Early Morning

As part of my obsessive-compulsive behavior during this fitness challenge, I was up at 445 this morning to run a killer hill (twice!) before a killer strength/cardio class at 600. That's not really my point. The point is that it was so quiet at that time of morning - dark, cool, and even the highway wasn't bustling with trucks yet (as it usually is by about 530!). I left my house at 500, enjoying the silence of the morning, sputtered up and down the hill (and up again) and chugged along to the gym.

Later in the day, as part of a study I am doing, I was reading Mark and specifically the verse when Jesus awoke in the early morning to pray in a solitary place. That really struck me today. I've heard about people who get up at 300 or 400 in the morning to have their solitary God time, and what a fantastic time it would be, with the air still and quiet. Trying to "get in" God time later in the day with hustle and bustle everywhere just doesn't seem to work - it doesn't allow us to really listen to what He has to say.

I am lucky to be a morning person, and I wonder if I should use that gift to do something more productive with my time that try to burn calories so that I can lose another pound that I don't really need to lose. I will still enjoy my morning workouts, but if I'm going to be up at 500, why not use that quiet time to do some REAL good in this world?

Obsessive Compulsive

You would think that after almost 38 years on this planet I would know myself by now. I'm competitive, easily irritated, and a perfectionist. So what was I thinking when I entered a fitness challenge at the local gym? We get points for certain challenges (most points at the end wins a prize), and I've been going hard to ensure that every challenge has been completed, and was infuriated to see this week's challenges, two of which I won't be able to complete. I stormed around for a while last night, thought about quitting the challenge, and then decided to pray about it (like God wants to hear my rantings about a silly weight loss challenge in small town Alberta!).

Once I turned to face God, I soon realized how unimportant the whole thing is, and who really cares if I complete these challenges. One of them is unhealthy (in my opinion) and the other I'm forgoing to hop out to the lake on Saturday.

And so I learned a lesson last night, and slept soundly on God's advice, and realized that turning to Him in any situation makes things much better.

Off to face the day!