My Body is a Temple & Our Family Health Challenge
Nobody has been given a perfect body! A friend and I were chatting and she started talking about physical features she'd like to change. I commented, "I just wish I could fix my insides." And it's true! I hate that some mornings I wake up with pain and need to lessen my workload. I wish I could sit on the floor and play with my kids without feeling like an old woman when I stand up. I love ice cream and want to eat it every day....but I can't.
We each have a challenge that comes with having a mortal body. We each need to discover what the Lord is trying to teach us with that particular challenge. I have to partner with Him when I struggle, because I physically cannot manage on my own. I am learning to be humble, to slow down and to need help (none of which come easily for me at all!).
Saturday was Family Health and Fitness Day! My hubby and I took this opportunity to create a family challenge (I need help in getting back on track, and I could see my kids struggle with similar weaknesses as J and I, so I am dragging my whole family along!). We started, actually, on Monday night.
Family Night at our house was focused on the Word of Wisdom. We basically each took three verses to read silently and then summarize for the family. We watched a snippet from a talk by Elder Jorg Klebingot who said, "Feeding the spirit while neglecting the body, which is a temple, usually leads to spiritual dissonance and lowered self-esteem." Rather than telling my kids to stop eating junk and nagging them to "get out and do something" I wanted them to see the principle behind the action. Approaching them with these ideas first and then telling them about the challenge was so great! They fully participated in helping to create the plan and were eager to get started as a family (of course, the whole week they ate plenty candy knowing this might be their last week of it).
Saturday we took a family bike ride to kick off our challenge. We stopped and played at the river, wading in and skipping rocks. And then TODAY begins The Challenge!
How does our challenge work? It's quite simple:
Each week we are to keep track of our sugar (treats) intake and our physical activity.
That's it!
The main idea for me is that I want our family to work together to be healthier. Elder Russell M. Nelson has taught that we should "regard our body as a temple of our very own." The wording of that phrase hit me so much harder than any other on the subject. This is my very own temple! What am I doing to take care of it? I used to think if you take care of the spiritual your body will just take care of itself. I know now this is not true. The body and the spirit make up the soul. It is my soul I want to eventually be reunited with my God. So, here's to a healthier and happier body! ;-)
We each have a challenge that comes with having a mortal body. We each need to discover what the Lord is trying to teach us with that particular challenge. I have to partner with Him when I struggle, because I physically cannot manage on my own. I am learning to be humble, to slow down and to need help (none of which come easily for me at all!).
Saturday was Family Health and Fitness Day! My hubby and I took this opportunity to create a family challenge (I need help in getting back on track, and I could see my kids struggle with similar weaknesses as J and I, so I am dragging my whole family along!). We started, actually, on Monday night.
Family Night at our house was focused on the Word of Wisdom. We basically each took three verses to read silently and then summarize for the family. We watched a snippet from a talk by Elder Jorg Klebingot who said, "Feeding the spirit while neglecting the body, which is a temple, usually leads to spiritual dissonance and lowered self-esteem." Rather than telling my kids to stop eating junk and nagging them to "get out and do something" I wanted them to see the principle behind the action. Approaching them with these ideas first and then telling them about the challenge was so great! They fully participated in helping to create the plan and were eager to get started as a family (of course, the whole week they ate plenty candy knowing this might be their last week of it).
How does our challenge work? It's quite simple:
Each week we are to keep track of our sugar (treats) intake and our physical activity.
We each get 10 points a day for food. Each time we eat sugar we get -3 points.
We expect to have 20 minutes of physical activity, three times each week. 20 pts will be awarded for each 20 minute period.
At the end of the week we tally the points. Whoever gets over 100 points gets a dollar. Whoever gets the most points or the full 130 possible points will get $2 extra.
That's it!
The main idea for me is that I want our family to work together to be healthier. Elder Russell M. Nelson has taught that we should "regard our body as a temple of our very own." The wording of that phrase hit me so much harder than any other on the subject. This is my very own temple! What am I doing to take care of it? I used to think if you take care of the spiritual your body will just take care of itself. I know now this is not true. The body and the spirit make up the soul. It is my soul I want to eventually be reunited with my God. So, here's to a healthier and happier body! ;-)
- - -
Spiritual confidence increases when your spirit, with the help of the Savior, is truly in charge of your natural man or woman.
- - Elder Jorg Klebingot
- - Elder Jorg Klebingot
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