No pain, no gain?

I hurt. No I mean I really HURT. My legs are so sore that crossing them is a chore. My upper arms.... feel like jell-o. My abs? Let's just don't even go there.

Why you may ask? Why the tortue, why the dripping sweat, why the PAIN (oh sweet heavens, the pain) The answer is partly to attain a previous level of fitness from when Andy and I were first married. The rest of that answer? To look good for my superfit husband AND finally put to rest the taunts of the pre-baby jeans that hang in my closet.

You see, my weight is not really all that different from BK (before kids) but the distribution? Ummm.... yeah, things have shifted just a little. And I refuse, REFUSE, I tell you to yield to the mommy mush that my muscles want to settle into. So the gym (wretched, awful, hateful) has become my new best friend. The miles that I am running on the treadmill have slowly begun to increase and reached a new high yesterday (hence the PAIN), as I am cheered on by my sweet baby girl watching through the glass door of the gym nursery. And I hate every second of it. I know that there are those out there who love to exercise, and I applaud them, even envy them! I, however, am not wired that way. BK, I used to run about 5 miles a day, I belonged to a gym, I hired a personal trainer... not because I enjoyed it, but honestly? ...Simply for selfish reasons. My motivation now, however, is quite different. It is a sacrifice born out of conviction that I am making for my family... my husband and my children.

I have become very convicted lately about taking care of my body AND what goes in it. Convicted about being a fit, active mama for my children. Convicted about being a fit, active wife for my very fit husand! Convicted about putting JUNK into my body. Convicted about abusing the temple that God has given me. With LOTS of prayer (mostly asking for discipline and endurance) when I want to snuggle back down into my heavenly bed... I am making progress. Not in my own strength, mind you (you know that whole verse about the spirit being willing but the flesh being weak... that would be me) but through HIM being strong IN me. And in that strength... I can never fail.

So, I'll keep running along on that treadmill, working those arms and abs and enjoy that sweet reward of exhiliration that comes after a hard workout. And the end result will be?? Oh, totally worth it. I don't care if I never have the body of a supermodel... I just want to be the best ME that I possibly can. To feel good, to be able to be the best wife, the best mommy, the best servant for His kingdom, and to quite simply be my best self.


"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body," (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

Happy Saturday and
Much Love,