21 Days ~ Healthy Living Journal

Howdy again, this wasn't on the list for this month, but I plan on implementing it soon.  It is on the list to "read" but it is actually a 21 day journal.  It is a journal with pages to record your healthy living goals for the next 21 days.  It is said, that it only takes 21 days to form a habit.   By taking that time to focus on specific goals and record diet, exercise, and journal according to the prompts given such as "Answer the following questions:
1) What are my health-related fears?
2) What actions am I taking to confront them?
will allow you to make a big step toward health, and hopefully you would want to continue making those positive changes, therefore creating healthy living habits.

It also has a place for visualizing your goals.  In this highly electronic world, it is sometimes more difficult to actual find hard copies of things to use.  If you go the hard-copy route, I would recommend magazines, pictures, and/or sticky notes.  Another recommendation is a Pinterest board dedicated to this 21 day endeavor which you look at daily.  Another thought would be to compile a PowerPoint collage and look at it each day, print if you choose (ink can be pricey), but definitely look at it daily.  With this "book", I plan to post snippets of my day of healthy living (I hope) and journal entries.  I need to form healthy habits, and I know that this can work.  Why?

Nearly two years ago, I ran across another 21 day journal.  This one was for spiritual health.  It was lime green and jumped out at me primarily for its color and then for its message.  This journal revolutionized my life.  It allowed me to build a habit of spending time with God.  I fell in love with God by intentionally setting time aside everyday to be with Him through His Word, the Bible, and journaling my prayers.  The journal was just the push I needed.  I know that this journal can do the same. 

These journals also come with plastic bracelets with "Make It a Habit!" inscribed on them to serve as a daily reminder during this 21 day period of your goals and commitment. I plan to wear mine and actually remember my goals when tempted to give up or make a not so great choice.

Day 1 starts tomorrow for me.  I know what you are thinking, "What! Right before Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays?"  Yes, that is one of the many reasons I need to start NOW!  I will post my goals tomorrow and maybe throw in some visual inspiration as well.

 

Never Say Never,

 

"Learning to Live in Laughter"

B.J. Speer of "Learning to Live in Laughter" gives you a
glimpse of life on the road as part of a gospel singing family.  His mom and dad, Paula and Billy Speer, have a passion for singing and finally took the leap of faith to go into full-time ministry singing in churches across the United States.  He shares the hard knocks of road life and the difficulties of hospitality.  Their ministry began in a car, not a big bus.  There wasn't much privacy, and being on the road was tiring.  B.J. counts his mom as his best friend.  He also says he was picked on and didn't have many friends in school.  He also admits to being terrified to sing in front of people.  When he was young, he had some not so great experiences on the stage, and his thoughts tended to get the best of him.  He put a hold on singing for awhile.  His parents never pressured him to sing for which he was grateful.  He finished high school, and waited a bit playing what he dubbed "hide and seek from God."  He didn't like school growing up, and didn't know if college would be any better.  He remembered a sermon on God's Will and knew then God was calling him to Word of Life Bible College.  What he thought was  going to be one of the worst experiences of his life, God used it for good.  He got life-long friends and experienced many things that on B. J. can describe.  After college, God showed him why he was to sing.  He was to sing for the glory of God, so that is what he did.  He began singing with his parents.  He experienced hard times like many families.  He had to learn to trust God in a particular way being on tour without a steady income.  God is faithful and supplied his needs.
B.J.'s book reads as a laid back peek into his life and also serves as an encouragement to all who read it, that God is with you and will never fail you.  It closes out with the lyrics to a few of his songs and some poems he wrote.
B.J. Speer currently serves with The Dartts, another gospel singing group.  He began
singing with them in 2004 and is still going strong.  He was God's answer to prayer during Tracy Darrt's tough health battle and wait for a kidney.  Praise God, Tracy has received a kidney and his health has greatly improved.  The Dartts are all back on the road again.  I have personally met B.J. Speer and the The Dartts a few times in concert, and I look forward to when they are in town.  Their music is one of a kind and definitely a glory to God.  I will see B.J. and the Dartts in December, Lord willing, and I am looking forward to it.  It appears that B.J. has another book out entitled Dusty Road "A Journey into Faith."  I am sure this will be as good if not better than this
one.  Decisions, decisions, decisions...5 books read before I get a new one.
For more information on B.J. Speer, check out this site: http://www.billyspeer.com/index.html
For more information on the Dartts, check out this site: http://www.darttmusic.com/home.html













Never say Never,

Love & Logic Tickets to Success

Next up is Jim Fay, of Love and Logic, and his Tickets to Success.  Jim Fay does a great job of encapsulating his 5 step plan for responsible children.  This is a small, nearly pocket sized version of one of his most tried and true Love and Logic strategies.  He conveys his five step method in easy to understand peices giving numerous examples from his experience as a teacher and administrator for many years.

In 1977, Jim Fay founded along with Foster W. Cline MD the Love and Logic philosophy. Love and Logic teaches parents, teachers, and administrators one of the best ways to deal with children through love with empathy and logic allowing the child to own their problems. Jim Fay and his son Charles Fay, PhD travel the country and share their experiences and testimonies of how these strategies work. They also break them down into easy to implement bits for you to use.
I have a few years of teaching experience, and the Love and Logic teacher book is on my list to finish reading.  I have watched several clips, and I had the awesome privilege to meet Dr. Charles Fay in person and hear him deliver the strategies from his own experience (He is very personable and greeted me at the sign in table, and I was shocked to discover he was the speaker).
I also have the Love and Logic Parenting version as well for when that day comes for me with children, I can feel somewhat prepared.  I know that working with children can't be boiled down to a textbook or a how-to guide, but I do know that children need to be loved and this is logically one of the best ways to show love.  From personal experience as a teacher, the strategies do work, but they require practice and consistency for an effective return.
For more information on Love and Logic, check out the website: http://www.loveandlogic.com/

The Book Junkie needs to READ!

I am a lover of words and stories.  I seem to "collect" them rather than "consume" them.  Meaning they sit on my shelf for years, before I actually crack them open and read them,  That does me no good to look at pretty little covers...eh, spines,,, of books.  They are heavy to move (trust me, I have moved them three times in the past few years).  So I have come up with a solution, an experiment of sorts.

There has been an explosion of books all over my bed at this very moment preparing for this very event.  I am in the process of taking inventory of all of the books I currently own and have within my possession.  At least the ones in my room.  This is by far not all of the books I have ever read or ever owned.  I count it a major blessing to have read as many books as I have, and own the ones I do.  

Now let's get down to the experiment.  It is in its developmental stages at the moment, and I hope I haven't taken on more than I can handle. But I will see as I progress.  The Rough Draft version of the experiment goes something like this:
1) I will read a few books a month from my stash of unread books depending on the book (I have several devotionals that require more time to finish and reflect upon)
2) I will post which books I have chosen to read and the deadline by which I want to be finished
3) I will post progress reports and tidbits or tips I have learned while reading
4) I will post a short summary of each book as I read it
5) I have a lot of books (for me anyway), but I still want to aim at completing this task within one year
6) I will not buy new books, until I have read 5 books.
7) Any new books purchased will be included in the experiment and must be read by next year

This is quite an undertaking, but I am up for the challenge and excited to see what I learn.  Happy Reading  to me.

Never say Never,