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Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6:11 Costume parties were always fun when I was young. I would spend all afternoon getting every detail taken care of, saving the mask for the very last.  As long as the mask was off, I was still myself; but when my face was covered, I became another person. The full Christian life may be masked and never seen. Some masks we wear are pride, deceit, false humility, discontentment, the devil’s schemes, unconfessed sin. We must daily peel off our masks and replace them with the full armor of God. Only when our human masks are shed and we don God’s armor can we stand against the devil’s schemes. This means we must put on the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness, and we must fit our feet with

“Forget the store-bought ice cream sandwiches and make your own all-natural healthy treats.” 1/2 cup fat-free vanilla frozen yogurt 24 vanilla wafer cookies 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips Prepare your storage container by lining with waxed paper. Put a small scoop of ice cream on a cookie; top with another cookie and flatten until filling reaches the edge of the cookie. Roll the side of the sandwich in the mini chocolate chips. Place in your prepared container. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Place in the freezer to set for at least 30 minutes, or cover and freeze for up to one week. Serves 12 NOTE: Substitute your favorite sprinkle for the chocolate chips for variety. NUTRITION: 80 calories; 4g fat (38.1% calories from fat); 1g protein; 12g carbohydrates; trace dietary fiber; trace cholesterol; 42mg sodium. LIVE IT TRACKER: No trackable nutrition. but note the calories on your tracker for awareness. This

I finish out my fifties in twelve months. Since my grandparents and great-grandparents lived into their late nineties, my goal for the long haul is to remain strong. I realize if I’m not building muscle strength, I’m losing it. I teach a Body & Soul Strength and Flexibility class at my church two days a week. Why? Because I need it. Plus, when I’m working out with others, I’ll show up. In 2010, when I reached my healthy goal, it was just in time for the hormone roller coaster, menopause.  There is a reason the calorie range charts reduce by 200 calories per day for women when they reach age 51 and men age 61.  As our hormones change (men included), our bodies age, and expend less energy.  If we don’t decrease our food intake, increase our activity level, and build muscle mass, you guessed it, we gain weight.  Plus,