List #1

Meandering through Target today I had a thought… I have a lot of background guilt in my life for just a few things. There seem to be some recurring players, messages of condemnation that keep popping up about the same issues. Really, they boil down to the following two puzzle pieces: Spiritual and Physical life and upkeep.
While I realize that we never truly arrive, I also know that there are some things we can put in place that will significantly increase the quality and impact of life. So, I present you to my list, and invite you to suggest new list items or join in.

1. Bible
Read daily – This isn’t rocket science here. But I’ve fallen off the wagon in a major way. So I’m starting slow, but I’ll move through Ephesians for the next month or so. And journal. Journaling is important.

Memorize – I am terrible at slowing down. I like to jam through something and move on. I haven’t slowed down enough to memorize scripture in years. But I remember times in my life where I did this, and those scriptures still jump to my mind easily. Galatians 2:20 is always there. So I think it’s time to take advantage of my sedentary work space, and hang a scripture up in front of my desk once a week. Take 20 minutes to memorize it. And marinate in it for the rest of the week. First up is Ephesians 1:4-6.

2. Eat better (i.e. less carbs and sugar) – Like many women I do a lot of tying my self-esteem with my waistline. In some ways I’ve come a long way, thanks to realizing that love surpasses the beauty I see when I look in the mirror. But… this is a health issue. I want healthy bones and organs for a long time. And I want to feel good and energetic. Less diabetes, more life. So, next stop: South Beach Diet. Ugh… I miss bread already.

3. Oral hygiene (floss and Listerine) – I used to floss 2 weeks out of the year. 1 week prior to each dental cleaning (every 6 months) to temporarily toughen up my gums to minimize pain and embarrassment as the dental hygienist realizes how much I suck at flossing. But now I am realizing that flossing is not really for that purpose. Healthy gums people, healthy gums. So there’s that.

4. Continue exercising – I already exercise but I am expanding my horizons beyond 24 Hour Fitness drudgery into mountain biking and trail running.

5. Eat calcium vitamins daily – We all age. In church this week Mark Pickrell said that age is the collision of experience and deterioration. But maybe we don’t need to live on the fast track of deterioration. While admitting that silver hair will come, might as well do as much as possible to avoid broken hips and hump backs.

There you have it. These are the same things I’ve been working on for years. But I’m writing them down and putting them out there, so I’m hoping this marks a new level in working on them. There are a few more important things (get more sleep, serve more, save money monthly), but I didn’t want to overwhelm myself. Those go on the next list. For now, first stop… Ephesians 1:4-6.