Every summer, I make a promise to myself to try and get in shape. It hasn't always worked out. I'm usually pretty consistent for the first couple weeks, then get bored or tired and my routine becomes a "I'll do it if I feel like it or I have time" type of workout. This summer will be different. I hope. I have a plan, a good workout routine, and I'm trying to mix it up a bit by doing more outdoor activities. This is all in the hopes that I can get fit before the end of summer. I'm not in terrible shape right now, but I know that I can improve.
Along with trying to get in shape, I'm also attempting to improve my prayer life as well. I'm starting a new position at a church here in Bellingham in the beginning of August, and I want to use this summer to grow closer to God, so that He can lead me better this year. I hope to do more reading, spend more time in prayer, and cleanse out my soul (it definitely needs a good scrubbing).
In the past week that I've started these routines, I've noticed some parallels between strengthening my body and my faith. The first is that each one takes time. If it were up to me, I would work out for 5 days, and be totally ripped. It doesn't work like that though. It will probably take me the entire summer just to see a little improvement, and its going to require a lot of hard work. Again, if it were up to me, I would go to Adoration once this summer and God would call to me like he did for Noah or Moses, and tell me exactly what He wants me to do. And again, it doesn't work like that. There is no way that I can reach disciplehood in one week, it will probably take me the entire summer just to be able to concentrate on Christ during an hour of adoration (knowing me, it will probably take another 3 months after that). In both cases, it's important to start small. I'm not going to start running marathons right now, but putting in a good hour of exercise or prayer/reading is a great start. Right now, I'm doing about 45 minutes of exercise, and not nearly as much for my prayer life. I want that to change, but again, I can't hit in the majors before working through the minors first.
So, I can't have the perfect body or reach Mother Theresa status in a week. How will I do it? Well, follow Mad-Eye Moody's advice "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" I'm going to have to work constantly at prayer and exercise. Last week, I only worked out on Monday and Thursday, and there's nothing wrong wit that, but if I'm really serious about getting in shape, I'll need to do more. This has to be a 7 day commitment. Same with prayer. I'm terrible at forgetting to pray. There are some nights where I am just falling asleep and as I'm about to drift off to slumberland I think, Oh wait, I didn't pray today or Oh no, I didn't thank God for this or that. That isn't going to help me become closer to God. I need to constantly have God at the forefront of my mind. That has always been a problem with me. He should be the first person that I think about in the morning and the last person I thank at night. I have friends who set up prayer alarms, or adjust their work schedules so they can attend daily mass. That is that kind of commitment that I want to have some day. I'll be working in a church soon, and could probably adjust my schedule so that I can spend some time with Jesus, but I want to start now, so the foundation is already there when I seriously begin to increase my faith.
Something else that is important for prayer and fitness is mixing up your routine. Right now, I'm focusing on my core and upper body on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and making Tuesdays and Thursdays my leg days. I could probably just spend the entire summer working on core and upper body, but that wouldn't help me. For starters, it would probably get really boring and I wouldn't want to exercise anymore if I didn't make the exercises fun. Second, you need variety when working out. You can't just focus on one particular set of muscles because it doesn't help you grow. Same as in prayer. I could probably just do one prayer in the morning and one at night, but would that really help me? Wouldn't it be better if I mixed up my routine? What if I did a rosary once a week or tried to reach a chapter from a spiritual book every few days? Don't you think that would be more beneficial to me then 2 daily prayers? There isn't anything wrong with daily prayers; sometimes it's all that people have time for. Unfortunately, I have a lot of time on my hands, so it isn't an excuse. As of now, I don't have a set schedule yet for my prayer life, but I hope to once I really get into high gear with my prayer and exercise.
The final parallel that I want to talk about is fasting. Fasting, in my opinion is an important part of exercise and spiritual growth. I don't mean fasting as you should stop eating food so that you can lose weight, because that is unhealthy. I mean fasting from unhealthy foods, which I admit I consume a lot. On an average night, I could probably drink 1-2 cans of soda, and 3-4 on a Friday or Saturday night. That isn't going to help me lose weight, and if I were really serious about my health, I would stop (Honestly, friends have been telling me that I should stop drinking Mt. Dew for years, but I don't listen to them). I also need to fast to improve my spiritual life. I'm online or reading "fun" books a lot more than I am praying or reading spiritual literature. I could probably cut out 50% of my Internet time and use that time to pray. If I did that, I could probably reach Peter level discipleship in a matter of weeks (but probably not). I don't want to starve myself from these things, but I need to realize how they will affect me in the long run and how I need to adjust myself to live in a way that will make me stronger; physically and spiritually.
Those are my two major goals for the summer; grow closer to God, and live a healthier lifestyle. Neither will be easy to achieve, but I know I can do it. Here's why; I know that they will greatly improve my life. There are amazing benefits to praying more and exercising. Not just a better figure or knowing more about the Church, but I believe that these things make you a better person. People who exercise tend to be happier, and the same is for people who are closer to God. I'm not going to make any promises for this summer, but this is something I really wish to achieve, and it is 3 years in the making. Now is my chance, and it all starts with the first step.
Peace and Love
No comments:
Post a Comment