Christmas on the Ball at the BellHOP Cafe 12/8/2012

“Christmas on the Ball” at the BellHOP Café on  Saturday, 12/8/2012 Public Invited

Introductions and Welcome by Pat Jonas of BUMC and Heather of BellHOP Café in Bellbrook

Overview of Session including Health and Safety Warning and Disclaimer

               Make a Habit of toning, stretching and movement first- fitness later.  PACE YOURSELF

               Standing, Sitting on the ball- with/without bouncing, lying on the ball, lying on the floor

               Helps Heart, Upper Body, Core, Lower Body, Spine and Mood

Opening Prayer

Breathing on the ball.  Without- five whole breaths and five with bounces.

Standing:  Five reps each of twist (p117)*, front bend and side bend (p118), hug and 30 seconds of drape over ball (p115)

Recovery for two minutes

Sitting:  100-150 bounces with music, Hip Release (124), Pelvic tilt (p34), crunch (p36), back stretch (p35)

Water, fluids, bathroom break, ball repair/ reinflation 5-7 minutes

Health Tip:  Dr Synonymous (aka, Dr Jonas) Stress Reactions, Cortisol, and the Ball

Lying on ball: back toner (p50), rise and shine (p52), push up (p46)

Lying on floor: five reps each-lower body toner (p68), lift ball, squeeze ball

Sitting on ball: 2 minute bounce with music

Recovery, refreshments from BellHOP menu, fellowship

Next formal session 7 PM January 10 at BUMC (followed by 7PM Jan 14^th at BUMC)

Next informal session:  Your place- three times weekly 2-3 each standing, sitting, lying (five reps or 30 seconds-depending). Bouncing 2-4 minutes depending on energy and comfort.

More exercises at www.Ball-Exercises.com

*From Sculpt Your Body with Balls and Bands by Denise Austin, 2004 by St Martin’s Press

Depression: Many Faces and Many Seasons

By Pat Jonas, MD

"I know just how you feel. I was really depressed after my grandmother died when I was in high school." Someone may use a comment like this to be supportive of a friend who is feeling lost or down or blue or empty. The comment may be helpful or it may miss the mark, even leading to more feelings of emptiness in the sufferer.

Depression has many faces, and many meanings to individuals, families and communities. Most are familiar with transient feelings of loss, grief, emptiness, fear, or loneliness. Most adults have also heard of "clinical depression" separating it from the type of "common" depression that comes from life's many stressful or negative experiences and situations.

What kind of messages does the Bible give about depression? Here are a few verses that seem to set the stage for more understanding.

Depression can follow exhausting times (Judges 15:18)
God can encourage hurting people (2 Samuel 22:29-31)
Depression can follow success (1 Kings 19:3-4)
God helps those who feel crushed (Psalm 34:18)
Abraham had hope when there was no reason to hope (Romans 4:18-22)
God will wipe away depression (Revelation 21:4)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation.
Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? (Neh. 2:2)
My soul is weary of my life. (Job 10:1)
Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. (Ps. 69:1)
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. (Prov. 17:22)
Encyclopedia of Bible Facts.

What we refer to as Clinical Depression is defined medically by the National Institutes of Mental Health:

"Everyone occasionally feels blue or sad. But these feelings are usually short-lived and pass within a couple of days. When you have depression, it interferes with daily life and causes pain for both you and those who care about you. Depression is a common but serious illness.

Many people with a depressive illness never seek treatment. But the majority, even those with the most severe depression, can get better with treatment. Medications, psychotherapies, and other methods can effectively treat people with depression."

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/index.shtml

Clinical Depression may show up differently across the lifespan, from childhood to the senior citizen years. Yes, even children can feel the pain and emptiness of clinical depression.

Pastors, poets, authors, scholars, song writers and many others have described "common" depression in many ways, since it affects so many of us. Reference to sadness, discouragement, loss, loneliness and grief abounds in our hymns (e.g., "His Eye is on the Sparrow" starts with "Why should I feel discouraged?")

Physicians recognize the challenge in identifying and treating clinical depression, which doesn't arise or depart quickly. They also recognize how easy it is to misunderstand the seriousness of clinical depression because of the exposure we all have to sadness, loss and grief. Many persons who are "becoming themselves" again on medication and/ or psychotherapy for clinical depression stop the medication or therapy prematurely. A trusting relationship between patient and physician and/or psychotherapist becomes critical for success.

"If there be a hell upon earth it is to be found in a melancholy man's heart"
........Robert Burton in Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World.

If you and your loved ones are bouncing back from stress, loss and grief, prayerfully give thanks for your blessings. If you or your loved ones are feeling empty with emotional pain or continuous deep sadness in spite of your best efforts to cope with life situations, consider a visit to your physician or a mental health professional for further clinical exploration of a diagnosis and treatment plan. Clinical Depression may be a factor.

Liberty: The Town Pump

What do you remember about the town pump in Liberty?  I have some information that it was drinking water for some of the up town people who used well water for other purposes but didn't find the well water pure enough to drink.  The old town pump.  It's no longer there.  Neither is the apartment building behind the pump.  Who has pump stories to tell?

A "New" Church

After an exhaustive, nationwide search, we found our new church.  Well, maybe we shortened the search a bit when we realized that the Methodist church closest to our home (one mile) was the best fit for our situation.  After three weeks of attending, meeting people, eating the brownies they delivered to our home after we signed in as a visitor the first Sunday of our attendance, connecting to the Methodist language and format of the services, enjoying the music which included a talented gospel and all purpose quartet (with mandolin, too) and a group of instrumentalists and a music director who even writes music and plays the oboe, feeling welcome and comfortable, connecting to sermons and prayers and scripture and children's sermons, hearing a refreshing message about the discipleship of all, and catching a new "Christian" breath, we joined the Bellbrook United Methodist Church.

Faith and Family Medicine

"Faith and Family Medicine"

Hope United Methodist Church July 21, 2012

A.     Introduction of Presenter:  Pat Jonas, MD

B.     Review:  

a.      What is Family Medicine?

b.      How does a Christian Family Physician mix faith with patient care?

c.      What is the Human Centered Health Home? 

d.      What is the 5-5-5?

e.      How might prayer affect coronary arteries and heart function?

C.     Overview:

a.      Family Medicine

b.      Honoring God’s Creation, Validating Human Worth and Uniqueness, Sharing Uncertainty, Celebrating Successes

c.      Respecting, Protecting, Connecting, Inspecting, Detecting, Correcting, Reflecting

d.      The 5-5-5

                                                              i.     Eat 5 colors of food daily (M & M’s don’t count)

                                                             ii.     Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily

                                                            iii.     Practice five health behaviors

1.      Exercise (aka, Movement) e.g. “TV Toning Ball”

2.      Control Blood Pressure

3.      Control Weight (Body Mass Index)

4.      Control Cholesterol

5.      Control Stress

e.      Whole-Hearted Prayer balances the autonomic nervous system

                                                              i.     Decreases traditional “sympathetic over-drive”

                                                             ii.     Increases parasympathetic nervous system tone

                                                            iii.     Increases DHEA

                                                            iv.     Decreases cortisol, blood pressure, weight, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides

                                                             v.     Decreases plaque buildup, timing of heart attacks and strokes

Men of Hope Presentation July 21, 2012

"Faith and Family Medicine"

Hope United Methodist Church July 21, 2012

A.     Introduction of Presenter:  Pat Jonas, MD

B.     Review:  

a.      What is Family Medicine?

b.      How does a Christian Family Physician mix faith with patient care?

c.      What is the Human Centered Health Home? 

d.      What is the 5-5-5?

e.      How might prayer affect coronary arteries and heart function?

C.     Overview:

a.      Family Medicine

b.      Honoring God’s Creation, Validating Human Worth and Uniqueness, Sharing Uncertainty, Celebrating Successes

c.      Respecting, Protecting, Connecting, Inspecting, Detecting, Correcting, Reflecting

d.      The 5-5-5

                                                              i.     Eat 5 colors of food daily (M & M’s don’t count)

                                                             ii.     Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily

                                                            iii.     Practice five health behaviors

1.      Exercise (aka, Movement) e.g. “TV Toning Ball”

2.      Control Blood Pressure

3.      Control Weight (Body Mass Index)

4.      Control Cholesterol

5.      Control Stress

e.      Whole-Hearted Prayer balances the autonomic nervous system

                                                              i.     Decreases traditional “sympathetic over-drive”

                                                             ii.     Increases parasympathetic nervous system tone

                                                            iii.     Increases DHEA

                                                            iv.     Decreases cortisol, blood pressure, weight, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides

                                                             v.     Decreases plaque buildup, timing of heart attacks and strokes

Men and God: Becoming Wholehearted

As a Family Physician, I speak with patients daily about Prevention, Heart Health, Bone Health, Brain Health, Men's Health, Women's Health, Children's Health, Family Health, The Individual Life Cycle and The Family Life Cycle.  I'm usually speaking with women.  Since they have babies, usually are the ones bringing the children to the doctor's office and see physicians more often themselves, they get more health information over time than men do.  What about men?

What might help men with their health?  Is it only about the prostate gland?  Or anger management?  Or blood pressure and cholesterol?  Or colonoscopy?

"The problem with men, we are told, is that they don't know how to keep their promises, be spiritual leaders, talk to their wives, or raise their children.  But, if they will try real hard they can reach the lofty summit of becoming...a nice guy."  by John Eldredge in Wild at Heart.  Eldredge laments that Christianity seems to have led men to believe that "God put them on the earth to be a good boy."  He continues with a reminder and a challenge that "God meant something when he meant man,....What has he set in the masculine heart?...  What makes you come alive?"

Eldredge focuses his book with his realization that "in the heart of every man is a desperate desire for a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue."

But what about blood pressure and cholesterol?  Is there a battle, an adventure and a beauty involved in preventing coronary artery disease?  How does God relate to Health and Prevention for Men?

Old Broncos: Moaning, Meaning and Money

Old Bronco alumni have been known to moan a bit about the mothball status of the old Jefferson High School building which was condemned as an asbestos pit by the EPA.  It will soon be demolished and interested alumni are welcome, according to Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Richard Gates, to have a brick as a memento.

How will the memory of Adam Becker, Doris Marker, Gladys Brintlinger, and other teachers, coaches and school employees (cooks and bus drivers come to mind) be honored without the old building?  Good question.  The building has been a reminder of experiences and memories of significance in the lives of many alumni of Jefferson.  Memories have meaning.

I don't need the old high school to remind me of the message of Miss (Barbara) Macaulay to "be honorable".  The meaning of Coach Day and Coach Greg to me is set in my brain and my behavior.  No building needed. I agree with many that honoring a leader and administrator like Adam Becker in some physical way on the Jefferson Campus is necessary.  How might such a thing happen?

Money.

Alumni who believe in honoring a Jefferson person or memory should be wiling to invest in their belief.  What if the bricks were sold instead of free to alumni?  What if alums could buy engraved bricks or larger pavers to become part of the expected Jefferson campus expansion, as is common on college campuses with new buildings and special areas?  What if alumni donated money to build a special area in the new campus named after Adam Becker?

Can we convert our moaning about our building loss into commitment to give money to reaffirm the meaning of Jefferson to us?

Just a thought.  How about it Broncos?  "Remember the GOLD and the blue.  You've gotta fight, you've gotta win.  It's up to you!"

Jefferson Alumni Banquet 2012: Old Building Report and "Birdbath" Saga

A special event for many in Jefferson Township is the annual High School Alumni Banquet (which I wrote about last year   Bronco Pride ).  This year a record 365 persons joined to celebrate their shared Jefferson connections.  Mildred Baker Kilheffer from the class of 1932 celebrated her 80th year as an alumnus of Jefferson and shared in honoring the class of 1962- the 50th year class.  Deanna Broyles and Mike Jonas presented the class data and story in an engaging way, finishing with a classic rendition by Mike of the "Bird Bath" escapade related to their junior class play and teacher/advisor Neil Clingman.  The audience howled on hearing that the perpetrators of the bird bath theft were sentenced to be lectured by several parents and their certainty that, after being sternly lectured by Mrs. Broyles, they were going "straight to Hell".

A highlight of the evening and one of the reasons for the record attendance was the presentation by Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Richard Gates about the 1928 and 1938 school buildings.  He was accompanied by school board members, including the treasurer.  The old building where most of the assembled alumni were educated was beyond useful and beyond government standards for asbestos.  The EPA ordered the school to take care of the problem.  The asbestos was removed to the satisfaction of inspectors as of a week before the Alumni Banquet.  The building is ready for demolition.  Several alumni walked through with Dr. Gates to have a last view of the gutted structure.  Wave goodbye, folks.

Dr. Gates had the time capsule in the 1928 building opened so the contents could be noted and preserved.  A special touch and a surprise for the assembled alumni was a booklet for each of us with photos of the old building and the contents of the time capsule.  Several parts of the old building are being saved.  Also anyone who wants a brick from the old building is welcome to get one after the demolition (bulldozing?)

Joy Weaver, as usual was outstanding in her leadership, and cute, G rated jokes.  She added a nice touch to singing the fight song by having any cheerleaders present to come forward to lead the group.  About 20 cheerleaders from the 1940's (Lois Baker) through the 70's stepped up to the challenge, with Diora Stafford, Marjorie Rauch, a large contingent from the mid 60's including Maureen Derringer Cole, Sue Heller Hayes, Joanne Shell Harrison, Joan Long, Terri Deubner Almassy, Brenda Osterman Hensler,  and many others didn't miss a beat or a word in leading us through a vigorous rendition of The Jefferson Fight Song.  Feel free to add other names in the comments at the end of this post.

After closing with the Alma Mater, alums mingled until the lights were turned out at 10:20 PM.  The class of 1962 kept up the party the next day with a golf outing and further sharing.

Easter

He is risen!  Jesus Lives!

Wow!  What happened? 

The people of Liberty Church are mostly gone to the hereafter, but a few stalwarts still attend every Sunday, still reassured by the Easter sermon and songs that He is risen.  

Low in the Grave He Lay and Christ the Lord is Risen Today are lines that still echo through the hearts, minds and souls of Liberty Church "alumni".  I can still hear special voices singing those words in Liberty Church and in others across many decades of Easter Joy.  I hope you hear them, too.

Here's a nice outline of the last section of the book of Matthew from Holman Bible Dictionary Outlines:

12. Jesus Conquered Death (26:57-28:20)
1. The innocent Jesus was convicted on His testimony to His messiahship and to His role as Judge in the last days (26:57-68)
2. Peter's denial showed Jesus' prophetic powers (26:69-75)
3. Judas' guilt drove him to suicide and fulfilled Scripture (27:1-10)
4. Government authority found no guilt in Jesus, but religious authorities accepted full responsibility for His death (27:11-26)
5. Roman mocking pointed to the truth of Jesus' divine kingship (27:27-44)
6. Spectacular events pointed to the saving significance of Jesus' death as God's Son (27:45-56)
7. Jesus' dead body was entombed and could not be stolen (27:57-66)
8. Jesus was raised from the dead (28:1-10)
1. Religious leaders bribed people to disprove the resurrection (28:11-15)
10. The authoritative Jesus gives His disciples a worldwide evangelistic mission (28:16-20)  

The last line is a message for us about our mission.   Are we ready?

Gracefully Leaving My Church

I woke up recently just after reading a letter from church leadership to realize that the time has probably come to leave my current church.  Prayer seemed to reaffirm my thoughts.  Much good happened in the church over the last 15 years to me, my family and others.  God is good.

Part of me realized that I was out of alignment with something.  Was it me or the people in the church or God or some combination of those three that left me feeling uncomfortable remaining in my home church?  

First:  I'm flawed and could have done better in my service and growth.  Second, is God pushing me out or pushing my guilt button?  (I better watch out implying I know exactly what God may be doing).  Thirdly, the people in this church seem to be "normal", basic suburbanites, representing the merger of two churches.  I confess to feeling annoyed a few times in committee work here over many years and impatient with some processes.  This could be a manifestation of my misalignment with what I perceive to be God's purpose for me in church life and spiritual skills.

How do I leave if that is what I perceive to be God's will?  How do I pray to discern his will?  What scripture gives direction?

I've read up on United Methodist doctrine and beliefs.  I appreciate the Methodist use of scripture, tradition, experience and reason to make decisions.  I sent out a couple emails: to one of the pastors and to my music and choir friends about my search for a new church home.

My wife and I attended the closest Methodist church to our home on Palm Sunday to further our search.  It was a satisfying experience.  It'll take a while to focus in on what we're supposed to do and where.

The internet has a lot of blog posts about leaving a church, most of which refer to pastors leaving a church.  Here are excerpts from one of them:

From Pastor Eric Partin in Tips for Leaving Your Church Gracefully:  " if you are going to leave your church, let me give you some steps to help you:

 Make an appointment to talk with one of the pastors of the church you are leaving. If that is not possible, a phone call, e-mail, or letter will do. It is not as scary as you think. They are not going to be mad at you. I know all the pastors in this area — they are big boys and can handle it. Do you know what hurts more? Having a friend depart and not tell you.

 I would talk about the way God had changed my life through the ministry of that church. I would talk about how some of my family members met Christ there, were baptized, went on missions trips, and more. I would talk about how my own thoughts and beliefs were formed through my years at the church. I would talk about how I am more like Christ because of my time there. I would tell stories of specific retreats or camps or services where my life (or those of my family) was changed because of the church and its leaders.

 I would not gripe or complain. I would not talk about the stuff I don’t like or decisions with which I disagree.

 I would say, “My wife and I have decided to attend and serve in a different church for this next season of our spiritual growth.”

 I would assure the pastor that he/she will never hear us talk badly about this church. I would encourage the pastor to feel free to share this with anyone who questions why we left."

What do you think?

Read more: http://www.nwfdailynews.com/articles/church-25744-people-leave.html#ixzz1qwdYPEqq

Liberty Church and Seeds of Faith

Thank you, God, for the Liberty Church, where I learned about, witnessed and accepted Faith in You.  Thank you for the continuing Faith.  I pray that it continues and serves you according to your will. In Jesus name,  Amen.

Many could pray this prayer as they reflect on life in and around Liberty (Jefferson Township).

"The biblical word for religious existence is "faith."  Faith is the state of being grasped by an ultimate concern... It is the divine Spirit working in our spirit which creates faith."....

"Faith and doubt do not essentially contradict each other.  Faith is the continuous tension between itself and the doubt within itself.  It includes both an immediate awareness of something unconditional and the courage to take the risk of uncertainty upon itself.  Faith says "Yes" in spite of the anxiety of "No."... Faith embraces itself and the doubt about itself."....Paul Tillich from Biblical Religion and the Search for Ultimate Reality


In Sunday School at Liberty Church, I heard the great message of Jesus through many stories, songs, sermons and examples, including those below.  These served to help with my Faith development.  And they go on forever, calming the doubt of humanness.


Sickness Jesus heals Matthew 8:14-17 Nature Jesus stills a storm Matthew 8:23-27 Demons Jesus casts them out Matthew 8:28-32 Sin Jesus forgives Matthew 9:1-8 Death Jesus makes alive Matthew 9:18-26.