One word. Maury.
What comes to mind? Let me venture a guess, may I?
" ______________, you are NOT the father"
or "_______________, you ARE the father"
These life-changing statements emphatically result in an explosion of emotions and tears, yelling and fighting, cursing and denials.
I know this to be true because it was the way I spent my noon hour for all too many years. ( come on now, no judging allowed!)
in other words,
"Everything is permissible"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is constructive. ~ 1 Corinthians 10:23
God was right (imagine that). Just because I "COULD" watch this nonsense, didn't mean I "SHOULD" watch this nonsense (my apologies Maury). So, I decided right then and there that Mr. Povich and I needed to end our daily lunch date. And I felt good about it. One small step of obedience.
What I learned however; is that simply keeping out the "bad", wasn't enough.
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I start each day off with a yogurt.
You see, yogurt has power-boosting protein and bone-building calcium. It can also help you lose weight and fend off a cold. But perhaps the greatest benefit of yogurt is that it contains probiotics, "live and active cultures", beneficial bugs that live in your digestive tract and help crowd out harmful microorganisms that can cause intestinal infections. Now, before you cringe and think "Oooooo, yucky icky", hear me out. When I decided back in 2009 that it was time to change my way of eating, change my way of exercising (ok, START exercising ;) ), I did my research.
Things to Avoid in Excess: Milk Chocolate & Candy (booooo!), Potato Chips, Soda Pop, Pizza, Processed Food, and (gulp), Cinnamon Rolls & other Homemade Baked Delights, etc, etc....the list goes on.
But we already know all of this, right? I mean, c'mon, everyone knows that a breakfast loaded with sugary pastries, followed by a fast-food burger, fries, & milkshake lunch, and an evening supper composed of a bucket of broasted chicken, mashed potatoes, and biscuits is not beneficial to our health (Gee, anyone else suddenly craving Poptarts & KFC?) ;)
What we DON'T always consider is that in addition to "keeping out the bad" (that which is permissible, but not beneficial), we must also "put in the good" (that which is constructive) in order for our physical body to achieve a healthy balance. Yogurt puts the "good" back in, and that's why I enjoy a Yoplait Light as part of each morning.
The same is true of my morning time with Yahweh. It's vital to my spiritual balance that each day begin by "putting in the good" through prayer & quality alone time with the Father. Jesus did too.
Early the next morning, while it was still dark,
Jesus woke and left the house.
He went to a lonely place, where he prayed. - Mark 1:35
It's important that I not only keep out the "bad", (negative thoughts, poor television choices, profanity-ladened music, jealousy, pride, unforgiveness, the list goes on......) but that I put in the "good"(reading the Word, prayer, thankfulness, love, joy, patience, mercy, the list goes on....) through the daily renewing of my mind, and that's why I savor the Savior as part of each morning.
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. - Romans 12:2
How do YOU maintain a healthy physical & spiritual balance? I'd love to hear from you, so I'm hosting my first blog *giveaway* ! Simply comment below and your name will be entered to win a copy of Sarah Young's Daily Devotional "Jesus Calling" along with a crisp $5.00 bill. Why the $5.00? *to pick up your own yogurt of course ;)
Sweet Blessings,
♥Tera
