My Sanity

Since I have had children I have always enjoyed getting out by myself to get refreshed and recharged; to go back into the battlefield... called parenting. Yes, it so rewarding and don't get me wrong, my heart just feels like it is going to burst sometimes with love for my kids but there are other times..ahem... when I don't want to be anywhere near them and I feel like I am going insane! So to keep me sane I get out almost everyday. Even if its to  run up to the store, but usually its to go running or to meet a friend, and when its time for me to come home I am ready to face the madness. If you are a mother and don't have anytime by yourself, I don't know how you do it! I know sometimes it just doesn't work with you or your husband's schedule, but if you are struggling with being content and joyful at home.. go to whatever lengths needed to make some time for yourself, believe me it will make such a difference!

 The easiest and quickest way to keep me sane is to go running. I love to run or rather I have worked my way up to loving it; and I would take my first son out in the jogger, but with 4 kids in tow now it really isn't fun for them or me to have to tag along when I want to run, in fact its pretty impossible. So I started getting up and going for a quick jog around my neighborhood, before my husband had to go to work. I really enjoyed this but felt like something was lacking from my routine. I wanted something more... so I added workout videos to the mix. That was more like it, but the kids would start waking from their slumber and wanted to join in the fun. Yes, it was cute to see my daughter doing squats and my son doing sit ups with me but when they started climbing on top of me and getting in my way,I knew this wasn't going to work. I was getting frustrated with them because I couldn't finish my work out but it wasn't their fault, this was their domain.

A friend of mine told me about a local boot camp(www.bittsfitness.web.com), so I jumped in... and am hooked now! It has different times throughout the week to make it work for anyone and is outdoors, which I love; I could never run on a treadmill, its just not for me.My body didn't like it the first couple of weeks and put up a fight but I kept at it and now I am doing things that seemed impossible at first. Hey, there really is no gain without any pain! 

 I started going once a week in the evening when my husband could watch the kids. I would look forward to it all week. I love being physically challenged, hmmm... lets rephrase that, I love being challenged, physically. I greatly prefer it to being mentally challenged, I just don't have enough brain power for it. You may think its insane but it is my sanity! I really do enjoy pushing myself. I love healthy competition. I love winning! You know you do too, if you don't you are lying. Who doesn't like to win? Come on? That doesn't mean you rub your accomplishments in peoples faces or that you behave sorely when you lose, you just try your hardest to reach your goals.

I believe God created all of us with a drive to be the best that we can be in all that we do, to do it for his glory. He didn't say." Don't even try because you won't win anyway." Where would we all be if we had that kind of attitude?! No this is what the word of God says:

"Run in such a way to get the prize"1 Corinthians 10:24

"I press on toward the goal of the upward prize for which  God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14

So every time I run or workout I think of the goal of getting in the best shape possible, yes, but also it reminds me of the goal of this life: to pass the finish line of this race on earth, reach the throne of God and stand before him and hear him say," Well done good and faithful servant enter into the kingdom prepared for you."(Matthew 25:34) That's what I desire more then anything else!!!

I hate the feeling of knowing I could have done something better. I don't want to look back on my life and think, wow....I sure wasted a lot of time. ( which I know I have) I want to know that I made the most of this body he has given me, though it is temporary and sinful, so that I can live this life to the fullest , whatever time has been allotted to me to live in it.

I just want to clarify that physical training should never take more importance then Godly training!

"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." 1 Timothy 3:8

Like I shared in "No more Excuses" we have to plan to make time to get refueled by Jesus! It really helps when we have other people in our life to keep us accountable in all areas of our life. I am so thankful for my husband and the close friends and family that he has given me to inspire and push me to be the best in all I do. I know there are so many things I would not even consider if someone didn't encourage me to do it. I am pretty lame on my own. 

As my life has gotten fuller and busier my days have become shorter and shorter, time just slips away so quickly. So I have found I have to make the most of every little minute. They all add up, believe me! I knew I had to start making better use of my time, reluctant as I was to give up my laziness. Yes, I was getting out once in a while and exercising but it wasn't very consistent. I knew I could do something more. I heard there was a 5:30am boot camp but I had NO intention of punishing my self on purpose! That was just inhumane! But the more I thought about it, the more it grew on me. It would motivate me to get up earlier and I would have my time by myself and be back before anyone even knew I was gone. The pros were starting to outweigh the cons.

So I dragged my weary carcus at the crack of dawn and as I started moving I found I could do it and I was actually enjoying it. My body did have to adjust and I started going to bed earlier but you know what good ol' Benjamin Franklin said," Early to bed, early to rise, makes one healthy, wealthy and wise." I don't know about wealthier and wiser... but I have felt healthier.

There are days when I am dragging if I didn't sleep good but most days I have so much energy and so glad I already got my workout in. There has always been something exciting connected with getting up early for me, not the part where I am fighting my tired flesh. I think it goes back to my child hood when we would get up real early to go on a road trip. Mostly what I enjoy is praying and worshiping while I am running. I put my i shuffle in and get in my zone with Jesus. Its so uplifting to start the day giving him praise for all he has done and fixing my eyes on heaven! Whatever I am going through gets into the right perspective and I feel my heart getting lighter as I give my burdens and prayers to him and not to mention burn off some calories. No, you don't have to run to experience this but I find I focus so much better when I am in motion. I am very easily distracted....I probobly have ADD but just haven't been evaluated.

I love coming home after boot camp to yes, could it be?... silence..ahhh. Though I do love the times of craziness and chaos I have to say silence is golden. It is very rare, so I treasure it and quickly take a shower, make some coffee, open my Bible and ask God to speak... I sit and listen and learn...before the insanity begins... yes... this is my sanity.

Are you going insane? Get out! Get plugged in with a group of woman who can encourage you and keep you accountable. Ask the Lord to show you what will help you help your family. Maybe its going for a walk, going out for coffee with a friend, joining a bible study, finding a hobby.. maybe even joining a boot camp. Whatever it is, know that God hears your tears and wants you to cry out to him, he will bring you through and draw you closer to him, if you allow him to become your sanity.