I wholeheartedly believe the statement: “If you don’t move it, you lose it.” If we do not exercise or move our bodies, our muscles can weaken and, in time, deteriorate. Not only for my benefit, but to glorify God, have I wanted to remain as active as I possibly can for as long as I possibly can, especially after the cows are gone.
Of course, a person can overdo it, too. The other day I helped my husband in the barn before breakfast, as usual. After clearing the table, we both went out and tackled midmorning chores, letting cows out and cleaning barn. Usually he does these chores by himself and I just come out to help tie up cows. Earlier in the week, I had promised I would give him one whole day, so wouldn’t you know, he took me up on it.
After chores, we headed out to the woods. Because of the bitter temps, the wood was getting burnt up at an alarming rate. After bringing a truckload home, we ate lunch and after a short break went right back out to the woods. Coming home to unload, we immediately started evening chores.
That night before supper, my husband prayed, “Thank You, Lord, for tired bones. That means we got some good work done today!”
In addition to keeping active on the farm, I exercise almost daily with “Rise Up with Jennifer Webster.” (www.RiseUpTelevision.com) I’ve mentioned that before, but because I firmly believe by participating with this gal I am a healthier person, I want others to benefit, too.
My older sister accidentally found this program a couple of years ago. She exclaimed, “Kay! You’ve got to tune in to this exercise program, you’ll love her. She’s a Christian who tends to body, mind and soul. It’s on the NRB Network, Channel 378 on Direct TV, Monday through Friday from 8-8:30 am.”
Tune in I did and got hooked. There’s something about an aerobic exercise that invigorates me more than barn chores. I don’t get the endorphin release from the cows that I do from Jennifer!
I’ve actually tried to stay active my entire life. When we were in our 20s, my sister and I exercised with a program called, “The 20-Minute Workout.” It was intense and, back in the day, we both could keep up. It was on from 6-6:30 a.m. and it worked out beautifully with my schedule then. Recently married, I was working 8-5 at an office and went in the barn only on the weekends.
One morning I turned on the TV to find the exercise program was replaced by Bullwinkle the Moose! Oh, I was upset and immediately went out to purchase an exercise program on a VHS tape. By that time, I was “hooked” and could not go without.
When our kids were small, I took a break from exercising as time would just not permit it. There wasn’t an uninterrupted one-half hour that I could grab! So when my sister discovered the rise up workout, it was perfect timing.
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, Jennifer has a low-impact cardio routine. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we use light weights to firm and tone muscles. There’s a warm-up period leading to a bit more strenuous exercise, then stomach work and a cool-down stretch. At the end of every program, she has a “Health Talk” segment.
Throughout her workouts, she implements Christian values, using humor and instruction to teach and educate and to instill in her participants that we are responsible to our Heavenly Father to maintain our good health. She says things like, “Eat lean, eat clean, drink plenty of water, watch your portions, don’t skip a meal, think of your body like a car, you need good fuel to keep it running at an optimal level, same thing with our bodies!”
Also, she encourages us to eat natural foods because as she says, “God didn’t create us in a factory; He created us in a garden! We need to take care of the temple of the Holy Spirit.”
She’s always giving out tidbits of the benefits of exercise as well, such as: “You’ll sleep better, you’ll have more energy, and you’ll have better endurance. Stay encouraged, not discouraged. God wants you to walk in the fullness of divine health! We need to remember who we are in Christ, and Whose we are!”
If my schedule does not allow time for Jennifer in the morning, I miss it. I love the energy boost, the satisfaction after a workout because I’m proud of pushing myself past when I want to say, “Enough!” Also, if I’m achy from making wood or over-exertion with barn chores, exercise helps alleviate that soreness and stiffness.
Yes, if we don’t move it, we’ll lose it. To glorify God, I want to remain as active as I possibly can for as long as I possibly can, especially after the cows are gone! It’s a responsibility I do not take lightly.
(“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
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