Get Back Up!

Amen. One of my favorite quotes says, "it's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up." Isn't this so true in all areas of our lives? Not just in sports, but in everything.

Sometimes, you are going to miss the shot. You are going to have bad days. Failure is apart of life. But is it not in the tough times, the failures, that we are driven to do better? To challenge ourselves. To compete. To change. To succeed.

I have been thinking about these things related to health and fitness as well. Particularly in relation to our No Soda Challenge. Maybe you have not had one single soda the entire month of February so far. Or maybe you have. Either way, keep going. One soda a week is better than one soda a day.

Small changes lead to big results. Start small and build from there. Whatever you do, just start.

About the Author: Erin Franklin is the Creation Health Coordinator for Greene County, the Head Volleyball Coach at Greeneville High School and the Founder/Director at Worthy of the Prize Sports Ministries. Erin has a BBA in Marketing and Management from TCU and a Masters of Christian Education in Church Recreation from Southwestern Seminary. She is a published, award-winning author and poet. Purchase her book Worthy of the Prize Sports Camps: A Church's Guide to Implementing an Effective, Community-Reaching Christian Sports Camp to be used as an outreach tool for your church or mission organization, and her ebook find joy in the journey: how 12 women could face tomorrow just because He lives for inspiring stories of women who found overwhelming joy despite their circumstances. Erin is the wife of Aaron, the Minister of Music & Senior Adults at FBC Greeneville, and the momma of 2 sons, Anderson and EJ. Click here for full bio.

A Week of Working from Home

So this week I have spent more time in my home office than my Takoma office, ha! We have had 3 snow days this week here in East Tennessee and as a result, schools have been closed which means I get to work from home. This morning I had a conference call at the hospital and now I am back here, working in the warmth of my own home, sipping a cup of hot cocoa while watching the snow fall and listening to the new music that my husband downloaded for me as a Valentine's surprise. I'd say it's a good day. A good job. A good life.

I do not actually have much to report because all of my events were cancelled this week due to the winter weather. I am however, proud of the fact that our Creation Health materials are now available to the public in every single lobby & waiting room in all of the Takoma hospital buildings. I have figured out a new system that allows me to re-stock every one of these areas every 2 weeks. My first major accomplishment of the new year!

That being said, I hope that you have a blessed weekend with loved ones. My boys were disappointed that they did not get to have their Valentine parties today since school was cancelled, but I am happy to spend my Valentine's weekend snowed in with my 3 loves.

I was hoping to get all of us in the picture and still be able to show you my new shirt.

I gave up. Outnumbered. Boy mom. :)

Here's to hoping the snow stops, so that I can get out of this house full of crazy boys & back into a normal routine next week! ;)

Have a great weekend!

About the Author: Erin Franklin is the Creation Health Coordinator for Greene County, the Head Volleyball Coach at Greeneville High School and the Founder/Director at Worthy of the Prize Sports Ministries. Erin has a BBA in Marketing and Management from TCU and a Masters of Christian Education in Church Recreation from Southwestern Seminary. She is a published, award-winning author and poet. Purchase her book Worthy of the Prize Sports Camps: A Church's Guide to Implementing an Effective, Community-Reaching Christian Sports Camp to be used as an outreach tool for your church or mission organization, and her ebook find joy in the journey: how 12 women could face tomorrow just because He lives for inspiring stories of women who found overwhelming joy despite their circumstances. Erin is the wife of Aaron, the Minister of Music & Senior Adults at FBC Greeneville, and the momma of 2 sons, Anderson and EJ. Click here for full bio.

No Soda Challenge + 8 Tips for a Healthy New You

Our coaches have been working hard the last few weeks to promote the Takoma Surrender Your Soda Challenge for the month of February & to encourage people to participate in it. 

The Soda Challenge is a month long program that will test your level of addiction to soda. This includes both sugar free and regular soda. For one month, the month of February, we are challenging YOU to go soda free and to substitute your soda with water. Please remember this health initiative is twofold. One is to reduce and eliminate soda in your diet for one month (hopefully forever) and the second is to increase the amount of water you are drinking. Ideally, we would encourage you to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day. 

This is also a great way to avoid the flu season. Sugar has a very negative impact on the immune system thus reducing your ability to fight germs, so this will be a win-win situation if you choose to accept the challenge! (Even if you are not a Takoma employee, you can take the challenge on your own or with some friends!)

So far, we have had a great turnout of people inside & outside the walls of Takoma Regional Hospital who are taking the challenge, including the GHS softball team (thanks to one of our awesome coaches, Jennie Smith, who happens to be the assistant softball coach). I am excited to see who sticks with it for the entire month, hopefully it is going well for everyone now that we are 5 days in!

Here is the tracking sheet, if you want to take the challenge too!

Also, during the month of January, our coaches posted (& handed out) the following 8 tips around the hospital to get people moving in the right direction, helping them kick off 2016 on a healthy note. I thought I would post them here too, in case you were looking for some simple reminders to keep you on the right track this year. I am pleased to report that Creation Health is off to a great start in 2016!

8 Tips for a Healthy 
New Year 
& A Healthy New You
Make One Small Change At A Time
Take Time to Rest Your Mind, Body & Soul
Get Outside & Enjoy God’s Creation
Keep Your Mind & Body Active
Spend Time With God
Surround Yourself With Inspiring People
Always Keep A Positive Outlook
Fill Your Body With Nutritious Things

About the Author: Erin Franklin is the Creation Health Coordinator for Greene County, the Head Volleyball Coach at Greeneville High School and the Founder/Director at Worthy of the Prize Sports Ministries. Erin has a BBA in Marketing and Management from TCU and a Masters of Christian Education in Church Recreation from Southwestern Seminary. She is a published, award-winning author and poet. Purchase her book Worthy of the Prize Sports Camps: A Church's Guide to Implementing an Effective, Community-Reaching Christian Sports Camp to be used as an outreach tool for your church or mission organization, and her ebook find joy in the journey: how 12 women could face tomorrow just because He lives for inspiring stories of women who found overwhelming joy despite their circumstances. Erin is the wife of Aaron, the Minister of Music & Senior Adults at FBC Greeneville, and the momma of 2 sons, Anderson and EJ. Click here for full bio.