Single! Young Christian Woman Sept 10

single!

A P U B L I C AT I O N O F O N M Y O W N N O W M I N I S T R I E S

SEP 10

Young Christian Woman

5

ways to spare the hair

reba ray’s culinary

International Incidents Getting the Grown-up Stuff Right

The Pain & Gain of

Plus: A review of Ashley Fiolek’s book “Kicking Up Dirt.”

Ashley

Fiolek

w w w. o n m y o w n n o w. c o m

table of

contents 4.

STRAIGHT TALK FROM THE PROVERBS

Cosmic Recoil

SEP 2010

single!

young christian woman

By Donna Lee Schillinger

8.

MOVING OUT ... SETTLING IN

Getting the Grown-Up Stuff Right

By Kimberly Schluterman

10.

CENTER RING

The Pain and Gain of Ashley Fiolek

By Julie Ann

A publication of ON MY OWN NOW MINISTRIES

www.onmyownnow.com

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Donna Lee Schillinger

13.

THE RECAP

Kicking Up Dirt

By Julie Ann

14.

REBA RAY’S DOWN HOME HEALTHY COOKIN’ FOR ONE ON A BUDGET

International Incidents

By Reba Ray

16.

www.twitter.com/D_L_Schillinger

DEAR GABBY

Sitting Single in Santa Fe

By The Gabster

WRITERS

Kimberly Schluterman Debra Collins Julie Ann Tamara Jane

ART DIRECTION

Daniela Bermúdez

18.

SPARE CHANGE

Is your Gym Membership Thinning Your Pocketbook?

Ashley Fiolek photos courtesy of Fuel TV © 2010

By Julie Ann

20.

FASHION DIVINA

5 Ways to Spare the Hair

By Tamara Jane

the

team

Fridge-worthy.

We see high drama in the movies all the time, but in real life, big acting does not win awards.

Straight talk from the proverbs for young Christian women who want to remain pure, debt-free and regret-free. “In this interesting and thought-provoking exploration of the book of Proverbs, Schillinger takes young women along a journey that will help them to make better, safer, and more sound decisions.�

Cheryl C. Malandrinos The Book Connection blog Now Available at www.onmyownnow.com, at Amazon, B&N and a library and bookstore near you.

⎟straight talk⎟

IN HER HEART, A WOMAN PLANS HER COURSE, BUT THE LORD DETERMINES HER STEPS. Proverbs 16:9

MANY ARE THE PLANS IN A WOMAN’S HEART, BUT IT IS THE LORD’S PURPOSE THAT PREVAILS. Proverbs 19:21

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COSMIC RECOIL

BY DONNA LEE SCHILLINGER ✦

One summer during grad school, I spent six weeks in archeology field school. We were surveying a ranch in central Texas that had been little changed since Native Americans inhabited it. As we walked, we look from side to side for artifacts. The ground was a mixture of gray rock with pale green shrubs and dry grasses. And it was hot! I paused for a moment to appreciate a slight breeze, and as I stood in silence, I heard the sound of dead cactus leaves rustling together in the breeze. I looked to the ground and there, coiled in slumber, precisely one step in front of me was a large, gray diamond-back rattler. I was one fluid motion backwards as I yelled, “Snake!”

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⎟straight talk⎟

I had no reason to pause and no reason to look down before my next step. God determined a very important step for me that day and saved me from being bitten by a snake – a good hour away from any hospital. I’m no city slicker; I’ve lived a lot of years in the woods and have a lot more stories of near misses with snakes – though that is definitely the biggest snake I never stepped on.

God determines our every step in both the literal and figurative sense. True, we’re doing the actual walking, but we are never out of God’s control.

God is in control and if we take a step in any direction, it is because God allows it. For a power capable of tracking in real time the number of hairs on our head, watching each of our steps is a piece of cake.

It’s reassuring to remember this when life seems crazy.

If foolish choices and sin have distanced us from God – if we’re not conversing with Him daily to learn His direction for us – God is still allowing each step we take, but we might not be heading in the right direction.

Regardless of how far we may stray from His path, I believe that God gives each of us a chance to come back to Him before we check out of this life. I have no proof of that, and the Bible does say that God has created the wicked for a day of destruction, so there are clearly some destined for

Maybe life is like a big rubber band and we are inside it. We have room to move around without stretching the band – this is God’s will for us. However, we can also stretch the rubber band and go far away from God. But when we’ve stretched the rubber band to its limit and God calls us back, the rubber band snaps back fast and hard. In the recoil of God’s working we are hurled to the realization that following our own path has resulted in a life gone terribly wrong.

I stopped one day at a restaurant up in the Ozark Mountains. As I headed to my table, I spotted a flyer on the wall announcing a local fund raising effort for a family who had lost a child. The hostess asked me if I had heard about that family, then proceeded to tell me the story.

If it’s true that we get a last chance to come back to God before check-out, why would we need to worry about how we live between now and then? Well, there is a very practical reason. The further our selfish plans take us from God’s plan for our lives, the harder the rebound to get back to God. separation from God. Even so, I believe that a just God calls each of us one last time – though He may already know who will respond and who will not.

If it’s true that we get a last chance to come back to God before check-out, why would we need to worry about how we live between now and then? Well, there is a very practical reason. The further our selfish plans take us from God’s plan for our lives, the harder the rebound to get back to God.

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One afternoon, a father and his 18-month old daughter were napping. The child woke up while Dad stayed sound asleep.

Somehow the child managed to unlatch the front door. She toddled out into the yard and up to the edge of the highway, arriving there at the precise moment a drunk criminal was speeding by in a pickup truck, probably paying more attention

to his girlfriend than the road. The report was that he actually swerved over to the shoulder of the road to hit the child. After impact, he slowed down momentarily, maybe to look in the rearview mirror, and then drove on.

The father woke looking for his child only to find her barely alive on the side of the road; she died in transit to the hospital.

What about the child? Was God determining her every step?

It is so hard to think that God could use a child like that. Yet for her brief life, she accomplished something very significant. She alone on this earth brought a criminal to justice. She loved and was loved and she made an indelible impact on many lives – not bad for 18 months. And now, she is with our heavenly Father.

The flyer in the restaurant said, “God called and little Bethany answered.”

About a week later, the driver turned himself in to the police. He was wanted in Florida for several crimes. No one had seen him hit the child except his accomplice girlfriend. He could have gotten away with that crime as well. Apparently, the collision with that precious baby girl was the furthest extent to which his cosmic rubber band would stretch. The rest is recoil. I have no idea if he repented and restored his relationship with God or not.

But inarguably, God got his attention, and he could not withstand the weight of his own conscience.

HOLDTHIS THOUGHT: IFITINTO GOD’SPLAN 7

GETTING THE

GROWN-UP

STUFF RIGHT by kimberly schluterman

There comes a point in the life of every young woman when she must deal with “the grown-up stuff.” Often, this stuff is exciting, like a first home, first furniture purchase, first day at a “real” job, etc. But sometimes, it’s neither new nor exciting. Sometimes, it’s just the tough facts of life that now you must bear as an adult.

My new husband and I (getting to use that phrase is another exciting first) recently got the bad news that a member of his immediate family has cancer. More tests are needed, but chemo is scheduled to begin next week. Chemo?! Naturally, my concern is for the whole family, but the person to whom my heart really goes out is Husband’s youngest sister, who is now 19 and a sophomore in college. She’s about to learn what it really means to deal with the grown-up stuff.

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⎟Moving Out ... Settling in⎟

When I was very young, my uncle was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Seven years later, when I was in high school, he finally passed away. Those seven years were brutal for the whole family, and I saw firsthand how very dif-

strong young woman.

What’s the alternative? The alternative is the stuff of sitcoms or Dr. Phil episodes. Certainly, there are a lot of women letting their emotions

But if you extend the adage to grief, you’ve got something. ficult it was for everybody. But it really wasn’t that difficult for me. My parents wouldn’t let me go to the hospital to see him at his worst.

My grandma wouldn’t talk about it around me.

My older cousins would hardly acknowledge it if I was there; it became the white elephant in the room that no one wanted to mention.

Every once in a while, I’d get a snippet of grief or pain, but it didn’t pervade my world like I think it did for my grandma, father and cousins. I was protected from it by virtue of being a teenager. There’s no one to shelter me now, though.

My dad always said, “A wise man will learn from his mistakes. But the wiser man will learn from somebody else’s mistakes!” In this scenario, nobody has made a mistake. But if you extend the adage to grief, you’ve got something. If I can learn something of the meaning of life – something about myself, my family, about death – from watching someone else grieve instead of experiencing it myself, I suppose I’ve come out ahead.

spill out everywhere as they cave to adversity.

But as a woman of God, that’s not your calling.

And in the words of the Apostle Paul, “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (Ephesians 4:1). Your calling as a Christian young woman is to live with grace, and this means realizing that God is the God of even your emotions. Give your pain, struggles, fears and frustrations to the Father in prayer, and then have faith that all things happen in His plan. When life gives you grown-up situations, remember Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Part of being an adult is dealing with the tough stuff. It isn’t fun, but it’s important to do it correctly. Learning to function amidst adversity, struggle through obstacles and control your emotions when they want to spill out everywhere is part of maturing into a gracious,

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f o n i a G d n a n i a P e h T

n

by Julie An

y e l h s A ek l o i F

te is an athle inn e h w the vent orting e ry, you can see hlete p s a d d at tche inju ever wa field after an ally determine in the e ’v u o If y tion back ff the arted o rare and excep up and going c g n i e b a ng thlete. ain. It’s er getti tense p d even consid k is that rare a oved ul ole hley pr s A that wo on. Ashley Fi t a th iti attemp finale t s n a o w s a e compet e h 9s tion er. S the 200 otocross rac cross Associa tg n i r u m d r be s as Moto It was h 11th o ers. re she i nd Women’s s o i c n i d f r a o be h seco how h was t ch her , would of her eeded y n i n r l o c l e g h o t s s All ing trol all it lost con r collaronship. pionship, and i y p e l m h a s h c .A m he ppened the cha reaking nd comter and unthinkable ha e ground – b a h ination t e ck h m o t r t e n n t i e e h T , get ba ed n i c med r a m e p i a f l e s r h d re t g he ldn’t bike an Showin anaged to igno inish. She cou . . o w t f y n bone i shley m eventh place se of her injur A , t i r i p s s u petitive e and ride to a ip trophy beca ave k h i s b ldn’t h y u pion o m h s a on her h c n lread p wi ld her pionshi what she has a gereven ho m a h c dan able ows ed in a ender remark nyone who kn l l e ’s c y x e e l oa Ash has ed g rprise t s. She nd has advanc u r s ra a a e y n e 9 be sume fo ea er 1 c e h r a r e n i r v i e s e t f s n overcom winning race a a pretty impre y even more i r t ’s o r t t y’s s oss. I ous spo motocr t makes Ashle ly deaf. n i y t i l und equa t wha sn’t rn profo old, bu o r b a s ent wa s e a y m w p e 19 o l h e s dev er a is that nosed h her ler, her g d a spiring i d d o s t i its m old, as a hley w itial doctor vis s three years when s A n e eaf d in Wh y wa pace an When Ashle aughter was d no heg n i p e ke rd d.” e is that he se ther retarde as “mildly lly figured out tle her. Becau best guess w r ’s a a r t n ed i o mom f led to s mily, the doct spital suggest i a f g n a fa cl dee ho a large eafness in her les. Th ut her parents r s a e m d o o reditary sed by in uter Ashley hear, b hat decision f t au hlp it was c mplants to he shley to make nderstand. As i A u r cochlea t they wanted old enough to ha me cided t he beca mplants. s n e h w the i herself against d e d i c ley de

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“I have never heard before and I have never felt like it is something I am missing,” Ashley said.

Ashley’s love of motorcycles developed naturally from watching her father and grandfather (aka Grandpa Motorcycle) ride. Ashley was riding through the Michigan woods well before her fourth birthday.

She entered her first amateur race in 1998 and later that year her family decided to move to Florida so that Ashley could attend the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind – and race even more on the active Florida motocross scene.

⎟CENTER RING⎟

“I have never heard before and I have never felt like it is something I am missing,” Ashley said.

ready for. She was knocked out, broke her nose and smashed her two front teeth. For the first time in her short racing life, Ashley thought about giving up.

“I tried to find other things that interested me but I feel that God gave me a talent to ride a dirt bike and he kept pulling me that in that direction,” Ashley said.

Her God-given talent continued to develop as she competed through the amateur motocross ranks, winning race after race and perfecting her skill as a deaf rider. Since Ashley cannot hear the sounds of her bike she must rely on vibrations to know when When Ashley was 10 years old she had her first ma- to shift. She watches for the shadows of approachjor motocross accident at Daniel Boone raceway in ing competitors because she cannot hear them comKentucky when she attempted a jump she wasn’t ing up behind her. She must also rely heavily on her

11

weekly practice and training. She sees her deafness as both an advantage and disadvantage over other riders.

with texting and let everyone know what I am doing and [know] what they are doing with tweeting.”

Ashley has also worked hard for gender equality in motocross. A largely male dominated sport, women riders don’t always receive equal track time, television coverage and even earn smaller salaries. Ashley made a huge step for women’s equality after she won her first championship by becoming the first female rider to be featured on the cover of Transworld motocross magazine and the first women to ever be invited to join a factory team. As a factory rider, Honda essentially became Ashley’s sponsor – paying Ashley turned pro in 2007 and continued to enjoy the her way to races, as well as providing and performing success that she experienced in the amateur circuit. maintenance on her bike.

She won the Women’s Motocross Association championship in 2008 and again in 2009. Ashley also has It’s clear that Ashley will let nothing stand in her way two X-Games gold medals to her name, winning in – not a “disability” or physical obstacles, not excruci2009 and 2010. ating pain and injury and most certainly not a bunch of naysayers telling her that she can’t. Ashley knows Faith has always played a big role in Ashley’s life. that with God all things are possible and nothing can Because of her high-risk career choice, Ashley must hold her back. rely on God’s strength for confidence and safety on the race track. She has a Bible promise book that she reads before each race. She says that the verse she turns to most often is Matthew 21:22: “If you believe, you will receive, whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Ashley and her family each sign a prayer before each race.

“I can’t hear when other riders are behind me so I don’t really stress out about it, but at the same time I have to hold my lines out on the race track until I’m sure no one is behind me,” Ashley said. “I sometimes hit neutral because I can’t hear and I have flipped over the handle bars.” She also says that not being able to hear “smack talk” from her fellow competitors is a definite advantage.

Because of her high-risk career choice, Ashley must rely on God’s strength for confidence and safety on the race track.

Off the track, Ashley is glad to reach out to fellow riders and fans in faith and include them in her prayers.

Ashley uses texting, tweeting and other social media outlets to communicate with her ever-growing fan base. “[I’m] definitely happy to be deaf in this time!” Ashley said. “I can do just about anything with computer technology. I can talk to people all over the world

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⎟THE RECAP⎟

KICKIN G UP D

By Ashley F IRT iolek with Caroline Ri der

Review by Julie

Ann

It’s eas y Up Dirt to read Ashle , and th y Fiole k’s ink read ab out her , “this girl is c memoir, Kick razy-in terrible high-ris sane,” a ing cra k sy deeper career choice shes, darede vil feat ou loo o s and come p k reveals Fiole f motocross hy ra k tocross sical obstacle as a fighter ba cer. But a ttling to s and a racing. chieve Sh God, no gender overt to me e’s a girl with eq ntion a a deep food an love for uality fun-lov d goofin ing, her g off wit in m h friend happy-go-luck family and a s Kicking trong fa oy teena s .

Up Dir ger who it t Michig loves te h in an woo details Fiolek x ting, ds, ’s prog finally b ression ecomin through years from m of perfe ga Oh, and oto cting he there is two-time cha r skill in rcycle-riding in m thrilling that litt p io n the and le p th as it is in spiring. lot twist of pr professional H amateur ranks e o , o to found d Never o eafness nda factory rid ne to s . Fiolek e r. it still a races, h ’s story nd ea is as one du rt-stopping ac lead a humd rum life rin tion an ,F d champio g the 2009 s eason f horrific, gut-w iolek recount nship. D s electr renchin inale – larbone uring th ifyin g ac the in half. e race she cra Women’s Mo cidents, inclu g d shed h Kicking er bike tocross Assoc ing Up Dirt ia a n t d ion snappe also foc and enc d her c uses on ourage o d her to lt young m the suc he how Fiolek o ’s famil cess sh her rela tocross racer y sup e’s ac ha tionship also sh with he s taken a toll o hieved. She re ported, sacrif are ic nh rf counts how life ed risk spo s how her Ch ather, as he se er family and ristian a h r rt and g v s o ed as b faith en ives he oth her w it has impac a a r b c te le d onfiden Kicking ce to su s her particip ad and coach. d U ation in cceed.

She and poin p Dirt also pro such a vides a t highcrash c this wil s system. The ourse in re’s eve d sport motocr . Shortly n advic first mo oss – th e for aft to e his the term cross race – t er reading Kic young riders he 2010 hoping tory, slang king Up s the an to X D It was t n hrilling ouncers used -Games finale irt, I decided break into . t a t o watch o I was a gold me n ble to u dal kno watch Fiolek d knew most o m n ride an wing w d f there.

F erstand y io le k here sh ’s im major all press e came from an ive race to an competitors.

More th o d what an a go she has ther X-Games od stor who ha o vercom y, Kickin se e to get g Up Dir to the f ver struggled t will in ullest. to conq spire an uer obs d bring tacles t ho o achie ve a dre pe to anyone am and live life

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INTERNATIONAL INCIDENTS

BY REBA RAY

What do you get when you cross a Spanish dessert with the tropical taste of Thailand? Or how about the somewhat sacrilegious act of renderin’ an Indian entrée with beef? These are what I call culinary international incidents, and though they aren’t makin’ headlines, people are ravin’ about ‘em at my house. I got this notion of crossin’ two ethnic foods to come up with a unique concoction and these recipes are the result. In all honesty, some countries don’t take to each other right away. I tried injectin’ some Irish into an egg roll, and the net result was a stomach ache. I’m tweakin’ that recipe and you can watch out for it in a future column. But for now, make yur kitchen into the great meltin’ pot with these.

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⎟reba ray⎟

TIKKI MASALA MEATLOAF SANDWICH

1 lb. lean ground beef 1 ½ c. plain bread crumbs 1 egg ½ c. plain yogurt ½ tsp. chili powder ½ tsp. salt 2 tsp. minced ginger root, or ½ tsp. ginger powder Large clove of garlic, pressed 1 c. heavy whipping cream 1 c. tomato sauce Cilantro flakes One package of nan (or foccacia in a pinch)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with cookin’ spray. In a large bowl, combine the beef with bread crumbs, egg, yogurt, and spices (except cilantro). Roll up yur sleaves, wash yur hands (shame on ya if you started cooking with dirty hands!), and dig in with yur fingers to work all these ingredients into each other until you can’t tell one from another. Scrape the bowl with yur fingers and lift that hunk o’ gooey, raw meat out of the bowl and into the loaf pan. (Wash yur hands again.) Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the meat starts to look brown on top.

Remove meatloaf from the oven and while it’s coolin’ just a bit, mix together in a small saucepan the tomato sauce and whippin’ cream. Keep it just shy of the boilin’ point, but heat through for about three minutes. Warm the bread and then plop a piece of nan on a plate, slap a slice of meatloaf on top, slather it with ½-cup of the red “gravy” and finally sprinkle with cilantro flakes.

This is enough for four servins’, so if you don’t have company, put yur gravy in a plastic or glass container and store the meatloaf in a separate air-tight container and this will keep for about five days in the fridge. Or, freeze half the meatloaf, and when yur ready to eat it, defrost in the microwave for about four minutes for a ¼-pound servin’.

Then mix up the gravy fresh.

First, a note on cardamom: Don’t go springin’ for it unless you like to cook and experiment with new foods. It’s not a spice you’ll use a whole heck of a lot. Consider it optional, but it does contribute a unique flavor to this dish.

Fix the rice according to package directions, ‘cept for one difference – add the chopped mango in about halfway through cookin’. Dried mango is kind of tough and the heat and water will soften it up a bit to give it more the consistency of raisins. If you forget to do this, you can always put the mango and a few tablespoons of water in the microwave and heat for 90 seconds on high.

After the rice is ready, transfer it to a bowl. Stir in all the rest of the ingredients. Now put a lid on it (or plastic or foil) and let it cool for about ½ an hour. Eat warm, or more traditionally, chill it for a couple of hours and eat cold. This also makes a yummy breakfast, hot or cold.

THAI TROPICS ARROZ CON LECHE

The typical Spanish (and Mexican) version of this dish uses milk and raisins, but I’m gonna “Thai it up” by usin’ coconut milk and mango.

Makes two servins’ – you’ll want it two nights in a row, I guarantee.

1 cup white rice ¾ c. coconut milk ¾ c. cow’s milk 3 tbsp. brown sugar ½ c. dried mango, chopped into small pieces ¼ tsp. cinnamon ¼ tsp. cardamom

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âŽ&#x;dear gabbyâŽ&#x;

dear gabby:

reeir t h e h t -- and s od w e ph b / b lo e la n d d n pou w an n, a 75- in - la r is c a t io e a t y v is b s a n o er, at B away broth is t h s ne y o m g m y b le r he ke il o t a r e m f p n a o My 's f ie d I li v e is a b y ." other t e r r if r B " b 's e g y m do o b le m e h r s e p ld u o a e im bec . Th ry t year d, o b le m h h im d eve r n it p ache a t w e t ix h a y t n a m d is n 't o st nd u houn g le a one t Baby re e in , s t m , io o s id ng ke ca u a d n o t e a y e d n h e 's I 'm e an they ough use hous h a ess t c ir e e n b h t t I gu eve a t . h o a d t d n e li v in k s e to n e l. A s come er th ay m h o p t t o u n le s 't e r n b o s m S e y . r o m he d now at fo that im e h ic h swe re t w o y n r n mo ve be e y e v a ld e it u w s st e a ect it s h o a t le a y exp t h e y 'r e ? t h e o il t g h , e e w is j o b 'v ic h n y t I b e f e a to b ut o s li k of B , lo o k get o once n o I it o n s . ca I d id ges chan Fe . How s in c e d s a a t u e t n Sa g ah l sta g le in a r it a - s it t in in g m S o d y m ed t in g - S it entur d in f s o year

Livi

ng

a c onu ndr ngs um? a ri Try ght ing ? Th to m rew the the ake bat b Dea two a b h w y ou r Ga ate t bby r? with can now h to t elp! heg Sen abs d yo ter ur q @on ues myo tion wnn s ow.c om wro

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“Behold, I am sending out as sheep in the midst of wolves so be as innocent as doves and as wise as serpents.”

Matthew 10:16

Dear Single, It would be easy to find a verse about Samson’s strength or David’s courage to bolster your confidence to free yourself of this encumbrance, but instead Matthew popped into Gabby’s head. This verse reminds Gabby about how very easy it is to slide from good, loving, benevolent Christian to doormat. We’ve all seen it.We know that the world loves to take advantage of selfless people. Christ tells his disciples in this incredibly honest and human moment, that He wants them to go out and preach the Word, but to be smart about it. And so this verse has become an old favorite to Gabby.

The next time they presume you’ll Baby-sit, kindly and diplomatically mention you have some commitments that will conflict. Don’t be defensive or overly specific or you’ll just sound paranoid. Then proactively suggest to brother one or two alternate sitters. Also, there are vacation rentals that cater to pet owners.

Gabby has used them herself and they are really wonderful. If your brother’s never kenneled his dog or paid for service, he may be entirely clueless about what a generous service you are performing for him for free. If he does know what they cost, he may regret not compensating you at a competitive family rate So how does it apply to you and your dog- rather than full price. That would certainly be sitting days? Well, it’s kind of giving you a a win-win to make extra money while hanging hall pass on guilt and telling you that if you’re out with a dog. serving your family in the name of Christ and your family cannot recognize or respect this It’s entirely possible that being a married man gift, then… don’t sit, Girl. Don’t stay, and by no and father, he may not remember that single means should you roll over and play dead! people have full and busy lives too. Gently remind him and stand your ground. Baby’s care Gabby suspects that it isn’t the act of dog-sitting is not your responsibility, so if you don’t want it, that you dread, but the assumption that noth- don’t accept it. Don’t cave to guilt either. At 75 ing in your life could be important enough to pounds, Baby will survive a week at the kennel. compete with their lives. If you felt valued and respected, Gabby suspects—without knowing Confronting this instead of ignoring it will the ins and outs of caring for Baby—that mind- serve you well not only every time your brothing this big doggie would be much more palat- er’s family goes on vacation, but in life in genable. So then, what to do? Well, first of all, don’t eral. Maybe you do really have the time to take wait for marriage to come along and save you, this on now (maybe you don’t), but there will that’s for sure. Now is a good time to learn to as- certainly come a time when you will not be sert yourself as a kind and clever disciple. Do it able to take on every dog-sitting assignment now and do it for yourself. It may take a while to and other favor that’s expected or even graget the hang of it, so start small. Think of it as a ciously requested of you. Learning to set limtraining session for your and your family. its is a very useful skill. Begin to master it with your brother.

- The Gabster

17

Is your gym membership

thinning your pocketbook?

by Julie Ann

18

A couple of weeks ago my friend Kate asked a question on her Facebook status: should she shell out $55 bucks a month to join a gym? Then a few days later Kate posted that she had joined the gym and it was going to be well worth the monthly cost for some of the exciting classes they offered.

With most gym memberships running about $30 to $55 dollars a month, the cost of getting fit can also thin our your bank account. So, like Kate asked, is it worth it? It depends. And if it’s not worth it for you, what are some alternatives?

First of all, for total disclosure, I pay about $30 bucks a month for my gym membership. It’s less than Kate’s major metropolitan fancy gym because it’s fairly small with fewer services in a smaller city. I can be found at my gym six days a week going hardcore on a cardio machine, trying to beat my previous best lift in the weight room or doing (what feels like) millions of lunges around the track. I get my money’s worth from my membership.

⎟SPARE CHANGE⎟

Then there’s my friend Shannon. She is a member of the same gym. She is lucky if she makes it there once a week and if she does manage to make it, she is so social that the only running she is doing is with her mouth! Shannon is essentially tossing her money away by not using what she is paying for.

So what about you? Whether you’re considering joining a gym or already a member, take a moment to answer these questions for yourself to see if a gym is really worth your hard-earned money.

Do you want to take classes that aren’t available anywhere else?

Will paying to exercise motivate and help you attain your fitness goals?

Are there free fitness options in your area that might meet both social and fitness needs?

If the workout is really what you’re after, could you do it from home or in a free public place?

Can you really afford the $30 to $50 a month out of your budget? (Let me ask that another way: Are you able to live each month without having to put gas, groceries or other essentials on credit?)

Weigh the answers to the first four questions and if the benefit outweighs the costs, then go for it. If you answered “no” to the last question, it’s a dealbreaker. Don’t do it, or get out of it as quickly as possible until your economic situation changes. If you assessed that there’s nothing so special about your gym (or you can’t afford it), here are some of ways you can get fit and keep your wallet fat.

First of all, your own body is the best fitness tool you have available. Obviously running and/or walking are both great ways to stay in shape. If you want a bit more variety, dig back into your elementary school gym class repertoire and do sets of sit-ups, push-ups, squats, lunges and jumping jacks. Check out fitness magazines and the Internet for variations of these and pretty soon you’ll have a bunch of great get-fit moves at your disposal. I recommend Shapefit.com for tons of exercise descriptions with images and videos, plus a social network component that’s a

little like going to the gym to meet new people.

If you want some tools to assist you in your homebased workout, here are a few which I regularly incorporate into my workouts that cost less than a monthly membership:

Balance Ball: You can incorporate a balance ball

into just about any exercise it seems. I generally use a balance ball for abdominal work, as a “weight bench” when lifting free weights and for squats. Cost: about $20.

Resistance Bands: I never knew how awesome

resistance bands were until I was rehabbing my arm after an injury and needed a gentle way to build strength and increase flexibility. Their small size makes them perfect for travel and tiny apartments.

Cost: $10 to $15 for one.

Medicine Balls: These two to 25 pound balls are

excellent to help strengthen the arms, chest and leg muscles and can be used alone or with a partner.

I like to use them to add an extra challenge to my lunges and crunches. Cost: $30.

Jump Rope: An excellent way to pack a great punch of cardio between sets is to make like a kid on the playground again and jump rope. You’ll quickly rev up your heart rate and agility. Cost: $8 to $15.

The bottom line is that you should evaluate your fitness needs and goals before committing to a monthly membership fee. If you are like me and will spend countless hours at the gym or like Kate who wants to participate in group classes, then it just might be worth it. But if you’re a Shannon, you should consider organizing a walking group or another free social activity. Maybe it’s best for you to invest in a couple of fitness tools and work out in your backyard or living room. Perhaps you live in an area with adult sports leagues or great biking paths or hiking trails. The most important thing is that you are taking an active role in being fit and healthy (which will have its own money saving benefits as well.)

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5

ways to spare the hair

by Tamara Jane

2O

Each year there comes a time when, after trying to grow my hair out for so long, I find myself fighting the urge to cut it off, because I’m so tired of it. Inevitably, when I give in to this urge, I hate my new hair cut! Too late, I decide that I really did love my long hair – I just needed some variety.

⎟Fashion DIVinA⎟ So this year, I’ve come up with some simple ways to help me like my hair all over again, when it gets to that certain length. Grab a few girlfriends and try these out! I promise it will be fun, and I hope it will help you make peace with your hair!

1. Try a New Do. You would, right? But you’re fresh out of ideas. Well, how about getting together with a group of girlfriends and playing hair salon? Put a big-girl spin on it by signing up for the Virtual Hairstyler. There’s a one-time fee of $14.95 for three-months of unlimited photo uploads that you can manipulate to see how literally hundreds of different hair styles will look on you.

For about as much as a cheap hair cut, you and some friends can fiddle with your virtual hair to your hearts’ content – then try some of the styles out on each other. The Web site provides step-by-step instructions for all the styles even without the paid subscription.

4. Layer.

Layers can totally change the look of your hair without taking off any length. They take off weight, allowing the hair on the crown of your head to spring up with more body. Careful how short you go with the layers if you want to keep the ability to put your hair up quickly.

Try a New Do

5. Change the color or highlight.

This can be scary if you’ve never colored your hair, but today’s products are gentle and, if you follow the directions (!), kind of hard to screw up.

Coloring is much easier than highlighting, so if you’re new to this, try a wholesale color change first. The rainbow’s the limit these days, but just remember that people will judge you – however unfair that may be – based on your crazy hair color. If you work with the public and value your job, do yourself a favor and stay within your natural color range and try to match your skin tone. Learn more 2. Change your part. by reading “Hair Color: Two Rules for So simple, so practical, and yet it re- Success.” ally can make a difference. Go a little Any one of these ideas can give you farther to the side to add drama. Part a new appreciation for your hair, and right down the center to better frame try two or three of these ideas togethyour face. er to really mix it up without taking off length. Finally, if nothing satisfies and that hair just has to go, revisit Hair“But I’ve already got bangs,” you say? styler.com to pick out a do that’s right Then get new bangs. Bangs can look for you before you head to the salon. very different, depending on how they’re done. Learn more and see some different styles by checking out “Bang Hairstyles and Their Benefits,” and then follow the links to other bang articles to get a great new vision

Change your part

Get bangs

Layer

3. Get bangs.

Change the color

of how bangs can change your look.

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