JOYfilledWELLNESS

Time Management

October 12, 2011 by JOYfilledWELLNESS Filed Under: Fitness with Kids, Journal Entry Leave a Comment

1.19.11

I have the same challenge. However, I feel I’m fighting my flesh more than anything else.

Some of the things that have worked for me in the past are:

•Mid-day WO/kid’s PE time
•WO during the kids required rest time. This is around 1pm in our home. It is a time for kids to do whatever they want to do in their rooms, on their own. The only rules are; they must be quite and not get out of their rooms until I get them.
•Late night WO, after the kid’s bedtime
•Do what I can, when I can. Break up the workout into smaller segments. Although, this is not ideal, benefits will be had.

I’ve not been able to master the art of rising early enough to work out before everyone rises.

I was given spiritual direction (at 3-5 months postpartum) to nap! He stated that I must give myself adequate time to re-fuel and rest so that I can better live out my vocation, serve my family. My feelings of neglecting my children and husband were not valid. This was a short season in my life and more rest was the best direction.

I have carried this direction to the area of fitness. I trust that my 1 hour of exercise will fuel me to better serve my family. The time spent on physical exercise is actually a means to better serve my kids and husband so that I do not neglect them.

Finding the right rhythm is another story. I’m not certain that “balance” will ever come. So for now, I pray to embrace what I have been given & where I am and to persevere in all circumstances.

Do what is pleasing to Him always, within the circumstances you have been given!
ALL FOR!

Struggling

October 11, 2011 by JOYfilledWELLNESS Filed Under: Barefoot Running, Journal Entry Leave a Comment

1.17.11

i struggled through the back & shoulders work out this morning. i wanted to quit on several occasions. i can’t tell if i’m disinterested with this workout because i’m weak in those areas or because i’m actually bored with the wo. with no good reason to quit, i put all my focus on Mary.

gotta love a picture – it keeps me humble.

rose and i before our 8 mi run on 1.15. my feet after my barefoot 8 miler. it felt like i was walking on razor blades when i stopped running. the grueling part was cleaning the dirt out of the already popped ~~razor cut~~ blister.

i ran 2.6 mi while dad took the kids to the park. i attempted to go barefoot but didn’t last more than 5min. my feet look worse today than they did on sat. i had to swing by the house to pick up some shoes. my run was miserable with shoes. my back instantly began to hurt. my knee, shin and ankle chimed in at 1mi. again, i was ready to quit. meditating on the passion helped sustain me.

i’m definitely taking tomorrow off from my MT and hope to be barefoot again on wed.

GO ALL OUT – ALL FOR!
I have NOT ARRIVED.
I am far from the finish line.
But I am on CHRIST’S TEAM.
His love ignites me.
…His power fuels me.
His mission compels me.
I AM COMMITTED to Christ
and to this race.
I will run STRONG and run LONG.
Who will join me?

Running Barefoot

October 10, 2011 by JOYfilledWELLNESS Filed Under: Barefoot Running, Journal Entry Leave a Comment

1.15.11

woke up early to get ready for a run. dad decided to forgo the yard work at church so rose and i could get our run in. thank you Lord for dad.

i ran 8 mi. barefoot! i attempted to keep my focus on Him the entire run. i felt good for most of the run. at the end of the run was a different story. let’s just say, i have plenty to offer up. no blood, yet. i’ll share a pic later.

completed the program when i returned home. feeling good and tired.

off to a hot bath.

ALL FOR!

Time is a treasure…TRUST IN HIM

October 8, 2011 by JOYfilledWELLNESS Filed Under: Journal Entry, Meditations Leave a Comment

1.6.11

“Time is a treasure that melts away. It escapes from us, slipping through our fingers like water through the mountain rocks. Yesterday is gone, and today is passing by. Tomorrow will soon be another yesterday. Our lives are so very short. But what a great deal can be done for God in this short space of time!” ~ St. Josemaria Escriva, Friends of God, 52

I trust that He is diligently working on me.

“If you don’t get up at a fixed time you will never carry out your plan of life.” (The Way, 78)

This quote helps me solve my concern about sticking to my goal. It’s a no brainer, I know, but I have fought my flesh to rise at a set hour and regain order in my home.

I have felt unworthy of all His gifts. I sometimes, jokingly, tell my husband that I will sanctify my whole family by the crosses I provide them with. His generosity brings me to my knees and His mercy covers me.

I no longer seek to have His plans revealed to me. I’ve been there, done that. I can’t be trusted with that either. I only ask that He be patient with me as I attempt to blindly follow him.

Scheduling???? What is that? I’ve been struggling with it for some time. I have read, purchased and studied many resources. I have even had a moment of grace where I was able to implement a plan with success, only to have it slip away with the arrival of a new baby. I want to embrace this season of my life but I also don’t want to miss any opportunity to glorify Him. I’m going to have to take baby steps. I pray for the intercession of the Holy family.

“….may I never yearn for….may I finally learn to be happy and have patience with the constant changing rhythm of this ordinary time….I am vain and weak but surely, I will try.” ~ Marie Bellet, Ordinary Time

All I need is Him….trust….and complete surrender. Easier said than done, I know. I need to take one step at time. He will meet me right where we am.

This has me thinking about a reflection at Presentation Ministries that I read many years ago. This has stuck with me and provides me great consolation.

“You, as the parent, have the grace to disciple your children for Jesus in a way that no one else can have. The question is not who is best “qual-ified” but who is “call-ified.” The one who is called has the grace, the anointing from God, to do the job.”

I can do this, I am call-ified!

+AMDG+

Magic Mile

October 8, 2011 by JOYfilledWELLNESS Filed Under: Fitness, Journal Entry Leave a Comment

1.6.11

I held my marathon training (MT) for later in the day. Gary helped motivate me by ordering that we all go outside. It was cold outside (low 50s) but we all needed the fresh air. Rose and I were cheered on our merry way.

We ran for our Magic Mile MM. It was awesome. We prayed before the run for graces to grow in virtue, to reflect on Christ’s passion, to make it to the finish line, to go all out for Him, to seek Blessed Mary’s intercession……

I logged in 2 miles today. My Magic Mile time was 10.58.12. This is 1.42 min less than my MM time from last week. My predicted 1/2 marathon pace time is 13:47 min/mile (3:00:31). I’m not too concerned with this pace time–my goal for the race is to FINISH.

I opted out of running barefoot and have more battle wounds because of it. I hope to get a pair of these soon for the cold weather.

the wound was not as bad as the sock led me to believe.

Rose had a MM time of 9.41.59. She missed her MM run last week.

I’m blessed to share this time with her. She shared her running experience with me while we cooled down. She reflected on Mary’s intercession for her during this run and throughout her life. She is confident that Mary never fails her. It makes me think of her younger days when she was eight or so. We attended the National Catholic Family Conference. She was turned onto Sarah Bauer, a young Catholic Musician. We bought her the CD and matching shirt with the Miraculous Medal with the words “Mary’s Got My Back.” May God Bless Sarah for helping Elissa grow in her devotion to Mary.

I pray for another grace-filled day tomorrow. It will be a bit of a challenge to get my workout in since Thursdays are my errand days, Adoration days and we will be celebrating the Epiphany. I pray that “Mary’s Got My Back.”

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