I’m back to the gym now that the weather is cranky and cold. I started a few months ago, not because I wanted to (because I didn’t!), but because it’s just too cold to exercise outside.
One freezing morning, I grabbed my water bottle and headed out. After locking up my coat and keys, I went straight to the gym area. It’s about the size of a swimming pool; wooden floor, two walls with windows, two with mirrors. I joined four other people, already intent on their routines, music pumping through ear buds to keep them energized.
I grabbed the equipment I needed and got started. My first exercise required a stability
ball, which is an outsized inflatable rubber sphere. Some people use them as chairs at their work desks. Because you’re sitting on a chair that can roll away, you’re forced to tighten your abdominal muscles to avoid falling. Perching on the ball, I grabbed a 2.5-pound weight in each hand. Lifting up one leg, so I’m balancing on one leg and the ball, I’m supposed to start pumping the weights over my head.
Well, I haven’t done this exercise for about six months; so apparently over the summer I acquired abs of oatmeal. As soon as I lift my leg, it looks like I’m doing a new dance. My body is shimmying all over that ball. Best of all? I get to watch myself flailing, like a giant inflatable tube-man, in the mirror in front of me.
You’d think that I would have the decency to be embarrassed. I’m easily the oldest person in the room. The others are planking and grunting and jumping up on platforms eight layers high. My challenge? To stay put on an overgrown balloon without falling. (Hands over eyes.)…
But instead of being mortified, I think it’s funny, so I started giggling. Not surprisingly, that doesn’t help.
Finally giving up, I put the weights down. Concentrate Ceil. What did that trainer tell me when this happened before? Oh right! If I concentrate on one spot, straight ahead of me, constant and immoveable, I’ll be able to maintain my balance. You know what? He was right.
Having a focal point really works. And not only in gym routines, but in my spiritual life too. Every day I meet challenges that make me a bit wobbly. Oh, I have good intentions. I just lose focus. So I wondered. What are some of my spiritual focal points? What do I concentrate on to keep me balanced?
This is what I came up with:
- I cherish my family and the people God has given me in friendship. That love moves me to offer myself in acts of kindness, with a ready ear to hear and a heart ready to forgive.
- God created me to make a difference. That belief challenges me to see the needs of the world, and to do something positive to address them.
- Daily prayer reminds me that I am a sacred, beloved child of the Father. It also convinces me that everyone I meet today is too.
God wants his followers to have a strong spiritual core to keep them upright when hard times come. We all have our own sacred guiding principles, our own ‘North Stars’. Remembering and acting on our guiding lights ensures that we will be stronger and more effective images of Christ in our world.
How about you? What core values guide your life? I’d love to hear about your focal points are in the comment section.
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Ceil, You are too funny. I think you should hug that ball and just roll around the room, show those young people us ‘experienced folks’ know how to have fun and laugh at themselves. LOL They will all think they are on Candid Camera or something. Have a great work out.
Hi Kim! You would not believe the strength and agility of these people. My husband refuses to go to open gyms like this because he feels intimidated. Good thing I just think it’s funny 🙂
I’m a little light on the workouts now, but I am faithfully doing my stretches. I’ll get back there some day!
Have a great evening,
Ceil
I sympathise with your experience at the health gym, Ceil. The only time I visited such places of torture was years ago as a radio reporter. Here’s the story: http://timeforreflections.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/visiting-health-club.html
God bless.
Hi Victor! Thanks for the link. I’ll definitely give it a listen!
Blessings,
Ceil
Ceil: We all have to focus on Jesus. He’s the one who can handle the things of life (those things that come our way that are hard or even bad.) We serve a God who wants us to look to Him in times of disappointment, fear, and disaster.
Hi Cecelia! We do have to focus on Jesus, I agree. And I do see him in my family and friends. He is every part of my life. I just pray I have the eyes to see him, even as you say, in bad times.
Thank you for your wisdom my friend. You always have such great things to add!
Ceil
Hi Ceil – Great post and so fun to find you visiting another “home” today exercising body and spirit!
Hi Mindy!! Thank you for commenting here and at Deb’s. You are such a great blog-friend 🙂
I’ll be back to exercising my body in about a month. Well, I do stretches now, does that count? Lol! It is good to know that we can always improve our spiritual muscles, along with our bodily ones.
Always a pleasure to see you,
Ceil
I so enjoy your posts!
Hi Anita! I’m so glad you do. It’s great to be connected through our blogs, isn’t it?
Hope you’re keeping warm this shivery day!
Ceil
I’m trying to picture myself balancing on that ball. The only image I get is me flopped on the floor–laughing–hopefully! But I love the connection you made about being focused in exercising physically and being focused on spiritual goals as well. Thanks for the relection.
Hi Sr.! Let me tell you, it’s harder than it looks. I know you’d be laughing right along with me! One of the commenters said they use one as a desk chair at work. She’s got killer abs I just know it.
I’m glad you liked the analogy. It seems that we are charged to take care of our bodies and our souls.
Happy Thursday 🙂
ceil
I try to focus on the day I am in and that God is with me… I would kill myself on an exercise ball LOL
Hi Dee! I think that’s a perfect focus. Maybe it’s easier to beef up our souls than our bodies! It takes a lot of concentration for me to stay on that wretched thing 🙂
Nice to see you here!
Ceil
Oh gosh Ceil, this is sooo good!! I love this, and I need to really think about my core focal points. I believe I already know them, but I need to truly be intentional with my life around them.
Thank you, for this. And you are going to the gym? Girl, you are WAY ahead of me!!! I can barely make it to the kitchen to get something (fattening and bad for me) to eat!!
Ugh…
Hey Chris! Don’t be jealous, I wrote this months ago before I broke my leg. I’m still hopping around, although I can do some weight-bearing now. Thank God for my patient husband.
You know you are in my prayers for healing, and I hope that we’ll both get more mobile soon 🙂
Blessings,
Ceil
LOL! I tend to agree with your husband; I would be intimidated!! Cheers to you Ceil for getting out there and giving it your best!! Woo hoo! Love your focal points; they are on my list of objectives too, as well as generating encouragement and joy where ever I go (when possible-ha!!!) ♥
Love you dear ♥ have a fantastic Friday and weekend!
Hi Denise! You are so good at encouragement and joy, let me just tell you that. Your words are always so supportive too.
How fun that we share focal points! I think love of family and friends really sets the tone to love everyone I meet. I just love the way God works 🙂 Happy weekend to you too!!
Blessings,
Ceil
Oh my word! I’m staying away from that ball. It’s all I can do to work on my core with my Ab Roller. I may kill myself with that thing. My core values: 1) Jesus first. 2) Love others and build relationships like Jesus would, 3) Keep my focus tight/you cannot do a thousand things to the glory of God (Jesus, husband, family, ministry, job). 4)Integrity, godly character 5) Practice holy living
Hi Leah! I’m so glad you found me!
You do the Ab Roller? That thing is impossible. I’m always afraid its going to roll uncontrollably away from me!
I love your Core Values! You were ready to list them, and they’re just wonderful. Keeping a tight focus…I should borrow that one. I do tend to throw myself out there in many directions. Not very effective that way.
So nice to have met you 🙂
Ceil
Funny, At first I wondered if that was a photo of you but then remembered your little accident and your leg injury. I have thought of getting one for my desk – as writers we certainly sit too much but maybe that would be hazardous….
Hi Jean! Yeah, definitely not me! It’s not quite the same exercise either, but I thought it would be a good visual.
I’d try someone else’s before buying one for your desk. I suppose after a while you’d get abs of steel, and it wouldn’t bother you? You’d have to watch shifting though!
Happy Weekend,
Ceil
Hi Ceil,
I was grinning with you over the image of that stability ball. Yes! I have done an exercise class on those in the past. My friend and I found that our balls kept rolling away 🙂
Spiritual core foundations? Hmm, being firmly founded in who God says I am , who he says he is, and why we are here… are important ones for me.
Jennifer Dougan
Hi Jennifer! Those stability balls are often anything but stable! I’m glad you were with a friend and could get a laugh out of it 🙂
I love, love your core values. Not only that you are dedicating yourself to who God says you are, but you are putting it to work for His glory. What could be better??
Happy Sunday!
Ceil
Ha ha ha! That abs of oatmeal would be totally me, too! Enjoyed your image…how do you come up with such amazing analogies??!! You have such a gift.
Thank you for the always encouraging posts you put up for your readers. 🙂
Hi Patty! Join the oatmeal club my friend! We’re all about laughing, you’d fit right in 🙂
You always have such encouraging things to say, and I really appreciate your support. It’s great to be connected through our blogs!
Happy Sunday,
Ceil
Dear Ceil, Oh a wonderful situation – looking back to it – but also showing the importance of focusing! And when focusing on God and His possibilities, and the promises of Jesus being with us each and every day, I find strength and peace to carry on, even if I can not see a way ahead – but taking one step at a time, hand in hand with the Lord, He is showing the way – So thankful for that!
Hi Nina! How fun to see you today!
Thank you for inspiring me with your comment. Possibilities and promise…those are wonderful thoughts to hold on to, as you hold the hand of Jesus. What a beautiful mental image for me to think on. You lift me up my friend 🙂
Happy Sunday,
Ceil
I am comfortable and at home with any posts that talk about working out. I admire you for strengthening your core and one of my values is self care also. I want to be strong and healthy to live out my years helping others and my family. I also ask God to fill me with His Spirit so that I can bring His joy and hope to a dying, needy world of so many fearful ones.
I use a swiss ball too to strengthen my core so I can relate. It’s always fun and inspiring to visit you!
Hi Mary! That’s a great core value, and one that involved both spiritual and bodily strength. That’s just wonderful. We are a world that fears. Someone like you who could help to allay that fear would be working like Christ.
Thanks for your encouraging comment Mary, I always smile when I see you here 🙂
Ceil
With the new little one–I have SO MISSED my gym time–but flexing my spiritual muscle can be done daily–with little of no effort. WHY then do I miss my workouts—spiritual laziness!
Thanks for a great post, Friend!
Hi Lulu! You are doing such great things for your family now! That’s a core value of yours for SURE. What a help you are being, and making such wonderful memories too.
I am guilty of spiritual laziness too. I know I am responsible for showing up for that workout too. It will be a life-long work in progress for me.
Great to see you again!
Ceil