A CUP OF COOL WATER

This post is dedicated to those who (like me) have tried their hand at treadmill exercising... and been found (sorely) wanting. For bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things…  I Timothy 4:8 Donned in our fashionable exercise outfits (old sweats and worn out T shirts), my husband, myself, and our two (then) teens headed for the local YMCA to work out. Although it was 6:40 am, we were bright eyed and bushy tailed. This would be a family thing; we would do this as a team !  Piling out of the car, we headed toward the fitness room. I chose the treadmill for a 20-minute warm-up--at least that was the intent. A quick hop on the machine and a simple push of the red button began the torture. I noticed the body clip dangling from the bar -- intended to halt the beast in case of a fall. “Who would fall walking?” I thought to myself incredulously. Halfway through my warm-up, I got the distinct notion I was alone. A quick glance about fo...

Discernment. Timing. Patience. Wisdom. Ever have one of those days (weeks, years, or perhaps life?) when you helplessly watch an intruder gobble up your sustenance--not kibbles, but your sustenance of time, emotional energy, physical stamina, spiritual refreshment, or mental health? Intruders can come slowly over a course of time, or they can arrive abruptly, loaded with consequences for those who dare to deny them their demands. One intruder that arrived abruptly in my life was the diagnosis of Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetes. At the age of 43, I went from enjoying a carefree, independent, healthy lifestyle to becoming an insulin-dependent-finger-pricking-carb-counting-mind-numbing human food calculator. Another uninvited intruder came more gradually in my life and has recently taken up residence--its name is midlife; pre-menopause (or more aptly put, "mental-pause"). While I can't rid myself of those unwanted guests, I can learn to live victoriously with them, understanding ...