If you know me at all or if you've read these devotional thoughts over the last thirteen years with consistency, you know that I exercise on a very regular basis. Although I lifted weights somewhat when I lived in Tennessee, I didn't get serious until I moved to Houston in 1998. When coaching in Georgia, I started running, something you could not have paid me to do as a kid as I associated it with punishment/conditioning in basketball. But once I started, I found I really liked it, especially the feeling of euphoria when finished. When I had hernia surgery in the mid 1990's, I couldn't run for awhile so I started walking and found that very peaceful and enjoyable, although not as aerobically demanding as running. Ten years ago, I started a combination of running and swimming in our apartment pool and carried it over when I joined my fitness center in 2011. This past April, I woke up with what I self diagnosed as turf toe, a common football injury caused my constantly jamming your big foot digit into the hard playing surface. I stayed out of the pool for a week but the same thing happened again. So, from mid April through August 8, I did nothing aerobically. It also curtailed for a time I could do in terms of lifting plus, I had to take off five weeks for my Vietnam trip. I returned to my club three days after returning from Asia- and sleeping! Deciding I needed to get back to an aerobic program, I started getting on one of the many treadmills. I'd never used one but found these modern versions, equipped with a television I don't use, are terrific! Now I lift every other day, before and after school, and do the same thing with the treadmill between weight days. Even though it's been less than three weeks, I can tell a difference. I'm not sure anyone else can but in this arena at least, I'm the one who counts.
One thing I found out myself when I began running was that I had the capacity to be disappointed in myself. I felt on days that I ran less than forty five minutes that I had wasted my time which obviously was not true. There are some similarities with my new regimen. In short order, I've found myself competing with myself while walking on the treadmill. It tracks time, heart rate, and calories burned and allows setting of both pace and incline. It took me several days to hit 15, the highest incline setting, but now I'm doing it for about five minutes of my 23+ minute time frame in both the AM and PM. I'm worn out and shaky in the legs for a minute when I dismount but it passes quickly. How fast a pace can I maintain at fifteen? I'm not sure yet but I'm enjoying the daily improvement. I know I only burned about seven calories a minute my first day; today I was over ten both times. Higher Ground!
We all know ourselves better than anyone else knows us except the Lord. My knowledge of Steve reminds me that I'm capable of laziness. I have to have a goal, a challenge, an obstacle that I think I may be able to overcome. It applies to my spiritual life as well. Doing good things- like writing a blog- can subtract time from better things, like prayer. Routines become ruts and before long, I'm not challenging myself in what I read or listen to. (Currently, I'm reading a science fiction book in the belief it can make me a better Bible teacher!) Jesus said, 'My yoke is easy.....' I need to be yoked, to be harnessed, to be forced to go up steep hills, even if they are mechanical ones. It may not be for the benefit of anyone else in the world but for my emotional well-being. Tonight as I left Bible study, a brother stopped me and excitedly told me he was losing weight! I asked what changes he had made and he had made sound ones. Truthfully, I couldn't really tell because that falls into the category of stuff that I don't pay attention to. But it definitely mattered to my brother. He is feeling good about himself and that can radiate to the world. And that's what matters in the long run.... or walk.
Applicable quote of the day:
Every day I spend time on the treadmill. I am walking faster, stronger and harder than I was two months ago.
Grete Waitz (former world record holder in the marathon)
God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
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Email me at steve@hawleybooks.com
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