Staying Fit

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Your body, like a well-oiled machine, can be pushed beyond what you think are its limits if it is well maintained. One way to maintain your body is to be mindful of what you feed it. Garbage in, garbage out not only is true in Computer Science but true for the body as well. Since I started running in High School, I was pegged as a distance runner. As I've gotten older, in a strange way I enjoy running distances more ( though non-competitively), but I've noticed that vitamins and supplements help sustain me.



I discovered fish oil in the mid-90s.  Fish oil supports a healthy blood cholesterol level, bone health and provides mood support. I read up on the benefits of it and remembered that as a child I was forced to take cod liver oil because it was good for me. Staying true to myself I bought different brands but usually ended up buying what was on sale.

In any event, I noticed that my hair and skin thrived while taking fish oil pills in addition to reaping all of the other benefits. Unfortunately, some brands would leave a fishy aftertaste or you'd have fishy burps temporarily.  It was a nuisance but something I could live with.

I recently tried Omega 3 Highly Concentrated Pure Triple Strength Fish Oil, as part of a product promotion. It lived up to its promise of no fishy aftertaste - which was a pleasant surprise even though each pill is highly concentrated.




I will continue taking my fish oil and may even purchase this product again.

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19,20 [NLT]


This is a sponsored post; all opinions expressed are my own.


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Being Fit

Since I've become a running enthusiast, I want to high five anyone I see running and putting in the effort. To me, it doesn't matter if you're slow or you're fast. If I see you running I know it's an act of the will to be applauded. Because as runners know, running doesn't ever get so easy that it's like breathing. After all is said and done, you do it because you know and see that the benefits outweigh the excuses.

I have the same enthusiasm with I meet another believer - I want to give them a high five because I know they've discovered the truth. They knew something was missing in their lives and it turned out to be Jesus. To me, it doesn't matter where you are in your walk, but that you are working it out. It's an act of the will to choose to follow Jesus. But you don't do it for the applause. You follow Jesus because the benefits outweigh the excuses.

As we make an effort to be physically fit, let's make the same effort to be spiritually fit and reap the benefits of both.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6 [NLT]

How fit are you?

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On Being a Wife

Wives in the Bible cover a broad spectrum, so that makes me hopeful. They weren't all perfect and some were downright wicked, can you say Jezebel?

First, there was Eve, the mother of civilization. Somehow, she took the devil's bait. Why did she do that? Look at where that got her.

Then there's Sarah - who was clearly beautiful and seemed to have a good relationship with Abraham. Twice she lied and said Abraham was her brother and both times Abraham instructed her to do so. She laughed when the angel said she would have a son, as did Abraham. But she had Isaac; at 90 that could not have been easy. I might have laughed also.

Other wives in the Bible:

Rebekah - Deceived her husband so that the son she loved would receive a blessing.

Zipporah - Despised by her in-laws because of her race; she was Ethiopian.

Lot's wife - She looked back and became a pillar of salt. (How's that for not listening to your husband?)

Job's wife - She told him to curse God and die. (Whatever became of her?)

Abigail - whose husband Nabal was noted as a fool; she had the good sense to do what was right and is noted as a woman of good understanding. She eventually became one of David's wives. I think many wives who have husbands who are not godly or not living as they think a Christian man should, use Abigail as their primary example as to how to deal with their husbands. Caution should be exercised before making this your default model.

Ruth -  Listened to her Mother In Law and found a good husband in Boaz.

Esther - Became queen while married to King Ahaseurus and saved her people.

Zeresh - Fed in to her husband's hatred for Mordecai; she instructed her husband, Haman, to build the gallows that he was eventually hung from. Hatred and bitterness never yield good results.

Priscilla - knowledgeable in the Scriptures and worked side by side with her husband, Aquilla.

Sapphira - dishonest with her husband Ananias; because of this they were both struck dead instantly.


Wives are called to be help meets. We are to help - do you know what helping entails? And why do men require so much help, and are not always willing to take it from the female species based on the way they're wired? The blue print for being a helpful wife can be pulled from some of the stories above, in addition to Proverbs, Ephesians, Colossians and Titus.

Being a wife is an honored role, yet not an easy role. It can be a tad complicated - if I do say so myself. Because God has clearly defined roles in marriage, we as wives are called to submit to our husbands. But submission is not demeaning nor does it take away your dignity. Submission is reflective of Christ's example - He was equal with God the Father, yet He chose to submit to the Father's will  (Colossians 1:19); we can see that submission is a voluntary choice - a good one I might add. But it is complicated because in marriage we are two fallen human beings who come together attempting to mirror Christ, and make something beautiful.

If you're like me some times you beat yourself up, because you may feel that you don't measure up. The examples above are to let you know that there is no situation that is too big for God. Regardless of our husbands, we are responsible for our actions - sometimes it's easy and sometimes it's not. No earthly relationship can ever function properly unless we have a correct relationship; a true relationship with the God of the Universe.

But be encouraged - being a wife is a token of the favor of God.

The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord. 

Proverbs 18:22 [NLT]

What kind of wife are you?
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Beach Thoughts

Living in California has given me a new appreciation for the outdoors,  the awesomeness of God, and the smallness of man. On Memorial Day we took an impromptu drive to Zuma Beach. Initially, it seemed as if the weather was not cooperating with us as it was overcast and chilly. Because of this, we left later than we anticipated.

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I live in the San Fernando Valley, so to get to the beach you have to drive through the mountains. They are a couple of roads that take you to the beach, but because I have a slight fear of heights I take the road that I feel most comfortable on - i.e. it has more than one lane and there are guard rails. Prior to moving to California, I don't think I ever drove on mountainous roads; I was a city girl and when I lived in the Bahamas the beach was a stone's throw away. I recently visited the Bahamas and I remember my father making a big deal about driving us to the highest point of Nassau. Well, it wasn't as high as I remembered and nothing compared to the hills and valleys in California.

As I drove on Kanan Road and saw the beautiful mountains all around me, my only thought was, "How can one not believe in God? There is no way man made all of this." I thought this as my legs quivered as I traversed the heights. Of course, if you go up you must go down, pressing my foot was gingerly on the brakes as we wound our way down toward the beach.

Of course, it being a holiday parking was initially an issue - but then I said a quick prayer and a parking spot opened up. Actually, two cars were leaving at the same time, which is rare.

As we got out of the car, we realized that we had indeed hit the jackpot. The wind was warm, the sun was out and the waves were beautiful. We situated our blankets and chairs and then I went walking along the shore - one of my favorite things to do at the beach. I saw families just sitting and enjoying each other; I saw children playing in the sand with so much glee; I saw a lady sitting by herself in a very contemplative mode playing with sand while tears ran down her face; I saw couples holding hands and making out. I saw groups of people working out and lone joggers jogging. I like squishing my feet into the seaweed and I wondered what the rocks that protruded out of the sea were covered with. I wondered about the people that lived on the beachfront, "Were they appreciative of nature right at their front door?" Further out, I saw surfers riding the waves. I walked to the end of the beach where there were wall and folks were rock climbing and then I turned around and made the long walk back.

Point Dume at Zuma Beach

The beach was so welcoming I didn't want to leave. I sat and listened to the waves and meditated on the goodness of God while wrestling with certain frustrations in my life right now. But the sound of the waves mellowed my frustration. I reluctantly left the beach after four hours, but if I could duplicate this day I would do it again.

The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. Psalm 24:1 [NLT]

The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it. Psalm 89:11 [NLT]

This is what God the LORD says-- the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: Isaiah 42:5 [NLT]

Do you go to the beach? Do you enjoy the beach?