UP, UP… and UP Again!

I’ve been wearing my UP3 for the past seven days.

It’s the latest health / fitness band by Jawbone.  (How do marketing folks come up with these names, Lord?!)   🙂

I had never heard of such a thing before a couple of weeks ago.  A dear friend has one and loves it.  She said she would help me figure it out.  It was another point of “connection” for us… so I said, “Let’s do it!”

It’s pretty amazing, Lord.  I wear this band on my “non-dominant” wrist 24 hours a day.  It measures data, crunches numbers and spits out reports on my iPhone.  Like…

My sleep patterns!!!  It actually shows me how long I slept the night before AND the amount of time I was in each “category” of sleep!  Light sleep, deep slip and REM sleep… down to the precise minutes I was in each one!  How does it DO that, Lord?!

My heart rate!!!  My resting heart rate — when it’s at its lowest, right before I wake up.  My passive heart rate — my average heart rate during the day in moments of inactivity.

My food and water intake!!!  I log it in on my iPhone (with or without pictures) and it analyzes my daily diet by carbohydrates, fiber, protein, etc. etc.

My physical activity!!!  It actually measures the number of steps I take in a day.  (How does it DO that, Lord?)  Plus other physical activity (OK, I input that… but it couldn’t be easier.)

THEN… Over time, it sees my patterns, etc. and offers me personalized Health Coaching!  Spurring me on, suggesting healthy alternatives to my present actions, etc.

AMAZING!!!

Wouldn’t it be amazing if there was a product like this that could measure our spiritual activity?

Registering our steps when we are actually “running” the race You have set before us, Lord. Creating a separate log of our steps whenever we are running off track.

“… let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus…”  (Hebrews 12:1b-2a)

Logging in the nutritional benefits of feasting on Your Bread of Life and Living Water. Logging separately the “empty calories” we pile on when just feed our “flesh.”  When we binge on “comfort foods” that are empty of any real comfort.

“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the Bread of Life.  Whoever comes to Me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty.”  (John 6:35)

Distinguishing between our different patterns of rest, so we know which ones are really helping us and which are merely draining us.

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”  (Matthew 11:28-29)

Funny.  I wouldn’t have searched for a product like this.  It actually is fun… and it is helping me make some healthier choices. But that isn’t the real reason You put it on my radar screen… is it, Lord?

This friend and I had reconnected after a long time apart.  She doesn’t yet know You, Lord. But she told me “it’s time” she “came to grips” with You.  We have already had one pretty deep conversation about You.

It will be the first of many… won’t it, Lord?

So, I guess You could say we are both moving UP in the world???   🙂

“… pray… that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ… make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Colossians 4:3,5b-6)

I can hardly wait, Lord!

Oops!  My wristband alarm just went off.  Another encouraging word from the “Smart Coach” within?

You have been waking me up between 4:00 and 4:30 AM with some frequency, Lord.  My Smart Coach suggests I should consider changing my bedtime to 9:00 PM.

How will I ever do that, Lord???!!!   🙂

Past my bedtime,

Abba’s Girl

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