I read from Streams in the Desert June 18th some
of the following; which inspired me to get moving.
Let your body be healed and your faith strengthened. When we become so discouraged and fearful
even one little obstacle depresses and frightens us we are tempted to walk
around it. We would rather take the easy
way than face it. Perhaps there is some
physical ailment that God is ready to heal, but it requires exertion on our
part. The temptation is to find help
from someone else or to walk around the obstacle some other way.
I really see this last statement
as a testament to needing to do the work to get in better shape
physically. Walk, go to bed earlier,
yoga, eat healthier, all these things add up to being healthier with cancer. Even without cancer these would be good to
do.
God says, “Lift up the hands that hang down, march straight
through the flood and behold! The waters
will divide, the Red Sea will open, the Jordan will part, and the Lord will
lead you through to victory.” Do not
allow your feet to “be turned out of the way,” but let your body “be healed,
and your faith strengthened. Go straight
ahead, leaving no Jericho unconquered behind you, and no place where satan can
boast of having overwhelmed you. Pay as
little attention to discouragement as possible.
Plow ahead like a steamship, which moves forward whether facing rough or
smooth seas, and in rain or shine.
Remember the goal is to simply carry the cargo and make it to port.
Again, I realize that I need to “do the work,” moving
forward, whether I feel like it or not, just do it. I have friends that meet and
walk together to be healthier and they have someone to be accountable to. That makes it easier. But I cannot walk three miles like they
can. So I am making it a goal to walk
around the block every day until I can do it 2 times and then 3 and work up to
a mile, and maybe 2 and maybe 3 and if I'm ever able to do that maybe I'll walk with them. If it's too hot, like it has been lately, I will use my recumbent exercise bicycle, inside in the AC. One of the meds they put me on makes getting hot feel prickly painful which really prohibits being outside in the heat for very long.
I also need to paint or do some sort of art every week. I would have said at one point I need to do
something everyday but that isn’t realistic with doctor appointments and other commitments
I have on a weekly basis. I’ve made a goal to do a “quick painting” once
a week. One week I will do a still life,
week 2 a portrait, and week three a landscape.
Week four I will do whatever I want to at the time. I also want to write at least 20 minutes a
day, Monday through Friday, which doesn't sound like much but it's better than nothing.
My nephew, who is writing a book, told me his goal is to
write a page a day. My first impression was, “that’s not much,
he’ll never get done.” But after giving it some thought - I realized
- that’s 365 pages in a year and
that is a lot! So I’m thankful to him
for inspiring me to do something everyday, in smaller amounts or less time than
I would plan to do. Whether it’s
working towards better health, or painting, or writing, taking smaller steps
and doing something consistently is better than not getting anything done. Oh and by the way, my nephew, he finished his
first book and it is awesome!!!
I started this quick paint landscape last week and though
the book I’m using to learn how to paint better says, “do a quick painting and
don’t finish it”, I want to finish this one.
The artist - author, says to paint masses and shapes instead of line drawing. This is helping me to see
differently and will hopefully improve my work. Doing more will improve my work too. I'm excited to see this one finished.
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