PLANNING MY FUNERAL

FUNERAL PLANNING

Unless the Lord Jesus returns before I die (which He might), I am going to die.

I won't go into detail now about what I want said and done at my funeral.  I plan to write a will, including funeral plans,  making my wishes clear to my wife and kids.   Some people are superstitiously afraid that writing a will might hasten or in some way cause their death.  Many people are also afraid of planning their funeral for the same reason.   But, at almost 60, I think the time is right for me.

NO FEAR OF DEATH

I have no fear of death.  The Bible says "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil."  Death is indeed an evil thing brought on by sin.  Yet I don't fear death because Jesus conquered death for me with His death on Calvary's cross.  I fear God, who has the power to cast into Hell.

I don't like pain, so like most people,  a painless death seems most appealing to me, but I really don't care about that either.  It is up to the Good Lord to decide how I go.  And when.  Meanwhile I make my plans, in accordance with scripture.  Nearly every aspect of our lives should be planned if we want to truly be successful.  Our finances, our spiritual lives, our vacations, and yes, even our wills.  Planning is good. But...... 

DON'T BOAST

James 4:13 - 16 says:

  Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

Whereas ye know not what [shall be] on the morrow. For what [is] your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

For that ye [ought] to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

James is saying that we must not boast of our plans.  He seems to be addressing his comments to people who plan  and then boast about their plans, particularly concerning earning a lot of money.  Such boasting is evil.  We can plan, but we don't know what is going to happen tomorrow.  Such boasting is smug and arrogant, and lacks humility.

We can exercise, diet, be careful, be prayerful, get check ups and preventive tests on schedule, and still be dead tomorrow, if it is the will of God.

IF THE LORD WILL

So with true humility, we should prayerfully plan, and THEN say, in accordance with scripture "IF THE LORD WILL, WE SHALL LIVE, AND DO THIS, OR THAT".

Daily Bible Reading and Study Report

AUGUST/31/2013

READ:
2 Kings Chapter 5
Lamentations Chapter 1
1 Corinthians Chapter 14

Bible Study:  30 minutes

Daily Prayer Report

AUGUST/31/2013

Morning Prayer:  30 minutes
Noon Prayer:       15 minutes  

(DEER)

Daily Exercise Report

AUGUST/31/2013

Pull Ups - 19
Crunches - 100
Ab Work (Crunches, leg lifts, bicycling legs) - 4 minutes

Push Ups - 64

FOLLOWING THE PLAN

SOME TIMES THE BEST YOU CAN DO IS TO STICK TO THE BASICS.  YOU MAKE IT THROUGH the day, and do what you have to do.  Following plans can be like that sometimes.  You get through the plan and nothing else.  This blog post is kind of like that.  I don't have a lot to say, but I am posting the basics, the plans I have committed to follow.  Having these plans, and reporting here in my blog helps me to stay focused on getting these things done.  It is not always easy following a plan.  Exercise can get tiresome.  We all know how difficult prayer can be at times.  Following a plan for these things gives me satisfaction that I have elevated them to priorities.  I have made them important so that if I get little else done, I get these things done.

THE PROCESS OF PLANNING

Planning is a three step process:

1.     Identifying an area of your life that can be improved by Planning.

2.     Finding or creating a Plan that works for you.

3.     Implementing the Plan.

Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail.  All of us want to be successful in the Art and Science of Life, and at life's end know that we have earned a degree of Accomplishment in the College of Life.  We have met and achieved our life's goals, because we planned it and followed our Plan. 

Daily Bible Reading and Study Report

AUGUST/29/2013

READ:
2 Kings Chapter 3
Jeremiah Chapter 51
1 Corinthians Chapter 11

Bible Study:  30 minutes

Daily Prayer Report

AUGUST/29/2013

Evening Prayer:  15 minutes
Morning Prayer:  30 minutes
Noon Prayer:       15 minutes  

(DEER)

Daily Exercise Report

AUGUST/29/2013

Pull Ups - 19
Crunches - 100
Ab Work (Crunches, leg lifts, bicycling legs) - 4 minutes
Push Ups - 64

EMERGENCY PLANS

BEING PREPARED

Fires kill many people in their homes every year.  Many of those deaths could have been prevented if the occupants of the home had had a fire emergency plan.  In areas prone to tornadoes, having a plan in place for when a tornado warning is issued is a must.  Driving in our cars can become a nightmare if there is an emergency and we are unprepared.  In rural areas, a working flashlight is a must in case the car lights go dark on a dark night.  These and other emergencies often occur with little warning.  Being prepared with a plan to deal with the emergency makes as much sense as having insurance before a car accident.  It is too late to get the insurance after the accident.  It won't pay. 

PROCRASTINATION

We procrastinate at our own peril.  Putting off establishing and practicing emergency plans can be deadly.  That is why I am writing this, as much to myself as to others.  In fact, all of my blog posts are written first to me.  It is my open declaration to myself of needed changes in my life.  It motivates me to share these plans with you.  The Bible says to love thy neighbor as thyself.  I know that an emergency plan is good for me, and for you also.  I envision my blog spurring people to action that will save lives.  Maybe my own. 

Yesterday I talked about hurricane preparedness.  If you live in a hurricane prone area, you should already be prepared.  In our part of Alabama, hurricanes are usually downgraded to tropical storms before they reach us.  Yet they can still do tremendous damage with high winds, heavy rains, and isolated tornadoes.  Even in Central Alabama, we need a hurricane preparedness plan.   Check out the hurricane preparedness plan link below: 

HURRICANES

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/hurricane/resources/TropicalCyclones11.pdf

FIRES

LINK 1 - This link has specific fire escape planning information:

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/citizens/home_fire_prev/escape/

LINK 2 - This link has a grid you can use to lay out your home's floor plan and create your own personal fire escape plan.  It is recommended that you practice your fire escape plan twice a year.:

 http://www.usfa.fema.gov/campaigns/usfaparents/downloads/escape_grid.pdf

FAMILY EMERGENCY PLAN

The government publishes a family emergency plan that is general in nature, and applicable to a variety of emergency situations.  It deals with how families can respond to emergencies by being prepared.  Check it out here:  http://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan

HAVE A PLAN, PLEASE

Having a plan in case of an emergency may seem unimportant until an emergency happens, and you find you and your loved ones unprepared, and in danger.  Don't let it happen to you.  I will try not to let it happen to me.

Daily Bible Reading and Study Report

AUGUST/28/2013

READ:
2 Kings Chapters 1-2
Jeremiah Chapter 50
1 Corinthians Chapter 10

Bible Study:  30 minutes

Daily Prayer Report

AUGUST/28/2013

Evening Prayer:  15 minutes
Morning Prayer:  30 minutes
Noon Prayer:       15 minutes  

(DEER)

Daily Exercise Report

AUGUST/28/2013

Pull Ups - 19
Crunches - 100
Ab Work (Crunches, leg lifts, bicycling legs) - 4 minutes
Push Ups - 64

EMERGENCY PLANS

BEING PREPARED

Everyone needs to be prepared for emergencies.  Depending on where you live natural disasters can occur without much time for preparation.  Hurricane season started June 1, and ends November 30. The peak of the Atlantic Hurricane season is about September 10th.  This year's hurricane season is off to one of the slowest starts on record.  That does not mean we can write it off.  Hurricane Katrina struck 8 years ago this week.  According to the National Hurricane Center (http://www.nhc.noaa.gov) there is, at present, no tropical cyclone activity, and none expected in the next 48 hours. 

HURRICANE PREPARATION

The National Hurricane Center encouraged hurricane preparation back during National Hurricane Preparedness Week, May 26 -  June 1, 2013.

Here is a link to the National Hurricane Centers Preparedness Guide:

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/hurricane/resources/TropicalCyclones11.pdf

   Here is a link to the National Hurricane Center's  banner, encouraging "Be Prepared - Get a Plan":

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/prepare/nhpwBanner2013.jpg

WEATHER, FIRE, HOME, CAR

While there is such a thing as being over prepared, I think most of us would agree that, for emergency situations,  it is better to be over prepared than under prepared.  Whether it is the weather, or fire, in the home, or in the car, everyone needs to have emergency plans and supplies to deal with emergencies. 

MY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLANS

In the next few blog posts,  I will examine my own emergency preparedness, I will share with you what I have already done, what I am doing, and what I plan to do, to be prepared for emergencies.  Emergencies can be life threatening.  In some cases, being prepared can make the difference between life and death.

Daily Bible Reading and Study Report

AUGUST/27/2013

READ:
1 Kings Chapter 22
Jeremiah Chapter 49
1 Corinthians Chapter 8-9

Bible Study:  30 minutes

Daily Prayer Report

AUGUST/27/2013

Evening Prayer:  15 minutes
Morning Prayer:  30 minutes
Noon Prayer:       15 minutes  

(DEER)

Daily Exercise Report

AUGUST/27/2013

Pull Ups - 19
Crunches - 100
Ab Work (Crunches, leg lifts, bicycling legs) - 4 minutes
Push Ups - 64

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, help me to plan wisely for emergencies.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

DO THE MATH

PLANNING = COUNTING THE COSTS

Daily Exercise?  I've got a plan for that.  Daily Prayer?  Ditto.  Daily Bible Reading and Study?   I've got a plan. 

Plans.  All of them take time and energy to create and to follow.  My daily exercise takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete.  Daily Prayer takes one hour.  Daily Bible Reading:  8 to 10 minutes, and Bible Study 30 minutes.  This adds up to about 2 hours of daily commitment of time and energy.  In a week, that's 14 hours, and 728 hours in a year. 
Doing the math, my three plans take about 8% of my day. 

This is counting the cost in time. 

The Bible instructs us to count the cost so we can finish what we start.

Luke 14:28 - 30

For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have [sufficient] to finish [it]?

Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish [it], all that behold [it] begin to mock him,

Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

Planning is "sitting down" and "counting the cost".  Like so much of life, it is a math function.  Math is intricately linked to our lives.  We use it for our finances (earning, saving, and spending our money), our health ( the numbers for blood pressure, weight, blood sugar, cholesterol, etc,.), and for our travel ( flight times, speed limit signs, our speedometers, miles to our destination road signs, etc,.)  All these areas of our lives require planning, counting the costs, using math.

None of my plans are set in concrete.  They can be changed, adjusted, modified, to suit my needs.  But having a plan gives me a target to reach for, a goal.  Without a plan, I have failed to count the cost.

Daily Bible Reading and Study Report

AUGUST/26/2013

READ:
1 Kings Chapter 21
Jeremiah Chapter 48
1 Corinthians Chapter 7

Bible Study:  30 minutes

Daily Prayer Report

AUGUST/26/2013

Evening Prayer:  15 minutes
Morning Prayer:  30 minutes
Noon Prayer:       15 minutes  

(DEER)

Daily Exercise Report

AUGUST/26/2013

Pull Ups - 19
Crunches - 100
Ab Work (Crunches, leg lifts, bicycling legs) - 4 minutes
Push Ups - 63

PRAYER

Lord God, help me to count the cost of everything I do. Help me to plan wisely.  May my plans glorify You.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

BIBLE READING AND STUDY PLAN

I read the Bible most every day, but I don't have a Bible reading and study Plan.  I am going to change that.  Why?  Because reading and studying the Bible should not be left to chance, it is too vitally important to my spiritual growth.  Without regular feeding on God's Word, my spirit cannot grow.  Just as we all need a  diet plan that calls for regular meals so that we get proper nutrition for our physical bodies, it is even more important that we plan to get proper nutrition for our souls. 

PHYSICAL FOOD, SPIRITUAL FOOD

We get physically hungry, so we eat.  If we skip one day of eating, we will be fine, and the same is true if we miss a day of bible reading and study.  But repeatedly missing physical meals will cause us to get sick, eventually.  The same is true of spiritual dining.  We eventually get spiritually sick.  Often we don't know why we are spiritually sick, but, if we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that we often don't get enough spiritual food. 

ONCE A WEEK IS NOT ENOUGH

Many people think that hearing a good message on Sunday at church is all the spiritual food they need.  None of us think that about eating physical food.  Not one person I know eats physical food once a week on Sunday.  Why would anyone think that eating spiritual food once a week on Sunday is enough?

MY BIBLE READING AND STUDY PLAN

I have the whole Bible on my Iphone, both text and audio.  My Bible app has a "read through the Bible in a year "Daily Reading" program" included, and many other features.  It is KJV.  I will use it to listen to and read the Daily Bible Reading.  In addition I will devote 30 minutes daily, to Bible Study.

.........DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD

1 Cor. 10:31

 I will add my Daily Bible Reading and Study Report to my daily blog.  I already report daily on prayer and exercise.  Knowing that I will report these activities daily, motivates me to make sure they get done.   It is a type of accountability.  Ultimately, though, my reports are for God's glory.  He is the reason I do this.  I want my life to honor God.

Daily Bible Reading and Study Report

AUGUST/25/2013

READ:
1 Kings Chapter 20
Jeremiah Chapter 47
1 Corinthians Chapter 6

Bible Study:  30 minutes

Daily Prayer Report

AUGUST/25/2013

Evening Prayer:  15 minutes
Morning Prayer:  30 minutes
Noon Prayer:       15 minutes  

(DEER)

Daily Exercise Report

AUGUST/25/2013

Pull Ups - 19
Crunches - 100
Ab Work (Crunches, leg lifts, bicycling legs) - 4 minutes
Push Ups - 63

PRAYER

Lord God, may all I do glorify you.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

"CRY ALOUD"

Psalm 55:17

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud:  and he shall hear my voice.

This means vocal, loud,  prayer.  But it means more than that.   "Hamah" is the original Hebrew word for "cry aloud" (check this online at www.blueletterbible.org),  "Hamah"  means:

"to murmur, growl, roar, cry aloud, mourn, rage, sound, make noise, tumult, be clamorous, be disquieted, be loud, be moved, be troubled, be in an uproar"

SERIOUS PRAYER

This is serious prayer, not our quiet, "Lord bless so and so", prayers. It is loud, troubled, moving, prayer, full of emotion and disturbance of mind and soul.

FERVENT PRAYER

Our prayers must be "fervent", "hot", to really move us and move God.  Weak, lackadaisical, lazy prayers are the lukewarm of Revelations 3:15-16.  God wants us to be moved in prayer, if we expect Him to be moved by our prayers.

TEARS

I usually pray silently,   And there is a time for that.  But sometimes prayer needs to be disturbed, troubled, upset.   I want the Lord to move my spirit by His Spirit, so that my prayers can truly come from the depths of my heart.  I want  deeper concern, real anguish, over what I am praying about, whether I am praying for myself, someone else, a relationship, a situation, or anything else.  Sometimes, there should be tears.

I want my prayers, and my prayer life,  to be strong.  Please pray for me.

Daily Prayer Report

AUGUST/24/2013

Evening Prayer:  15 minutes
Morning Prayer:  30 minutes
Noon Prayer:       15 minutes  

(DEER)

Daily Exercise Report

AUGUST/24/2013

Pull Ups - 19
Crunches - 100
Ab Work (Crunches, leg lifts, bicycling legs) - 4 minutes
Push Ups - 63

TOMORROW

Tomorrow, I will share my plans to start a Bible Reading and Study Plan. 

PRAYER

Lord, help me to pray in your Spirit.  Move me by your Spirit.  Help me to cry aloud, and I know you will hear my voice.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

MY DAILY PRAYER PLAN, AGAIN  

PROPHECIES ARE GOD'S REVEALED PLANS

God's revealed plans are called prophecies.  Prophecies like Isaiah 7:14 foretold the first coming of Jesus Christ:

Isaiah 7:14   Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

This prophecy reveals God's plan.  When the prophecy was fulfilled it confirmed God's plan.  God is a planner.  I am made in God's image.  I  need to plan.  Unlike God, my plans may, or may not, come to pass.  But I still need to plan.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING

Most of us already do a lot of planning, but there are some areas of our lives that go without planning, much to our detriment.  That is why I have been focusing in my blog  on planning.  I've followed my daily exercise plan, since January 1, 2013, Doing that has given me confidence, and encouragement to examine other areas of my life, to see where I might  benefit from planning.

LOVE AND TRUST

I announced my daily prayer plan yesterday.   I am committed to following it..  Having it in writing gives it concreteness, firmness, distinctness, and clarity.  I can see it in my mind, and I truly want to do it.  I know it will not always be easy to stay on the plan, but I will make every effort to do so, because I don't want to fail.  I also believe I will benefit from it.  That is because I will be spending more time in prayer than I have been up to now.  Unlike physical exercise, which mainly helps the body, prayer can improve any and every part of my life.  I know my trust in God, and my love of God,  will grow as I spend more time with Him.    

MY DAILY PRAYER REPORT

Genesis 1:5  And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.  And the evening and the morning were the first day. 

God viewed the new day as starting with evening, the time when it gets dark, sunset.  Man has assigned the  new "day" to begin at midnight.  Midnight, as you know, is actually the middle of the "night". That is why, in my humble opinion,  it is called MID-NIGHT.   God's plan for the first day, and every day since, follows the sun.  When the daylight is gone,  the "day" is over, and a   new "day" begins.  My daily prayer report will follow God's "evening and morning" day plan.

Psalm 55:17: Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud:  and he shall hear my voice.

Daily Prayer Report

AUGUST/23/2013

Evening Prayer:  15 minutes
Morning Prayer:  30 minutes
Noon Prayer:       15 minutes  

(DEER)

Daily Exercise Report

AUGUST/23/2013

Pull Ups - 19
Crunches - 100
Ab Work (Crunches, leg lifts, bicycling legs) - 4 minutes
Push Ups - 63

TOMORROW

Tomorrow I will share more thoughts on prayer.

PRAYER

Dear Lord God, at evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud unto you.  Please hear my voice.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

My Daily Prayer Plan

In 2nd Samuel Chapter 7:18 -20 , King David begins his prayer to God with a question.  He asks:  "Who am I"?  He then asks "What is my house?", meaning his family line.  He talks to God some more, then asks another question.  "What can David say more unto thee?"

Unworthy

Like most of us, David knows he is unworthy to even talk to God.  He knows that  he and his family are no better than anyone else's.  He questions whether he should say anything more.  That is how prayer can be for all of us at times.  We know we are so inferior, so small, so unworthy of God.

ALL BECAUSE OF JESUS

It is only because of Jesus that we can even come into the presence of God with our feeble prayers.  However, with Jesus, our feeble prayers become bold.

Hebrews 10:19  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

Through prayer, we enter into the holiest place, covered by the blood of Jesus, and we enter boldly, not in our own boldness, but because of Jesus, we have faith that God will hear us, because the blood of Jesus has cleansed us from all unrighteousness. 

BOLDNESS

It is with this boldness of faith that I proclaim my love for Jesus and God, and my desire to pray more fervently than I have been praying, and more often.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

James 5:16. 

 Who [is] he that condemneth? [It is] Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Romans 8:34

My Daily Prayer Plan

Morning prayer, 30 minutes, minimum.  This prayer will consist of praise, thanks, confession of sin, repentance, petition, and meditation.

Afternoon prayer, 15 minutes, minimum.  This prayer will consist of praise, thanks, confession of sin, repentance, petition and meditation.

Evening prayer, 15 minutes, minimum.  This prayer will consist of praise, thanks, confession of sin, repentance, petition, and meditation.

I'll also pray at mealtimes, and whenever there is a need.  Many prayers will be "on the go" prayers, offered with eyes wide open as circumstances dictate.  The morning, afternoon and evening prayers will be offered while alone, and in a quiet place, whenever possible.  This prayer plan will be adjusted as needed, to provide the flexibility to respond to the "movement of the Spirit". 

Unlike my daily exercise plan, which calls for a gradual increase in the quantity of exercise, my daily prayer plan will remain constant in terms of time spent, but my desire is that the prayer will become more fervent, more heartfelt with time, as necessary.  It is difficult to measure prayer intensity.  More important is prayer sincerity, as I seek to draw closer to God. 

Draw Nigh to God

James 4:8:  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded.

This is my effort to draw nigh, draw nearer to God.  Nearer my God to thee, the hymn says.  To get closer to God I need clean hands, and a pure heart. 

(DEER)

Daily Exercise Report

AUGUST/22/2013

Pull Ups - 19
Crunches - 100
Ab Work (Crunches, leg lifts, bicycling legs) - 4 minutes
Push Ups - 63

TOMORROW

Tomorrow I will continue to talk about prayer. 

PRAYER

Dear Lord, as I seek to draw near to you, please help me to clean my hands, and purify my heart.  Help me, in Jesus Name.  Amen.

PLANNING TO PRAY

I consider prayer vital, critical, and absolutely necessary for my well being.  My prayer life does not have a written plan, right now, and I want to change that. 

The confidence I have gained from following my Daily Exercise Plan, has led me to examine other areas of my life, and to ask myself "would this area benefit from following a written plan, daily"?    I see and feel, in my body,  the positive results of daily exercise.  My body has changed, for the better. 

EVEN WHEN I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT

To get these results, I exercise even when I don't feel like exercising.  I looked at my prayer life.  Shouldn't I also pray even when I don't feel like praying?  Would my prayer life benefit from following a written plan, daily?  Don't get me wrong.  I already have regular times of daily prayer. But, is it enough?

NO OFFENSE

 I hope no one is offended by open discussion of my personal prayer life.  I realize that in the Bible we are told not to brag about how much we pray, and to pray to our Father in secret.    Trust me, my prayer life is nothing to brag about.  I really want to improve it. 

PRAYER IS SO IMPORTANT

I believe that prayer is so important, much more important than physical exercise, diet, working a job, family, or anything else, except God Himself.  That is because, prayer is communication with God.  Having a plan for communicating with God makes sense to me.  I want to devote more time to prayer.  And I want to increase my focus on God during prayer.  I want more of my prayers to be more intense, more heartfelt. 

PLAN TO DO BETTER

Has anyone fell asleep while praying?  I have.  Does anyone fall asleep at bedtime while praying?  I do, on occasion.  I want to do better.  I think I do better when I plan to do better.

. 

(DEER)

Daily Exercise Report

AUGUST/21/2013

Pull Ups - 19
Crunches - 100
Ab Work (Crunches, leg lifts, bicycling legs) - 4 minutes
Push Ups - 63

TOMORROW

Pray with me and for me as I begin this process.  Think about it.  I am praying about praying, and I am asking you to do the same.    Tomorrow, I will  begin the process of developing my Daily Prayer Plan. Thanks for reading.  Please leave a comment.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, create in me a clean heart, and renew in me a right spirit.  In Jesus Name.  Amen

EATING

SALADS

CARROTS, CUCUMBERS, Peppers, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, now that's what I call a meal.  Topped with salad dressing  a fresh salad is what I call a meal.  A big bowl, not huge, but certainly not small.  All fresh ingredients, not cooked in any way.  That's what I call a meal.  Sure, I love cheeseburgers, hot dogs, French fries, pizza, pork chops, steak, mashed potatoes, and all kinds of other food.  And I like to cook sometimes.  My Red Velvet Cake is the BOMB, if I say so myself.  This past Christmas, I baked ten of them, two layer cakes all, and gave them as Christmas presents.  It was a lot of work, but I enjoyed it.  The cakes were rich with butter, cream cheese, and lots of sugar.

CHITTERLINGS

I love to eat a variety of foods.  Chitterlings.  Thanksgiving and Christmas call for Chitterlings.  But I have learned that I have to resist the temptation to eat loosely and freely.  I truly have to watch what I eat.  I have to be careful with my weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, just to name a few.  As I age (57 now), this becomes all the more important. 

A LITTLE MEAT

I discovered that I love salads as a teenager.  I have made it a habit to eat a salad with every dinner.  For the past couple of years, I have made the salad the main course, with a little meat, like chicken, steak, or hamburger, other vegetables, and, maybe, some bread.  That's dinner.  I eat a very light breakfast, or none at all.

FRESH FROM THE GARDEN

I use low fat, or no fat salad dressing, but, sometimes I just eat whatever is available.  I love hot peppers and pickles on salad, and will sometime add diced boiled eggs, diced chicken, or bacon bits. 

There are some fabulous, amazing salad recipes out there, and I plan to start trying some of them.  And I want to start making my own salad dressing.  It is not difficult to do, or very costly.

Having a garden has provided us with fresh from the garden vegetables, especially this year.  In fact, for the past several weeks, I have been basing my salad on ingredients direct from the garden, fresh picked, and eaten the same day.  Fresh vegetables taste great.

I love a cold beer, or a glass of wine before, or with, dinner.  And for dessert, I either have nothing, or some homemade cookies, cake or pie, and ice cream (black walnut is my favorite).  

Eating is fun.  Life is good.

(DEER)

Daily Exercise Report

AUGUST/20/2013

Pull Ups - 19
Crunches - 100
Ab Work (Crunches, leg lifts, bicycling legs) - 4 minutes
Push Ups - 63

TOMORROW

Tomorrow I will talk about prayer and how vital it is to have a Daily Prayer Plan.  Thanks for reading.  Please leave a comment.

PRAYER

Thank you, dear Lord, for providing all I need, and many things I want.  Help me to always be content with what I have.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

MAINTAIN AND GAIN

This is how I started 2013, January 1, my Daily ExercisE Report (DEER) for that date:

30 pushups

100 crunches

12 pull ups

1 minute ab exercises

If God is willing, this is how I will end 2013, December 31, my Daily ExercisE Plan (DEEP) for that date:

82 pushups

23 pull ups

100 crunches

5 minutes ab exercises

MAINTAIN

What is my DEEP for 2014?  We are told to  "stand fast" in the Lord, Philippians 4:1.  "Stand fast" means to stand firm, to persevere, to persist.  This applies directly to exercise.  We cannot afford to lose ground.  We must maintain what we have gained.

GAIN

We must also gain ground.  Psalms 115:14 says " The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children."  It is God's plan for us to grow, to gain, to increase in good things.

DEEP 2014:   MAINTAIN AND GAIN

So as I look ahead to 2014, 135 days away, I want to stand firm, maintain, the gains of 2013.  And plan more gains for 2014.  My goal:  Maintain and gain.  Here is my tentative plan for 2014:

Add a pushup a week throughout 2014, ending 2014 with 134 pushups a day. 

Add a pull up a month throughout 2014, ending 2014 with 35 pull ups a day.

Continue doing 100 crunches a day throughout 2014.

Continue with 5 minutes of ab exercises daily, January - March, 2014.  Increase to  6 minutes of ab exercises April - September 2014.  Increase to 7 minutes of ab exercise October - December 2014 to end the year.

I LIKE IT - LONG TERM

This is basically the same incremental increase plan that I am following now, in 2013.  If it ain't broke.........  This slow but steady increase has been relatively easy for me.  I like it.

So this is how I plan to start 2014 on January 1, my daily exercise:

82 pushups

24 pull ups

100 crunches

5 minutes ab exercises

And  this is how I plan to end 2014 on December 31, my daily exercise:

134 pushups

35 pull ups

100 crunches

7 minutes ab exercises

This long term planning is in keeping with my philosophy and goal of thinking long term.  By having a long term plan, I can see where I am going, and how I will get there.  It gives me focus, and helps to keep me motivated. 

EMAIL ME

If you are interested in starting your own DEEP right now, email me at ekirtdoll@hughes.net and I will help you get started any way I can.

(DEER)

Daily ExercisE Report

MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2013

Pull Ups - 19
Crunches - 100
Ab Work (Crunches, leg lifts, bicycling legs) - 4 minutes
Push Ups - 62

TOMORROW

Tomorrow, I'll talk about my diet. No, I am not trying to lose weight.  I am referring to my regular eating, my diet lifestyle.  It takes two to tango.  Getting and staying fit requires that diet and exercise go hand in hand.  Thanks for reading.  Please leave a comment

PRAYER

Gracious God, Lord of Heaven and Earth, You alone are worthy of our Praise.  Thank you for being God all by Yourself.  Thanks for granting me another day of life.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

STROLLING IN THE DEEP

(DAILY EXERCISE PLAN 2013)

Daily Exercise.  For some it is part of their job.  Professional dancers and athletes come to mind.  Others work at desk jobs with little physical activity.  Many of us get some exercise in our daily routines, but often not enough.  We all need daily exercise.  To make sure we get it, we must:

1.  Decide we are going to get the exercise.
2.  Plan what exercises we will do, and when we will do them.
3.  Follow the plan . 

THE PLAN: JAN. 1 - DEC. 31,  2013

 I decided to increase the push ups, by one each week, to  increase the pull ups by one each month.  and, to do 100 crunches daily, all year.

I decided to increase the ab exercises differently: one minute daily in  January, then two minutes daily, February and March, 3 minutes daily, April, May, and June, 4 minutes daily, July, August, September, and October, and 5 minutes daily, November, December. Ab exercises are Leg lifts, bicycling the legs,  and crunches, just to name a  few.

January 2013

January 1 - 7      30  pushups
January 8 - 14     31  pushups
January 15 - 21    32  pushups
January 22 - 28    33  pushups
January 29 - 31   34  pushups (3 of 7 days.  Will complete the week in February)

January 1- 31     12 pull ups
January 1 - 31 100 crunches
January 1 - 31 one minute ab exercises


February 2013
February 1 - 4  34 pushups (4 of 7 days.  Completes the week started in January)
February 5 - 11    35 pushups
February 12 - 18   36 pushups
February 19 - 25    37 pushups
February 26 - 28    38 pushups

February 1 - 28 13 pull ups
February 1 - 28 100 crunches
February 1 - 28 two minutes ab exercises

This format was repeated each month, January  to December 2013

December 2013
1 - 2    77 pushups
3 - 9     78 pushups
10 - 16  79 pushups
17 - 23   80 pushups
24 - 30   81 pushups
31           82 pushups

December 1 - 31 23 pull ups
December 1 - 31 100 crunches
December 1 - 31 5 minutes ab exercises

TO GOD BE THE GLORY

Following this plan this year has been good for me.  I realized in June that doing these exercises right after prayer each morning, and before doing anything else, had become a habit.   I got up expecting to follow my habit, and I did it.    I began to feel a great sense of accomplishment after completing the exercises each day.  I began to see improvement in the look and feel of my biceps, pectorals, and abs.  Mentally, physically, emotionally and even spiritually, I felt uplifted, empowered, strong.  I know it is only by God's grace that I have been able to do this.  To God be the Glory. 

.

GARDEN

Our garden has been an inspiration this year.  It is such a joy to grow your own food.  We have a small watermelon patch, and a cantaloupe patch.  We are harvesting our  second planting of tomatoes this year.  Alabama has a long growing season.  We will have three separate tomato harvests.        

HERE'S MY (DEER)

Daily Exercise Report

AUGUST/18/2013

Pull Ups - 19
Crunches - 100
Ab Work (Crunches, leg lifts, bicycling legs) - 4 minutes
Push Ups - 62

TOMORROW

Tomorrow, I'll talk about my future exercise plans.  Thanks for reading.  Please leave a comment

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for another day of life.  May everything I do today bring glory to You.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

Think Long Term

VISIT THE DOCTOR

How much weight do you need to lose, or gain?  What is your blood sugar level over time?  What are your cholesterol numbers?  Do you smoke?  How much do you smoke?  What is your blood pressure?  Have you had your colonoscopy (at age 50)?  What about your Mammogram?  These and other health related questions need to be answered before you begin an exercise program.  Visit your doctor.

The doctor needs to give you permission to begin an exercise program.  You may have a condition you are not aware of that could cause serious problems or even death, so  suddenly  starting to exercise, even moderately,  may be bad for you.  No kidding.  Every year there are deaths in snowy areas when people go out and shovel heavy snow, and trigger a heart attack.  I don't want anyone getting hurt following my advice.  Visit your doctor and GET PERMISSION TO START THE EXERCISE.  An ounce of prevention........

Please, adopt my exercise plan/program to suit your needs.  Think long term.   By thinking long term, you can forget about getting quick results.  You don't want quick results, you want a lifestyle change.  That takes time.  But you must start and stay with your plan.  That will be easy if you start out with little or no pressure, doing what you can easily do.  That way, the stress of the exercises will not overwhelm you and make you want to quit. 

GET A PLANNER/CALENDAR

You need a planner/calendar.  You can get one in many stores right now, with schools starting. or order one from DAYTIMER.COM, or FRANKLINPLANNER.COM.  These companies offer planners that start every quarter, such as April 1, July 1, and October 1, and of course, Jan 1.  Actually a simple wall calendar will do to get you started.

Planning insures long term thinking. Planners are useful for keeping up with appointments, planning activities, and having one place to keep information.  They are useful organizational tools.  A good planner will have a separate "one page for each  month" calendar in it.  If you already have a planner, great.  If not, go out and get one, or order one online, ASAP.

Your plan will be for a year, 12 months. You are planning long term. 

I'M GOING OUTSIDE

After posting today's blog entry I will  go outside to do some YARD WORK, the mainstay of my physical activity, aside from the daily exercises I do.

I will split wood, haul wood, hoe in the garden, plant some collard green seeds, pick peas, and several other activities I call YARD WORK.  Yard work time varies on a day to day basis.  Some days I spend 2, 3 or 4 hours, other days, just one hour.  I do yard work nearly everyday.  For simple recreation, I plan to ride my bike.

HERE'S MY (DEER)

Daily Exercise Report

AUGUST/17/2013

Pull Ups - 19

Crunches - 100

Ab Work (Crunches, leg lifts, bicycling legs) - 4 minutes

Push Ups - 62

COME BACK TOMORROW

TO STROLL IN THE DEEP

Tomorrow, I will show you how I wrote out my Daily Exercise Plan, or DEEP, for short.  My DEEP makes it easy for me to stay on track as I follow it.  I'll also tell you more about our garden.  Thanks for reading, and please leave a comment.

PRAYER

Lord, make me a useful vessel.  Thank you for all those who read my writing.  May they be inspired to greatness in their lives, for your Glory.  Guide us all by your Holy Bible and your Holy Spirit.  In Jesus Name, Amen.