Old Dry eyes

Recently I started back on my exercise program. As a result I do not have many places on my entire body that are not sore and not just a little sore, “real” sore. My chest feels like someone has been pounding it with a sledge hammer and if anyone touches one of my arms, particularly the backs of my arms, I let out a yell. Likewise my legs are so sore that I shuffle when I walk, stairs are gruesome, and it hurts even to sit down, (not good when nature calls). My abdomen is so sore that I cannot tie my shoes and necessarily I have been wearing flip flops.

Why would anyone in their right mind willingly subject themselves to such misery? Because I have a goal of being healthy and strong and exercise is the way to get there. My 87 year old father pooh- poohs this idea by the way and tells me that he gets his exercise going to his jogger friend’s funerals, and I am almost at a point with my pain where I agree with him, but I know that all of this pain signifies that my program of pumping iron and running on the treadmill is actually working. Muscles that are flaccid and weak will soon firm up and be strong again, (provided that I live through it). No pain, no gain is the sign posted in most gyms and it is oh so true. Isn’t that weird? It may be weird but if you want to be healthy and start an exercise program, chances are 100% that you will experience some pain in the early going.

My pain is excessive due to the fact that I have allowed myself to get out of shape. I have fallen by the wayside and have not been exercising as I should; opting to work longer hours and accomplish more at work instead. Now I am paying the heavy price. To test this theory, try going bowling one night. Assuming you are not a regular bowler, your legs will let you know exactly which muscles are flaccid and weak and have been neglected and will keep notifying you of this for the next several days; (golf and tennis work like that too).

Much of life is like this. We can experience pain in our personal lives and it builds our character and draws us closer to God. After pain we experience gain. If you have never exercised you will experience more pain initially until you get used to it. Similarly, if you have never experienced any pain in your life, such as losing a very close loved one, it will hurt more initially. Nothing hurts worse than losing that first loved one. As you grow older and have already been through this ordeal, while it is always sad, it is easier to endure. The driest eyes at any funeral are also always the oldest.

There will be pain in this world and we will endure it. Death and taxes are certain and we will face them both, painful as they are. There is not much one can do about pain from exercise short of taking an Aleve, sitting in a hot tub, and perhaps a massage, but pain from the burdens of life can be reduced by drawing close to God. He can comfort us and help us through the pains of life. He is there for us at every funeral – Too bad that he will not assist with my soreness dilemma

Psalms 23:4
Yea, though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of
death,
I will fear no evil;
For you are with me