I recently had the privilege to write an article for our church's monthly magazine. They asked me to write on being fit for the holidays- ha! First thought-
you're asking me to write on this topic?? I do love my Zumba and my walks outside, but this girl usually pigs out during the holidays. It started years ago; there is even a picture floating around somewhere of me licking a plate clean. No joke. The cherry on top is that it was my mom's fine china plate. She was horrified! That was a good meal...
Second thought-
hey, this might be a good way to have some accountability in my eating habits. I need that and I really am trying to get my eating under control. So I wrote something. (I'll post the article at the end of this post in case anybody wants to read it.) I think I wrote and re-wrote this article about 3 times. I was limited to 800-1000 words, and that was a challenge for a chronic babbler like me. And I wasn't sure which direction I wanted to go with it. There are lots of ways to be fit for the holidays: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually.
I ended up writing a lot about Zumba because I just love it. I found a way to exercise that doesn't feel like exercise. It's fun and a great workout. I write about it so much and encourage ladies to attend a class because I know how it has affected my life, and I want that for others. It took several teenage girls to convince me to attend the first class. One class was all it took- I was hooked, even though that was the most uncoordinated I have ever felt.
So ladies, if you are in the Huntsville, AL area and looking for a fun way to get a good workout in, come check out a Zumba class! The Whitesburg Baptist Recreation Ministry offers 3 Zumba classes: Mondays 6-7 pm and Fridays 8:30-9:30 am and 1:30-2:30 pm. I teach the Friday afternoon class and sometimes get to sub in the other classes.
Ditch the workout and join the party!
Here's the article for anyone interested:
Y’all I do not like to exercise. Especially around the holidays, because who
has time?? For several years my sweet
husband, Brandon, tried to talk me into doing some type of exercise. I believed him when he said that it would
make me feel better, I just didn’t want to.
I had not found exercise that I wanted to do, or that was fun. And then I found Zumba!
Zumba is a Latin-inspired, aerobic type exercise class that
burns lots of calories and is so fun! It
was a slow start for me, but I was moving and doing something. After going for a few weeks, I was able to
do the routines better and didn’t feel so clumsy. It didn’t matter if I did it exactly right;
the point was just moving, being active.
Brandon was right- I felt so much better just by being active. Plus, laughing while exercising burns more
calories! An unexpected result of
consistently attending class was that I became a part of a small group. Our Zumba ladies love exercising together and
even get together outside of class. We
just do life together. Zumba classes are
offered at our Recreation Outreach Center, with several different options to
attend. For more information, contact
the awesome ladies in the Recreation Ministry!
Naturally, Zumba or other aerobic classes aren’t for
everyone. But being active is! Brandon and I like to go on walks
together. Some of our favorite walks are
around our neighborhood to look at the Christmas lights. It’s even fun to bundle up in the cold
weather. And ladies, as a bonus you get
to wear those cute scarves and hats you see on Pinterest! If cold weather walks aren’t your thing,
there are lots of places around Huntsville to walk inside. You can even walk inside your house. I remember my dad doing that when I was a
little girl. I used to follow him around
that small house, walking from corner to corner. Walking is fairly low impact for your joints
also. Going on walks is a great time for
conversations. Sometimes I have the best
talks while walking! If you prefer to
walk alone, it can be a wonderful time for praying and worshipping the Lord.
Whatever you choose to do, just get moving! I believe that life is a gift from God. Being
able to move and breathe and exercise is a gift that I ignored for far too
long. James 4:14 says, “… What is your
life? For you are a mist that appears
for a little time and then vanishes.” I
am so thankful for life and don’t want to waste a single day!
More important than being physically fit, however, is being
spiritually fit. If this part of my life
is out of shape, then the rest is too. Look at these instructions from the apostle
Paul to the Colossians, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with
one another, and if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other,
as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds
everything together in perfect harmony.
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you
were called in one body. And be
thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell
in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to
God. And whatever you do, in word or
deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the
Father through him.” Colossians 3:12-17
I don’t know about you, but these words are so helpful and
encouraging, especially during the holidays when it can be stressful, chaotic,
and overwhelming. I might not be able
to control the circumstances or situations around me, but I can choose how I
react. I can choose to put on the new
self, this new identity that I have in Christ.
My prayer is that God will use us, in every situation, to advance His
Kingdom and to bring Him glory.
