I admire those who have self-discipline, expecially those who exercise regularly and eat healthy. Those who take the time to do what is right for their bodies, even if it requires getting up earlier, driving across town for just the right ingredient, and taking extra time to prepare healthy meals. I am not one of those people.
Sure, I have self-discipline in other areas....sometimes. I drive in the correct lane on the highway just like the signs tell me. I resist the urges to yell when my kids are pushing 'ALL' of my buttons (but, I admit, I don't always win that battle). I try to respond rather than react to situations. I'm even known to finish what I start.
Still, for the last few years I've had a saying hanging over my head every time I reach for another soda and every time I ignore my body's need for more exercise and better eating. It goes something like, 'We change when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of changing.' Well, I've reached my peak of pain in staying the same and I'm ready for some changes. I'm sure I won't be mastering all of this with 'flying colors.' I'm sure I'll fail at many of my attempts. But it's worth a try. Hey, I've already given up soda. I've been soda-free for 3 weeks now! Now, that's something.
Making changes won't guarantee that cancer will stay away. But that's not my motivation. My desire is to have the energy and the strength to play a good round of golf with my boys when they are of 'golfing' age AND walk the course, to play a fun pick up game of 3 on 3 basketball in the driveway, to take long bike rides, to climb some mountains......my desires are written in a cute saying above my fireplace....LIVE WELL, LAUGH OFTEN, LOVE MUCH!! While I walk on this earth, I want to live Deuteronomy 6:5-6 before my children. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads (To me, this means they will see me walking out my faith in both action and thought). Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."
And so, it begins!
"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love." IIPeter 1:5-7
1 comment:
I admire you for focusing on your health and energy at this time. I would probably be making snickerdoodles and eating them all myself!
No doubt, every change (though hard) that you make will have long lasting rewards for you and your family.
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