A little over a year ago, a wise friend of mine shared that she and her husband choose a word or theme for the new year to help them stay focused on a main priority. It seemed like an easier and far more inspiring idea than the traditional list of resolutions, so Mark and I decided to do the same. Last year was the year of adoption by default, so this is the first year we've really been able to talk through our priorities and decide what to focus on for the next 12 months.
You might be surprised how hard an exercise this is! There are many areas of our life that need special attention, and we have big decisions to make in the next 12 months. It seems as if life has a million strings pulling at us both, and we spent a lot of time in conversation about what was going to be really important for us at this point in our family's life. After much thought and prayer and discussion, 2011 is going to be the Year of Health.
Most people make resolutions about exercise and diet at the new year, but we wanted this to be more than just the "I'll eat healthier and/or diet, and exercise three times a week" kind of deal. Definitely physical health is a huge part of what we want to focus on. Mark wants to get back into half-marathon shape, I want to (OK, let me rephrase - "need to"..."want to" is just not believable.) go back on the Dr. Holistic eating again - which, by the way, would be a lot easier if Pepperidge Farms would make a gluten free, wheat free, dairy free, organic cinnamon sugar bagel. Jude is taking iron supplements for anemia, and Calvin has a dairy intolerance. Clearly, we could all use some serious modification in our eating habits.
The Year of Health also gives me permission to make my karate classes a high priority. Between Cal's tonsil surgery and our travel and missing other classes here and there, I was, for a brief period of time, the Perpetual Orange Belt (which made me feel like I was competing with Mary the mother of Jesus for some strange "perpetual" title.). I want to sit down with my instructor and come up with a realistic, yet challenging plan for the year.
The other, very important aspect of the Year of Health is that we are taking our spiritual health far more seriously. After everything that happened with our failed adoption, we know that we need to be spiritually healthy for the inevitable twists and turns of life. Mark and I (and my friend Ang and anyone else who wants to join us!) are doing the "B90X" Bible reading plan (as dubbed by my arch nemesis). We are going to read through the Bible in 90 days. The whole Bible. Yeah.
Mark and I have read the Bible for years, but never all the way through and never in such an intentional way. I gotta admit, it is fairly hard core. I got behind on January 1st (who's your daddy), and spent over an hour catching up last night. But already it has been really profound and eye opening. Did you know that man was intended to only eat green plants and seeds in the Garden of Eden? Not until later did God give permission for us to eat meat. (Dr. Holistic would have a field day with that one.) The first mention of the word "worship" actually comes when Abraham says he and his son are "going up the mountain to worship", when God had commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. It's just been so interesting, and every so often I'm going to do a B90X update post here to share where I'm at and what I'm learning. There are a lot more aspects to spiritual health, but for the first few months, we want to get to know God better through His Word.
I'm hoping we can make some important changes in our physical and spiritual health, and I think then the other aspects of our life will more naturally fall into place. So...now it's out there. I'm cyber accountable. (Gulp.) Be gentle, but every so often, feel free to "comment" me for a Year of Health update.
You might be surprised how hard an exercise this is! There are many areas of our life that need special attention, and we have big decisions to make in the next 12 months. It seems as if life has a million strings pulling at us both, and we spent a lot of time in conversation about what was going to be really important for us at this point in our family's life. After much thought and prayer and discussion, 2011 is going to be the Year of Health.
Most people make resolutions about exercise and diet at the new year, but we wanted this to be more than just the "I'll eat healthier and/or diet, and exercise three times a week" kind of deal. Definitely physical health is a huge part of what we want to focus on. Mark wants to get back into half-marathon shape, I want to (OK, let me rephrase - "need to"..."want to" is just not believable.) go back on the Dr. Holistic eating again - which, by the way, would be a lot easier if Pepperidge Farms would make a gluten free, wheat free, dairy free, organic cinnamon sugar bagel. Jude is taking iron supplements for anemia, and Calvin has a dairy intolerance. Clearly, we could all use some serious modification in our eating habits.
The Year of Health also gives me permission to make my karate classes a high priority. Between Cal's tonsil surgery and our travel and missing other classes here and there, I was, for a brief period of time, the Perpetual Orange Belt (which made me feel like I was competing with Mary the mother of Jesus for some strange "perpetual" title.). I want to sit down with my instructor and come up with a realistic, yet challenging plan for the year.
The other, very important aspect of the Year of Health is that we are taking our spiritual health far more seriously. After everything that happened with our failed adoption, we know that we need to be spiritually healthy for the inevitable twists and turns of life. Mark and I (and my friend Ang and anyone else who wants to join us!) are doing the "B90X" Bible reading plan (as dubbed by my arch nemesis). We are going to read through the Bible in 90 days. The whole Bible. Yeah.
Mark and I have read the Bible for years, but never all the way through and never in such an intentional way. I gotta admit, it is fairly hard core. I got behind on January 1st (who's your daddy), and spent over an hour catching up last night. But already it has been really profound and eye opening. Did you know that man was intended to only eat green plants and seeds in the Garden of Eden? Not until later did God give permission for us to eat meat. (Dr. Holistic would have a field day with that one.) The first mention of the word "worship" actually comes when Abraham says he and his son are "going up the mountain to worship", when God had commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. It's just been so interesting, and every so often I'm going to do a B90X update post here to share where I'm at and what I'm learning. There are a lot more aspects to spiritual health, but for the first few months, we want to get to know God better through His Word.I'm hoping we can make some important changes in our physical and spiritual health, and I think then the other aspects of our life will more naturally fall into place. So...now it's out there. I'm cyber accountable. (Gulp.) Be gentle, but every so often, feel free to "comment" me for a Year of Health update.
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