PORCH WITH A VIEW

June 1, 2010Read: Matthew 10 "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will But not a single sparrow will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father?" --Matthew 10:29

Spent Memorial Day at home. It's not that we didn't have anywhere to go, but we just had too many reasons to stay. A day that began with a good ball game and a brand new book, finds me on the same front porch where I started and finished both. And speaking of the porch -- shhhh, I'm typing in a whisper -- because for hours I've been watching a little family of birds take up residence in a tree just steps from our door. What can I say? It's been a perfect day. Where's Norman Rockwell when you need him?

Moments like these remind us how great God's love is. He doesn't miss a chance to delight in you and me. He's crazy about us, and He's near.

Which brings me back to those birds. They're living in a birdhouse we bought years ago, long before they were born. A small, white, wooden birdhouse with a green roof and a "Bless This Nest" emblem across the tiny opening. Little do they realize, but their new home was placed so close to ours on purpose; simply to bring us joy as we watch them live. You know, if Heaven has a porch, I bet God goes there a lot, just to enjoy the view up close. He might be there right now, watching what He loves best. So God...please bless this nest.

--J.P.

PRAYFIT WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: Chest at Home

Chest training is valuable for men and women alike. This large muscle group is key to your entire upper body strength and performance capabilities. The good news is that you don't need a pricey gym membership to get a great workout. By using a pair of dumbbells and a training tactic called supersets -- performing two exercises back-to-back with no rest -- you can add strength and endurance, while simultaneously increasing your calorie burn and endurance.

Exercise                                              Sets     Reps Flat-Bench Dumbbell Press                4          8, 10, 10, 12 superset with Push-Up                                                     4        To failure

Incline Dumbbell Press                        3          8, 10, 12 superset with Decline Push-Up*                                   3          To failure

Incline Dumbbell Flye                          3          10, 10, 10 Superset with Incline Push-Up*                                    3          To failure

Decline push-ups: Performed with your feet elevated, on a bench or a chair.

Incline push-ups: Performed with your feet on the floor, your hands elevated on a chair or a bench.

On the flat-bench and incline dumbbell presses, you'll notice that the rep ranges go up as the workout wears on. As each rep range listed indicates the number you should approach failure on, the higher numbers in the later sets pave the way for lighter weights. This allows you to start the workout with the heavier weights, when you're at your strongest, and finish with lighter weights that will flush your muscles with blood and add that gentle touch of endurance training (read: volcanic burn) to your workout that lets you know you're being productive. Happy training!