Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Purple (11/05/09)
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TITLE: C-A-R-D-I-O | Previous Challenge Entry
By Micheline Murray
11/12/09 -
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Lord, help me not to quit before thirty minutes are up. I have no strength of my own, but, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)
I said hello to more than one surprised acquaintance, feeling like the prodigal returning home. Determined to make my time on this torture device worthwhile, I stepped on, placed my water bottle in the holder, and set the resistance two levels higher than last time.
Shoot! Forgot my ipod again! This is going to stink.
Five blurry television screens mocked me for leaving my glasses home as well. Twenty-eight minutes left. UGH. Desperate to pass the time, I repeatedly surveyed the perimeter of the room, reading the same signs over and over. “KICKBOXING--UPSTAIRS,” “Office,” and “Nursery,” helped pass another one-hundred eighty seconds. Twenty-five minutes to go? Yikes! Then my eyes fell once more on the imposing, oval sign which hung from the ceiling about fifteen feet away. Curved, yellow-gold letters jumped out against a brilliant purple background, “CARDIO.”
C-A-R-D-I-O…CAR-D-I-O…C-A-R-DIO. I played games with the word, putting stress on different syllables, even humming to the tune of the children’s song, “B-I-N-G-O” (And FINISHED was her name-o!)until the contrasting colors soothed my agitation and my legs fell into a strong, steady rhythm. C-A-R-D-I-O…Christ…Always…Re…Designs (from the) Inside…Out. How cool is that? Thank You, Lord, for the many ways You have “re-designed” me. Please continue to do whatever work You need to. Thank You for caring more about my heart than my waistline!”
I prayed for awhile, then realized that not only was I moving pretty fast for a forty-something homemaker, but a full ten minutes had passed. Fifteen more minutes on here and I still felt fine!
C-A-R-D-I-O…Christ…Allows…Rest…(and)Desires…Interior…Organization. Order my steps this day Lord; help me not to take on too much as usual. Show me what things are from You, and what things aren’t. May I not waste time or energy in anything that is not of You.
C-A-R-D-I-O…Christ…Always…Real…Dwelling…In…Omniscience. Yes, and how grateful I am for that. You are always so real in my life. Please be real to my children also. Thank You for Your Omniscience---that wherever they go, You go with them.
This continued until I heard “Beep! Beep! Beep!” The sound startled me. Already? Displayed on the digital screen was my workout summary: 30 minutes/1.89 miles/354 calories. A record for me! My face was almost as purple as the sign, but I felt on top of the world.
Thank You Lord. After today, I’ll never look at a “CARDIO” workout the same way again!
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