All posts filed under: Discipline

The Heart & 5 Fitness Philosophies to Help You Stick With It

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“Shine like stars in the universe.” -Philippians 2 So, I’m sitting at my middle school son’s football game this week when I hear guttural, deep chested orders, like the cry of a drill sergeant from basic who gives himself rewards of extra time to iron his own uniform when he’s been gloriously harsh and made a recruit cry. Instead of the bark of, “You can’t handle the truth,” this commander’s voice growled across the field, “CRUSH them, Hawks,” and was actually a woman, an everyday mom who checked her femininity at the gate. You might chuckle and think, “Oh yes, there’s always one of those.” But, there wasn’t just one of them. Oh no! They were everywhere, a surrounding chorus of rough, raucous moms shouting, “KILL THEM” and worse, and laughing at each other the louder they got. In classic form, my mirth bubbled up inside of me and I had to smash it down, like a bubbles trying to pour out of a shaken soda bottle on to the floor. I mean, I cheer, …

Weight Room Tips for Newbies and Women & Facing Criticism Like a Boss

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Above picture: Me at the gym doing Rectus Abdominis work (abs) using a weight between my feet. “He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights.” – Psalm 18 Today around 6:00 p.m.,  I was happily driving through our high school parking lot to pick up my football players, when my daughter spotted an old friend, “Look, Mom, there’s Rick Dean.” Being about as energetic as the “Eveready Bunny” with greeting people, I stretched my arm in a friendly arc and waved vigorously. Rick looked absolutely vacant, about as empty as a jug of sweet tea in the south at a church potluck on the hottest day of Jul-Eye (yes, it has to be spelled that way in Miz-ippi). He must not have spotted me yet, so I tried again, this time with a full arm extension and an overjoyed smile. “Hi, Rick!” Yeah, nothing. Either Rick’s brain was taking a serious mental vacation, drifting off to the land of milk, honey and unicorns after a long day …

Storms, A Healthy Blended Cocktail and a Fall Eating Challenge 

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Photo credit: Cynthia Miller  The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way.” Psalm 37:23 When I was 6 or 7 years old, our family took a vacation at the beach. We gathered our rainbow colored towels, red plastic Coleman cooler, our “been there, done that” t-shirts and coconut Jamaican Island sun block and started marching across the road near the beach, which waved like a golden welcoming hand in the heat. In my exuberance, because I have always loved the outdoors and get positively giddy when I see waves, I tore ahead of my family, across the empty blacktop towards the glorious cobalt water with the sound of waves rushing in my ears. The next thing I knew, my Dad’s voice bellowed out, authoritative and strong, “Stoooooop!” Without understanding why or having time to even process it, I screeched to an immediate halt and a motorcycle slammed from 45 to a stop at the same moment, maybe a foot from the end of my toes. My Dad, with his quirky …

Marvelous Marriage & Mango Smoothy

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“…the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you.” Every Thursday night, I frantically throw together an easy dinner for the kids, so Daniel and I can have some time alone. Soooooo, last week we were on our date, making “eyes” at each other over bison and salad, because, people, trust me on this, it is SO worth it to keep flirting in your marriage! I want to be hot for each other at 90, trying to kiss with our dentures popping out and saying to each other, “Is that you, Sweetheart, or the fur coat hanging by the door?” Besides, a big cut of red meat to a man is like an Italian love song playing violinist, long stem red roses and a giant, glittering rock in a box is to a woman. Nothing, I mean nothing, says romance to a man like a beer and huge cut of steak. LOL. Anyway, I finished up my dinner and ordered a desert, not realizing just how large the desert was at …