It’s become a bit of a routine of mine to jog through our local state park. During my youth and university experience, I was quite active. I thought nothing about a brisk jog around the track and field. I can still remember when the track was refurbished. It was state-of-the-art. It was made of a special green material that had a little bit of ‘give’ to it which was easier on ankle and knee joints. The track was elevated for proper water drainage and had crisp and clean white lane markings. I enjoyed many jogs around that track.
The track at the park is NOT state-of-the-art. The first half is paved in typical gray road asphalt and the last half is gravel and sometimes muddy. It’s a nice place but off to the side there are various mole tunnels and sometimes large rocks. Joggers must be especially vigilant because it’s easy to turn an ankle, step in a mole trail or slip. There aren’t any lane markings.
I decided to restart a jogging routine because last year I realized that I had become a certified ‘Couch Potato’! My C.P. epiphany happened when I lost the remote to the television. I started scrounging around, I looked on the floor, checked between and lifted the cushions, looked under the table, got on my knees and looked around the magazines and finally laid on the floor to look under the couches! Phew! I was exhausted! My heart was racing and I was short of breath! I lay on the floor panting and sweating. Can you believe it?! I actually had a work-out while I searched for the remote!! After my recovery from my Remote-Aerobics, I went for a walk to get some fresh air. The next day I decided to jog to the corner of the block. It was maybe 100 yards and a GREULING moment! The next day I repeated my walk/jog and again and again. I remember when I actually jogged a mile. I was ecstatic! That was a year ago. Now I can routinely jog 5 miles (often completing more), have lost 30 lbs. and I feel better for it. Running in circles can be quite beneficial!
By the way, I found the remote. It was in the kitchen pantry by the chips! HA! Comical! It’s ALL about diet & exercise which I like to call ‘intake & effort’.
I still watch some TV but I have discovered that what I use to occasionally considered entertainment is unworthy. It seems I have actually replaced entertainment with recreation (re-creation). Oddly, when I do watch TV I find myself viewing shows with a more uplifting venue. Maybe it’s my age… maybe it’s my maturity but maybe, just maybe, spending time in creation (beholding) and making an effort to re-create (exercise) ‘sweeps the temple’ (body & mind). By beholding we do indeed become changed. II Cor. 3:18.
As you walk, jog, race or travel through life, keep in mind that the trails you wander WILL often have well defined lanes but there WILL be times when the lines blur. You might even discover you have been on the wrong path. You might be given poor directions and step off the path (be misled), or have someone kick stones in your path (a dirty deed) or even cause you to twist an ankle (physical pain). It doesn’t matter if your path is a cushy, high-tech university track & field or a muddy, gravel path, just remember that through it all, you can still return to the proper straight and narrow.
Our goal as Christians is to wear out some ‘jogging shoes’ by being the best we can, where we are, with what we have through Jesus Christ! Ask Him to jog with you. Be tenacious! ~Pray
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