As a kid in the early 70s, I watched reruns of the 1966-1968 Batman series starring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin. At that age I watched it more as a serious action crime show and did not understand nor appreciate the wonderful humor. According to Wikipedia, Executive Producer William Dozier once described it as the only situation comedy on the air without a laugh track. After seeing some of the episodes as an adult, I agree.

One of the running jokes that appears in every episode is Robin’s “holy” exclamations such as “Holy Guacamole” or “Holy Hole in a Donut”. According to BuzzFeed, Robin made 359 such statements during the 3 season, 120 episodes run. That’s three “holies” per show!  A member of the BuzzFeed staff listed and rated all of them. Holy Hijack came in at 170.

“Holy Hijack” describes well what secular cultures have done to two prominent Christian celebrations, Christmas and Easter. Of the two, the cleverest crime was the commandeering of Easter. For Christians, Easter is the day we remember and celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the dead.

Over the years people have argued about the origin and meaning of the word “Easter” and when that word was used in conjunction with this Christian celebration. Frankly, I don’t really care. At the core this is not a matter of one day being any more important than another. It is simply a day set aside since the second century for Christians around the world to collectively celebrate what God has done because the entire Christian faith rests on this one event.

“For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either.”

1 Corinthians 15:13

As a self-proclaimed witness to Jesus’s resurrection, even Paul, who wrote over half of the New Testament, said he and all the apostles would be a bunch of liars IF the resurrection never happened.

“And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead.”

1 Corinthians 15:15

Yet most of the apostles were executed for teaching about Jesus and the resurrection. You can also count Jesus among the liars because He said:

“I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.” John 11:25

Would you die for a lie?

Today in many homes Easter is recognized with little more than a Santa-like, candy-giving rabbit and the tradition of finding plastic eggs filled with treasures.  The National Retail Federation estimates Americans will spend over $18 billion this Easter mostly on clothing, candy and gifts. Of course, there is nothing wrong with fun family traditions. The hijack is the diversion of our attention away from an event that has the power to forever change us and the world.

Listen to God’s heart for you: “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead.” Philippians 3:10a

What is the power God promises?  

“And God will raise us from the dead by His power, just as He raised our Lord from the dead.” 1 Corinthians 6:14

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance-an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.

1 Peter 1:3-4

There is no dispute that Jesus lived and was crucified. There is no dispute that the apostles lived and died for their faith in Him. What is disputed and must be settled in your heart is whether they were all liars and lunatics, willing to die for a lie, or God did raise Jesus from the dead as your Lord and Savior.

Just like He did with His first disciples, Jesus asks each of us today, “Who do you say I am?” Matthew 16:15

If you want to experience His resurrection power in your life, invite Him to be your Lord. It will be an Easter you will never forget.

Have you ever heard a trainer or group exercise instructor say “engage your core” or “tighten your abs”? Some might cue you to pull your navel to your spine. These are all ways to remind you to tighten your abdominal muscles while performing certain exercises so you can reap the most benefit from the moves as well as reduce your risk of injury. But how do you do it? What does it even mean?

First, a quick look at what makes up your abdominal muscles (abs) which are a big part of your core. Everyone has four layers of abs. The deepest layer is called the transversus abdominis (TVA). The TVA wraps around your waist to connect the ribcage to the pelvis. On top of the TVA are the internal and external obliques which criss-cross your torso. Last but not least, the top layer is your rectus abdominis which are the muscles that form that often discussed six-pack. When all four of these ab muscles are braced together, working with the muscles that line your spine, you have what is called an engaged core. Keep in mind, your core also includes your glute muscles and adductor muscles in your hips along with your lower back and abs.

Why do you want to engage your core? Engaging your core during your workout helps reduce the risk of injury, especially injuries of the lower back. For example, think about completing shoulder presses. As your shoulders get tired you may start arching your lower back which puts a dangerous strain on your spine and the muscles around it. By zipping up your abs and squeezing your glutes, your spine is more protected and you can move your shoulders through a safer range of motion.

Practice engaging your core while doing my fast ab circuit! 

Also, engaging your core when performing abdominal exercises especially, ensures your abs are doing the work instead of recruiting other muscles to take over. This will make those moves more effective. Since your core is the basis of almost every movement we make in our day to day lives, it is important to keep it strong.

So how do you engage your core? Your abs should be tight and pulling in but you should be able to breathe and move normally. It is NOT sucking in your stomach and holding your breath. You can practice engaging your core at any time by feeling your ribs expand to the sides while you inhale, then as you exhale contract and zip up your abs, thinking about pulling your navel up and in toward your spine. Keep breathing normally while you continue to hold your abs in.

Keeping your core engaged properly while exercising will help keep your core strong and reduce your risk of injury not only while working out, but also in your day to day activities.

Look for more great core exercises? Check out our staffs favorite ab workouts!

Don’t hate me but I like Daylight Savings Time. I do enjoy more sunlight during the evening hours, especially after a full day’s work. Of course the notion of literally saving daylight is silly. We will always get the amount of daylight preordained for each day of the year. I suppose calling it Daylight Relocation Time or Daylight Reallocation Time does not have that same virtuous, cause-worthy sound to it.  

I believe Daylight Savings is man’s simple acknowledgment that time is our most precious commodity and we should seize the opportunity to make the most of every sun-lit moment. Life is a miracle and how we spend our time is important. Once time is spent, it is gone and (please catch this) we never know how much is left.

In 1993 Garry Hoy, a lawyer in Toronto, fell to his death from the 24th floor while demonstrating to a group of visitors that the glass in the windows was unbreakable. Instead of using an object or tool of some sort, Hoy threw HIMSELF against the glass, which did not break. However, he popped out the entire window from the frame! Wouldn’t you like to know what he was thinking on the way down?

Maybe you would never do something that stupid, but you never know when some goofball like Hoy may land on you.

Psalm 39:4,5 frames this truth as a prayer. “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered-how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to You; at best, each of us is but a breath.”

A single breath taken during our lifetime represents our entire earthly life compared to eternity. Yet for so many of us, we think eternity is far off and of no immediate concern, when it is but a breath away. This Psalm is a beautiful prayer yet also a stern reminder to always have eternity in view. It is not far off. Mr. Hoy found that out.

As a Christian one of my favorite life perspectives from Scripture is that my citizenship is in heaven, not here on earth. (Philippians 3:20). I may currently reside in America, but I belong to Jesus and my real home is with Him in heaven. My last breath on earth will be immediately followed by my first breath in eternity; this will happen in a breath’s time.

Inhale. Now, exhale. That is your life. Are you ready for your next breath?

Are you looking to strengthen your abdominals? Whether you want to have a six-pack or improve your balance, there are many reasons to strengthen your stomach muscles and the other muscles around your mid-section that make up your core. Your core muscles are used in just about every movement you make so it is important to keep them strong. If you have extra around your middle, check out my post with 5 tips to lose belly fat.

Here is a fast circuit workout for your core. These are exercises you can do at home or at the gym.

Set your timer for 30 seconds.  You'll do each move for 30 seconds, rest for 10 seconds in between each. Rest for a minute then repeat all three exercises two more times.  

Here is a basic explanation of each move:

Scissors - Lie flat on your back.  You can extend your arms along the sides of your body with your palms pressing into the floor, or you can bend your elbows and place your palms under the back of your head.  Pull your navel in towards your spine (engaging your abs) and actively press your lower back flat on the ground.  Lift both legs straight up toward the ceiling, continuing to engage your abs and press your lower back into the ground throughout the exercise. Slowly lower your right leg down toward the ground, until it is a few inches above the floor. Then scissor your legs, so you lift your right leg back up as you lower your left leg down towards the ground.  Keep this up with slow and controlled movements.

 Russian Twist - Sit with your knees bent and heels on the floor.  Engage your abs and lean back until your upper body is at a 45 degree angle to the floor, keeping your back long and flat. Rotate your torso, reaching both hands toward the floor on the side before returning back to center then reaching for the other side.  A weight or medicine ball can be held and/or feet lifted off the ground to make this more challenging.

Plank - Lie facedown with legs extended and elbows bent and directly under shoulders; place your hands flat. Feet should be hip-width apart, and elbows should be shoulder-width apart. Contract your abs, then tuck your toes to lift your body (forearms remain on the ground); you should be in a straight line from head to heels.  Hold for 30 seconds.  

Do this two to three times a week on non-consecutive days for stronger abs!

 Looking for more great ab exercises?  Take a look at our full list of ab workouts. 

I love good food and when dining out at a busy restaurant, which is rare these days, I love to hear my name called to be seated. It is one of the greatest moments of the week. I usually enjoy the entire dining experience, especially if upon being seated they immediately give me fresh hot bread!

My family tries to eat heathy and since you are a LivRite member, you probably do as well. You want to feed your body with both good food and exercise. However, that is only 1/3 of who you are.

You have been created a tripartite being, each part needing the proper nutrition and exercise. It goes something like this: you are a spirit, who has a soul, who currently lives in a body. Your body is host to your soul and spirit. Let’s quickly look at the other two parts.

Your soul is your mind, will and emotions; together it is what makes you, you. This is your one-of-a-kind uniqueness; the personality fingerprint that God gave you. Just like your body, your soul needs the proper care, nutrition and protection to flourish, all which starts in your mind. What are you feeding your mind? What do you read? Watch? Listen to? Is it nutritional, junk food or poison?

The purest and most nutritional food is the Word of God.

”Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:2 NLT)

Feed on His Word daily for the proper soul-nutrition. It will also help you identify junk food and poison that you are tempted to consume. It will not take long to learn how the latter negatively impacts your soul.

“For God is Spirit, so those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24 NLT)

Your spirit is the part of you which connects with God. Our spirit connects with the Spirit of God. Simply put, we feed our spirit through worship and service to others. We worship through prayer and through singing to the Lord from a thankful heart. We serve others by following the example Jesus set. Service is a spiritual act of worship.

“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” (Romans 12:1 NASB)

Take a moment to review your menu from the past month. What needs to be added, adjusted or eliminated to properly care for your whole person?