Evening Wrap-up
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
EPHESIANS 4:15-16
Wellness means balance, particularly when it comes to managing hypertension. Hypertension comes about, in many cases, as a result of having an out-of-balance life. As we continue on the journey, we can try to find the right balance in life. In the passage from Ephesians, we are reminded of the balance with which God has created our bodies. Because of this balance, we can trust that God walks with us as we try to find that balance.
God of Wisdom, thank You for the gift of this balanced body. Walk with me as I try to achieve balance on this journey. In Your holy name, Amen.
Day 16:
Grace
Morning Reflection
How often do we cling to the idea that we must “do it all?” In an attempt to be strong, we sometimes refuse help and add stress to our lives when we might be better off accepting the helping hands offered to us. In particular, we sometimes forget that God is gracious and that God gives us grace, hope, and strength when we lean into that grace. Today, we will turn our focus to the grace that God offers us.
Faith Life
Today, read Matthew 19:26. Take five minutes and write about impossibility. Do any of your goals from Week 1 feel impossible? How might God give you the grace to face even seemingly impossible tasks?
Medical
Many communities have clinics that can help people who can’t afford medical care. Today find a community center or clinic that can offer you a helping hand with your needs or someone you know.
Movement
Today, spend ten minutes stretching. Try to touch your toes, reach your arms across your chest, and stretch your back. If your muscles are cold, do not stretch too far!
Work
Is your office break room always full of treats such as birthday cake, donuts, or bagels? Offer a balance to some of these unhealthy snacks by bringing healthy snacks to share, such as a fruit and vegetable plate.
Emotional
Learning to manage stress is very important to managing hypertension. Today, take a slow walk, focusing on your breathing and letting go of the things that leave you overwhelmed.
Family and Friends
Do you and your family have dinner together? Today, plan a family dinner made up of mostly vegetables. Include a lean protein and a small serving of whole grains (such as brown rice, barley, or whole-wheat pasta).
Nutrition
Depriving yourself entirely of the foods you love makes you more likely to binge. Balance a strict food intake and calorie counting with an occasional small treat. Today, treat yourself to a sensible treat, such as a small serving of dark chocolate, or a scoop of low-fat frozen yogurt.
Evening Wrap-up
My heart is not proud, LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed and quieted myself; I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content. Israel, put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore.
PSALM 131:1-3
Managing hypertension requires achieving an overall balance between medications, lifestyle, diet, exercise, stress, and other factors. All of this can be overwhelming and can even cause us more stress than the stress we began with! But if we can remember to quiet ourselves, God offers us hope and balance, even when we have difficulty finding that balance ourselves. On some days, our job is to simply quiet our souls and give in to the grace that God offers.
Gracious God, grant me the grace and quiet to find balance on my journey to wellness. In Your holy name, Amen.
Day 17:
Balanced Senses
Morning Reflection
Our perspective of wellness is often limited to numbers on a scale. But wellness is about much more than weight. Wellness is about incorporating all the senses. God, after all, has given us the blessing of sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch. It makes sense, since God has created us with all of those senses, that a wellness-oriented lifestyle would include all of our senses. Today, we will turn our focus to the senses with which we have been blessed.
Faith Life
Remember that God shows up in every aspect of our lives, including our food. Today, before each meal, say a prayer. Thank God for the flavors and the colors in your food.
Medical
Remember that your current medical state is closely related to your family history. Today, write out a brief medical history of your family. Pay special attention to hypertension and heart disease. Keep your medical history close by, along with your list of medications.
Movement
Go for a walk today, and as you walk, observe all the colors, smells, and even tastes. Pay attention to the air on your skin and the movement of your body. Say a prayer of thanks for all of those sensations as you move.
Work
If you become bored at work today, try not to resort to eating. Instead, take a moment and make a list of fifteen things that you can see, smell, feel, hear, or taste. Then say a small prayer of thanks.
Emotional
When our emotions flare up and we become overwhelmed by stress, our blood pressure goes up. In managing hypertension, we must try to limit that surge of blood pressure. Today, practice deep breathing to bring down your blood pressure during times of stress.
Family and Friends
Healthy relationships can bring balance to your life in many ways, but especially by offering fellowship and fun. Today, call a friend or a family member and have some fun by dancing to music or shopping at a farmer’s market for good, local, fresh produce.
Nutrition
In managing hypertension, it is important to limit salt intake. Today, try adding flavor to your food by adding herbs and spices, such as basil, parsley, or rosemary. Add flavor to a sandwich by adding watercress or cabbage instead of lettuce.
Evening Wrap-up
When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.”
MATTHEW 11:2-5
God created us with all of our senses. And then, Jesus saw fit to grant hearing to the deaf and sight to the blind. God has filled this world with beauty and has blessed us with the senses to be able to appreciate that beauty. When we live wellness-oriented lives, we live lives that are well-balanced in all of God’s creation.
God of Creation, You have filled my life with beautiful colors, tastes, and smells. Help me live my life in the fullness of Your creation. In Your holy name, Amen.
Day 18:
Balancing Outside the Comfort Zone
Morning Reflection
As we work to change our lives, we often find ourselves thrust out of our comfort zone and into foreign territory. Arthur never would have joined a cooking class, but he had to learn to enjoy and utilize this new opportunity. On this journey to wellness, we are asked to try new foods, to move in new ways, and to push limits that have been confining. But wellness is about changing an entire lifestyle, which includes venturing out beyond our limits. Today, we will focus on moving beyond our comfort zones and striking balance in the wellness zone.