Porch with a View

"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

Read: Matthew 10

Spent Easter at home. It's not that we didn't have anywhere to go after church but we just had too many reasons to stay. A day that began with a good ballgame and a brand new book found me on the same front porch where I started and finished both. And speaking of the porch, I spent hours watching a little family of birds take up residence in a tree just steps from our door. What can I say? It was been a perfect day. Where's Norman Rockwell when you need him?

Moments like these remind me 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, yellow, wooden birdhouse with a greenish-brown roof and a "Bless This Nest" emblem under the tiny opening. (Let me see if I can get a good pic of it...got it. There he is.) 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. I like to think He's there right now, watching what He loves best. So God...please bless this nest.

--Jimmy Peña

P.S. Oh, the little guy has been working so hard. Going and coming with little twigs. Building and building. I'm mesmerized. Imagine if we find such joy watching a sparrow live and work... Folks, we're praying for you and your little nest. If we can pray specifically about something or if you want to simply say "Unspoken Request," write it in the comments section, and we promise to pray for you.

TRAINING TIP: Use Your Imagination

Compound pulling exercises -- moves like pulldowns, pull-ups and rows in which you move at multiple joints -- are great for building strength in your back but they can be tough to master. Here's how to use a little brain power to boost the effectiveness of these moves in your next workout.

>> CLICK HERE: Build a stronger back with this strategy...

>> For more exercise tips and workouts, visit our fitness page by clicking here.

HE RULES THE SCHOOL

August 2, 2010Read: Psalm 23 "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." --Psalm 23: 4

I used to dread 5th period math. Oh, I was fine with the subject matter, but it was the getting to class that had me shaking in my little boots. Each day that semester, a small group of bullies would hang out by my locker, calculating ways to torment me. Until one day, I got smart and asked Bubba to walk me to class.  Little did they know that the skinniest kid in school was the younger brother of the toughest. They did the math.

Mondays can push us around sometimes. The mere thought brings a collective sigh at my house -- a show of hands for those who had the Sunday night blues -- but there aren't enough problems waiting around today's corner that can add up or stand up to the One you bring with you. And when you think of it that way, the day doesn't seem so tough after all. So, Monday...we meet again.

--J.P.

PRAYFIT WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: Shouldering the Load

The shoulder is a pretty dynamic bodypart. It is a ball and socket joint, similar to the hip, though not nearly as stable. It's important to warm-up extremely well, working your shoulder in all sorts of directions with very light weight before moving on to anything heavy. And remember, stretching does not warm-up your shoulders. The best warm-up is a light mock of the exercises to come.

Today's workout is what we call a pre-exhaust routine, where you work the shoulder using isolation (single joint) exercises (lateral raises, front raises and rear delt raises) to exhaustion, before moving onto an overhead press (a compound exercise involving more than one joint). The overhead press allows more than just the shoulder joint to participate in the move after the shoulders have been pre-fatigued by the isolation moves. It's a simple routine, but tried and true.

Exercise                                             Sets     Reps* Dumbbell bent-over lateral raise    3          12-15 Dumbbell lateral raise                      3           12-15 Dumbbell front raise                          3           12-15 Dumbbell Overhead Press               4           10 * Be sure to reach failure or close to failure at the rep range listed.

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