Bad Habits That Damage Your Eyes

Hello Balanced Life Family,

Your eyes are precious and you should value your vision. Here are some habits that are harmful to your eyes.

One bad habit is staring at a phone screen, computer, or TV without giving your eyes a break. This can cause chronic dry eye and disrupt your sleep patterns. According to an article in the “AARP Webletter”, we’re supposed to blink once every 4 seconds. When we’re looking at a screen, we only blink about once every 8 to 10 seconds. Blinking keeps our eyes lubricated. You need a 20-second screen break about every 20 minutes. This helps prevent eye strain.

We usually think of wearing sunglasses in the summer, but not in the winter. That’s another bad habit. Ultraviolet rays can wreak havoc on your eyes, causing damage to the surface tissues of the eye. This can happen any time of the year. You can also develop a sunburn on your eyes, which can be extremely painful. And remember to check the tag on your sunglasses to make sure they provide 100% UV protection.

Some of you wear contact lenses. Never sleep in your lenses. I know, sometimes you just feel too tired to remove them. If you fail to remove them often, it becomes a bad habit. Bacteria and other debris get trapped between your contact lens and the cornea of your eye. This can cause an infection that may lead to loss of vision.  

Here's one for the ladies. Every once in a while, it’s ok to fall asleep with eye makeup on, but it’s a bad habit to do it regularly. You raise the risk of eye infection in the form of a stye, or a painful lump that grows either from the base of your eyelash or under the eyelid.

These are just a few tips to make you aware of bad habits that can do damage to your eyes. Please remember your eyes are precious. Value your vision. It’s a gift from God.

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Use Your God-Given Talent (It's A Gift)

Greetings Balanced Life Family,

God is our father and he has given each of us unique gifts and talents. He created us and he knows us better than we know ourselves. He has a great plan for your life. And if you follow his plan, you can achieve great things.

Some of you have God-given talents that you haven’t tapped into yet. God knows your ability. He put you here for a purpose. You are to use the talent that God has given you to make an impact on the world.

God wants you to live a good life. He wants you to be holy, joyful, peaceful, prosperous, and full of good works. To do that, you’ll have to seek him for direction. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”     Matthew 6:33

Once you know what your talent is ask for God’s help and begin to put it into practice. He’ll help you.  He’ll give you wisdom, strength and guidance. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13  Believe me, you are capable, with God’s help, of doing things you never imagined.

God wants you to be successful. If you feel like you’re not experienced enough, not qualified or maybe it’s just out of your comfort zone, what should you do? Step out on faith and make a start. God will give you the power to succeed. He has the resources, contacts, and information you need, and he’ll make them available to you. But you’ve got to make a start.

So don’t be afraid. Your talent is a gift. Trust God and discover your God-given talent and use it to the Glory of God.

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Deodorants Containing Aluminum

Hello Balanced Life Family,

Let’s talk about something that we all have in common. If you have arms, you have armpits. Armpits carry an odor if they aren’t properly cared for, so we wash them and deodorize them. There are so many choices we can make in selecting a deodorant. But notice, some are deodorants and some are antiperspirant deodorants. Let’s talk about the differences.

Deodorants get rid of unpleasant smells, which is great. But, if you’re a person that sweats a lot, it leaves you with a problem. The problem is you’ll have a wet ring of sweat under your armpits that’ll show up on your clothes. That can be embarrassing. So, you may choose to use an antiperspirant.

Antiperspirants get rid of unpleasant smells too, but the difference is they are designed to keep you dry. Yay! What do antiperspirants contain, that deodorants don’t have? What is it that keeps you dry?

Aluminum is the active ingredient in antiperspirants that helps keep you dry. Some say aluminum may increase the likelihood that genes mutate at a cellular level, increasing your risk for tumors. That sounds scary but, hold on a moment.

According to the American Cancer Society, “there’s no clear link between cancer and the aluminum in antiperspirants because breast cancer tissue doesn’t appear to have more aluminum than normal tissue. Only a tiny amount of aluminum is absorbed. These findings are based on research on antiperspirants containing aluminum chlorohydrate.”

Whew! That’s a relief. So, the next time you’re choosing a deodorant or an antiperspirant for your personal protection you shouldn’t have to worry, because now you know the facts.

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Why Forgive?

Hello Balanced Life Family,

Even though you are a Christian and have a spiritual life, you live in a fleshly body. While living in this body you will have all types of experiences. Some good and some bad. People won’t always treat you fairly. There are those who will cheat, lie, deceive, abandon, misuse or abuse you. There are so many evil deeds that you may experience in life. How should you react? The question arises, “Should I forgive?”

The answer is yes, you should forgive. Why forgive? First of all, you forgive because your heavenly Father tells you to forgive, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32

Another reason to forgive is that it makes you free from the burden of hate, resentment, bitterness, and displeasure. You don’t want that mess in your life. When you forgive others, you’re not doing it for them, you do it for yourself. It makes you feel so much better.

As long as you refuse to forgive you are giving the person who wronged you power over a portion of your life. Is that what you want? It affects different people in different ways. Some people can’t sleep, some lose their appetite, others simply get stressed out, and some have no joy or peace. Then there are those who can’t have a decent relationship because they’re still harboring unforgiving feelings.

Did you know that refusing to forgive can even make you physically sick? Refusing to forgive makes you angry. Anger can put stress on your body and weaken your immune system. This will expose you to a greater risk of getting sick. Is it worth it? Jesus tells us plainly in the Word of God to forgive every time someone offends us. “Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, until seven times: but until seventy times seven.” Matthew 18:22 That means you can’t say “I forgive you but this is the last time.” There is no limit to forgiving.

Finally, if you want God to forgive you when you pray, then you must forgive others. “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:” Matthew 6:14

Don’t carry bitterness, anger, and hatred throughout your life. Free yourself up! Enjoy life in peace without that heavy burden and FORGIVE.

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.

What About the Egg?

Hey Balanced Life Family,

When we think of a breakfast, so many of us immediately think to include eggs. It’s hard to go to a restaurant and not see eggs on the breakfast menu.

So many people love eggs. In the past eggs have gotten a bad reputation. They said that they weren’t good for you, and they were bad for heart health. I’ve been reading some articles written by health experts, and I’ve found that’s not true. Eggs actually have very important health benefits for our bodies.

Eating eggs makes your bones and muscles stronger. Just one egg at breakfast gives 6 grams of protein to your diet. Protein is essential for the body’s tissues. Protein also improves the health of nails, skin and hair. Now that’s a plus!

Vitamins are essential for your body to function properly and eggs have lots of vitamins: vitamin A for your skin and eye health; vitamin D for strong bones and teeth; vitamin E which is an antioxidant; and         vitamin B12 which helps keep your blood cells and nerves healthy. An egg is full of nutrition and only has 70 calories. Any extra calories come from the way you prepare it, so if you load it with cheese or cook it in butter, the calorie count goes up.

Some eggs contain omega-3 fats. These fats are heart healthy and fight inflammation (pain) in your body. Omega 3 fats aren’t in all eggs, but the ones that contain them are clearly marked on the package.

Are you concerned because of what you heard about cholesterol in eggs? Researchers found that eggs can actually increase your good cholesterol, and this cholesterol helps to absorb the bad cholesterol in your blood.  Ain’t that good news!

These are a few facts I’ve found through research about the “incredible edible egg”. If you have any medical concerns check with you doctor to see if you should restrict your consumption of eggs. Otherwise, enjoy!

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.

Temptation

Balanced Life Family,

We have all been tempted in one way or another. Temptation is being enticed to do something wrong or unwise by the promise of pleasure or gain. Being tempted is not a sin, however yielding to temptation is. Temptation can arise any day or time. God doesn’t tempt us, that’s the devil’s job and he’s a master at it. “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man” James 1:13.

Let me tell you a four-step process that the devil uses to lead you into temptation: First, he searches for a sinful desire inside of you, and if he finds it, he starts working in your mind. Next, he uses his tool called doubt, to get you to doubt what God has said about this sin. Then, he uses deception to misinform you, because he’s a deceiver. Anything he tells you will be a half-truth or a complete lie. He’s the father of lies. His final step causes you to put into action the thought that has been in your mind. You give in, you yield to temptation. Now you have sinned.

The good news is that God gives Christians the power to overcome temptation. You have help, but God isn’t going to tie you down and force you to do the right thing. You’ve got to submit yourself to God and allow him to help you, when you’re tempted. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

Don’t yield to the devil and his four-step process. He and his process are no match for the power of God. The power of which I speak is the power of the Holy Ghost. That’s the power to withstand evil temptations. If you possess this power you don’t have to yield. God’s will for your life is that you be victorious.

The devil wants to destroy you, don’t give him a chance. Use every temptation as an opportunity to do good. God wants to develop you through temptation, and every time you refuse to yield, you’re growing into the character of Christ. Don’t yield!

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.

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!

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.

Should We Return to Church? (Post Pandemic Closing)

Greetings Balanced Life Family,

We’ve been through a lot, as it relates to the pandemic caused by Covid-19. It has affected everyone’s life. It has affected our personal, professional, social and spiritual lives. Let’s focus on how it has affected our spiritual lives.

Many of us were accustomed to going to church on Sundays and during the week for Bible study. We looked forward to worshiping with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We looked forward to hearing the melodious voices of the choir, and hearing an inspiring message out of the Word of God from our Pastor. And then, it all changed. The doors of the church were closed.

Many of our church leaders were forced to become creative and present us with online services. We were able to view church services in our own homes. WOW! This meant that we didn’t have to get dressed for church. We could eat a sandwich during service. We could multi-tasks during service. We could sit in a recliner while viewing and be so relaxed, that we could fall asleep completely. Who would know? Or we could just skip the service. Who would know?

To those who sat at home and paid close attention to the service, may I ask you a question? Was it the same as being there in person? I can’t answer for you, but I’ll answer for myself. “ABSOLUTELY NOT!” Yes, it was better than no service at all. No, it was not the same. Too many distractions, too much freedom and no fellowship.

The scripture says in Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” This means that God wants us to go to church and fellowship with one another. We should encourage one another as the day of Jesus Christ is approaching. Forsaking fellowship gives place to discouragement among the body of Christ. The idea of staying away from church, now that the church has reopened, is a trick of the devil.

Use wisdom! Wear your mask, keep your distance, keep your hands clean, and please know that immunization is available to you. The church has reopened. “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.” Psalm 122:1 GO BACK TO CHURCH! Selah!

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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!

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New Life Requires A New Lifestyle

Hey Balanced Life Family,

When we choose Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, and welcome him into our life, we have received new life. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 We are different. Our identity has changed. We have new life that requires a new lifestyle. Our new lifestyle is that of a Christian.

Christians live by a different set of rules. Our rule book is spiritual, it’s the Bible. We can no longer be governed by the flesh. If someone mistreats the flesh, it says get even. Our rule book tells us not to render evil for evil, but render blessings. Flesh always wants to satisfy the flesh. If it feels good, do it. Our rule book tells us to deny our flesh because there is no good thing in it. If we listen to the flesh, it’ll tell us that if we keep giving, we won’t have anything left for ourselves. Our rule book says you must give to receive. As you can see, the Bible, which is our spiritual rule book, defies the flesh.

As Christians, we have a new lifestyle. We are commanded through the Word of God, to overcome evil with good, to humble ourselves so that we can be exalted, to give so that we may receive, and to love our enemies. Whew! That’s a new lifestyle, and it’s certainly not governed by flesh.

These are only a few of the instructions found in our rule book, and they aren’t impossible to follow. You can’t do these things on your own, however if you have a relationship with God, you have help. When you choose a new life with Jesus, he will keep you in compliance with the rules, if you ask him. You can’t choose Jesus and keep the same old lifestyle that you had before. When you choose a new life with Jesus, you become like the Apostle Paul when he said, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2 The law of the Spirit, that Apostle Paul was speaking of is our spiritual rule book. The law of sin and death is the law that governs the flesh.

If you haven’t already chosen Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to do so and if you already have, I want to remind you that the world is watching. They’re looking to see if there’s a reality in Christian living. Show them a new lifestyle.

 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.

How to Exercise Your Brain

Greetings Balanced Life Family,

Exercise Your Brain

Do you ever think of the importance of exercising your brain? Brain exercises are just as important as physical exercises for long term health. Adding simple brain exercises can benefit you by increasing your memory or even delaying Alzheimer’s disease. Give your brain a workout!

There are free games on your cell phone that you can get at the app store. They have exercises for vocabulary, listening, reading, math and memory skills through fun interactive games. It’s a real workout for your brain. Two of the apps that I’ve been using for years are Elevate and Lumosity. They really challenge me and help keep my brain sharp.

Read a book. Reading exercises your brain. Take a break from the internet and choose a book. Too much screen time can be hard on your eyes. I’m presently reading Becoming by Michelle Obama. Of course, you don’t have to read that book, but choose a wholesome book that’ll stimulate your brain in a good way. And by all means don’t neglect reading your Bible.

Working crossword puzzles, word finds and Sudoku games are good. Board games like scrabble, checkers, and chess all force you to exercise the brain God gave you. An educator once told me, “The mind is like a muscle. The more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes.” I believe him.

Social interaction exercises the brain too. Watch the news and keep up with current events and have intelligent discussions with relatives or friends. This stimulates the brain. Did you know that this is one of the brain exercises that studies have shown to be effective in reducing the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease?

Finally, take a walk. What? Yes! One of the most recommended brain exercises, according to the experts, is physical activity. Moving your body gets blood and oxygen moving to your brain. Just a thirty minute walk three to five times a week, will get your brain energized and help reduce stress and anxiety.

Ok family, I’ve just suggested some of the ways you can exercise your brain. Try a few of them. They may just help you to keep sharp, alert, and mentally sound.

 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.

Do You Know Your Assignment?

Balanced Life Family,

There is a reason for your existence. You aren’t just here by happenstance. God has created each one of us for a specific purpose. We know that we’re created to worship God, but we have work to do here on earth. We, as members of the body of Christ, have assignments. We’re on a mission. Many people can’t accomplish their mission because they don’t know their assignment.

God gives assignments according to the ability he has given you. He also places a passion in you for whatever you’re supposed to be doing and he gives you direction. “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

Your assignment is never going to be anything that’s too hard for you to accomplish. You may need some resources and help, but if you begin to work on it, God will supply you with everything you need to complete it.

The parents you have or had, the family you grew up in, the neighbor- hoods, the schools, the church or churches you’ve belonged to, the people you’ve met, the experiences you’ve had, helped prepare you for your assignment.

Now, some people are very clear regarding their assignment and some aren’t. We all certainly don’t have the same one, but each one is important. Shouldn’t we all be about the business of working on our assignment? Yes, we should! Maybe you haven’t started yet. Maybe you’re not sure about your assignment. If you’re wondering what it is, ask God. He’s the assignment giver. He’s the one that created you and sent you on this mission.

Once you discover your assignment and begin to work on it, God will help you. Always be prayerful and seek his guidance. “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:6 You’ll find that working on your assignment will give you such a feeling of joy and fulfillment, and it will draw you closer to God. Do you know your assignment?

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.

How Often Do I Clean That?

Hey Balanced Life Family,

We already know that quite a few things in our home need to be cleaned, but the question is, “How frequently do they need to be cleaned?”

Did you know that your cell phone actually needs to be cleaned daily? You are constantly touching your phone throughout the day and leaving fingerprints and germs all over it. Think about it! You’re constantly putting those germs next to your face. Hold on! I’m going to take a break and clean mine right now.

Ok, I’m back. Now cleaning the fridge isn’t something that I look forward to doing, however it should be cleaned every three to four months. Yep! You’ve got to clean up that sticky stuff, dried up spills and gunk. Ug! But it needs to be done because spoiled forgotten leftovers in the back of the fridge can leave behind mold even after you’ve tossed them out.

How about that TV remote? It should be cleaned weekly to get rid of sticky, oily fingerprints and that crud that forms between the buttons. There’s so much bacteria on a remote and so many people take that remote to bed with them.

Bath towels should be changed after three or four normal showers. They should be hung up to avoid giving bacteria, mold and mildew a dark damp place to grow.

Our toothbrushes should be replaced every few months. You don’t want the bristles to get too worn out to work well. And remember to always replace your toothbrush after having a cold or the flu.

Pillows often get neglected. We sleep, slob, toss and turn on them, they need care too. Be sure to toss them into the wash, using hot water, every three to six months, to kill bacteria and keep them fresh.

Don’t you just love the feel of crisp clean sheets? Well, be mindful to wash them once a week, in water hot enough to kill bacteria (140 F) and tumble dry. Pets, night sweats, and midnight snacks in bed will make it necessary to change more often.

Kitchen counters! It’s not so much about what you can see, as what you can’t see. Be sure to clean countertops daily after each use. Wiping down kitchen surfaces gets rid of germs so that yesterday’s germs don’t end up in today’s meals.

Ok, that’s enough! I can see just from writing this blog, I’ve got a lot of housework to do. How about you? Well, these are just a few cleaning tips that contribute to good health and answer the question, “How often do I clean that?”

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.

Integrity

Dear Balanced Life Family,

When my children were very young, I taught them the word integrity. I told them that I always wanted them to have integrity. They asked me what that meant, I told them it meant “doing the right thing even when no one was looking”. The Word of God tells us to have integrity in obedience “Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;” Ephesians 6:6

Doing the right thing isn’t always the easiest choice, but it’s always the right choice. Often we find it easier to do the right thing when we’re being watched, but as Christians we are required to do the right thing even when we’re alone and no one’s watching. Maybe I should say when no one we can see is watching. We’re always under the watchful eye of God. He sees everything and knows everything. We know this, but we don’t always think about it before we act.

We find that doing the right thing means that we give up the opportunity to get even. Sometimes we can’t have the last word or say the first thing that comes to our mind. We can’t indulge in sinful activity that might seem good to the flesh or attend gatherings that are inappropriate for Christians. We can’t view or listen to filth and OMG… the list goes on. We are required to abstain from doing these things even in secret. Now that’s integrity!

Having integrity can be a blessing to you and your family. The Word of God tells us in Proverbs 20:7 “The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.”  A part of living a life that is pleasing to God requires integrity. When you’re tempted to do something that is out of Christian character, remember the importance of integrity and abstain. It’ll bless you and your children.

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.

How To Create A Healthier Home

Hi Balanced Life Family,

I’ve talked to you a lot about improving your health and I’ve mostly focused on diet, exercise and sleep habits. But since home is where we spend most of our time, it’s important to make home a healthy living space. In this blog I’m going to give you a few tips to help you make your “home sweet home” just a little bit healthier.

We’ve discussed the importance of drinking water, but it’s important that the water is healthy. Buying water can be costly, so I suggest you either put a filter on your faucet or get a water filtered pitcher. That’ll keep you from harmful pollutants like ammonia and radium.

Spring is here and the weather will be warming up. Open your windows and let your house air out.  According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), if you're not letting enough outdoor air come in, pollutants can accumulate in your house and cause health problems.

If you want to help prevent carrying germs into your living space, don’t wear your outdoor shoes in your home. Research has found that shoes carry microbes like viruses and bacteria. If your feet just don’t feel right without shoes, like mine, wear shoes that are only for indoors while at home.

To make your bedroom a healthier sleeping area, use a humidifier at night. A humidifier keeps the air in your room moist and light instead of dry and dense, making it easier to breathe and sleep through the night.

Some homes have too much clutter. It’s a glaring sign of an unhealthy home. Clutter destroys the relaxing atmosphere a home should have and collects dust particles which can cause respiratory problems. Clutter can also increase anxiety and cause you to feel overwhelmed. And finally, a cluttered home can be a fire hazard.

So there, I’ve given you five tips to help make your home a bit healthier. There are many more things you can do and you’ll probably discover them on your own. Consider this as only a start on your journey to creating a healthier home.

 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.

Don't Suffer Needlessly

Hey Balanced Life Family,

Suffering is a part of life. Whether you’re a saint or sinner, rich or poor you’ll do some suffering in life. It isn’t fun. Most people really don’t want to go through suffering. Some people think that when you give your life to Christ and become a Christian, your suffering is over. That’s not true. The fruit of the Spirit is listed in Galatians 5:22 and longsuffering is the forth one on the list. “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering …”

The way you suffer depends on your relationship with God. Without God you’ll suffer needlessly. Christians go through some hard times. We have problems and we face trouble. The good news is that we don’t have to go through these difficulties alone, which makes the suffering so much easier. We’ve got God on our side. “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5 Those are words that give us assurance that we can count on.

Life will present us with various problems and difficulties. We may have problems with family, finances, relationships, health, jobs, or something else. Whatever the problem, we don’t have to lose sleep and stress out suffering needlessly. God will never put more on us than we can bear. We do what we can and turn the rest over to God in faith believing that he will work things out.

God never fails. There’s no sickness that he can’t heal. There’s no need that he can’t fulfill. There’s no problem he can’t solve. He does it all! Don’t suffer needlessly. Trust God to work things out.

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.

Dieting vs, Lifestyle Change

Balanced Family,

Do you know the difference between dieting and a lifestyle change? The biggest difference between the two is that dieting is a short term process and a lifestyle change is long term.

If you’ve ever tried a diet for whatever reason, you know that most diets have a few things in common. The goal is to lose weight quickly and often there’s a lot of calorie counting. There’re foods you should eat and foods you should never eat. The number on the scale determines whether you’re making progress or not. Is that about right?

If you look at the scale and it doesn’t say the right thing, then you didn’t achieve your goal. Now you’re feeling frustrated and disappointed. If you’re fortunate enough to reach your goal, you’re happy for a while, and then you can hardly wait to get back to eating the things you’ve been missing. Diets are short term.

What you needed is a lifestyle change. Changing your lifestyle is long term. You need behavior that you can stick to for a lifetime.

These are some of the good habits that go into making a good lifestyle change:

Exercising on a regular and consistent basis  

Eating healthy, nutritious foods to nourish your body

Practicing moderation not restriction in eating

Listening to your body to tell you what it needs

Being mindful that losing weight should be at a safe and healthy pace, no more than 1 or 2 pounds a week

 Remembering that progress should be measured by more than just a number on the scale 

Making a lifestyle change is being kinder to your body. You’re less likely to experience mental stress, food deprivation and extreme hunger. You’ll be more in tune with listening to your body. Weight loss will be at a slower pace, but it’ll be permanent and healthier. You didn’t gain the weight overnight; don’t expect to lose it overnight.     

When making a lifestyle change, you gradually make one small healthy choice after another and build on it until it becomes a habit. Keep it up, and before you know it, you’ll have made a lifestyle change. It’s so much better than dieting. You’ll be healthier and happier.

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.

How Do I Receive God's Favor?

Hello Balanced Life Family,

God doesn’t have favorites… right? That would seem partial or unfair…wouldn’t it? Well the truth is, there are some people that God chooses to bless in a powerful way and they clearly have his anointing, protection and extraordinary blessings. That’s called the favor of God.

Favor is preferential treatment that is given to someone. God has people to which he shows preferential treatment. Now when it comes to salvation, there is no partiality. Whosoever will let him come, because it’s not the will of God that any soul should be lost. But when it comes to measuring out blessings, some people have the favor of God on their side.

Favor can cause an employer to choose you for a job instead of someone else. It can cause a judge to pardon you when he ordinarily would not. Favor can stretch your money, preserve your life, put your enemy at peace with you, heal you instantaneously, make a way out of no way… oh my God! These are only a few of the things that favor can do.

God’s favor is priceless. Now, if you’re wondering “How do I get it?”  the answer is through righteous living. “For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt thou compass him as with a shield.”          Psalm 5:12

Righteous living is simply living right. It’s nothing more than keeping God’s commandments. God commands us to love him with all of our heart, soul, strength, and mind and to love our neighbor as ourselves. That covers it all; then we are available to receive God’s favor. The scripture says that if we don’t forget God’s law and let our heart keep his commandments then “shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.” Proverbs 3:4

So if you want preferential treatment, practice living right. Keep God’s commandments and enjoy walking in the favor of God!

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.

Do You Long For a Good Night's Sleep?

Hey Balanced Life Family,

Do you sleep well at night? Do you ever wake up in the morning feeling exhausted? Do you have trouble staying asleep? I’m telling you it’s not a good feeling. Sleep is so important to your health.

Falling asleep is a big issue for so many people. When you go to bed and you’ve got a lot of things dancing through your head, you need to make a list of those things to do, to get them out of your head and onto some paper. Clear your mind so that you can go to sleep.

Some people think that if they do some reading or watch TV while in bed, it’ll help them fall asleep. Well, you may fall asleep, but it won’t help you stay asleep. These activities keep your mind going. Your bed should be a sleep zone.

If you don’t fall asleep in 20 or 30 minutes get up.  Do something that doesn’t stimulate your mind. Fold some laundry or something that’ll let your mind wander and relax. Then go back to bed.

You actually need a routine each night for getting ready for bed. Start by winding down and getting ready for bed at the same time every night. Go through your same routine. Go to bed at the same time every night. Get up at the same time every morning. Don’t sleep in late on the weekends. Sleeping late throws off your body’s sleep rhythm.

Make sure your room is totally dark. If it isn’t, I suggest you wear a sleep mask to block out light. Your room should be quiet and slightly cool even in the winter. Too much heat isn’t conducive to good sleep.

Watch your eating. Don’t eat too close to bedtime. If you like coffee, try to get your caffeine fix in before lunch. Don’t drink a lot of liquids close to bedtime. You’ll end up waking up to go to the bathroom.

If possible avoid naps during the day. It’ll make you sleepier at bedtime.

Be sure to decrease blue light activity near bedtime. That means light from your computers, iPhones, and iPads. Also, use the do not disturb feature on your cell phone so that calls won’t wake you up and disturb your sleep.

I used to have problems sleeping, but the advice I’ve shared with you is advice that I practice myself, and believe me, my sleep is so much better.

So, if you long for a good night’s sleep, change what you usually do before bedtime and try these suggestions for a week and let me know your results.

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.

Does Your Fear Lead to Disobedience?

Greetings Family,

There is a tool that the devil loves to use on Christians and that tool is fear. Have you ever tried to imagine the devil having a tool box and what it would look like? Now, I’m not saying that he actually has one, but if he did I can imagine he has an assortment of tools and fear is certainly one of them. It’s a tool he uses to install disobedience.

The devil uses fear to hinder Christian growth and block blessings by causing us to doubt the voice of God. Ask God to help you discern his voice. Don’t let the devil make you afraid.  You must choose to obey God. If you don’t you’ll end up in disobedience.

Sometimes God puts a good thought, plan or deed in your spirit, and before you can follow through on it, thoughts of fear attack your mind. What will people think? What if it doesn’t work? What if someone gets angry? Will they talk about me? And so it goes on and on. You can’t allow the devil’s tool of fear to cause you to disobey God. Remember, the devil activates fear, but God activates faith! "God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind"             2 Timothy 1:7

When God inspires you to do something good and you feel fear, ask for strength to override that fear. OBEY GOD! If God has given you a testimony, TELL IT! It may be the key to someone’s deliverance. If God puts a good deed in your spirit, DO IT! You may be the supplier of someone’s need. If God has placed ministry in your heart, PERFORM IT! It will be a blessing to people. If God has given you talent, USE IT! God gave it to you as part of your assignment here on earth. 

If you feel that God is leading you to do something, consult him first. "In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:6 He will guide you. After obeying God, you’ll feel peace within. When you feel that peace, don’t let anybody make you feel bad about your decision.

When it comes to obeying God, don’t be overtaken by fear. Be determined to stomp on the devil’s toolbox. Demolish that tool called fear and obey God. The devil and his tools, belong under your feet. By the power of God and the blood of Jesus YOU CAN OVERCOME FEAR AND OBEY GOD!

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.