Reason #493
I love long weekends. There's nothing better than getting to wake up on a Monday morning at your own leisure without having to burn a personal day. And so I spent the day cleaning out drawers and closets and making a huge pile of things that must find a new home. I'll be honest, I think I may have a pile of clothes about 3 feet high sitting in the bedroom floor right now. Anyway, it was quite a chore.
Aaron worked on setting up the office a bit more this afternoon, and after he got his Xbox set up, we decided that we'd take a "break" to experiment with the Kinect workout game. For some reason, I got volunteered to be the first one to set up a profile and do a few fitness tests to see where I stand. I thought this was going to be a quick and easy process. I picked my character and her outfit and then did a few little agility tests that were pretty easy. Just when I thought I was finished, the trainer decided I was going to do a few more tests. And so I did lunges and squats and I jumped as high as I could. I did push-ups, balance work, and they saved the best for last. My last test was jogging in place. For 30 seconds I had to jog in place, raising my knees as high as possible, and I thought I was going to die. I had just finished doing a ton of leg work and my hamstrings were on fire. My bottom was beginning to feel numb, and I just knew my legs were going to give out at any moment. I barely made it through the first 30 second test and realized I had to do it two more times. It went downhill from there. I haven't worked out in forever and I'm far from in shape, so although a minute and a half of jogging in place seems like an easy task, my legs will tell you otherwise.
Aaron watched. Scout did, too. It seems like I am the one to provide much comedic value these days, so in order to share the laughs with me, he recorded my strenuous workout. I'll be honest and say I feel pretty pathetic. I'm a bit ashamed that jogging in place for 30 seconds took that much effort and wore me out so quickly. I suppose it just went to show how much I need to start working out again. And, there's no better time than the present to do that. Plus, a little sweat and pain are really the only ways to get back in shape. Time and discipline, too. I'm working on it. We'll see what happens.
I won't lie, I hate being uncomfortable. I hate being pushed and challenged. I don't like sweating, and I don't like sore muscles. I just want to put on workout clothes and automatically be in shape. I want to be one of those people who straps on shoes and runs for miles without running out of breath. Unfortunately, that requires doing things I don't really enjoy and so it's hard for me to make it a habit. I'd much rather take a leisurely stroll around the block or partake in a yoga class. Really, I'd like to just be naturally in shape without having to lift a finger. Doesn't work that way.
The same goes for life. We just want to be there. We want to have arrived before even getting started. Don't make me work for it, don't push me, challenge me, or make it difficult. Just let me skip past the hard parts. But it's the hard parts that prepare you. It's the challenges that teach you more about yourself and what you're capable of, and it's the difficulties that help you realize what you need to stop doing and start doing right. And faith works the same way as well. If we want to know God, and I mean really know God, simply holding a bible won't do it. Sitting in a pew every now and then won't get you far either. It's the challenges, the work, the pushing, and the striving that will make you grow and make you useful. It's getting uncomfortable now and then and doing something that's not easy and convenient. It's making time and making it a priority. And most of all, it's realizing that it's a long-term effort. Because with anything, life, faith, or fitness, it takes time and effort. Trying, learning, not giving up, and staying on course. And even when it's hard, you push through. You don't stop or give up. Because the reward is worth it. The feeling of success and achievement make it all the more sweet, and nothing is better than realizing that you're making progress and getting somewhere. Our hard work is never in vain, and I'm grateful that He has an incredible reward in store for us.
#493 - Because of the rewards that come from hard work.
"Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless." - Philippians 2:16
Aaron worked on setting up the office a bit more this afternoon, and after he got his Xbox set up, we decided that we'd take a "break" to experiment with the Kinect workout game. For some reason, I got volunteered to be the first one to set up a profile and do a few fitness tests to see where I stand. I thought this was going to be a quick and easy process. I picked my character and her outfit and then did a few little agility tests that were pretty easy. Just when I thought I was finished, the trainer decided I was going to do a few more tests. And so I did lunges and squats and I jumped as high as I could. I did push-ups, balance work, and they saved the best for last. My last test was jogging in place. For 30 seconds I had to jog in place, raising my knees as high as possible, and I thought I was going to die. I had just finished doing a ton of leg work and my hamstrings were on fire. My bottom was beginning to feel numb, and I just knew my legs were going to give out at any moment. I barely made it through the first 30 second test and realized I had to do it two more times. It went downhill from there. I haven't worked out in forever and I'm far from in shape, so although a minute and a half of jogging in place seems like an easy task, my legs will tell you otherwise.
Aaron watched. Scout did, too. It seems like I am the one to provide much comedic value these days, so in order to share the laughs with me, he recorded my strenuous workout. I'll be honest and say I feel pretty pathetic. I'm a bit ashamed that jogging in place for 30 seconds took that much effort and wore me out so quickly. I suppose it just went to show how much I need to start working out again. And, there's no better time than the present to do that. Plus, a little sweat and pain are really the only ways to get back in shape. Time and discipline, too. I'm working on it. We'll see what happens.
I won't lie, I hate being uncomfortable. I hate being pushed and challenged. I don't like sweating, and I don't like sore muscles. I just want to put on workout clothes and automatically be in shape. I want to be one of those people who straps on shoes and runs for miles without running out of breath. Unfortunately, that requires doing things I don't really enjoy and so it's hard for me to make it a habit. I'd much rather take a leisurely stroll around the block or partake in a yoga class. Really, I'd like to just be naturally in shape without having to lift a finger. Doesn't work that way.
The same goes for life. We just want to be there. We want to have arrived before even getting started. Don't make me work for it, don't push me, challenge me, or make it difficult. Just let me skip past the hard parts. But it's the hard parts that prepare you. It's the challenges that teach you more about yourself and what you're capable of, and it's the difficulties that help you realize what you need to stop doing and start doing right. And faith works the same way as well. If we want to know God, and I mean really know God, simply holding a bible won't do it. Sitting in a pew every now and then won't get you far either. It's the challenges, the work, the pushing, and the striving that will make you grow and make you useful. It's getting uncomfortable now and then and doing something that's not easy and convenient. It's making time and making it a priority. And most of all, it's realizing that it's a long-term effort. Because with anything, life, faith, or fitness, it takes time and effort. Trying, learning, not giving up, and staying on course. And even when it's hard, you push through. You don't stop or give up. Because the reward is worth it. The feeling of success and achievement make it all the more sweet, and nothing is better than realizing that you're making progress and getting somewhere. Our hard work is never in vain, and I'm grateful that He has an incredible reward in store for us.
#493 - Because of the rewards that come from hard work.
"Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless." - Philippians 2:16
(complements of Aaron...)
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