What is the first thing you think of when someone says ‘what are you thankful for’? What is the second thing? The third thing? I would be willing to bet that “ your body” is not in the top 3 things that you give thanks for on a regular basis! Me neither! But let’s stop and think—without our body, without our physical health and fitness, we would not have the strength and energy to do the other things that we are most thankful for.
We need a ‘paradigm shift!’ Instead of waking up and thinking that we “have to” exercise, we need to think “Exercise is a God-given freedom, and by doing it I will stay strong enough to have the physical freedom in my life to do the things I love, for the people I love, with energy to enjoy it all!” Wow! That’s a change in perspective! Let s be thankful that we can walk—not groan that we ‘have to’ walk. Let’s smile when we carry grocery bags, or kids or grandkids and be thankful we can! It’s a gift to be able to stand up and sit down without assistance —and we want to be able to continue to do that for many years to come! Let’s thank God every day for our physical strength!
I challenge you to put thankfulness for your body and for your physical health and strength into your “top ten” things to be thankful for. Suddenly that commitment to exercise becomes the first thing you want to do in the morning, and while you do it, you will smile, knowing that you are taking care of yourself. Here’s a prayer expressing this new perspective: Thank you Lord for my physical body. I receive it as a gift from you and I want to take care of it. Thank you, Lord for First Place which gives me hope for improving the health of my physical body. Thank you that I can walk, sit, stand and enjoy life in this body. Thank you that I get to exercise today!
Amen
Jeannie Blocher
www.bodyandsoul.org