At First Place for Health we celebrate whole-person wellness. We understand that to be what Jesus meant when he said in Mark 12:30 to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.” I am always looking for ways to be totally sold out in my commitment to whole-person wellness. Summer hacks are just perfect for me!
SOUL CARE. Everyone needs friends. Summer is the perfect time to meet and pray for your neighbors. People are outside working in the yard or playing with the kids. It will take some effort to walk across the lawn, across the street or across the room and introduce yourself. True friendships are hard to come by. My Facebook page says I have 1,590 friends. This is not true. I probably have about 10 people in my life that are true friends. But I do have a lot of acquaintances. I want to be a good friend, even to those. One of our commitments in FP4H is to work hard at community and building up of others. A good neighbor will be worth the effort.
BODY CARE. Reap the summer harvest—picking berries can certainly be considered exercise. I took my grands to pick strawberries and I probably executed over 200 deep knee bends! This field was all you could pick and all you could eat. Brody had more on his face than in his basket. We created such a memory. Every time we drive by the field, someone pipes up and says “Hey, Grammy! that’s where we picked the berries.” Berries are considered a super food—full of vitamins and nutrients. Fresh berries can be enjoyed for a short time, but when frozen, no nutrients are lost in the process. They will be just as good for you six months from now in the dead of winter. I am still enjoying the strawberries I put in the freezer. You might get ambitious and make jam for later. I’m not that ambitious.
MIND CARE. Clean out or organize something. Unpacking a box from moving to Edisto, I found a set of books from my childhood. I had forgotten how much I loved Huckleberry Finn, Little Woman and even some Nancy Drew. Deciding to finally unpack that box unpacked a great opportunity to connect with my grandchildren. And just the feeling of accomplishment that I had finally tackled that box gave me such peace of mind.
SPIRIT CARE. Consider a fast. I remember the summer we challenged our kids to fast from television for an entire month. We picked the month of May. We were forced to pull out the board games. How fun it was to connect as a family. In this day of device addiction, what wonders might arise if we fasted from the craziness of social medial or our personal devices? I have found myself dropping everything to respond to the “ding” that notifies me I have just received a text message. I just turned it off.
The best summer hack of all—to get it all—would be to attend our FP4H Summit in Burlington, KY (Cincinnati area). We will have something for everyone, regardless of where you are on your personal wellness journey. Every part of our personality is important. Your body is important, but so is your soul. You may finally find the answer to that ever-haunting question: “Why do I continue to eat when I am not hungry?” Soul Care is what we do. Please consider attending the event. It may be the most important wellness step you ever take. Christ is at the center of First Place for Health and that is why it works. Please come to Burlington! Info here: http://www.firstplaceforhealth.com/summit-2022/
Vicki Heath
First Place for Health National Director, American Council on Exercise, Certified Fitness Instructor, Certified Life Coach and Wellness Coordinator for her church in Edisto Beach, SC. Vicki is author of Don’t Quit Get Fit and Wellness Journey of a Lifetime. She has led a successful First Place fo Health ministry in her church for over twenty years.