Our Baggage Handler

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." --Matthew 6:34

Read: Matthew 6

We sure do like our baggage. Ever notice the reluctancy of airline passengers to part with their carry-ons? My chocolate lab Josey is more likely to give up a fresh T-bone. When it comes to personal property, we growl "mine", no matter how short the flight. Separate us from what's "rightfully" ours and somehow the sky is falling (even at 30,000 feet, which is where this entry was written).

When you think about it, the purpose of the flight is not the flight, but a safe landing. The pilot doesn't need anything we lug on board to get us where we need to go. (You know where I'm going with this.)

If you're like me, you'd be better off to check some of life's luggage. Worry weighs us down and fear fogs our vision; good thing God doesn't need a co-pilot. In fact, I think I'll take my plastic pilot wings back to my seat. We still have a ways to go.

--Jimmy Peña

Question: Isn't it amazing that the only One who is capable of handling our baggage is the one who navigates our destiny? What carry-ons do you need to leave behind this week? Try checking in your carry-ons of finances, relationships, and of course, health.

6 WAYS TO CONTROL CHOLESTEROL By Emily Ann Miller, MPH, RD

What is cholesterol? Cholesterol is a fat‐like substance needed for good health. However, too much cholesterol in the blood can increase your risk of heart disease. Your body makes all of the cholesterol that it needs, but we also get cholesterol through food.

What makes my cholesterol high or low? Some influences on our cholesterol are out of our control: heredity, age, and gender. But other things, such as weight, physical activity, and diet, affect cholesterol.

Here's how you can eat to keep your cholesterol at healthy levels.

1 Eat less trans fats and saturated fats Trans fats are found in many fried foods, margarines and shortening (e.g., Crisco), commercial baked goods (muffins, cakes, cookies), and packaged processed foods. Saturated fats are high in animal foods: whole milk, regular cheeses, cream, butter, lard, fatty or processed meats (ribs, ground beef, fatback, bacon, sausage, bologna, hot dogs), and poultry skin. They are also high in palm oil, palm kernel oil, and coconut oil.

2 Eat more unsaturated fats These are found in vegetable oils (especially olive and canola oils), soft margarines, fish, peanut butter, nuts and seeds, and avocados.

3 Eat more omega-3 fats The best sources are fatty fish like salmon, trout, sardines, herring, mackerel, and tuna. Other good sources are canola oil, ground flaxseed, walnuts and walnut oil, wheat germ, and pine nuts. Aim for two 4‐oz. servings of fatty fish per week. A fish oil pill is another option ‐ check with your doctor or a registered dietitian to see which one is right for you. Look for one with at least 500 mg of EPA/DHA omega‐3s per pill.

4 Eat more soluble fiber Good sources are oats and oat bran, beans, barley, sweet potatoes, broccoli, brussels sprouts, apples, pears, oranges, and dried plums.

5 Eat more plant sterols Aim for about 2 grams per day. Many foods are now fortified with plant sterols such as orange juice, milk, yogurt, and breakfast bars.

6 Limit alcohol Keep to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.

Emily Ann Miller, MPH, RD is a registered dietitian and works at a Washington, D.C.-based independent, nonprofit science organization, where her work is currently focused on environmental and policy solutions to obesity prevention. She also speaks to groups about health and nutrition and provides nutrition education to patients at a free medical clinic that serves low-income, uninsured adults in the D.C. area. You can view more of Emily’s nutrition tips and updates by following her on Twitter, @EmilyAMillerRD.

LEAVE 2010 BEHIND

December 30, 2010Read: Philippians 4 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, let your requests be made known to God." --Philippians 4:6

Earlier this year, my wife and I were planning a business trip. One thing on our list? A new suitcase. One that could hold my clothes, my computer...the kitchen sink. I needed the Rolls Royce of luggage. And guess what? I finally found it. We walked into a store and boom...there it was. With an overhead light shining down upon it, I could almost hear angelic music in my ears. I embraced it like a long, lost friend.

We left the store with confidence, and rather than take it back to the truck, I decided to simply pull it along with us. Besides, we had plenty of other stores to conquer, and I didn't mind everyone seeing my new baggage. They probably thought, "This guy's serious about his packing!" They'd be right.

Well, it didn't take me long to regret that decision. As we went from one store to the next, it became quite clear that maneuvering the USS Suitcase between people, aisles, dogs, strollers, cars and every other object was not a wise choice. Too far to turn back and plenty of stops yet to make, my shopping experience would have been so much better had I left my baggage behind.

You know, as we approach 2011, let's leave 2010 where it belongs: in 2010. Regrets? Disappointments? Do-overs? Let's leave them in the rearview. We have new mercies to live upon and fresh starts to finish. Our physical and spiritual health will be that much more enjoyable (and attainable) if we're not dragging last year into the next.

--J.P.

ACCOUNTABILITY STARTS HERE Start attacking your faith and fitness goals in the company of the PrayFit online community

We've spent the last few days gathering thoughts and goals, and now it's time to write them down in your PrayFit journal. You can tweak and tune as Monday approaches, but get organized now so you can hit the ground running next week. Fitness goals and faith objectives are all fair game in our forums. A great leader once taught me to "inspect what you expect," and keeping a journal allows us to do just that for ourselves. Each week you can inspect your work as you expect results. If you're not seeing the results you want, you can modify your methods for continuous change. It's all about progress and effort.

>> NEW TO THE FORUMS? If you aren't already registered for the PrayFit forums, click here.

>>ALREADY REGISTERED? If you're already registered but have not yet started a journal, you can create yours by visiting the Workout Journals section of our forums and clicking "New Topic" in the top left corner.