Training Tuesday: Here We Go!

I didn't plan to have a "Training Tuesday" section here on my blog. I thought it would be enough to hope that I could keep up with weekly posts for "Focus Friday." But sometimes plans change. Mine changed when my husband informed me early yesterday morning that Southwest had some really great deals on airfare and he urged me to look into possibly booking something so that we could go and hike the Grand Canyon in April.

What? Hike the Grand Canyon? But, but, but...I'm not in shape! The last time we hiked the Grand Canyon I was thirty years old and I was a little lighter than I am now.

 This was in March, 1996 before we hiked to the bottom.

With those thoughts swirling around in my head, we both started looking at Grand Canyon info and considering when it would work best to go. We finally decided on a good week and booked the flight. Now we are committed and that is why I'm writing on "Training Tuesday." I'm not promising a weekly post, but I will try to share some thoughts once in a while as we get ready for this big adventure.

I already was committed to exercising regularly, but I didn't really have any goals or a real purpose. I would think about how much I'd like to lose some extra pounds, but my actions didn't do much to bring that about. I kept eating too much ice cream, too much candy, and drinking too much Pepsi. I would walk on the treadmill, but I wouldn't really put much effort into it. I'd plod along at about 3 mph...maybe 3.3 mph if I felt like pushing it a little.

Now that I have a certain trip in mind, it's time to get serious about training. And here's why:

Can you see all of those switchbacks and how far down you have to go? 

(And the bottom isn't even in sight in this picture) You have to go that far back up, too, you know.

So, with that in mind, I started my training last night. I walked for an hour on the treadmill...at an 8% incline...and I bumped it up to 4 mph for most of the walk. Then I started in the basement and walked up to the kitchen and up to the second floor, then walked back down to the basement - five times. That got my blood pumping!

As I thought about getting serious with my physical training, I couldn't help but think of my spiritual training. It's gotten kind of sloppy in recent years. I still read my Bible and pray, but it's at a pretty low level, just enough to kind of get by. There hasn't been that sense of urgency and purpose that really gets me digging into the word and falling on my face before God. I find myself wondering why that is and I realize that maybe this relates to my posts on Focus Friday. Because I have no focus, my spiritual training is lazy and undisciplined. It's time to set some goals and get serious about my spiritual training in the days ahead.

"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things,

holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." (1 Timothy 4:8 NIV)

So we're going to the Grand Canyon. Part of me thinks this is crazy. Can I really do a long hike like this and survive? I guess time will tell. I'll do my best with my physical AND spiritual training and then I'll try to enjoy the adventure once we get to Arizona. Remembering the good time we had about eighteen years ago helps quite a bit. Looking back through the pictures and souvenirs reminds me of the beauty of that wonderful place God created and I'm really looking forward to this trip.

My Dad, me, and Gary at Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Canyon.

Focus Friday: Where Do We Begin?

We're just beginning our journey together and I'm not quite sure where to begin. I have lots of thoughts on this idea of "focus" and they're all swirling around in this old brain of mine. Do I talk about why we lose our focus...or where our focus should be...or how we sometimes focus too much on something...or the things that tempt us to lose our focus? Whew, this may be even more difficult than I thought it would be.

For today, let me point out something I noticed over the last week. After I introduced this idea last Friday, I was surprised to see how often the idea of "focus" made an appearance throughout the week. I saw the word "focus" in several blog posts, on Facebook, and on the screen when I started watching a movie (the company was "Focus Features"). The word showed up in books I was reading, billboards, and TV commercials. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating just a tad, but it did seem to show up many, many times over the course of the week.

This has happened to me before. About a year ago, we were thinking about buying a new car. We liked the little rental car we used while we were on vacation and Gary thought about getting one of our own. We checked out the Chevy Sonic at the dealer's and really liked it, but we decided to wait a little while. Suddenly all we saw were Chevy Sonics. Blue ones, red ones...they seemed to be everywhere. As it turns out, Gary found a good deal on a used Chevy Impala and we set aside our plans to own a Sonic. Now I hardly ever see one.

I can remember quite a few times when I was thinking about something and then I seemed to notice that word or object all over the place. My focus was on a car or a food or a person and that's what I noticed as I went about my daily routine.

Maybe that's enough for us to start with this week. Take a look around you. What do you find yourself noticing most? Food? Clothing? Money? Cars? Certain people? It could be that your focus is on one of those things. Notice that they're not bad things, but too much focus on any of those things could be bad for us.

This reminds me of a YouTube video that my kids used to watch a long time ago. Maybe you've seen it - it's the one about the German Coast Guard Trainee. (You can see the 1 minute video by clicking here: German Coast Guard Trainee)  A distress call comes over the radio and you hear a desperate voice calling out, "Mayday, mayday, we are sinking! We are sinking!" The German Coast Guard trainee picks up the microphone and asks haltingly in a heavy German accent, "Halo, this is the German coast guard. What are you sinking about?"

Pretty corny, isn't it? But the idea is sound: "What are you sinking about?" needs to be something we ask ourselves once in a while. Where is your focus? What are you thinking about?

Does this ring true with you? Do you find yourself noticing the things you are thinking about as you go about your daily routine? Are there things you either need to stop or start thinking about so that your focus is on the most important things?

Focus Friday

I've lost focus in recent years...literally and figuratively as it turns out. My eyes have gradually been changing as I've gotten older. I keep a pair of reading glasses in several rooms of my house, in my purse, and in my coat pocket. More often than not, I'm grabbing for one pair or another so I can read the small print on a pill bottle, an ingredient in the kitchen, a piece of mail, or a phone number in the directory. If my cheaters are not handy, I'll try to squint and make out the words or numbers, but I usually have to give up in disgust and go find a pair of glasses or ask one of my children "What does that say?" I try not to do that too often because it just invites all kinds of ridicule and jokes about old age.

When I'm attempting to see something without my glasses I may think I know what something says, but I am often very surprised to see what is there when I finally use my glasses. "Oh, that's an 8, not a 6!" or "Blake, why is your principal sending me this notice about 'Lurch School?'" and it turns out to be the "Lunch Schedule." Now, that makes more sense.

I've finally resigned myself to the fact that I just need to keep a pair of readers handy and use them often. Why does it seem harder to get accustomed to that habit in my emotional and spiritual life as well? It seems that as I've gotten older it's become more and more difficult to keep my focus on the right things in life.

When I was young I would focus on one thing after another and set goals and usually accomplish them. Now that I'm more mature I find myself "piddling" many of my days away. It's not that I don't have things to do. There are tasks to get done, dreams to pursue, and stacks of things to go through all over my house, but I often drift through the day without much focus. I have a general feeling of restlessness and sometimes even a little angst as I flit from one thing to the next. The hours go by and I'm often shocked to find the day gone before I know it.

Do you ever feel that way?

I've decided to explore this idea each week on "Focus Friday." I invite you to join me as I look at how and why we sometimes lose our focus. We'll look at where our focus need to be, how to get it there, and how to keep it there. Things may look a little fuzzy at times, but hopefully our spiritual eyesight will get clearer as we go along. I invite your comments and ideas as we think about "Focus."

For this week I'll leave you with a verse to get us started:

"Great are the works of the LORD; They are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever." (Psalm 111:2-3 NIV)

Now that's something to focus on, isn't it?

"It Is Well" Christmas Stress Song

On Sunday I sang a song in church for special music. It was supposed to be a surprise for Gary. I was going to have our daughters Erin and Allison sing with me in beautiful harmony.

Well, sometimes things don't go quite the way you've planned. Erin couldn't make it home because of the weather and Allison wasn't feeling well so she couldn't practice with me. I couldn't figure out how to get my guitar over to church and put it somewhere without Gary seeing it, so I finally told him that I was doing special music early Sunday morning. 

He was surprised by the song, however. "It Is Well With My Soul" is his favorite hymn and I wrote some new words to it and "Good Christian Men, Rejoice." It turned out pretty well so I want to share it with you here:

“It Is Well” Christmas Stress Song (by Robyn Mulder)

When peace like a river attendeth my way  

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,

“It is well, it is well with my soul.”

It is well (it is well), with my soul (with my soul)

It is well, it is well with my soul.

(to the tune of “Good Christian Men, Rejoice)

Christmas is almost here

We tremble with great fear

Cards aren’t mailed and gifts aren’t wrapped

I think I’ll have a heart attack

Have to make that great big meal

And stress and strain are all I feel

I can hardly say…   I can hardly say…      

It is well, it is well with my soul.

I have to change my attitude

Change it to one of gratitude

Set aside the things undone

And focus on the only one

Jesus Christ the newborn king

Is more than all these other things

I can almost say…   I can almost say…      

It is well, it is well with my soul.

I think my Christmas joy will start

I feel a peace within my heart

Gifts and food are good to give

But this is how we really live

Giving thanks for everything

Now my heart can truly sing   

Christ is born today…   Christ is born today…

(to the tune of “It is Well with my Soul”)

When Christmas is coming and my stress level climbs

Let this be the thought that controls

The babe in the manger was born for these times

And his life was lived here for our souls

It is well (it is well), with my soul (with my soul)

It is well, it is well with my soul.

Gary liked the song, but what made it even more worthwhile was the reaction I got from a friend right after the worship service. She rushed up as I was putting my guitar away and gave me a great big hug and told me how much the song meant to her. She was feeling bad about not getting as much done for the holidays this year but the song helped her put things back in perspective. 

I wrote the song, but I need to keep reminding myself to keep my focus on the right things and not get all stressed about everything I'd like to get done during this season. I pray that all of you enjoy this season, too, and keep your focus on Jesus - today and every day of the year!