Talk about motivated!
You should see the huddle of folks waiting for the YMCA to open its doors at 5:30 a.m.! Duffle bags, ear muffs, eager legs stomping at the sidewalk just itchin’ for a workout. The second tier of dedicated athletes were waiting in their warm cars for the YMCA lady to appear with her key. The third tier of dedicated athletes were still asleep in their warm beds. Yesterday, I was in the third tier. Today, I was right up there with the warm-but-ready second tier!
I must say, it felt good to work out again. Although I’ve always highly valued exercise, I’ve come to value sleep even more. So, in order to savor all spare minutes of sleep for the past several months, I’ve compromised a bit: a good run turned into a good grocery store run, weight-lifting became “flying” Lia into Vivienne’s bed every morning, and stretching looked like lunging across the table to spare a suddenly shaken glass of water. I’m okay with the compromise: little people are worth it! But, I realized that if we happen to have more babies, I’ll be compromising for the next several years…
This morning, I decided to see whether or not I could begin a schedule of working out again that would boost my energy, strength, and emotional stability (yes, I said emotional stability). Hence, my participation in the second tier at the YMCA.
This morning, I was also inspired as I drove in and out of our development. Despite the early hour, I spied cozy lights turned on in the windows of several neighborhood friends; lights that signaled to me that they, too, were greeting the day early. Knowing these friends, I made a pretty good guess that they were awake to say, “good morning” to their Savior, to rest more deeply with their God, and to watch as His newest mercies brightened the sky. A different type of work-out. The first tier.
Somehow, these two observations wrapped themselves together in a certain Scripture that contains the inspiration of first tier athletes through the ages.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1
Wanna know about some of the “great cloud of witnesses” that motivates me? Read about our friends Bret and Brandie, who pray through the nights in Kansas City; or about a handful of virtual friends who have agreed to spend time with God at (or around-abouts) 5:16 every morning.
(Read more Motivate Me Monday’s at Sarah Mae’s Like a Warm Cup of Coffee)
