Friday, September 03, 2010

Exercising

I'm getting healthy.

Today's exercise:

210 pushups (Hundred Push-up Program)

Ran 2 miles

30 sit-ups

15 minutes stretching

Breakfast:

Spinach egg-white omelet

1 men's vitamin

two glucosamine pills

Weigh-in: 233lbs

What am I doing? Yeah, I’m trying to lose weight, stay fit and be in better health, but what’s the point? Sometimes I’m not sure. Am I trying to turn back the hands of time, trying to stay young? Is this about personal discipline or health? Often, I think I’m just battling middle age, not coming to terms with who I am now. Do I have regrets about some of the choices I’ve made? Sure. I should have gone to the doctor about my shoulder when Matt Brandt dislocated it for me my junior year of high school. Maybe things would be different now. But that’s really not the point.

The point is: What do I love?

He loves Thee too little who loves anything together with Thee, which he loves not for Thy sake.

Augustine in his Confessions

I had better be doing all this health stuff because I love God. It's not an attempt to try to gain His approval or earn any favor from Him, but because: I want to be a healthy, effective tool in His hands; I want to be an example to the people around me (my kids especially) of a healthy life devoted to God; and because it’s an exercise of giving myself over to Him. Measuring every motive against my love of God.

Ouch. I did my stretching today, but that one hit a tender spot. Can I live my whole life like it’s an exercise of giving myself over to Him?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

stealing the quote!! thanks!

-emily, for some reason it won't let me sign in.