Bench Warmers and Babies

I recently saw a sign for a veterinary clinic that said, "If your dog is fat, then you're not exercising enough."  Although we don't have a dog, I know we don't exercise enough.  I'm blessed to have some good genes that I don't really have any weight issues and nursing my daughter really helped keep any extra weight off as well. However I still need to get out and do something.  I used to take A on walks around our neighborhood or local shopping centers all the time, literally every day.  For whatever reason I have fallen out of that habit.  

This past weekend I decided to take A to a park for the first time.  She loved it!  She climbed all over everything like a little monkey.  She crawled through the tunnels, climbed up a rock wall, went down the slides and flew high in the swings!  We were there for about an hour and by the time she was ready to go I'm not sure who was more worn out, me or her. 

 I've always known that I would be the "cool mom" that was climbing on all the playground equipment and swinging with my kids.  Being that A is just over a year old I didn't have much of a choice or she would have been trampled by the big kids.  Today is only Wednesday and we have been 3 times this week, for roughly an hour each visit.  

It says in the Word that our body is a temple.  This phrase is most commonly associated with drinking and drugs.  I think it's more than that though.  We shouldn't indulge in alcohol or drugs, no, but we also shouldn't indulge in sweets, fast foods, or lounging.  Moderation is key to everything.  Ice cream is great, but too much of it causes a stomach ache right?  Well, too much sitting and lounging around can cause some problems too.  

I am writing this so I have something to hold myself accountable.  I have been lounging around watching A play in the living room far too much recently.  I plan on continuing our visits to the park, resuming our neighborhood strolls, and saving up for a bicycle!  I used to love riding bikes and I've been searching local classifieds and thrift stores in hopes of finding a treasure.  

So get out there and play with your kiddos!  Don't be the mom who sits on the benches playing on her phone instead of playing with her kids.  You might feel silly at first, but trust me it's better for everyone in the long run.  Your body will thank you for a little exercise and your kids will cherish the memories of momma and daddy trying to fit through the tunnels :)

 

And a little playground time isn't too bad for the bedtime routine either! 

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body," - 1 Cor. 6:19-20