Fun With A Mick's Up

As we begin a new year, let us be looking for the good in the bad.

Beauty among the scary

I hope you have many good memories of 2020. 

Although people will say it has been a strange year, and some may even say it’s been awful, our God is bigger than anything in 2020. 

I pray you are safe and healthy, with no worries of finances or food or shelter.

I first had the thought of writing this at the start of the pandemic lockdown.  I was enjoying the view from my home office window - the pink flowers on the tree in the Spring.

It was wonderful to watch the families enjoying the freshness of the new season, while walking and biking together down our street.  Our neighbor rode his wife's pink bike as his only mode of transportation, so he could go on a bike ride with his rambunctious little boy.  (I did notice in later weeks that they got a new bike or two.)

Real men ride their wives' pink bikes!

Before I knew it, the seasons were changing again.  We, as a family, got involved in home projects... or just spending time together in various ways.  The world had interesting things happening.  I got pulled into my work and other goings-on more than previously.  Our country was making major decisions.  Friends were needing extra prayer.  My daughter's senior year was well underway, as were her preparations for next year's move to college.

Sign of times changing

I noticed the pretty pink flowers were no longer there, and the green leaves were soon replaced with orange.  The birds were still playing among the branches, singing up a storm!  (I figured out I have become an amateur bird watcher.)

It wasn't long before we were spending more time shopping online for gifts to give out over the Christmas holiday! 

All this to say, time is going to move forward, whether or not we like our current situation, and especially even if we're not ready.  We need to remember to take time to see the beauty among the scary.  We need to keep a good attitude, looking for the good things that might be hidden under what seems to be only bad.  

One of the 5 Essentials is a healthy mindset.  

If things are going well for you, this might seem like a simple task, but it's still an important reminder. 

If you are going through really difficult times, I am so sorry!  I wish I could take them away for you.  Please share with me or someone near to you, and ask a prayer warrior to help you take these concerns to God.  Our Lord wants to spend time with you, His creation.  Do you know Him as your Father?  If so, remember you are His child.  Climb up on his lap, snuggle up in His arms, and cry your tears of sadness.  He wants to take care of you.  

If you do not know God as your Father, please consider praying to Him.  When you are ready, admit to Him that you are not perfect, and humble yourself enough to admit you have sinned.  Believe He has provided a way out of those sins and that life that is empty without Him, by offering to you His gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, and His death on the cross as punishment for your sins, and His resurrection from the grave, to give us hope for life with Him in heaven.  Then claim that gift as your own.

It seems impossible to me to have a healthy mindset without God and a relationship with Christ.  I am praying you know Him.  If you want to know more, please contact me.

Have a 2021 that outshines your 2020 in more ways than you can imagine!  

Blessings!  

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P.S.

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Today on social media were a few posts good enough to share here.  Enjoy!

"As we look back on 2020 and prepare to start a new year, we are grateful that the Lord is faithful and completely trustworthy no matter the circumstances." - @uvalleyforge 

"Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365 page book. May your pages be filled with growth, love, and gratitude." - @accordochiropractic

"I still don't know what I'm wearing to the living room New Year's Eve.  I might not even go." - @CoastalVaMag

"Command those who are rich in this present world

not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth,

which is so uncertain,

but to put their hope in God,

who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment."

1 Timothy 6:17 NIV

Mick's up With Your Day

You've noticed the spiral.



Little by little, time for exercise is squeezed out of your day, until it's non-existent.  Next, your quiet time, set aside for prayer and Scripture, dwindles, too.  You start feeling like there is no time to fully accomplish anything.  Your nutrition suffers, because your meal planning is rushed, and you might even be grabbing drive-through items, just to get by.  Then, you're feeling tired, worn out, and discouraged.

We've all been there.

 Really.  We have.  

If you have enough time to read to this point, take a deep breath, and stop.  Just rest... for a few minutes.

You know what you need to do.

If you truly want to be the most helpful and loving to your family and to yourself, you will do what you know you need to do.

Make a resolution right now.

It might not be January 1st, or the start of any particularly special month or day, but make a resolution.

Decide now that you will figure in a few minutes for prayer and a few minutes for exercise tomorrow.

That might mean setting your alarm clock 15 minutes earlier than normal.  That won't kill you.  I promise.

It might also mean switching a couple things around in your morning (or afternoon or evening) routine, but you'll survive that, too.  Trust me.  It didn't hurt me to do it (a time-sensitive person of consistency and schedule), so I'm sure it won't hurt you, even if you're as stubborn as I am.

Here are some ideas for you.

Follow a HIIT, burst, or surge technique, which entails a couple of minutes of intense exercise, several times in a row.  This will only take a very short bit of time out of your day, and will have many added benefits, which you can read about in other Mick's up articles.  Incorporate these sets into your morning routine.

For example, during a 100-Days of Burpees challenge I took on, with a suggestion from a wonderful trainer's Facebook post, I accomplished my goal by breaking down the large number into more do-able spurts, while fixing breakfast for the family each morning.  15 - 25 burpees (depending on the day's number)... then check on breakfast... 15-25 more burpees ... then check breakfast again... 15-25 more burpees... another peek at breakfast... final set of burpees... and breakfast is served!

As the weather gets more pleasant, getting outside is easier.  If you don't think you have time, consider your need to clear your head in the middle of your work day.

If you don't think it's necessary, ask your boss for an opinion.  A good boss, like mine, will tell you to take a break in the middle of your day, in order to keep up your productivity.  It decreases your stress level, and it allows you to take on a new perspective, when you return to your project.  Now, granted, this might mean giving up a few minutes of your lunch hour, but it sure is worth it!  

A recent article by Dr. Ben Lerner talks about balance between work and life.

I am so excited to hear friends around me talk about how they are fitting exercise into their days:  lunch time walks around the block; measuring how many times around the building equals one mile; at home after work, walking off the stress of the day; getting involved in a "biggest loser" contest at the gym; working extra time one day of the week, in order to take off early on another day that offers a special fitness class; and on and on it goes.

Even my high-school age son knows this.  He has been known to take a quick jog around the neighborhood to wake himself up before delving into his homework... or to relieve stress of the week, when he gets home on a Friday.  (That makes a mom proud!)

Just the other day, my son and I had a fun, impromptu "date" that included a sort of exercise:  We were talking about silly dances, and in his curiosity, while I was mentioning line dances, he pulled up the Cha Cha Slide (after we realized how OLD the Electric Slide is... ha ha!  That one is from MY day!).

Think about it.

We can make it work, if we really want to.

"Do not be anxious about anything,

but in every situation, by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

~

What’s the Mick’s up on Sugar and Toxicity

As we learned from Dr. Fred Roberto in Mick's up on Fuel, sugar acts as a toxin to our “amazing human engine.”  If something causes inflammation, or acidity, or addiction, wouldn’t you consider it a toxin?

“I was so shocked to find out how toxic and poisonous many experts believed it was…. From what I read, I was also encouraged to understand that I wasn't just some freak that had no self-control, sugar was actually doing things in my body that was causing me to crave it like an addict.” (Samantha Taylor – Sugar Addiction Solution)

When comparing people’s lives before and after sugar, the negative effects on the body with and the positive benefits without sugar are certainly obvious.

For you moms out there:  “I have a 5 year old and we were having a hard time getting him to listen, he was bouncing off the walls; he was driving me crazy.  When I started to get free from sugar I thought maybe it would help my son as well so I stopped giving him all the sugary snacks.  Right away I noticed a change in his behavior, all of a sudden he was calming down and he is listening better.  It's amazing how much easier it is being a mom and I am also amazed at how much less sick my kids get now; less fevers and colds.” (Kim - former sugar addict for 20 years)


For those of you dealing with headaches and/or other health issues:  “I felt really unhealthy; I just didn't feel good, it was hard to get out of bed, I was having a hard time concentrating and I had a headache every day.  I literally thought if the way I felt continues, I didn't know how I was going to make it through the next five years.  I felt so bad, I even went to a doctor to see if something was wrong with me and he didn't find anything.  It never occurred to me that sugar was causing these problems…. Now… I have lost the last 15 lbs that I could NOT lose for 10 years, I have more energy so I can run 3 miles a day, I feel good about myself, no more headaches and I am happy.” (Kathy – former sugar addict for over 40 years)

Another interesting thought is addiction to caffeine.  Be careful with that, too.  A lot of times, caffeine is accompanied by sugar, as in energy drinks.  Some warnings about those are in the USAToday article "Young athletes and energy drinks: A bad mix?"  If we’re taking care of our bodies with good nutrition and correct sleep, we should not need sugar and caffeine to keep us going.  If a recovery drink is needed, choose coconut water, which is a healthier choice and doesn’t include the negativity of sugar and caffeine. Think long-term.  Think of your cellular health.

I hope by now you’re convinced of the urgency to decrease your sugar intake.  When you choose to do so…  “Remember you are detoxing off a poisonous substance…your body was all out of whack from having blood sugar spikes to insulin surges, and your body needs some time to balance back out.” (Samantha Taylor - Sugar Addiction Specialist)

Do your body a favor.  Lay off the sugar!

“You shall have no other gods before me.”

Exodus 20:3 (NIV)

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Mick’s up for the Weekend

Weekends are a great time to combine family time with exercise.

A walk in the park or a bike ride -- how can you combine family time with exercise this weekend? – Curves

With the holidays coming up, you might be blessed with some extra free time.  If so, why not get a boost of endorphins to improve your mood during your time off?  If your family has some time to spend with you, then why not take the advice above and combine family time with exercise.


Just like the below video advertisement says, “Maybe strong is just what you have left, when you've used up all your weak.” (saucony)  I like to think of it another way, too:  Maybe your strong (motivation to exercise) is just what you have left when you've used up all your week (and it’s the weekend… or vacation!).

I have a challenge for you.  Instead of looking at vacation as a time to crash and be lazy and do nothing, or just stay inside and catch up on things you don’t have time to do during regular work weeks, how about you plan a few minutes each day, whether it’s morning, mid-day, or evening, and move a little more and a little differently than usual.  Get some exercise.  You'll find yourself laughing with your kidderz and hubby/wife, while you're being silly with your exercises or hiking or biking o whatever activity you choose.  Remember, it only takes a few minutes!

Have a great strong… oh…. ummmm… I mean weekend!

For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Exodus 20:11 (NIV)

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Mick’s up with the Time Change

OK.  I have to say it.  I am jealous of those people who do not have to deal with the time change.  I need consistency.  It’s my personality trait.  My body likes routine.


The good side of this season’s time change is that we “fall back,” meaning I can get back into the habit of early-to-rise.

Even though we parents have pity parties, because kidderz wake up earlier in the morning, I feel even more badly for kidderz, because they are getting really tired by bedtime, since it is actually past bedtime. 

I’m an advocate for the importance of children getting the correct amount of sleep each night, for their physical and mental health and development.  What do the experts say about children's sleep needs?

The National Sleep Foundation provides the following recommendations on children's sleep:
•Toddlers (1-3 years): 12-14 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period (including naps)
•Preschoolers (3-5 years): 11-13 hours per night
•School-age (5-12 years): 10-11 hours of sleep per night

The Central Nervous System, which controls every function in the body, is the only system that does not slow down during sleep.  This means it can use this time to heal.  Proper sleep position is imperative.  Consult your chiropractor for more information.

Other interesting science behind sleep can be found in the article Healing Sleep:
“The science of sleep is still uncovering the mysteries of what ideally occupies one third of our lives. Sleep research has mapped out the phases of sleep, from the light, dreaming phase (rapid eye movement, or REM) to the deeper phases in which critical replenishing takes place. We are beginning to understand some of those processes and speculating on others:

• REM sleep may be tied to healing brain functions like memory and mental acuity, and may help in the formation of new nerve cells in the brain.
  
• The body produces human growth hormone during the deepest sleep phase. HGH is responsible for helping us absorb nutrients and amino acids, healing tissues and stimulating bone marrow to produce immune system cells.  (Also, as mentioned in Mick's in the Age Factor , HGH works as an anti-aging hormone.)
  
• During sleep, we produce melatonin, which helps us sleep better, inhibits the growth of tumors, stimulates the immune system and guards against viral infections, increases the antibodies in saliva and confers antioxidant benefits (which reduces the effects of oxidative stress throughout the body).”

With that said, I am on my way to a great night’s sleep.  Night-night.  Sleep tight.  Don’t let the bed bugs bite!

“Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.

Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.

In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat —  for he grants sleep to those he loves.  Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.

Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.”

Psalm 127 (NIV)

~

Mick's Sprints and Jumping Jacks

Being that I like early mornings, it’s great to find scientific reasoning behind it.  So, here it is!

Did you know you can actually get more benefit from your exercise, if you workout early in the morning before eating breakfast?  Weight loss?  Wellness?  Energy?  Early Mornings?  No need to say more!  I’m there!

In Mick’s in Groceries, I listed out a typical day of grocery shopping.  Today, it’s a typical day of exercise.

Before eating breakfast, usually after my daughter gets on the school bus, I go for a run and/or sprints.  No bragging here… I don’t run far.  In fact, I’m back home within 15 minutes, with plenty of time to spend with my son before he gets on his school bus.  When I do sprints, it’s a 20-second sprint followed by a 20-second rest, and then a repeat of that set 2 more times (for a total of 3 sprints).  After a 2-minute recovery, I either do another set of 3 sprints, or I concentrate on other muscle groups by doing other exercises (push-ups, pull-ups, dips, shin slaps, bicycles, squats, lunges, squat-thrusts, jumping jacks, etc.).  After the second grouping of 3 sets of 20-second exercises, another 2-minute recovery is then followed by a final grouping of 3 sets of 20 seconds.

This is an awesome way to get a quick workout and to get the body burning fat for hours!

Similar information is also found in Mick’s up Exercising, where we learn about interval training: 
“When you exercise for no more than 20 minutes at one time and your regime consists of any form of exercise such as stationery bike, cycling or running up a small hill, even doing 50 start jumps for up to a minute followed by rest/recovery for up to 2 minutes, you are doing what Dr. Sears calls supra-aerobics, beyond aerobics. That is training your body to recover quickly and build lean muscle tissue in preparation for its next intense training session. This is really a modified version of interval training.” (Teya Skae of Natural News)

Whatever it’s called, I love it.  It’s quick.  It’s easy.  It works! 

(It gets a body revved for the work of the day, and it allows time for the more important things in life, like spreading the Good News of the Gospel and sharing God’s love with those around you!  Go for it!)

“ I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?
Run in such a way as to get the prize.
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.
They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”
1 Corinthians 9:23-25 (NIV)

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What’s a Good Read, Mick’s?

Driving in the car and running errands this morning was refreshing, as I listened to some great stuff on the radio.  It was a wonderful way to start the week.  Getting a good mindset on a Monday morning can mean nothing but a positive outlook for the rest of the week.

Setting goals, like we did in the meeting I attended this afternoon, can get the week off to an excellent start.  What do you plan to accomplish this week?  How about this month?  Take some time now to block out segments in your calendar to adequately get you on your way to success.

I have recently set for myself a goal of reading one nonfiction book every month - preferably on management, leadership, or lecturing - especially since a business acquaintance highly suggested it.  I plan to stick to it.  Being a mom, wife, and business lady, I run into challenges with the scheduled reading time.  I know you know how it is.  You probably have more challenges than I have.  I can almost guarantee it.  However, we owe it to ourselves, and those we are taking care of, to do our best to reach these self-improvement goals.  I’m going to do it!

"Nourish the mind like you would your body. The mind cannot survive on junk food." Jim Rohn

I’m going to start making a list of books and blocks of time.  I’ve already considered Dave Ramsey’s suggested reading list, as well as other good reads I hear about and write down.

A book mentioned on the radio this morning is “Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild.” I would not normally pick a book like this myself, if I just read the cover and brief introduction, but the reviews are good.  I might have to look into it.

Later on the radio, I was reminded of another book that has been suggested to me several times:  “Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back, Deluxe Edition.”  I guess it’ll have to get put on my list, too, especially after I enjoyed reading a similar book this summer:  “The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven: A Remarkable Account of Miracles, Angels, and Life beyond This World.”

You might have some other goals in mind.  Write them down.  Visualize them.  Imagine the feeling of accomplishing the goals.  Use the formula I heard about today that is from an inexpensive e-book titled, “The God Formula.” 

Whatever you do, be sure to allow time in your schedule for you!

Mmmmmm… A nice cool evening is a great time to curl up with a good book!  What do you think?

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips;

meditate on it day and night,

so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.

Then you will be prosperous and successful.” 

Joshua 1:8 (NIV)

~

Mick’s in Some Vacuuming

I took time out today to prep the house for guests (my awesome parents-in-law).  So that got me curious to know how much of an interval training workout housework is, specifically vacuuming.

Any guesses?

“Exercise by any other name still counts.  Several household chores qualify as aerobic activity, including sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, washing windows or cleaning out the garage, according to the American Heart Association.  The National Institute on Aging adds that raking leaves, gardening or cutting the lawn with a push mower constitutes moderate aerobic activity, as well.” (Pam Murphy, “Easy Ways to Increase My Heart Rate”)

“What's moderate intensity?  Moderate activity includes things like brisk walking and biking as well as daily activities such as mowing the lawn or vacuuming that raise your heart rate for at least 10 minutes continuously.  You feel a little warm and are able to talk while you exercise.  If you try to sing it's difficult.  You are working at 65%-74% of your maximum heart rate during moderate activity.” (Fit After 50)


I find counting calories not important for fitness (neither intake nor burning), but for those of your who are calorie counters:
“In this instance, a bigger house is better!  A 150 pound person can burn around 239 calories an hour pushing the vacuum around.” (National Academy of Sports Medicine)

“Different people burn calories at different rates, but the level of intensity and the duration of your chosen activity will determine how many calories you will burn.  Yes, it's true, even vacuuming burns some calories!  Generally speaking, the faster your heart rate, the greater the caloric burn.  So if you've got a huge house and work at a vigorous pace, you could even consider it a cardio workout.  Did you know that you can increase the rate at which you burn calories?  By simply adding a little lean muscle to your body by participating in a resistance training program, you can increase the number of calories your body burns on a daily basis.  A faster metabolism means less body fat.  You don't need to look like a bodybuilder to benefit from this either, even a little new muscle will help.  Your new and improved metabolism will help you burn more calories day and night, and applies to all activities, including vacuuming.  Happy house cleaning!” (Chris Gomes - NASM Elite Trainer)

Pay attention to proper vacuuming.  Don’t hurt yourself.  Instead, concentrate on your muscles for some added benefits:  “Practice engaging your core and using your hip and leg muscles as you vacuum.  You may be shown a partial lunge exercise to simulate the actions needed to complete this task safely.  Keep the vacuum directly in front of you at all times.  Avoid trying to reach around corners or objects.  This will force you to bend and twist your low back.  Don't twist or bend your trunk to get under objects or to reach into tight spots. Use the rules of safe lifting (described in Session Four) when lifting and transporting the vacuum.” (Back Care Boot Camp)

So, being a moderate activity, vacuuming is not getting the heart rate up to the target for interval (burst) training, which is what I needed… but it is a great workout, regardless!

Be safe, and have fun doing housework, knowing you’re getting a workout!

“She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.“

Proverbs 31:17 (NIV)

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Mick’s Max Workout

Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly going to be bursting with exercise, after reading all this research that’s explaining how we can look younger with just a few simple minutes every-other day! It seems almost crazy not to! Come on, moms!  Come on, dads!  Come on, seniors!  (Ha!  Gotcha with that one… whether you’re a senior in school or a senior in life and wisdom.)

So, what’s your excuse?  You mean you still have one?!

We’ve already covered the time factor, the age thing, and the injury issue.  What’s left?!

Ah… maybe it’s space.  I can truly understand that!  I’m not going to let you get away with it, though.

Our fun family of four lives in a <1200-square-foot townhouse.  Thankfully, it’s 2-story, so we can feel spread out to get away from each other once in a while.  The biggest problem with it, though, is that we moved here from an apartment that was bigger, after we had moved from a house that was a LOT bigger.  That means the furniture that moved with us now seems bigger than it did originally.

  My hubby was nice enough to
demonstrate our tiny workout space. 
I'm not even in it yet! 

Where we exercise, when not outside, is in our living room, which also acts as the music room and the office.  The 234-square-foot living room is actually only 36 square feet (with one diagonal strip of 12 feet) of floor space in between all the furniture and fixings… that’s only 6 feet by 6 feet!  The awesome part is:  I share the workout space with my 6’4” hubby!  That’s awesome, because it means he’s exercising with me!  Oh, and I forgot to mention there’s a ceiling fan in the center of this workout space, which makes it even more limited, especially for him, since the ceiling is not very high to begin with.  We can do it, though!  Our best fitness equipment investment, I’d have to say, is the chin-up bar.  There is an amazing workout waiting on that little piece of metal… and it doesn’t take up any floor space!  (When the kidderz join us for a workout, we get creative, or just move the workout outside… whatever it takes… but no excuses!)

So… I ask again:  What’s your excuse?

Oh… now you’re thinking how confusing it is for you to come up with a variety of exercises on your own.  First of all, nobody said you have to have a variety.  However, if you still insist, let me mention  a workout I was introduced to this past Spring.  It’s the MaxT3 workout by Maximized Living.  It incorporates 12 minutes of intense exercise in a DVD set, so you can follow the coach, Dr. Fred Roberto.  That way, you don’t have to plan out a routine for yourself.  Do be aware, though, they use some fitness equipment in these workouts, but they are simple enough to substitute with household items if necessary and are inexpensive enough to grab at a nearby department store.

If you’re curious, the T3 is explained by By Dr. Shane Taffe and Dr. Ben Lerner this way:  “You can get serious exercise and fitness quickly by manipulating the Time, Tempo, and Type of exercise you do.  It’s our T3 principle.  If you lower Time, you have to increase the intensity by increasing Tempo (going at a faster pace).  You do this safely and efficiently by choosing Types of exercise that allow you to use the most muscle groups in their most natural ranges efficiently.”

With short, high-intensity workouts, you are Hitting All Of Your Oxygen Systems And All Of Your Muscle Groups.  “We’re looking to influence oxygen (O2) and lean muscle here. To do so means utilizing the multiple energy systems that work with and without O2 while you exercise, as well as working all three types of muscle fibers.” (Maximized Living)  Remember the reason we want to exercise is to make healthy cells with increased oxygen. (Mick’s in the Oxygen)  Tomorrow’s post will cover the lean muscle aspect of these awesome exercise techniques.

Not only is it music to our ears… but also... shorter workouts are overall more beneficial for our health. (Mick’s up Exercising)  Different “tempos” in your exercise routine affect your muscles differently, because of the different muscle fibers and how they react.  One study tells us:  “high-intensity intermittent training in humans may alter the proportion of fibers… and in consequence that fiber type composition is not determined solely by genetic factors.” (European Journal of Applied Physiology)   This means you are not doomed to being out of shape!  "The results indicate that the number of fibres activated from the start increase gradually in response to increased exercise intensity. " (NCBI)  For more science behind this, here are some links for research:  MaxT3: Complete Fitness System, Muscle Fiber Types, Muscle Types and Sprinting vs Endurance Training, Metabolic Conditioning

Have we covered everything?  If not, leave me a comment, and we’ll cover that, too.  Oh!… and don’t forget to take the poll at the top of the left margin!  Thanks for enjoying another Mick’s up Life!

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.
They do it to get a crown that will not last,
but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly;
I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.
No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave
so that after I have preached to others,
I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”
1 Corinthians 9:25-27 (NIV)

Keep up the training:  both physical and spiritual!
Don’t be disqualified!

~