Maintaining YOU Like you Maintain your STUFF

Just a word of warning: this post will be hard for many to read. Proceed cautiously;)

How much do you pay for AC and heat every month? And last time it broke, how much was it to fix it?

What's your monthly car insurance bill?

Home insurance?

Okay now, what do you pay for your clothes, makeup, shampoo?

Think about it. Start doing the math in your head for how much it costs to maintain your stuff. And what about time...How long do you spend mowing your yard every week in the summer...or cleaning your home...or fixing your hair?

This is not meant to be a downer about your bills or your stuff: it is meant to be a wake-up call for you about where you place value. It has been said if you want to know a person, just go through their wallet (okay now that's a little old school but their email would suffice).

So we literally spend hundreds, and even thousands each year on maintaining stuff. Yes, these are important things that enable us to work, play and serve. Yes, they are important. BUT, now compare the stuff to the life you've been given. Life is eternal. It is the one way we can make our mark on the world and the generations coming after us. Our bodies will not live forever, but they are used here on Earth to make an impact and to leave a legacy. How will you spend your days?

It's hard to live out your purpose when you aren't happy with yourself. It's hard to give to others when you don't take care of yourself. It's even painful to say "yes" to opportunities when you just want to hide. When we trash our bodies by refusing to make activity a priority and consuming foods that tear our bodies down instead of building them up, we are not valuing our bodies. We are not demonstrating gratitude for this beautiful gift of life we've been given.

I'm not saying you can't go one day without exercise. Nor am I saying you can not enjoy good food and things you enjoy. What I AM saying is that it is time to examine whether your actions demonstrate gratitude and honor for the body and the life you have.

At the end of the day, it's a lifestyle of stewardship...We should strive to be good stewards of all God has given us from our time and money to our bodies and our talents.