On the Move

By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. Hebrews 11:8

“What? We’re moving? And you don’t even know where we’re going? But everything we know is here and our children were born here! And you expect me to leave my family and friends?” That’s how I would have responded if I were Sarai (Abraham’s wife) upon hearing the news that we were to move to an unknown land. (Or, given the culture of that time, perhaps all that could be done would be to confide to the other women in the family.) God called Abraham to leave Mesopotamia and his extended family and go to a new land which He would show him. God promised to make Abraham a “great nation,” to make his name great, and bless him. Through Abraham, God would bless all the families of the earth. (Genesis 12:1-7, Acts 7:2-3)

I am uncomfortable driving, walking or bicycling without a map to see my destination and the route to get there. So I have tremendous admiration and respect for Abraham when he obeyed God’s command to leave not only the familiar territory on which his livelihood was built, but as well the security of his family (Genesis 12:1 says “Go forth from your relatives.”), and go to a place “not knowing where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8) To go sight-unseen, without a roadmap, that is faith! (“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the substance of things unseen,” says Hebrews 11:1.) Abraham and Sarai (later renamed Sarah) had faith in God and believed what God promised. Abraham was confident that God would look after him and he trusted that the life God had for him in the new land was better than his successful and secure life in Mesopotamia. God had a purpose in leading him to the new territory!

Some of us may feel content and safe where we are now, even if we are living in a less than ideal situation or are following unhealthy habits. But God’s plan is better. Actually, it is best! God’s plan from the beginning was to redeem you and me to Himself by the death of His Son, Jesus, on the cross, and make us His children by faith. “..God sent forth His Son …so that He might redeem those who are under the Law, that we might receive adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father!” (Galatians 4:4-6) (Although the scripture says “sons” this includes both men and women who believe. Galatians 3:28) This is the entrance to new, eternal life. We don’t know what lies ahead, but we are not alone. Believers in Jesus have the Holy Spirit as helper and guide. (John 14:26, 16:13) Trust God as you follow Him in faith, whether you are staying home, travelling, or moving to a new land!

With summer, comes travel. Getting in some exercise while travelling may be a challenge, but with determination, creativity, and some planning

it is certainly do-able. After sitting in a car, plane, train or bus, or in meetings all day, you are probably looking forward to moving around and working off some stress and stiffness. Exercise will feel good, so you can look forward to it.

If you are driving, your shoulders and upper back are most likely tight from being hunched up with your head jutted forward for several hours. So you will want to stretch these areas by doing some shoulder rolls, pulling your head back and holding , and stretching across the front of your chest and shoulders. There are many exercises you can do while sitting in the car or plane. Click here for a ideas. During your gas station/restroom breaks, when you can also do some squats,

lunges and, if it is safe to do so, take a brisk walk. We have stopped at some beautiful rest stops along the interstate highways which are perfect for a ten to 15 minute rejuvenating walk.

Air travel has opportunities for exercise. During layovers between flights, take a walk. With those long concourses at the hub airports, you can walk for 30 to 60 minutes without leaving the security area.

Comfortable shoes are a must, even though it takes a little extra effort to remove and retie them when you go through security. (Remember, you only have to go through security once!) Make sure your purse/carry-on is comfortable (I usually wear a small backpack.) and even if you are pulling a suitcase with wheels, you can take a rejuvenating walk!

Staying in a hotel? Many hotels have a fitness room and/or indoor pool and I always check ahead to see what is available and select the hotel accordingly. In recent years, I have seen a huge improvement in hotel fitness rooms, with many now equipped with free weights, mats, foam rollers for ab work, and Swiss balls.

When you arrive, be sure to check the fitness center and pool hours.Remember to pack comfortable workout clothes, shoes and socks and/or your swim suit! You may click on the links for ideas on working out in shallow water and deep water.

For some cardio and leg work in your hotel, try some stair climbing/walking combinations: Start at ground level and go up one flight of stairs, walk briskly down the hallway and back to the stairwell,

and down the stairs to ground level. Then climb two flights of stairs and walk down that hall and back. Keep going with as many floors as you want. You can do any combination of climbing and walking (try also taking two steps at a time) to keep it interesting. In good weather, walk the perimeter of the hotel grounds

and nearby parking lots if it is safe (Ask the front desk staff for recommendations on where it is safe to walk or the location of the nearest mall.) If you are a YMCA member, look up the closest Y before you leave and bring your ID card. YMCA’s vary in their guest policies, but you may have the chance to use equipment you are familiar with or even attend an entirely new class.

In your hotel room you can perform the strengthening exercises such as squats, lunges, and wall push-ups.

As always, check with your physician before starting any exercise program or if you are uncertain about whether a particular exercise is appropriate for you.

Including exercise in your itinerary will help you function better during the day and sleep better at night. The extra activity will burn off extra calories consumed while dining at special parties and dinners. Strength training will keep you toned and the stretching will ease stress and stiffness. Your trip will be more enjoyable. Bon Voyage and Bon Exercise!

Photo credits: frank.itlab.us, Detroit Airport, Sheraton Hotel PhiladelphiaMarritott Courtyard Georgia Tech, thatsfit.com, inchargefitnesscenter.com all from Creative Commons, L.E. Lang Collection

Wrestling in Prayer

from portagechurch.org

In the middle of the night while Jacob was alone beside the River Jabbok, a man (whom he later learns is God) came and wrestled with him. (Genesis 32:24-32) Jacob was filled with anxiety at the prospect of re-entering his homeland and encountering his estranged twin brother, Esau. Two days earlier, before sending his family and cattle across the river, Jacob was “greatly afraid” and turned to God in an honest and clear prayer in which  he poured out his fears about what Esau might do to him and asked for help (v. 11). Jacob admitted his unworthiness to receive all the blessings he had (v. 10), repeated God’s command to return to the Promised Land (v. 9) and claimed God’s earlier promises to take care of him and give him a family (v. 12).

Now alone, Jacob wrestled with God. Have you ever “wrestled” with God spiritually, in prayer? Perhaps you asked God  “Why do I (or my loved one) have to go through this?” or “Please give me….”  Or  “please, Lord, take this burden/fear/temptation, etc. away!”  Deep, serious praying can involve the body and the emotions. Hosea 12:4 says that Jacob wept while he was wrestling. Believers in Jesus Christ have the Holy Spirit to help them when struggling to put their thoughts and feelings into prayers. “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” (Romans 8:26)

Although Jacob held his ground in the match, God showed his superiority:  with a mere touch He  dislocated Jacob’s hip. (v. 25) Jacob showed his perseverance by not letting go without receiving a blessing. (Earlier in his life (Genesis 25 and 27), Jacob had been so desperate for his father’s blessing that he went so far as to buy the right for it from Esau – for a pot of lentil stew – and to trick his father, Isaac, into giving it.) Jacob did get a blessing from God, but he had a limp from his dislocated hip, a sign that he had been touched by God.

Pray without ceasing.  1 Thessalonians 5:17

Now, let’s talk about the hips.

Today you are going to learn how to keep your hips level. Why? Because doing this can prevent problems with your posture and alignment and prevent pain in your back, hips and legs. So here we go!
 

The pelvis is shapped like a bowl.
from wikipedia.org

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and put your hands on your hips. The slightly pointed bone you feel on each side is part of your pelvis. Remember seeing a skeleton in science class or in a Halloween decoration? Notice that  the pelvis is shaped like a bowl and I want you to imagine that the bowl is full of soup. Now you are going to tilt the "bowl" forward as though soup were going to spill out the front. (You will feel like your tail bone is sticking out behind you.)  Then rock your pelvis backward and pretend soup is spilling out the back. (If you have any pain, stop.) Now we're going to bring your pelvis to the in-between position so it is level. This is neutral, and that is how you want your pelvis to be when you are sitting, standing, exercising, sleeping, etc. (In other words, all the time!)  Practice  rocking your hips forward and back and stopping at “neutral.”   In the future, we will be doing other exercises to help strengthen the muscles around your hips to make it easier to hold this position.
 
Try to be aware of having your hips level when you are standing in line, working in the kitchen and while seated. It will be the starting point for some of the other exercises we will be doing, so it's an important step to master. This is one small exercise that can go a long way in improving your length and strength!