Lent Day 4

Sometimes you just have to make yourself get up.  I remember asking Great Granddaddy, “why don’t you just get up and get active?” and he would say, “I just don’t feel like it.”  I’d ask him, “What do you mean?  Your life depends on it.  Will you just atrophy away?  Can you stand up one time?  Then why can’t you start by standing up ten times?  Just start somewhere.”  He tried to explain to me that he was old and didn’t feel like getting up any more, and I was too young to understand.  I am slightly older now and have had my share of days when I don’t feel like being active either.  Today, I simply told myself to get up.

Today was the first time I ran a measureable distance and around in the neighborhood.  For those of you keeping score, I ran exactly 3 miles, did 2 sets of 20 push ups, and 40 sit ups.  Man, those 40 sit ups are killer!   Philippians 4:13 applies well at that moment.

Commitment has a counterpart: sacrifice.  To get up early in the morning implies I must sacrifice some sleep.  To run during the day means that I have to give up time with my wife and kids.  Any commitment is going to take sacrifice.  That’s what makes it worthwhile.  Some things are easier to sacrifice than others.  This can be overcome by simply reevaluating the importance of each thing you spend time doing.  

What’s that noise?  Keep running Ben.  There’s nothing to worry about.  The neighborhood dogs are sleeping and the rednecks are all down at the Perry Mud Bog.

That thing can hurt you.  Using my Ipod while running, with my type of energized playlist . . . I am a Nike Commercial.  I am that motivational guy running through the woods with that cool song playing . . . if I just had the shoes.   I guess my internal metronome clicks fairly rapidly.  Unfortunately, some of the songs I like are a bit fast.  Running to the beat of some songs can hurt you.  Catch your breath now.

Where do you look when you’re running Ben?  Why are you looking at the ground right in front of you?  Are you holding your head high?  Are you looking up at the beautiful blue sky?  Are you strong?  Are you committed?  Where are you going if you only look at the ground right in front of you?  That dirt 6 feet in front you is not the goal.

Run fast enough to feel that burn.  Feel that exhilarating glide in your stride.  Do you feel that sensation between your steps . . . that small moment when both feet are off the ground . . . when you are actually air borne for just a moment . . . are you flying . . . are you gliding on the wind . . . feel that freedom as your body says thank you to your soul.

Try running while twisting your waist and swinging your arms in punching motions.  Get those stomach muscles some exercise too.  Reach your right hand around to your left love handle and vice versa.  There, that’s it, you look like a fruit cake.