Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk

• Parents, we have to be willing to admit when we make a mistake.

• Be willing to ask for help.

• Look to the Word of God for guidance.

II-Scripture Psalm 127:3 says, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward.” Heritage in the Greek is defined as-

• They are a gift that God placed in our hands because, they belong to Him.

• We have to answer to God about how we handle the gift that He gave us.

III-Nurture {bringing something to them}

• Feeding them.

• Spiritually (reading the Bible to and with them).

• Once we feed them naturally the fruit will be shown.

My daughter wanted to start a Christian club at her school. She went through the proper channels, and she was denied, because the school already had a Christian Club for Athletes. She was determined and was able to get the club started. Her first lesson was about being an individual and not following the crowd. She used bubbles as an illustration of how they float at their own pace. That showed me my fruit.

• Naturally making sure they eat healthily and that the plate is evenly balanced.

Initially when I was thinking about this article I wanted to talk about self-care. I wanted people to understand the importance of loving themselves. Then I received a phone call from a dear friend. On that phone call he was requesting prayer because his son had attempted to commit suicide. My heart was so saddened by this. On the next day I went to work and at work I was asked to pray for a student who also attempted to commit suicide. I was so troubled by this as well.

When I got home from work I cried, and I hugged my girls and was impressed to talk to them about life; if there were any issues that would cause them not to be happy. They said that they were fine, and I reiterated to them the importance of us having open communication.

People parenting is difficult. When you have children, they aren’t born with a manual. As parents there is a lot of trial and error. I always make a joke with my oldest daughter that she was my practice baby. I apologize often to her for the mistakes that I made as a parent.

• Watch what you say or who you are talking about while your child is around or inactively listening.

• Create open lines of communication.

• Asking questions that you don't want to know the answer to.

IV- Protect them {keeping things away from them}

• Praying with and for them.

• Teaching them how to pray.

• Monitor what they watch, their social media accounts, and listen and know their passcodes to their electronic devices.

• My job as a parent is to protect what I've inherited.

V- We are not perfect, we're going to make mistakes(tying in the title)

• Be quick to apologize when you are wrong.

Don’t cry over what you can’t change. Be persistent in what you can. No one is perfect, create a village that can yield support. Know that we are all in this together.

The very word may make some people groan. Most physicians recommend we engage in daily exercise. Unfortunately, many do not heed this instruction due to work schedules, fatigue, and physical ailments.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), regular physical activity is vital for your health. Adults who sit less and do any amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity gain some health benefits. Being physically active can improve your brain health, help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do everyday activities.

Regular physical activity can improve thinking, learning, and judgment skills. It can also reduce your risk of depression and anxiety and improve sleep. Exercise can help weight reduction by burning calories and increasing metabolism. Recent studies suggest regular walking can reduce belly fat.

A sedentary lifestyle is detrimental to your health. Regular physical activity can lower your blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels, increase circulation and strengthen your heart. Exercise improves muscle strength, coordination, and balance. Joint pain from arthritis is reduced with exercise. Always consult with your physician before participating in rigorous physical activity.

Research identifies that the risk of bladder, breast, colon, and esophageal cancer is reduced with regular, moderate exercise.

Walking is a simple way of increasing physical activity. Walk around your neighborhood or a track at a local school or gym. Choose a smooth surface to reduce the risk of tripping and falling. Wear supportive athletic footwear. Enhance your access to walking by parking away from the mall's front door. Choose the stairs instead of the elevator when possible.

Consider doing yard work like planting, raking, and mowing the grass. The bending, squatting and stretching performed in yard work strengthens muscles.

Sign up for a line or hand dance class. Dancing is a fun and enjoyable way to improve coordination, agility, and flexibility. Many individuals enjoy socializing with others that comes with dancing. Taking the time to remember steps and the changing movements of dance is also a great way to challenge your brain.

Participating in aerobic exercise requires more strenuous vigorous exercise. Aerobic exercise is physical activity that increases the heart rate and the body's use of oxygen. Exercises like jogging, spinning, swimming and Zumba are aerobic activities. Please see your physician before engaging in aerobic exercise.

The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore. Everyone benefits from exercise, regardless of age, sex or physical ability. Want to feel better, have more energy and even add years to your life? Just exercise. Select the type of excercise that is right for you.

Be consistent in participating in the activity several times each week. Most of all enjoy yourself and be proud of yourself for supporting your physical health.

Dr. Denyce Watties-Daniels Assistant Professor at Coppin State University DWatties-Daniels@coppin.edu

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