Use It Or Lose It

Around the age of 45...maybe a little before that, I kept hearing these words over and over again. I am sure the over and over again is because I was starting to forget things.

Use It or Lose It

I knew these words meant I needed to focus on different areas of my life that I wasn't using...most specifically, exercising.  Like so many things, I felt I could pick it up when I desired and my abilities would be waiting there for me.

Five years down the road, well, I walk and stretch some.  I have had my back rebel a couple of times since my sixth child and his 10 pound entrance into the world...meaning I need to exercise and stretch more.

So the storms blew in and I didn't want to lose my days of walking, so I thought I would turn the television on and exercise with Gilad. Hey, I had done this in my early 30's and could more than keep up with the pace, so confidently I ventured into the exercise routine.  Surely my long forgotten body, my dancer's body would respond with very graceful movements to the counts.

Well, to my horror, the saying came flooding back to my memory!!!  USE IT OR LOSE IT!!!  

I am so glad candid camera wasn't installed and my whole house was vacant of any eyes.  If I could lose pounds by laughing that would have been the calories I lost.  It was just toooooooooooo funny!!!  I couldn't keep up with the movements, my legs went to the right, while he was going to the left.  Their kicks would go double time, while I was still on the first kick and  the wrong foot.  As they did stomach crunches  up and down, over and over again...well I collapsed...forget my stomach muscles.........I DON''T HAVE ANY!!!

At the end I was sweating....laughing by myself and I started to tell my brain that it has fooled me.  What was my brain thinking when it thought I could still keep pace and with grace, like I had done so easily years ago?

What a lesson!  Use it or lose it!  That saying works for so many things in our life.  Our spiritual walk, our relationships, our manners, our education...the list goes on and on.  I am going to pause and make me a list...which is a miracle for a non-list person, and see what abilities I have that I am not using.  Even if I have to use glasses to do some of it again. Stretching will allow my body more flexibility and other non-used abilities will stretch my brain.

I am so glad you didn't see it....but I can say, it would have given you a very good laugh or for some of you a smile!
I couldn't resist adding a clip from Lucy!!!  I have heard that laughing does burn up calories!!!

Time to Re-Energzie - Day One

This week I will be blogging on my quest to re-energize.  The ideas I will share are what works for me and not for everyone,  returning to ideas which have worked through 27 years of parenting and 30 years of marriage.  You won't find shopping trips or spa visits on my list...sorry, my first massage was at age 40 after 18 years of parenting five children and shopping is a chore to me.  What you will find is that in re-energizing, I meet my Creator, while gaining strength and restoring joy for the journey.




Joyce Meyers has released a new book  called, "Eat the Cookies and Buy the Shoes". I haven't read the book yet, but I have heard her explain the thoughts behind it. She expressed that there are times when we need to re-energize. Life can zap our energy, either through positive stress: (weddings, birth, graduations, birthdays and visitors), or negative stress: (unemployment, marriage strife, children's rebellion, sickness and disappointments). Any of these can leave us depleted.   We need to take time to just stop, celebrate and re-energize.

 1)  Time with the Lord and Exercising


Today began with putting on my walking shoes and plugging in my Mp3 player.  I needed the endorphins that exercise gives, not to mention the health benefits...I needed to clear my brain.  As I walked through the wooded path with warm sunlight shining on my face, I heard my Saviour speak through a message on my Mp3 player.  John Piper had delivered a message on "suffering" to our church, due to our pastor's battle with a cancerous brain tumor. http://fm.thevillagechurch.net/blog/pastors/               The context of the sermon:



“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the
glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the
revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but
because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its
bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For
we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth
until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the
Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our
bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who
hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with
patience.”

Romans 8:18-25

Although my journey at this point isn't threatening my life, it is threatening my joy.  As I heard the message and entered into the teaching, I was able to lay things down at my Saviour's feet.














My spirit was lifted as I was washed with the Word of the Lord, while enjoying the benefits of exercise and drinking in nature around me. The breeze upon my back, the smells of spring, the quiet of nature and the pumping of my heart released feelings of conquering the world.

Stepping back into the house with my younger two boys was inviting, as we all laughed at our cat's new-found resting place.  The day had started out right.




Quiet time with the Lord, Exercise and a Smile....the beginning of re-energizing.






My energized day finished with Casting Crowns playing on the radio..."The Voice of Truth".