Keep at it

I promise my next article will not be about physical fitness. 

Last week, I wrote about my newfound hobby (punishment?) of running.  I should update you all to let you know I’ve switched up my routine a little and joined a gym near the church so I can do a wide variety of cardiovascular exercise before coming to work. I am still jogging, but also now using a stationary bike and elliptical, depending on the day.  You have all been quite kind, asking me how it’s going and cheering me on.  Thank you. 

I was told by one person in pretty good shape that it’s not enough to do cardio, if I really want to get into shape; I should also be doing some sort of weightlifting. I am already on it—and I should ask, do you remember Charles Atlas?  He ran ads in comic books in the 60s, where a scrawny guy got harassed by a well-built jerk who stole his girl; he started using Atlas’s method of DYNAMIC TENSION and soon enough he could pop the bully in the face because he was just as strong as the other guy.

I completely disagree with that motivation for working out—that’s confronting power with the same kind of power, right?—and thankfully, no one’s kicked sand in my face nor stolen my girl in a long time. What I do like about the Atlas method is in writing WITH EMPHATIC CAPITALS throughout the booklet is the strong encouragement of: You won’t be able to do much to begin with.  But do what you can.  Keep at it. You’ll see you can do more and more every day if you stick with it.  Considering that I started January 1 doing five push-ups, and I can now do thirty without pause, I believe it. So I’ll keep going at it, and look for little results in a bigger picture, God willing. 

This Sunday in worship, we’ll be talking about outreach, mission, service and justice, the ministries of the church we should all participate in, as it’s the practice of our faith.  Every time we give financially; every time we donate food, clothing, toothbrushes; every time we say the church is bigger than the boundaries set up by humanity; every time we go and make change for the Reign of God, we make change for the Reign of God. Holding onto that discipline, growing it, and keeping on—definitely GREAT THINGS can happen if we choose to PRACTICE OUR DYNAMIC FAITH. (Great, now Atlas is in my brain!) 

We’ll look into this Sunday. I look forward to seeing you all then. 

Shalom y’all, 

Arthur