The sun was out (an oddity these days in KY 😄), so I decided to go for a steady-state cardio run. It was a good run for me. I felt energetic ... something that I don't always feel when running!
What do you enjoy doing that gets you outside? The next time that the sun is out and it's not freezing, get out there and move!
I, along with 4 siblings, grew up in Arctic Canada. In particular, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories was the far-north town that I, Tammy, and Josh called home for many years.
My Dad was a pastor of a church in that town.
Eventually, the small church building was sold, siblings moved out, and I and my parents moved away.
Since those days, I haven't met anyone who is from Yellowknife or anyone who knew anyone from Yellowknife, so I was shocked the other day when, at church, the music director told me that he is giving online lessons to a couple who live in Yellowknife. Wow!!
I asked him if they are Christians. He said that they are, and that they attend a Baptist church called Central Arctic Baptist Church. I visited their website, and they seem to be a faithful group of people who love God and stand on the truth.
I praise the Lord for keeping a witness in a dark place! I praise the Lord for allowing me to hear about this church that is being a witness for Christ in the small, icy town of my boyhood.
Strength training isn't always fun, but it's always necessary. From building bone density to improving your mood, strength training is packed with value.
Steady-state cardio is great, but don't neglect those weights.
Today's routine was ...
Squats, lunges from a step, deadlifts, single leg squat, chest presses, hip lifts, chest fly, bent over fly, shoulder presses, bicep curls, tricep presses, crunches, back extensions, and a stretch routine
I used two 25 pound weights and two 12 pound weights.
Find a routine that works for you, and lift some weight!
"Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith." Habakkuk 2:4
In Sunday School, I am leading my class through the Book of Habakkuk. This verse is timeless. At a time when judgment was about to come upon Israel through the Babylonian army, God reminded Habakkuk, and anyone who is willing to listen, that the one who is justified before God is the one who believes what God has said.
"Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." Genesis 15:6
Through faith, Habakkuk looked forward to a coming Messiah Who would die in his place to pay for his sins.
Through faith, we have believed in a Messiah Who came and died for our sins and rose again from the dead.
By faith in Jesus Christ, I am justified before God. God accepts, not my works, but my faith in His finished work on the cross.
Habakkuk's prophecy is quoted four times in the New Testament. All four times, Paul quotes the verse, and each time he does, we get a slightly different picture of what it means to live by faith.
"But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith." Galatians 3:11
By faith in Christ, the justified sinner is delivered from the condemnation of God's righteous Law.
"For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." Hebrews 10:36-39
By faith in Christ, the justified sinner procures both the promise and pleasure of God.
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." Romans 1:16, 17
By faith, the justified sinner gains access to the righteousness of God Himself. I must have this if I am to enter into the kingdom of God, because I do not have any righteousness of my own.
I don't have many books, but the ones that I do own, I like. This handy resource is one of those books that is worth keeping on the shelf.
It contains colorful, detailed maps of the Middle East. It also includes timelines and descriptions of major places, people, and events.
If you're not a big reader, but you would like something to help you understand the historical context, places, and events of the Bible better, then you may want to pick up one of these.
Sandra was trying to find a Bible for a friend, so she went to a Christian bookstore and bought some different styles. The friend didn't care for any of them, so Sandra took them all back. She felt bad for the store owner, so she picked up this little study tool for me. I must say, it is one of the nicest gifts that I have received.
Greetings friends! This week has been one of sickness for me and my dear wife.
Sandra does a great job preparing healthy food for us, especially when we are ill.
Today, she made a "Shamrock Shake." There isn't one bad thing in it. From the healthy fats of the avocado to the antioxidants of the cacao nibs, it's one big green drink of pure goodness.
Give it a try!
Look up the recipe online. It's easy enough to find. This one has ...
Avocado
Spinach
Coconut Milk
Dates
Peppermint Extract
Cacao Nibs
When I arrived home from work, the sun was out and the temperature was pleasant, so I decided to make it a running day. Sandra is doing the Couch-to-5K program, so I borrowed from her intervals today.
3 minute warmup walk
3 minute run, 1.5 minute walk
5 minute run, 2.5 minute walk
3 minute run, 1.5 minute walk
5 minute run, 2.5 minute walk
Afterwards, I retreated to my garage for a 10 minute upper body circuit.
40 seconds of pushups, 20 second rest
40 seconds of rows with a loop band, 20 second rest
40 seconds of crunches, 20 second rest
40 seconds of pull ups, 20 second rest
40 seconds of back extensions while extending arms and legs (face down on floor), 20 second rest
Repeat the entire circuit
My wife has been doing online surveys for quite some time now (over ten years I believe). Because of this, she gets in on some pretty cool stuff.
Last summer/fall, a package arrived in the mail from one of her survey companies. It was a bottle of waterless carwash liquid (well, almost waterless). The company wanted her to wash her car once a week for three weeks and they would pay her $125 for her trouble, so long as she gave good feedback. Hey, we can do that!
We're still using that waterless carwash. Today, we "washed" our car in the garage with the door closed because it was rather chilly out.
Anyway, I love my survey queen. She's a diligent homemaker and a great helper! And she gets in on some cool stuff to try out 😃.
Doing pushups isn't all about how fast you can do them. Sometimes we need to slow down to get the full benefit of a weight-bearing movement.
When we do an exercise move quickly, there tends to be a "spring" effect at the bottom or top of the move that makes the movement easier.
When we slow the move down, that "spring" goes away, and the muscle is forced to work harder and become stronger through a fuller range of motion.
The next time you do some pushups (on your knees or plank position), try this ...
Go down slowly, counting to 4 ...
When you get to the bottom, slowly come back up, counting to 4 ...
If this is too hard, go down slowly, rest a moment on the floor, and come back up slowly. You could also do just the descent portion of the pushup if the ascent is too difficult.
A word of caution, when doing a pushup, think of twisting your hands outward. This will keep your shoulders from rotating inward and minimize the risk of injury. You will feel the difference.
Notice how I am forcing my hands and arms in an outward rotation?
"The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.
Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?"
Jeremiah 23:28, 29
Today, people are going around telling their "dreams" and speaking their words and promoting their thoughts and philosophies on life and eternity.
False religions and false teachers abound, but in the end, everyone's religion, opinions, dreams, thoughts, words, and anti-christ sentiments will burn up in the face of God's all-powerful Word. Christ, the Living Word, will conquer.
Don't be intimidated by false doctrine and human opinions; study, know and speak the Bible.
What is the chaff to the wheat?
