wellness

Resistance is Futile: Just Obey!

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How many times do we hear God speaking to us, sense the Holy Spirit nudging us to go a certain way, and we do exactly the opposite?  I had an important reminder of the importance of obedience this week.  Actually, I’ve had a LOT of reminders recently (like blinking neon signs!), but I’m just writing about a couple today.  🙂

I decided to drop some bags off at my office early in the morning before hopping on the train so I wouldn’t have to lug them all over tarnation.  Reasonable enough, right?  Well, there was a red “No Parking” sign affixed to the meter in front of my building (that wasn’t there the LAST TIME I dashed in); during morning rush hour, no parking was permitted on this thoroughfare.  Hmmm, drag all these heavy bags for 3 blocks, or rush up to the 23rd floor to drop these off?  I slipped into the parallel parking spot way before 7:30 a.m. as I justified the validity of my risky choice.  I saw a police officer nearby and asked him if it would be okay for me to leave my car for 3 minutes to put the bags into my office; he was “hands-off,” saying he didn’t have anything to do with parking matters, and that I’d be rolling the dice.  (Like he was gonna say, “Go ahead, disobey the law.”) 

I thanked him politely, then darted with my cadre of bags and full-sized umbrella up the elevator shaft, asking the security guard at the front desk to watch my car as I raced by.  Heart rate elevated, I dropped my load and ran back to the elevator and headed for my car.  The security guard said, “You’d better hurry; you’re about to get towed.”  I got to my car just as the parking man (accompanied by the tow truck!) was taking my plate information.  The cherry on top was him saying, “You parked here and the police officer said he told you not to.”  I had no recourse at all.  I humbled myself and said yes sir, thank you, you’re right, I apologize, and got into my car shaking as I drove off.  How would I have explained the car getting towed to my hubby???  I shudder to think…God is truly gracious.

But it didn’t have to be that way.  Had I been obedient in the first place, I would’ve never encountered the parking law enforcer!  No need for an adrenaline rush when we obey – whether it’s God’s laws, or the law of the land.  It really is simple – we just have to obey.  We were created to.  Things work better when we do.

With that said, I am adding an extra layer of accountability as I announce to the blogosphere that I’ve gone from do-nothing to joining a gym AND joining Weight Watchers in less than a week.  Okay, I’ve been resisting the idea while knowing I need to lose weight and start exercising (again) for a very long time, but I finally decided to do something this week.  And it took messages (like blinking neon signs!) from soooo many people God placed in my path to help me get back on the right track.  Making a decision is powerful.  Taking action is even more empowering.  Now that I’m here, I welcome you to join me on my new journey.  I’ll have lots of new stuff to write about, that’s for sure.  I have my first Personal Training session next week.  Stay tuned…

“(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.”

(II Corinthians 10:4-6)

© Copyright 2010 by Kayren J. Cathcart

Consistently Inconsistent?

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Have you ever wondered why you just can’t “keep it all together?”  That thought often comes to me in cycles.  I’ll be doing great (so I think), then all of a sudden (so it seems) – WHAM! – I’m off-kilter and trying to pick up the pieces, get reorganized, and get back on track.  Whether it’s morning devotions, regular exercise, making healthier eating choices, or whatever goes into having a balanced lifestyle that glorifies God in every facet (not just the examples I’m willing to show others!), I know that I must become more consistent in my practices instead of being “hit-or-miss.”

However, I know it’s a process that builds consistency.  And inherent in that process is (ugh!) discipline.  My hubby told me I was just gonna have to learn to love discipline.  Now that seems like an oxymoron to a free-spirited creative type like me, but I know he’s right.  And exhibiting discipline is a manifestation of love.  So just as I discipline my children because I love them and want them to grow up healthy, successful, and making wise decisions, I must discipline myself so I can be who God has called me to be.

As I walk in obedience to God’s Word, I’ll build consistency.  Simple, isn’t it? 🙂  Pray for me as I walk this out – not easy, but very necessary! 

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

(I Corinthians 15:58)

© Copyright 2010 by Kayren J. Cathcart

Lasting Change

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It’s slowly dawning on me that I really don’t want the “old way” anymore.  And it’s exciting to see myself changing, because I did the “old way” very well for so long!  This past weekend, I had my first ice cream cone of the year with my family.  And that was it – one ice cream cone after a balanced dinner at home.  No secretly sneaking to eat it alone between meals in a room behind closed doors. (If it sounds like the “old way” took a lot of scheming and energy, go with that – you’re right).  I didn’t revisit the freezer for a 2nd or 3rd cone (glorious change!).  I was truly content with eating in a more healthy way that would profit my body.  I didn’t even feel deprived when I gave my children some ice cream for dessert last night; I passed up my portion. 

Additionally, God made a way of escape for me when my hubby wanted to treat us to Sunday dinner out so I wouldn’t have to cook – he selected a buffet.  I didn’t say anything to him that morning (gotta appreciate your spouse’s thoughtfulness!), but I prayed that God would give me wisdom in selecting foods from the buffet that would glorify Him and not stuff my body full of junk.  And you know what?  By that afternoon, my hubby had changed his mind – without me saying a word (imagine that!).  He decided that we could eat at home, save some dough (yippee!), and I still didn’t have to cook because we’d prepared well a few days before and had plenty in the fridge.  I was so delighted to eat a chicken breast sandwich topped with bleu cheese dressing, fresh spinach, and red grapes at home!  When I remarked to my hubby, “I definitely wouldn’t have gotten something this healthy at the buffet,” he agreed and we both laughed.

I am grateful that God wouldn’t allow me to eat myself to death – literally.  Why?  Because He has a purpose and a plan for my life that I must fulfill.  So it is with you, my friend.  If you’re facing something that seems absolutely insurmountable and you haven’t gotten victory over it the past 10 times you tried to overcome it, I encourage you to try one more time.  But this time, allow God to change your heart (give Him free reign, holding nothing back for yourself) so you can change your mind, and your lifestyle will begin to change.  He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.  I am a witness!

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

(Hebrews 11:6)

© Copyright 2010 by Kayren J. Cathcart

Less is More

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I should’ve known God was up to something that would create major change in me.  You know what tipped me off?  It wasn’t one particular “struck with a lightning bolt” moment.  But it was a gradual realization of, “Hey – something is different here!”  That “something different” is the reason I haven’t visited my co-workers’ candy dishes since the Christmas holidays…who knew that 20 miniature chocolates in one week (or in one day) would add up on your hips if left unattended???  Right – I should’ve known then, but now I know better, and I do better.  Allow me to share a couple of observations.

About a month ago, we went to a restaurant that serves chocolate mints after dinner.  Our server was kind enough to give us 2 for each person.  Now I remember a day when I would’ve taken the mints from my children so I could have more (I hate to admit it, but I guess that’s hoarding).  This time, I reached (out of habit) for one mint, then subconsciously jerked my hand back.  I remembered, “That was my old way of doing things; I really don’t want that candy, nor do I need the extra calories…nor do I desire to eat one and end up with an urge to finish off the rest of them.”  My family didn’t notice my mental conversation, but I did.  And I’m proud to report that the candies my children didn’t eat are still in a drawer in my kitchen.  I see them when I pull out twist ties, and they’re safe – it’s not even a temptation anymore.  I am grateful for God changing me from the inside out. 

As if to prove that it wasn’t a one-time deal, another test-type situation presented itself one afternoon at work.  I headed to the break room to refill my water bottle, passing by the “free” coffee and rich, calorie-laden hot cocoa.  Then I saw them – leftover cookies from a meeting.  Neatly preserved in a box.  And nobody was looking.  Oh sure, they’d been put there for anyone to help themselves – but that someone didn’t have to be me!  I took a peek to see what flavor presented itself – livin’ on the edge, right?  Peanut butter, with visible peanut butter chip chunks.  “Hmmm,” I mused as I inhaled, noticing how soft the cookies looked.  “Peanuts are healthy,” I reasoned.  Then I snapped back to reality, shut the box, and walked back to my desk with my full water bottle.  I didn’t really want or need a cookie, and that wasn’t what I’d gone to the break room for anyway.  I acknowledged it as just a distraction.  Kayren – 1 point, cookies – zero. God had made a way of escape for me. This time – thankfully – I took it.

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

(I Corinthians 10:13)

© Copyright 2010 by Kayren J. Cathcart

Gravity Works in My Favor

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For the first time in a VERY long time, the scale is actually reading about 10 pounds less…with me standing on it.  Who would’ve thought I’d actually see results this time?  Not me – at first.  Then I kept checking the scale week after week, and it was going down – a pound here, a pound there.  I was hesitant to believe it – and I definitely wasn’t gonna write about it in case I was just dreaming and someone had to shake me back to reality and say, “No honey, you’re still as heavy as you were – wake up!” 

At the beginning of the year, a good friend of mine told me she wanted to lose 40 pounds by her birthday in July.  It sounded rather impossible for me to apply her enthusiasm to my own need to lose the same amount – as my doctor had been gently nudging me to do (then firmly insisting) for the past few years.  Though I wasn’t convinced it could work for me this time, she chirped, “It breaks down to about 2 pounds a week” and I decided that was considerably more manageable to attack than 40 pounds in one fell swoop.  Plus, she said I’d inspired her to be more healthy (imagine that!), so because I wanted to be supportive of her efforts, I agreed to be her accountability partner as we built healthier habits into our daily lifestyles.

She has lost over 15 pounds and is well on her way to reaching her goal.  I’ve lost about 10 pounds (though I was really hoping more than I was believing I’d lose any weight at all), my knees don’t hurt anymore, and I’m feeling ready to run around in the yard with my children when the warm weather arrives.  It’s remarkable how changing your perspective can improve your quality of life!

I didn’t get liposuction (who has money laying around for that these days? and I certainly don’t want anyone carving on me like a Thanksgiving turkey), I didn’t get scammed and subsequently disappointed by the newest “miraculous fat melting pill/powder/beverage fad” (to take my money without delivering results), I haven’t starved myself (though I’m convinced that camels really can live off their humps, and I do have plenty of calories stored up), I haven’t missed any meals (just made the ones I eat healthier and more proportionate), and I have added a little exercise to my week (there’s always room for improvement).  Good ol’ fashioned discipline.  Taking in fewer calories than I burn off.  Not eating everything that comes across my path and isn’t nailed down.  I had to change my mind first – then my body followed.

Can you tell how incredulous I am about the whole thing?  It’s nothing short of amazing, in my opinion.  Yet, with the right input, you can have favorable results.  Since I’d been putting in junk, I was getting excess calories.  When I started putting in more fruit, veggies, and water – voila! – the excess pounds begin to melt away.  Not only am I responsible for taking thoughtful stewardship of my body, the temple of the Holy Spirit, I am also responsible for setting a godly example for others – including my children.  My lifestyle must witness louder than my words.  Finally, my convictions are translating into action and change.  And better health is just one of many benefits I’m reaping.

It all adds up…to less.  I am grateful that God is at work in my life.  Can you hear the chisels and jackhammers?

“Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”

(I Timothy 6:19)

© Copyright 2010 by Kayren J. Cathcart

The Power of A Deliberate Decision

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I’m experiencing a shift and a realignment – both in the spirit and in the natural.  Today, I realized how very happy I really am.  I awoke on my Saturday at 6:00 a.m. and actually wanted to stay up!  Granted, I didn’t stay up (anyone who knows me is aware of how much I value those few-and-far-between opportunities to sleep late), but the excitement bubbling inside could’ve kept me up.  Instead of watching TV, I worked…I guess that’s what a little motivation will do for you!  I can see how much time (or productivity) unconscious, mindless TV watching has drained from me fulfilling my God-given purpose. 

And eating – that’s changed for me, too.  I used to love eating rich meals with my slim and well-proportioned husband.  While his metabolism burned off whatever touched his lips, calories and fat seemed to obstinately accumulate on my hips (and all sites north and south of that vicinity).  It was a common way I used to fellowship, but now I’ve made some deliberate decisions about where I want to be and what it will take for me (not someone else) to maintain a healthy body and a healthy lifestyle.  I passed up his special Super Bowl baked beans laden with ground beef and sausage.  Instead of feeling deprived, I knew my innards thanked me.  And now when I hear the tinkling of his spoon in the ice cream bowl, I don’t even flinch – to God be the glory!  So this is what it means to make a decision and stick with it, huh?    What a novel concept!

I’m growing in confidence that the decisions I make are good for me, not requiring (as much!) affirmation or validation from others because I’m the one who has to live with my decisions.  I’ll admit that sometimes it helps to have a nudge in the right direction from a supportive friend.  Yet, I can’t get caught up in the comfort of company or companionship.  Some paths are meant to be traveled in solitude and reflection.  Like the journey of becoming. 

After having lived to utterly please others for so long, this is indeed a new way of traveling.  I feel lighter already.  Bye-bye excess baggage…I see a place for you to be unloaded.

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

(Hebrews 12:1-2)

© Copyright 2010 by Kayren J. Cathcart

Stop Travelling a Dead-End Escape Route

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Have you ever tried hiding from your thoughts?  Eventually:

  1. You’ll run out of breath,
  2. They’ll get better technology and overtake you, or
  3. You’ll realize the exercise in futility and stop running – because they’ll always be with you until you deal with them.

 Come to think of it, have I ever really drawn a line in the sand about my eating habits?  Yes, but it was over 10 years ago.  I always want to leave a way out, an escape route, a “Plan B” just in case it doesn’t work out, but that’s a cop-out.  There is no instant fix for replacing unhealthy habits to healthy habits aside from commitment to a lifestyle transformation – and making it happen.  There, I said it.  So now I’m accountable.  Here I go…once again, but I am going in the right direction.

Maybe overeating or under-exercising aren’t your weaknesses.  Perhaps you don’t have any cravings or addictions to speak of, but you hold bitterness, unforgiveness, or anger in your heart.  I challenge you to face whatever holds you back from serving God whole-heartedly – and ask Him to help you to be an overcomer in that area, too.  We want to be balanced (physically, emotionally, spiritually, and financially) – instead of looking successful and prosperous on the outside, but in actuality being “tore up from the floor up” on the inside.  Let the journey begin…with Christ as our only way of escape.

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

(I Corinthians 10:13)

© Copyright 2010 by Kayren J. Cathcart

Facing the Intuitively Obvious

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Why is it so challenging to stay the course when distracted?  Someone else may be permitted to do something that’s not really good for you – but that’s no excuse to join in indulging with them, no matter how close they are to you.

For example, I hear (through my closed bedroom door) the familiar sound of my healthy, nicely-proportioned, not overweight husband getting his pre-bedtime snack.  I hear the click of the dishwasher opening as he reaches for his favorite bowl, the sliding of the drawer to get an eating utensil, and the beeps of the microwave.  Even if I’m not hungry, these sounds trigger behavior that has contributed to me gaining an extra 40+ pounds over the past decade.  At first, late night eating was fun, and joining my spouse with a snack became a habit – a calorie-rich habit.  Now I see that because I wasn’t disciplined enough to make healthier choices, I’m paying for it now.  Ugh.  (Trust me, I didn’t wanna get that real, but in order to make a change, you’ve gotta identify the root cause of the issue and isolate the problem). 

Action-oriented people ask me, “So what are you gonna do about it?”  Instead of seething or having a grossly underattended pity-party, I may as well face the reality of my genetic predisposition to the “magnetic middle area” and not only decrease my food intake, but get moving.  I feel like a broken record because I’ve started and stopped exercise routines more times than I care to count.  So did that cause disappointment?  Yeah, but I didn’t stick to it.  But “it” wasn’t clearly defined (subconsciously or deliberately) so I could give myself an “out” when I failed…talk about defeatist thinking!  Now I can no longer afford to pay the price for failure.  So this is what it means to embrace change, eh?  Hello to a new day and a new way…

“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient:

all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”

(I Corinthians 10:23)

© Copyright 2010 by Kayren J. Cathcart

A Mother’s Sacrifice…and Reward

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Like I do just about every 2 weeks, I’m sitting at the local beauty school waiting for my very long and thick-haired daughter to get her as-yet chemically untreated natural mane of crowning glory washed, conditioned, and braided by a lady with a little more patience and a lot more skill than me to do so.  The significant difference is that instead of reading and watching the clock between bouts of entertaining her for 4-5 hours while she gets coiffed, tonight I am springing an extra $8 to get pampered myself.  Granted, I am well able to wash and roller set my own hair (as I generally do between relaxers), but today I decided I’d enjoy the treat.  Wow – what have I been missing?!?  My scalp is way happy right about now as I sit under the dryer conditioning and waiting for my stylist to finish coloring someone else’s tresses.

As mothers, we often forget to allow ourselves time to be rewarded for the many sacrifices we make on a daily basis.  But when we remember, it really helps us to keep our serving and caring for others in perspective.  All giving without being replenished and restored leads to imbalance – honey, don’t I know it!!!  Yet, an occasional splurge (within reason, of course *wink, wink*) doesn’t hurt.  As a matter of fact, it helps.  When we feel relaxed, appreciated, and renewed, there’s no end to the benefits our families reap.  On the flip side, we all know what pent-up resentment coupled with overtiredness and frazzled feelings lead to…and that untimely explosion ain’t pretty!

So do yourself a favor and have that cup of coffee made by someone else; take an extra 10 minutes driving home to enjoy some different scenery; lock the door and luxuriate in that monthly (or quarterly) bubble bath.  Without guilt.  Because you’ve earned it.  If your family can attest to your sacrifices (and most of them speak for themselves), then you more than owe it to yourself to enjoy a reward from time to time.

Who knows?  Next time, I may even add on the $6 manicure.  LOL 🙂

  © Copyright 2009 by Kayren J. Cathcart

”She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.”

(Proverbs 31:27-29)

Keep it Moving: Purge!

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As a beloved administrator in the Academic Skills Center told us as bright-eyed freshmen at the University of Richmond, “Don’t forget your fiber; you’ll need your roughage.”  We giggled, snickered, and chortled during orientation (because – as teenagers – of course we already knew everything, right?).  Yet, after substituting mom’s home-cooking for cafeteria fare and pulling late-night study sessions back-to-back with early morning classes, we became all-too-aware of our need for fiber and roughage to stay balanced and healthy.  Sure, pizza and ice cream (and all the goodies in-between) were fun and quick to eat – but when we needed substance and sustenance, we had to go back to the basics and put in the good stuff – fruits, veggies, protein, complex carbohydrates…you know the drill.

Our arteries long to be cholesterol-free.  Our colons would appreciate a rest from the incessant inflow of processed foods.  Our airways yearn for pure oxygen untainted by pollutants.  It’s no fun to be clogged, stopped up, or constipated – naturally or mentally.  Have you experienced a sluggish mind lately?  Maybe there’s a build-up of negative thoughts, unforgiveness, or bitterness that you just need to let go.  Perhaps inane bits of trivia occupy your valuable cranial space where you could have some real productivity if you cleared the mental clutter.  Whatever’s prohibiting your creativity – banish it from your personal space. 

Identify what is blocking, obstructing, congesting, jamming, choking, plugging, stifling, suffocating, strangling, gagging, or otherwise halting your process and free-flow of life, love, and creativity.  Then do something about it.

And remember: fiber is good!  🙂

 © Copyright 2009 by Kayren J. Cathcart

 “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

(II Corinthians 7:1)