How far can we go?

I just viewed report done by Greg Gutfield from the news "the five," about fetuses aborted and infants lost in pregnancy of babies wanted. They are being used for fuel. Every day they are collected and then burned in the incinerator for fuel at a hospital or clinic in Britain. In the report from a news station in England interviewed a woman who they showed a film of her in late term pregnancy. Then afterward after she lost the baby she had no choice, but the policy that the hospital had to take the loss baby to be collected and then thrown into the incinerator later against the mothers protest. Blatant disrespect for the child, and the body created in the image of God. Apparently it was a government policy about infants lost in pregnancy that's in place in England. This is what we should expect in our own government response to these kind of issues where we won't have a choice of the care that a lost child in pregnancy should get. Someday they will probably give the okay for bodies to be used for fuel. But we should always protect the young. This story really makes me grieve. The fact that anybody hardly covered this story but were checking with psychics about where plane crashed in Indian Ocean, how far are we going?

In health we have to protect the innocent, the weak, the old. If we don't it says whole lot about us.

Have fears in the night? Know your prayer line is secure...

Some where in this wilderness Satan Tempted Jesus,
an easy place to get lost.

This week I have taken myself up with the question that came from a reading Screwtape Letters from CS Lewis. In Lewis' letter Screwtape the master demon is instructing his prodigy a Wormwood about keeping his client from knowing the truth and acting on it. In Lewis first letter Screwtape is able to understand the thoughts of the client Wormwood is working with. "saw a train of thought in his mind beginning to go the wrong way."...The Enemy (God) presumably made the counter suggestion (you know how one never quite over hear What He says to them)"The demon is not so clear on what God is saying that's a mystery to him. The Screwtape letters is a wonderful fiction and I do encourage you to read it. But I had a question, can Satan read our minds? Can he enter into the very thoughts of our prayer? Does he have these abilities?

It doesn't do you any good to go to movies or literature especially the stuff written today, to find answers. I say this for one simple fact, Satan, the devil is a liar; he tells half truths and he's an expert at it. The only place where I think you'll get the truth about Satan is in the Bible. Now there is always an onslaught of a lot of films that bring up all kinds of possibilities. There are so called documentaries all the time the deal was various Occult, Satanism, and other weird ideas. 

A few basic things, the Bible teaches that Satan and the demons are created. They want to be like God, but they are not God. They do not have God's abilities. They are different than humans, they have more experience, they are stronger, they are invisible for most of time, I haven't yet knowingly seen an angel. (Some of the kids I work with where demons LOL) I know they can changed their appearance.

I believe only God can read our thoughts, read Psalms 139. I cannot see this ability of knowing our thoughts that Satan has it from the Bible. Angels being invisible can certainly hear us talk. I tend to ramble and ramble so if a demon or an angel is around me for very long he probably knows a lot of what I'm thinking.

Satan operates from the outside in.
(James chapter 1:13-15 "13 No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God.” For God is not tempted by evil, and He Himself doesn't tempt anyone. 14 But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires. 15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.)
We are informed that sin works from the inside and we can only blame ourselves for our wrongdoing. But the demon world can use sin and temptation from the outside, He can use thoughts and ideas from the world that are opposed to God. Satan is the prince of the air, the god of this age. He moves us towards the motivations of greed, power, forse, lust, a desire to be like God - pride, all seem to be within the ability that he has to influence and deceive us. I cannot see where angels has the ability to read our minds.

Even if our minds are inflicted and become ill from injury, with mental illness or dementia, he can't read the mind itself. He can certainly interpret what comes out of the mouth or the body language, and use it to his advantage.

But here's my idea, I was encouraged in my studies, that our prayers are between us and God himself. We don't have to say our prayers where anybody hears them if we don't want. But it's very clear that if we draw near to God, Satan does do something that he is and that is he's afraid of God and he will flee.  James 4:7. Our thought life is our own with only God who seeks our best as being privileged to it. Satan and the demons are creatures who were not given that ability. I take comfort in that. Remember that the demons and Satan are created and limited.  There abilities don't include reading minds. Their desire is to be like God and defeat God. But God is God and is stronger than He who is in the world. Praying is a secure line, you can have confidence in your thoughts and prayers. keep walking

Building bones

Eye of a Tiger, great for this exorcise

I was reading an article by Gretchen Reynolds what are good exercises to prevent osteoporosis?

According to John Dr. John Tobias, a professor in rheumatology at the University of Bristol, jumping and running seem to be the most effective way to build bone health.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/21/ask-well-exercises-to-strengthen-bones/?_php=true&_type=blogs&partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

If you have a set of 10 times in a row twice a day you can strengthen your bones in your hips.

Doing weightlifting and resistance training can help put bone on your spine and in your upper bodies, and the legs.

Running and impact sports are very good at adding density to the bones. The article didn't talk about walking, but I read other studies that show the impact from walking is very helpful to adding density to the legs and body as well.

It seems these activities tend to really work the muscles to bend the legs a little bit and the shaking of the bones kicks in growth hormones for the bones to respond and get stronger.

Hopping may be a little undignified or you may have a balance issue so I suggest to hop with your hands on the counter or a chair for stability and keep in mind it's just 10 times and then later you can do it 10 more times and you're really helping your  your hips to the thicken the bone. I am considering the hopping part jumping to put the put into my old man exercises.

I've been putting on old hits from the 60s because they usually ran about 2 or 3 minutes, and I've been simulating hitting the boxing bag for a three minute about. I am simulating the movements I used to do with a timing bag. I've been going through some motions in boxing while I'm boxing in the air. (shadow boxing) And I'm up to two rounds now and in between the rounds I do a set of crunches, sit-ups and push-ups. So far it's giving me about nine  to 12 minutes of continual exercise. If ad 10 hops to each round than there you go. In boxing if you hit through the bag, imaging your fist going six inches past the impact you add a power element. Shadow boxing is great on the bones. It also is aerobic. Keep walking

Before I forget...

Pictures of sunset of the sea of Galilee. Today has a feel of spring. A great day for the snow to melt hooray! I know there's snow in the forecast sometime next week, but I'm going to remain hopeful that spring will be here soon. This year it's going to take me a while to get into the walking. I've been kind of housebound a little too long. Next winter I think I'm in I am going to have to rethink how to deal with the snow and stuff.

I bought exercise mat a few weeks ago and I find it real easy on the knees. It's easy to go through a lot of floor exercises to add them to my other routines for full body workout. 

What do you do for mental work out. Scientists have suggested that when we get older our brains get too full of stuff. We have a way of always rerouting our thoughts and our memories to make new connections. It looks like we will be able to include in our blood work test about different types of dementia. That's good because we really don't have great insight if we're going to get it and it doesn't seem to be one of the things that were able to do is to be able to see it coming. If we can get a warning that it may be arriving, there's things that they can do to slow it down or prevent it for a while. Early detection seems to be a good idea.

Can we keep our brain healthier by walking, by eating healthy food, by doing the things are good for our heart. When we walk, we actually use our brain like if we were doing a crossword puzzle. Our brain gets a work out by moving and taking in the experience around us.

I have always wanted to learn Spanish, and get a better handle on my Greek studies so I'm going to devout part of my day during the week to learning these things. Learning new things, developing new connections in my brain why not.

I am reading the next Longmire book, Steamboat. There's also a couple of the books I've been reading and enjoying. It's fun to read at night.

No the thought of worry about our mental state that can't be a good idea. But there are a few things that we can do that can be good for us. I sure like listening to Pandora while I read. It helps create a nice atmosphere listening to different styles of easy music. Sometimes it's kind of fun sitting out enjoying the outside listening to whatever music I like to hear the time. It's just one more way that you can use the Internet and these things can be good for us. It's a good way to relax and unwind. One of the stations I created is 100 instrumental hymns, and Pandora plays a lot of music that I like to hear about the words and it's a way of helping me relax and think about good things while I read or just waiting to doze off to go to sleep.

Take time to count your blessings. Find something to laugh about, say positive things, smile look at things in a good way; all seem to be something very good for our brains. One thing I find funny to laugh at is all the things I forget. Keep walking

Making goals and habits

Our Daily Bread this week had a great devotion on Instant Gratification By David C. McCasland that I like you to read at http://odb.org/2014/03/03/instant-gratification/ Our Daily Bread can be a great habit.

Planning and goals are more productive than instant success. Being older there is the importance of the here and now, but some things still take time to happen. When it comes to health we may need to start today but results still take time. Clint Eastwood was interviewed on TV and he was asked how he still looked fit. His answer was simple and wise. He responded, "habits developed a long time ago". He still kept doing the things he had done since early in his career. He also talked about his love of music that he stilled loved and enjoyed. Mr. Eastwood had developed some good habits including his growth in the art of movie making. Gene Hackman, retired from acting has developed a love to write novels. Living is a good habit to keep doing as we age. We may have to make some changes.
When it comes to our health, it's good to make goals that won't happen tomorrow, or the next day, or in two weeks. I was just looking at an advertisement for following a particular diet plan, and it said in 21 days you can lose 10 pounds. The "then had a before picture". There had to be at least 60 pounds difference in the two pictures. Not that the ad was lying, but it took more than three weeks to lose that weight. A lot of times we look at those kind of ads or we look at ourselves and if we are not losing a lot of weight right away, we get discouraged and quit.

That's why think it's much better to make a goal to be healthy, to lose weight, or to get more fit but don't put those kind of expectations of great loss fitness or health right away. Instead let's take a look at putting the right habits into our life. For example, you may work or have a pension or some type of retirement plan where you have money coming in a regular basis. You take that money and you go to the grocery store and buy your groceries. You fill your gas tank up, you you plan for the things that you need to spend for that month and for things that you want to do. And then you know when you go cook a meal your or go to the store you have already provided the means to do that. It's a matter of a good habit. What are good habits that we can develop on health. They may take five months to actually make it a habit. According to Dr. Cooper says habit formation like seeing the size of a plate that is a good helping for heath that becomes automatic can take five months.  What habits are we talking about:
Well one, the habit of this the three-quarter plate looking at a plate filled with vegetables and an fruit with smaller amounts of carbohydrates and protein, not having to fill the plate. If we only eat one helping I guarantee you you're doing something that is going to help your health.
Two, the habit maybe to go for a walk for 30 minutes every day. It's not the change in one day that you'll see but in the several weeks you'll begin to feel all the benefits of that walk. In a couple months your health numbers will be better. When you start you might be a little sore. That's why we start walking where we ease into it. In time, a 30 minute walk is going to help you with your blood sugar, weight, breathing, health because you're getting a blood all moving throughout your body and the immune system always get a kick to be better that day. Read up on the benefits of walking, http://www.startwalkingnow.org/whystart_benefits_walking.jsp
http://www.sharecare.com/health/walking/article/walking-benefits
Three, another good habit is to drink eight glasses of water every day. Some of that water can be a cup of coffee or tea, but having a lot of fluids throughout the day, will help your health and believe me you're you're going to strengthen your immune system and you're going to be fighting cancer, heart disease, diabetes practicing these three habits and see change over time. Good health is something that we work at and it does take time to make the habit of it. Being in my 60's now, I don't need to look like I'm in my 20's trying to be one of those before-and-after ads. But I do want to better health. Keep walking

Inspirational and humor on aging

"Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of; the tree is the real thing." Abraham Lincoln

"I don't have a problem with birthdays," Wanda Sykes told Ellen DeGeneres last spring. "I have a problem with things falling apart!"

"I asked George Burns, who lived to be 100, if he would write whatever retire, and he said, to what? What would you do?" Billy Crystal

"When I find myself living in the past, I  snap an imaginary rubber band on my wrist. It works. The alternative is Sunset Boulevard, where I sit in a darkened room and Eric von Strohoem enters and asked me what episode of the Bob Newhart show I like to watch today." Bob Newhart

AARP magazine, this month

A Grizzly Conversion -“A priest, a minister, and a rabbi want to see who’s best at his job. So they each go into the woods, find a bear, and attempt to convert it. Later they get together. The priest begins: “When I found the bear, I read to him from the Catechism and sprinkled him with holy water. Next week is his First Communion.” “I found a bear by the stream,” says the minister, “and preached God’s holy word. The bear was so mesmerized that he let me baptize him.” They both look down at the rabbi, who is lying on a gurney in a body cast. “Looking back,” he says, “maybe I shouldn't have started with the circumcision.” Submitted by Mitchell Hauser Reader's Digest, this joke had a 65% approval

To be fair I always loved the line by Mel Brooks, "'The Inquisition' what a show!" 
With myself I have always notice many things I think God taught me with humor. Maybe not with a punchline and a drum roll, but I still find things funny. have you ever noticed in the hospital humor people find about the the health problems they face. Keep walking

Commercials a good time to move - Lose 50 lbs in a year

Well searching the web today I came up with a couple different ideas I think you might find interesting. One of them this talking about moving while we watch TV. I have to admit that I don't do it enough or should do it more. Liz Vaccariello, writing for Reader's Digest shares how.

Well are you trying to prevent kidney stones going to health day if you have diet design help you're the lower your blood blood pressure what they call it the Dash diet, – dietary approaches stop hypertension it may also prevent kidney stones. Go to the following link for information. http://news.health.com/2014/03/01/diet-to-reduce-blood-pressure-may-also-stave-off-kidney-stones/

"TV going to active time could be allowed if some of us could show as much as 50 pounds in one year! How about a few sit ups or push-ups during commercials? How about a 5 pound dumbbell lifting overhead 15 times with the charm for a 60s second break? If that seems like too much, at least, don't ever take a commercial sitting down. Use every commercial is a cutie get up and move move.

Try to stand and move as much as possible while you find yourself waiting. Depending on where you are, you could march in place, do a few laps around by your house, try a few stretches, or climb a flight of stairs." Tips from by Liz Vaccariello 

The idea here is that if we move throughout today even that a little bit more in the evening when we're inclined to be sitting watching. We are actually helping ourselves to lose weight and to be more healthier with our blood circulation moving and giving less time for us to be sedimentary. New research suggests even having the time of exercise may not be enough but finding ways to move throughout the day and actually be very healthy. So keep walking