"I ask for the grace to pray and meditate regularly. I ask for patience, tolerance, compassion, empathy and gentleness. I ask to abstain from anger, anxiety, compulsive behaviour, discouragement, arrogance, and self-preoccupation. I ask to know and follow Jesus more closely."
Philippians 4:8-9
8 Finally, beloved,* whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about* these things. 9Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
1) "..beloved;" "...whatever is true... honourable...just...pure...pleasing...commendable;" "...excellence;" "...anything worthy of praise;" "...keep on doing the things that you have learned;" "...The God of peace will be with you."
2) I am particularly cranky this morning and I know it to be the "cranky" of not enough exercise. I'm amazed that it has taken this long to catch up with me. I haven't run since the snow came last fall, almost six months. Since 2011, I've not gone more than a few weeks without running at least three times a week. I call it running, but actually, it was jogging - slowly. And I never made it more than a few weeks without running because I'd get cranky and know to start running again. This winter, the cranky has stayed away. But now I need to make a change. This morning, just a couple days following Easter, I'm cranky. I've stopped "doing the things that I have learned." I have stopped doing whatever is "true, honourable, just, pure, pleasing, and commendable." I've done other things, but my "rule" is incomplete if it doesn't include care of my body. I'm feeling the "I don't have time," "I don't have energy," "I don't have desire." We proclaim a "bodily" resurrection because the body is important... the divine is made manifest, incarnate.
3) What is the invitation in all this? To listen to the cranky, but not dwell there. To return to thinking about "these things" - whatever is commendable. To pray for the desire to attend to the wellness of my whole being and know that means exercise (and diet). To keep on doing the things that I have learned and received and heard and seen...
"Holy One, I ask for the desire to attend to the needs of my body as well as my soul."
Breathprayer: "Whatever is true... keep on doing."
Oh,Rev David, I can relate. I call those gremlins, the moody-broodies. Whenever I have been sitting inside for a while (sewing or studying etc) and I feel them closing in on me, the runners go on and the jumping jacks start or the down dog stretches.... even just for 10 mins. A piece of chocolate cake may seem comforting too, but it doesn't have the same uplifting effect for long, but it sure leaves its mark on the hips!!
ReplyDeleteI can send you my interval training DVD and would be happy to show you some yoga stretches. You can do both right there in your office.