detox

There is a saying in yoga: where breath goes, prana... (life force or energy) flows

We are the PINNACLE of God’s creation... His Divine. “The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). He choose US. After he formed us from DUST on the ground, he breathed His very breath into us! His very SPIRIT.... We were the only living creatures He did this for. Gave US His very Breath. Job 33:4 says “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

Breath... the very basic necessity for life! We breath in. We breath out. It just happens. We take it for granted almost every second of every day, but when we lose it, we sure take notice!

Slow, long exhales get rid of carbon dioxide waste making space for plenty of clean, fresh oxygen for our brains and muscles. More blood cells get the new, oxygen-rich air instead of the same old stale stuff. 75 % of toxins are eliminated through the lungs, through the breath! THINK ABOUT THAT.... the other 25% comes from sweat, urine, and....!!! There are books and products and doctors and fads all for the purpose of “detoxification”...

Really all we need to do to detox is simply breath in His goodness and mercy. Exhale our junk. The rest will just come naturally! Where the breath (given by the almighty!) goes, prana (zest for life!) flows.

Spiritual Calories

So I have started this new fitness challenge at my gym.  Part of the challenge involves tracking calories and workouts.  EVERY step and EVERY bite is supposed to get logged into a website... not really my thing.  I know how to eat.  I know what is sound nutrition and what is junk.  I know that if I move my body more, and eat less I will be healthier all around.
If I go through McDonald's drive thru for that yummy breakfast, eat it fast, then hide the evidence so no one will see my gluttony, I am a fool. It is really not going to be hidden when it shows up on my bum!
Not really brain science, right?   When I am eating wholesome, it shows.  My skin looks better.  I have energy and self confidence.  When I am eating junk,  I lack energy and feel depressed.   We spend so much time (and money) TRYING to get the magic formula for quick weight loss, but really it's simple... Eat Wholesome.  Move more. (and always give yourself a little grace!)

Well, the same is true with our spiritual lives... if we fill our time with empty spiritual calories and give no attention to spiritual fitness, it will show.  We must feed our souls with His Word.  Devour the Bible.  Take out the junk.  Replace it with goodness.  Wholesome nourishment.  In Rev. 10 an apocalyptic angel told St. John to take a book and eat it... Seriously... he tells him to eat a book.... "Take it, and eat; it will be bitter to your stomach, but sweet as honey in your mouth."  This is a metaphor for the Word of God....  "Get this book into your gut; get the words of this book moving through your blood stream; chew on these words and swallow them so they can be (Eugene Paterson, Eat This Book)"  ... METABOLIZED!  The angel tells John to get the words off the printed page and get them out there... sharing them!!!  Shout them,  sing them,  pray them, and most importantly.... LIVE THEM!   Like with a fitness goal, an intention isn't enough... there has to be an ACTION behind the INTENTION... aka: commitment.    James 2:17 tells us that faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is DEAD!
  If we truly are feeding our souls with His Holy Word.. if we are DEVOURING His word... it will show in our life.... in goodness, faithfulness, love, joy, peace, faithfulness, self control, patience, kindness.