Starting back in July, I sent myself to a boot camp of sorts to get into shape, and I continue to see the fruits of my efforts. When my buddy and I hike, I need about 30 minutes to recharge, and then I can go again. On average, I burn 4300 calories per day and go 15 miles. I started to train and condition myself to become a certain kind of fit, and although it's not what most people consider fit, and although I'll never be an underwear model or show up in a calendar of attractive physiques, I live in a body that reacts positively when I train it and rises to fulfill the measure of its creation. Now if I only knew what God actually desires of me in this life.
As part of my backyard retrofit, I ordered five pallets of rock, totalling 14000 pounds, to use in building planters in the rear. Yesterday morning, while riding my bicycle, they were dropped in the street in front of my house. After lunch, I scurried home and got started preparing the ground, gathering tools and supplies, and dressing for the work. With my mother's help lifting blocks, we cleared the first two pallets into place in two hours. I was burning 330 kcal/hour and logging 2.25miles per pallet walking them from the gutter into the back yard. By the time my hiking buddy arrived, I was halfway through the penultimate pallet despite walking in the dark, and I was mostly tired from all of the repetitive walking back and forth with a load. He told me that he was impressed that I finished 3.5 pallets before he arrived, and he told me that was evidence that I was in better shape than he.
A few years ago, I would never believe myself capable of such an endeavor. I moved seven imperial tons of rock by hand in six hours and ended up with a personal best of 40,000 steps and 5000 kcal for the day. Obviously, I have accumulated some conditioning and some endurance. This is what I intended to achieve by my workouts. most people go to the gym in order to obtain a body that impresses others visually, and that's in truth what women I know encourage me to do. Instead, I sought a body that could go and do. I have achieved that increased ability, and although I am still overweight according to the State's BMI metrics, I am not tired at the end of the day. My body was happy to relax, but when I awoke today, I did not feel like I did as much yesterday as I actually did. I felt no more worn out than normal. This is normal for me.
Health is something we do rather than something that we are. The most important facets of a healthy life are mobility and activity. The journey to health starts with small steps, as many as you like. I have quite literally walked my way into a healthy body and lifestyle, and without intending to I have become the person I once thought my father to be. In family projects, I marveled at how he just kept going, and I felt he could do things that only someone with superhuman strength could achieve. Now, I am that man, and it feels wonderful.
If and when I have a family, I will be the kind of father who can keep up with his children, provide for their financial needs, and show them the wonders of the world beyond the borders of the living room. I do not know exactly what I was born to do, but I'm training and preparing for all the possibilities knowing that, even if they are not certain, it is easier to get ready if you're already working on it than if you must start from scratch. God gave me this body for some reason. Even if its only purpose is to see how well I will care for it, I intend to be a good steward. Remember that to those men to whom talents were given in the parable God gave greater stewardship. When we demonstrate our ability, the just God of heaven and earth who seeth in secret does reward openly. He has increased my ability; He has enlarged my strength; He makes sure that I run and am not weary and walk without fainting. It's a marvel. I only stopped because I could.
There was no sense of urgency, but there was a sense of accomplishment, and I wanted you to rejoice with me as I will when the work of this garden comes to its climax. I intend to do my best to do my duty to beautify this small portion of His garden over which He gave me hegemony so that if He decides to allow me to have a family I will have a place fit to raise, nurture, and provide for those that I love. But if not, I will have the means, motive, and opportunity to provide for any wayfaring men of grief He decides to lead my way. God gave me increase so that I can help others increase as well. Until then, I shall prepare things to please the eye and gladden the heart so that my refuge can serve as a refuge for others who may visit my house and so that it may be a fit habitation for Him if He deigns visit my humble abode.
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