Muscle Mama

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Grunt, groan, strain, wobble. That's me, lying on my back on the floor, working to lift my leg at just the right angle to stretch a muscle in my thigh (I can't remember the name of it right now).* I keep hearing the portion of scripture in my mind "strengthen the feeble knees" as I'm working, but I don't think this is exactly what it means. Does it?

While I hold my leg aloft, I'm counting seconds and pumping my arms with lightweight hand weights strapped to my wrists. And so I won't put it off, I'm doing all this as soon as I crawl out of bed in the morning!

The purpose of all this? A wind of change. My former foster daughter is here this week. (I've got to find a better label for her than "former" - it just doesn't describe how important she is to us.) We're enjoying our chores and shopping trips together. I'm going through a season of fasting from one meal a day, and taking more time for prayer. Closets and files are getting reorganized. Unnecessary things that have gathered in corners of our home are finally being addressed.

I've gotten lazy in some ways, too busy in others. I think all my parts relate to each other more than I know. Working my thigh muscle stabilizes my knee. Fasting dramatically affects my prayer life. Praying restores peace and clarity of thinking. Clean closets restore order. Organized files improves efficiency.

And laying on the floor? Well, we all need to lay around sometimes!

*vastus medialis oblique

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