5:16 p.m. Today's project is to return to the fitness walking I used to do before the September "back attack" struck me, making even regular walking painful. Steve and I would take an after-dinner spin around the neighborhood or down and up the Canyon Crest hill for about 30 minutes, most days a week. It was a nice time to just unwind and talk without interruptions.
I don't have a working scale, so I figure the inactivity has probably caused the return of hard-fought extra pounds. On the other hand, my clothes fit the same and I haven't been all that hungry either. But no matter what, I need the exercise.
It's not as if I don't go up and downstairs and all over my house constantly, being somewhat hyper. In multi-story buildings, if it's just a couple of floors, I'll take the stairs because waiting for an elevator is boring! But like most Americans, sedentary activities such as the one I'm indulging in now, take up more and more of my time. Crafting and gardening are favorite activities, but don't really get the cardio going. I love God's comparisons to exercise given in Psalm 19:4b-5 (NLT):
God has made a home in the heavens for
the sun.
It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom
after his wedding.
It rejoices like a great athlete eager to
run the race.
My children have been very athletic, and all of them jog, work out and even train others to this day. I was once an all-around athlete, captain of various girls' teams in P.E., and whippet-fast back in high school. God has blessed me with abundant energy, though "great athlete" would not be my current moniker! I do love to get my body moving, so a well-paced walk is just right for me now until I can build up the strength to go faster.
Our bodies were designed for movement--we just feel better with our blood circulating!
Now we're back from a walk down our steep street two blocks to to my friend, consultant and team member Cindy's house to pick up some mirror sets. Even though I'm used to my Skecher Shape-ups, on the way down I realized that they might be a bit much for my walking debut, because my left hip started to twinge a bit. After a minute of visiting on Cindy's porch, we walked back uphill at a slower pace. But I made it, and that's what matters!
Another test came up rather unexpectedly at the front door. As we came in, I asked Steve to shut off the alarm as he has always done upon our return home from walking, as recently as a month ago. He couldn't move the 8 feet (or three of his strides) from the front door to the alarm pad on the wall, in the 30 seconds we have to shut off the siren before it blares. So I dashed over and did it. Then I reset it and asked him to hurry and shut it back off, even telling him the code. He couldn't do it, saying he couldn't see, but I'm the one four years his senior, with bad eyesight! And we've been using the code for almost 24 years.
One never knows just how or what evidence of Alzheimer's is going to pop up in daily life. So I take the little flashes of understanding that come my way and ask the Lord how best to deal with each one. I also ask for wisdom to prepare me for the next incident. I've learned not to ask Steve many questions, because he gets flustered, or, if I need to know about something he has done or not done, I wait until he can explain it, and give him plenty of time to sputter out the words.
I am very concerned about Home Fellowship tomorrow evening, even though our pastors have arranged our group to include many of our friends. This was at my request, so that Steve wouldn't have to introduce himself or be expected to take part in the scripture discussion. Therefore, he can enjoy the worship and the study, as well as the fellowship meals Home Fellowships include. My prayer is that he can manage the food that I bring him like he did last year. Lord, keep Steve from being nervous or drawing attention to himself with slip-ups in his manners. The two of us have been working pretty consistently on relearning table manners. God's word speaks about the learning process of His people Israel in Isaiah 28:10:
For precept must be upon
precept, precept upon precept,
Line upon line, line upon line,
Here a little, there a little.
And that is the method I choose to help my husband: little by little, one thing, one day, at a time.
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