When the sizzling months of summer set in, everything seems to slow down—school is out until August, the tourism traffic makes for a slower commute, and that sweltering heat seems to cause us all to drag our feet anytime we have to hit the sidewalk. But one thing that doesn’t have to slow down is your fitness regimen! Here are some ways to stay happy and healthy from May to August:
Our bodies are temples to God; vessels that help us glorify Him in every way we can find. Many churches have exercise classes that members of every fitness level and age can get involved in. There are plenty of ways to stay fit this summer without sacrificing fun or family time! This is one of the many reasons why our family loves summer, despite the climbing temps. With these helpful tips, we hope you learn to love it too!
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Whether we make an effort to show it or not, we cherish and love the people closest to us – sometimes we simply forget to remind them especially if there are many people within our inner circle. However, the relationship with your spouse is a unique bond that cannot be replicated. In honor of April being the month of couples, here is a list of ideas for activities and random acts of love to show appreciation for your spouse and to strengthen the relationship you both hold near and dear to your heart.
Words of Love. While the familiar quote stating, “Actions speak louder than words” is great advice in any circumstance, words shouldn’t be overlooked when trying to make one another feel appreciated and loved. Instead of just saying, “I love you” or “You’re great,” include a reason after your comment to personalize the message. For example, phrases like “I love you because you always manage to make me smile after a long day,” provide your significant other with a thoughtful message that will surely brighten each day. Make this a daily habit! By constantly reminding your partner about what it is about him/her you love, he/she will always feel remembered and cherished. Date Day or Night. It is essential for couples to spend quality one on one time with each other, away from the usual activities of the work week. Designate one day out of the week for both of you to reconnect and have an enjoyable time. It doesn’t necessarily have to be at night. If both of you have a couple of spare hours in the daytime, make it a date! Do something new that both of you can experience together. Random Acts of Kindness. While big, extravagant gifts are certainly beautiful gestures, they’re typically not necessary to make your spouse feel special. Simple acts like preparing your significant other’s favorite meal or leaving a sweet message on a post-it note are sure to catch his or her attention. April may be National Couples Month, but you can show your affection any time of year. By implementing any of these ideas or creating your own, your spouse will continue to feel loved and blessed to have you by his/her side. "Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate." Mark 10:9 As brothers and sisters in Christ, we always want to do more for others. We may say, “I want to be more engaged in the community” or “I will try to volunteer this weekend,” but all of the good intentions fall short of getting placed into action. At the end of the week, all we want to do is sleep in and stay home. With stresses from the work week such as juggling kids, work, and everything in between, the last idea on your mind may be committing to another task, such as volunteer work and service projects. Life is tough, but others may be going through a much more difficult time than you. Instead of constantly pushing it aside week after week, now is the time to encourage yourself, as well as your family, to take an active place within your community. There are many benefits of getting involved in your surrounding community. Lending a helping hand always makes you feel satisfied with yourself and encourages you to go back, especially when you are volunteering for an organization or a cause you feel strongly about. In addition, getting involved strengthens your community. By volunteering, you are planting a seed of love and change. People will witness and know there are people who genuinely care about others and are willing to take time out of their day to help. Your volunteerism will create a ripple, encouraging others to roll up their sleeves and get involved as well. One of the most important benefits includes strengthening your family. Children will be shown a great example of being selfless and the importance of giving to others. Although donating money to charity and organizations is great, donating your time is much more valuable. You and your family get to physically see and engage with people who need help. Here are some volunteer suggestions for you and your family to be a part of: Volunteer at Church. Not only is your local church a great place to start volunteering, but they more than likely have a large amount of resources for you to access, in regards to what local faith-based organizations accept volunteers. Pet Organizations. Who doesn’t love furry animals? Local shelters and animal hospitals are always excited to have extra hands to help. Helping to socialize puppies, take them for walk, and bathe them are great ways for the kids to get involved. Plus, it teaches them the responsibility that comes along with having a pet. Local Parks. Our kids enjoy visiting the park and don’t realize the effort placed into keeping our parks clean and beautiful. By volunteering at a park, you and your children will be provided the opportunity to clean graffiti, plant trees, and pick up litter. Local Shelters. We recommend involving your teens to help local homeless shelters with tasks such as serving meals or cleaning. Although some people may feel uncomfortable volunteering in homeless shelters, it is a great opportunity for you and your family (especially teens) to see there are others less fortunate and to be reminded of how blessed you are. Whatever you choose, do it as a family! Make sure to contact the organization you'd like to volunteer with to schedule your visit and ask if there are age restrictions for volunteers. Reflect on this scripture verse with your family: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." - Matthew 5:16 Easter is right around the corner, and we know that children everywhere are looking forward to celebrating with Easter egg hunts, confetti, and chocolate bunnies. It’s a beautiful thing to watch them filled with so much joy as they run across the yard with confetti in their hair, especially since that’s how happy we should all be on Easter Sunday, the day Jesus was resurrected. Before the festivities begin, though, there are a few things we as parents should remember to do for our children.
Talk about Easter and all that came before. For little ones to grow up with an understanding of Jesus’ resurrection, they must learn about the events that led to this joyous occasion. Talk about The Last Supper and Judas’ betrayal. Teach them about Good Friday – how he died for each and every one of us – the ultimate declaration of love for the world. Don’t skip church this Sunday morning. It’s important that we keep the resurrection of Jesus at the heart of our celebrations this weekend. Like Christmas, it’s easy for the real meaning of the holiday to be overshadowed by gifts, candy, and fun festivities in the eyes of our kiddos. Above all, keep this message in your hearts this weekend: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” John 3:16-17 For many, spring is considered the season of a fresh start and new beginning. The flowers in bloom and the once again green leaves inspire us to become new again as well. This feeling of wanting to become better versions of ourselves is probably what originally inspired spring cleaning! By organizing your environment, you can create a place of peace in your home and mentally make room for more important thoughts, ideas, and activities. Here are some tips to encourage you on your spring cleaning journey!
We hear it all the time this time of year.
“What did you give up for Lent?” “I’m giving up bread.” “I’m going to try to cut out soda.” The list goes on and on. Whether or not you actively participate in Lent, the basics are truly admirable. This time of year is about making a conscious effort to eliminate habits in your life that keep you from God, and reflecting on the ways you may have been putting your faith on the back burner. While it’s great to cut unhealthy foods from your diet during Lent, let’s not forget the more important habits we should be cutting from our lives – skipping prayer time, gossiping, being unkind to one another, and more. This Lenten season, we should all do a little digging to uncover what we each need to work on in order to allow for a beautiful, thriving relationship with God. Ultimately we must teach our children that Lent is not only about giving something up, but also about giving of themselves to God in ways that they believe they can. As we continue through this season of Lent, it is important to remember the sacrifice God made for us through Jesus Christ, and that He did it out of love for us. Lent is a beautiful time to make such sacrifices of love – for God, for our well being, and for others – that will help build our relationship with Him and will allow us to share God’s love with others. The most important relationships we have in our lives are those with our families and with God. As Christian parents, one of our greatest priorities should be helping our children build a strong, lasting relationship with God. This can be a challenge when dealing with little ones, however, there are a few things that we can do to help point our kids in the right direction.
Teaching our children about God is one of the most rewarding and important tasks. While we all have different methods, and there are thousands of roads to create a successful relationship between you, your child, and God, remember that by helping them, you are also helping to strengthen your own personal relationship with Him. Teaching our children is a responsibility, and by doing it correctly, we can build something with and for them that will last for eternity. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, the true meaning of love can get lost underneath the candy, gifts, and giant stuffed animals. Today’s youth may view love as something to be bought and wrapped. In reality, love is beyond a price. As parents, it’s our responsibility to teach our children about the true meaning of love in ways that can be applied in their lives today and for years to come. If we can demonstrate to our children what love truly means, we can rest a little easier knowing that they have an example to follow when they get older.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV). Happy Valentine's Day! With February being American Heart Month, there is an extra emphasis on the importance of taking care of your health—specifically your heart. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year. With this rate increasing every year, it is a deep concern that affects our families and loved ones. This prompts us to live healthier lives by changing our eating and physical habits. You are never too young or too old to start taking care of your heart!
Along with healthier eating, physical activity is sometimes the hardest task to commit to. After a long day of work, it can be hard to slink off of that couch and find the energy—which isn’t within the crevices of the couch. Here are some tips on how to physically reduce your risk of heart disease and keep your heart rate up!
Encouraging children to eat nutritious foods can be difficult. Potato chips, soda, and candy fill up grocery shelves quicker than healthy foods do, making it overwhelming to decide on the best healthy options for your children. The internet is a great resource to find recipe tips and tricks, but some of those can be time consuming. We want our children to live happy, healthy lives, so here are some quick ways to incorporate those not so appealing fruits and veggies into your children’s normal eating routines, without them even noticing!
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AuthorsAntonio Daniels Archives
August 2018
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