Exercising

The other evening, I was showing off for myself and did a bunch of stomach exercises.  The next day I felt good, no problem.  The day after that, no problem.  But the third day!!! Yikes!!  Don't make me laugh.  Don't make me get out of bed in a hurry!  So my body gave me a real message for overdoing it.

We all tend to do that kind of thing in life.  Overdo.  Maybe we go through a spell of eating too much, of eating too much of one kind of thing (candy), of running around too much, of cleaning too much, of reading too much, of watching TV too much.  And then maybe not like the stomach exercises, but in a way more subtle we get a message too.  Things are OUT OF BALANCE.

We've talked about this kind of thing before in the blog, but it always bears repeating, because we're never going to get it completely right.  Tweak a little of this, tweak that, but the key is identifying what we are overdoing earlier in the game and gathering the strength to break the cycle.

Now, I don't have a gambling problem.  I don't like it at all.  I don't even like movies about it.  Slot machines leave me perfectly cold and disinterested.  Gaming tables even more so.  Dark rooms with noises and lights -- not for me.  But people who have a gambling problem can't afford to have even the tiniest slip-up.  Same for those with a drinking problem or a smoker. 

Most resolutions for a new year center on dealing with something we overdo.  Or perhaps underdo -- like spending time with family and friends.  Back in the day when I worked, it bothered me so much not to be at home when my sons got there from school.  So to make up for that I guarded the time from when I got home to bedtime.  There was no time to socialize or join a club or any of that.  My job already took me away from home too much as it was, in my opinion.  When Greg went off to college is when I joined the folk group and started singing/playing guitar on Sundays with them.  It's been almost 20 years now. 

So stick to your guns when you know the decisions you are making are right for God, for family, for friends, for work -- right down your priority list.  God gives us time to use for His glory.  If it is in His will, we will get that time at the RIGHT time.

So here we are -- freezing again today.  It will pass.  We will make it.  When you find yourself getting down in the dumps a little bit because of the cold, say a prayer asking God to fill you with His abounding joy and the feeling will pass.

Be safe, all my blog friends.