Lent Day 27

Mondays are usually the day I want to go back to work so that I can relax . . . physically I mean.  I was tired today.  I went to the baseball park and watched Tyler play amazingly well tonight.  The boys sure looked like they were enjoying themselves.  Of course, my commitment to Lent means sacrifice, but I just wasn’t ready to leave the ball park tonight to go jogging on this overcast dreary evening.  So, by the time I got home to do my exercise, it was well after dark.

Tonight felt like a time to reflect on the beginning of this journey.  Going outside and running around in the dark reminded me of the first couple of days when I did this early in the morning.  Running on the road is certainly preferable, but I am not a fan of running through the neighborhood woods in the dark on a cloudy night.  Therefore, similar to the first few days, I ran around my own yard.  Monte and Molly enjoyed that much better since they could join in and stop anytime they wanted.  Besides, they didn’t have to worry about the leashes.  Molly is building up more endurance than Monte.  Either that or Monte is afraid of the dark and keeps hiding on the porch.

I tried to use my imagination to come up with some extra physical moves.  I would try some punching motions since I did have my “tough guy” gloves on.  However, I felt like an idiot so I thought it would be best to try something else.  I remember back in grade school if you got into trouble you had to stand with your arms outstretched to each side.  If you let them droop, then you had to either hold books in your hands or you had to swing your hands in small circles.  I tried the small circles since I didn’t have any books.  This gets progressively difficult the longer you do them.  Suddenly I stopped and thought, “Uh oh, I bet this is what they do in a spinning class.”

I was running a steady fast paced lap when I decided to slow down and walk while under the big oak tree covering my driveway.  Just as I was walking under some low branches covered in that creepy Spanish moss, a bird fluttered and flew right by my ear.  I jumped up and quickly decided to run the rest of that lap. 

While outside exercising, I get to enjoy the peace and quiet.  I started to pray and see if I could just listen to God.  I need to listen to God even if I feel there is nothing I need to hear right now.  All is well in my life, I am happy, and God is busy . . . well, maybe I should listen.  I noticed that the clouds started to ease up.  The Big Dipper became visible.  The atmosphere had turned from cloudy, dark, and dreary to one of pleasant, tropical, and clearing.  I am not sure if God had anything profound to tell me tonight, but I know I was at peace while listening.  I know that no amount of exercise will get me into Heaven, but it feels good to show God and myself that I can commit to Him even it is a physical way.