Be sure your healthy snack tastes good.

Keep a record. You can keep a diary or use a calendar but be sure to keep track of every time you practice your new habit and try not to skip any days.

You may have other healthy habits that you want to develop, but these steps can help you with them. Set small goals. Do it early. Be prepared. Make it convenient. Make it fun. And keep a record as you develop your new healthy habit.

Your Body, the Temple

Greetings Balanced Life Family,

Does your temple receive the proper care? I’m not speaking of your local church. I’m speaking of your personal temple. Your body is the temple. Christians, who have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, are temples for the Spirit of God. The scripture says, “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” 1 Cor. 6:19   Christians, since your body is not your own, you can’t do whatever you want with it, because it belongs to God. It’s his dwelling place, his temple.

You must be careful with the temple. Be careful where you take it, how you treat it and what you put in it, if you want the spirit of God to remain. There are three things the temple needs. It needs to be cleaned, occupied and decorated.

It takes the Word of God to clean the temple. Read it, study it and listen to the teaching of it. The scripture lets you know that you are cleaned through the spoken word. “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” John 15:3 

Your temple also needs to be occupied by the Holy Ghost. It’s a gift that is promised to baptized believers. It’s the power that gives you the ability to override the will of the flesh and live holy. It’s known to some as the “keeping power”. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.”  Acts 1:8  

Your temple also needs to be decorated. You decorate to make things beautiful. When the Holy Ghost comes to live on the inside, he brings his own decoration. It is called the fruit of the Spirit and it makes your spiritual life beautiful. “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

So maintain your temple. You’ve got to keep it clean through the Word of God, occupied with the Holy Ghost, and beautifully decorated, with the fruit of the spirit.  Amen church!

Be sure to click contact on the upper right hand corner to leave a comment.

Next Blog: How to Develop a New Health Habit

Tongue Scraping

Hello Balanced Life Family,

I know I’ve already done a blog on oral hygiene, but today I want to emphasize the importance of scraping the tongue, if you want to keep your mouth healthy and your breath fresher.

Scraping your tongue keeps toxins and bacteria from lingering on your tongue. Bacteria produce toxins, which promote infection and disease. And if you have infection and disease on your tongue, your breath is going to be unpleasant. Who wants that?

Have you ever noticed that your tongue has a coating? Try checking it the first thing in the morning, you’ll see what I mean. Scraping removes that coating that would otherwise lead to embarrassing halitosis. (bad breath, Ugh!)

Sometimes undigested food particles remain on your tongue. Scraping will help eliminate them and will clean your taste buds to enhance your sense of taste. I’m all for enjoying the taste of food.

Scraping gently stimulates the internal organs in your tongue and overall promotes oral and digestive well-being.

I purchased my tongue scraper at a health store. It’s just like the one you see in the picture above. They have all kinds and they are not expensive. I scrape my tongue in the morning. I prefer to do it before brushing my teeth. Wait until you see the crud that has built up on your tongue overnight. Don’t scrape too hard, you don’t want to temporarily damage your taste buds. It takes about 5 seconds to do.

So there you have it! Tongue Scraping! Just another tip you can practice to promote a healthier you.

Be sure to click contact in upper right hand corner to leave comments on this blog.

Next Blog: Your Body The Temple

Procrastination

Hey Balanced Life Family,

Life can get really hectic! Sometimes it seems like there aren’t enough hours in the day. Days, weeks and months seem to fly by. Before you know it the year has passed.

What you do with your time is important. God has a wonderful plan for your life but you must use your time wisely. Consider this. Is it the will of God that you idle so much time away? Often times you may say that you would do more if you had more time. Here’s the thing; everybody only gets 24 hours in their day. Why do some people accomplish so much and others so little?

God has blessed you with gifts and talents. What are you waiting for? Do something with them! If you’re thinking, I don’t know where to start, the scripture tells you “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:6  Ask God for direction!

Set goals for yourself and start working to achieve the things God has put in your heart to do. “Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Psalm 37:4   

Stop putting it off. You’re wasting precious time. You’ll never achieve goals and fulfill God’s plan for your life if you keep procrastinating. A wise somebody once told me that, “procrastination is the thief of time”. Think about it!

You were put on this earth for a specific purpose. God put greatness in you. Do you want to live your entire life and never fulfill his purpose? Don’t make excuses!  Get in the will of God and STOP PROCRASTINATING!

Coming Next: Tongue Scraping (A good health tip.)

Why Wear A Seat Belt?

Hi Balanced Life Family,

When I was a kid, I didn’t have to wear a seat belt. I can remember riding in the back of a car on my knees looking out of the back window. I remember riding in a crowded car on somebody’s lap. We didn’t know anything about seat belts.

Today when I get in a car, buckling up my seat belt is second nature to me, however there are still some people who don’t think it’s necessary.

Not only is it important to wear a seat belt, it’s important to wear it correctly. The shoulder belt should go over your shoulder, not under your arm, and it should be snug to your body. If the shoulder belt is worn incorrectly and you are in an accident, it could crush your ribs or injure your internal organs. The lap belt should be worn nice and low over your hips, not across your stomach.

Seatbelts save lives. This is a fact that has been proven through countless studies and research. Seatbelts keep you from being thrown through the windshield or out of the car during the impact of a crash.

My children we raised wearing seatbelts. My car wasn’t going anywhere until everybody was buckled in. When my oldest son became an adult, he no longer felt a need to buckle up. While riding with his friends, he was in a horrible car accident. Nope, he wasn’t wearing seatbelts. He was thrown completely out of the car and onto the expressway. He could have lost his life. He was hospitalized and suffered severe injuries and almost unbearable pain. Recovery took a lot of time and therapy. Only because of God’s grace and mercy, was he able to survive and recover, but many people aren’t so fortunate.

I’ve witnessed cars passing by with little ones standing up in the back seat. What are these adults thinking? How dangerous is that? Please don't ever let anything like that happen on your watch.

When you get in a vehicle remember your seat belts and don’t forget to buckle up the little ones. Why? Because it’s the law and it could possibly save your life. So …” BUCKLE UP!”

Next Blog Coming Soon : Procrastination

Guard Your Mind

Dear Balanced Life Family,

What are you thinking? There are so many thoughts that come to your mind. It’s up to you to decide which thoughts you will allow to linger and which ones need to flee. Do you realize that your entire body is governed by your mind?

Your mind is full of thoughts that tell you what to do, how to act, what to wear, who to like or dislike, where to go, what to say, what to believe, what to ignore and so on. Some thoughts are godly and some are ungodly.

God is pleased when godly thoughts occupy your mind. He tells us in his word “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of a good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8 

A godly mind leads to a peaceful lifestyle. The enemy (the devil) hates for you to have peace, and is pleased with an ungodly mind. He wants you to have a mind that tells you: Hate those that hate you. God doesn’t care what you do. Nobody’s perfect. You should get even. It’s your body, do what you want with it. Yep! That’s the language he uses. If the devil can get your mind he can control your life, and if he controls your life you’ll never have peace.

Ask God to direct your thoughts. Be mindful of what you allow your eyes to view and your ears to listen to. Get good teaching from the Word of God. Study your bible. Improve your prayer life. Commune with God as you go about your daily task. Be quick to forgive. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”   Philippians 2:5-11  Need I say more? This is how you GUARD YOUR MIND!

Next Blog Coming Soon: Why Wear a Seat Belt?

Why Are You Drinking That Soda Pop?

Hey Balanced Life Family,

I published a blog on this subject before, but sometimes it’s necessary to refresh our memory on important matters. So many of us love soda pop. We think of it as cool, refreshing, and it goes well with our meal. But we should think again.

Drinking soda pop, has far more health risks than many of us may realize. If you drink it regularly, it’s linked to so many  health problems, including kidney problems, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, asthma and COPD. This blog is too short to cover all of these problems, but I’ll discuss a few.

Have you ever been thirsty on a hot summer day and grabbed an icy cold pop? Not a good idea. Soda pop actually dehydrates you. It increases the volume of urine excreted. When the body’s cells are dehydrated they have difficulty absorbing nutrients, and it also makes it more difficult for the body to eliminate waste.

High levels of sugar in soda places a lot of stress on your pancreas, it could leave it unable to keep up with your body’s need for insulin. One 20 oz. bottle of Coke contains 17 teaspoons of sugar and 240 calories. And here’s the thing, they’re empty calories, without any nutritional value. Drinking one or two sugary drinks a day increases your risk for type 2 diabetes by 25%. WOW! Look at that!

I read that diet soda doesn’t help you to lose weight. A University of Texas Health Science Center study found that the more diet sodas a person drank, the greater their risk of becoming over weight. Drinking two or more cans of diet soda increased waistlines 500% more than those who didn’t drink diet soda. Uh oh!

Now after reading this blog, I’m not expecting that you’ll never touch another soda pop again. That’s extreme! I just want you to be conscious of how much and how often you drink it. And if you find yourself drinking it too often, ask yourself “Why Am I Drinking This Soda Pop?” and PUT IT DOWN!

Treat Strangers Well

Dear Balanced Life Family,

How do you treat people that you don’t know? The scripture tells us “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Hebrews 13:2  That means be mindful to show kindness to strangers, because you might just be entertaining an angel and not know it. Now that doesn’t mean feel free to speak to any stranger that you see on the street, welcome any stranger that comes to your door to come into your home, or give a ride to any hitchhiker you spot on the road. You must use wisdom and be led by the spirit of God.

Now, if you knew that the stranger was an angel, of course you’d treat him or her well, but what if you didn’t know. Therein lies the problem. You don’t know. All angels aren’t dressed in garments of white with wings sprouting out of their backs.

There are strangers everywhere: on the buses, in the stores, on the streets, in your church, in your places of business and so on. Some of them may be dressed quite well, while others may be dressed in rags. Some of them may be smelly and dirty. Some of them may be feeble minded.

So how do you keep from mistreating an angel sent from God? Treat everybody well. It takes the love of God to do this. Should you befriend every stranger you meet? Absolutely not! But don’t mistreat people. Treat others the way you would like to be treated. “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”  Matthew 7:12  So be mindful of HOW YOU TREAT THE STRANGER.

Let's Get Movin

Hey Balanced Life Family,

Let’s get movin!

We, need to be equally balanced, both physically and spiritually. Today I’m talking about taking good care of that body that God has given you. We only get one you know!

Our bodies were not made to be sedentary. We are meant to get up and move around. You’ve heard the saying, “If you don’t move it, you’ll lose it.” Well it’s true. Our bodies need exercise if we don’t want to lose our figures and our mobility.

Now, I’m not going to tell you to do anything that I don’t practice. I work out at LA Fitness 5 to 6 days a week. Monday thru Friday at 5am, and Saturday 8am.  I include cardio, stretches and weights daily. I try never to spend more than 1 hour & 15min. in the gym. I’ve been working out for many years.

If you are just starting, please don’t try to follow my schedule. Start out a little at a time, as I did. You may start out by taking walks a few times a week. (If you’re not comfortable walking outside, try walking inside a mall.) You may prefer taking a bike ride. I want you to understand that you don’t have to spend money on a membership at a gym if you don’t want to. Getting involved in sports is great for people who really don’t want to start off with basic exercises. Maybe you know how to swim. Start swimming 2 or 3 times a week. Bowling and tennis are good sports too.

For those of you that want to get a gym membership do that. Start going 2 or 3 times a week. You will feel so much better. Let me caution you. “DON’T OVER DO IT!”  If you start out doing too much you’ll probably burn yourself out and you won’t want to do anything. Just do a little at a time and gradually increase. So ladies, if you want to look better and feel better, let’s get movin!