Okay so I started exercising, no seriously I hear you laughing! I have a personal trainer, that sounds so well you know, elegant, snobby? Anyway, I am in the 2.5 week of the program and I have found muscles I didn't know existed except in my Anatomy Book, and ones that I thought were gone a long time ago.

I am pretty much a creature of habit. When I find something (food, clothes, food, books, did I say food) I pretty much stick with what works. I'm not a risk taker by any means, in my job I manage the program risks, but in my life the only risk I ever take is getting out of bed.

Well last week I entered the local fitness center with determination and a goal in mind - 30 minutes on the treadmill; I didn't have to meet with my trainer, but I had to workout. Part of the program is to work out at least three times a week, which is rice-cake easy for me. Oooo I love rice cakes with peanut butter on them. Food and shiny object distract me.

I signed in, made small talk with the "receptionist" and proceeded to where the treadmills were located. Noticing that one of three that I knew how to work was out of order, andthe other two were already taken, I went back to the front desk to get assistance. However before we could get back to the only open machine, someone stepped right in front of us and it became occupied! There went my motivation and most of all determination to work out. "I guess I will have to wait or maybe come back later" yeah right, "No let me show you how to work this beauty" John said. "I love this machine and it's easy on your knees." "Really" I said. "Well I will try anything once." Well not anything...I do have my limits.

Well "John" the receptionist, set me up for 30 minutes, on the very lowest lever, of the eliptical. Two minutes in, I was ready to give up. My gluteous maximus began to burn and my calfs felt like they would snap! He said to try going 5 minutes in one direction then 5 in the other and maintain that pattern throughout the 30 minutes. I couldn't even make it through 2 minutes much less fifteen each direction. Well then determination began to surface and not wanting to let anyone down, I decided to give it 5 more minutes and then if a treadmill was open by then, I would make the switch.

If you have never used an eliptical machine, I highly recommend it! It was the best workout I have ever had, besides an aerobic class. By the time I was finished, I was sweating, and yes I could walk. I even managed to walk without teatering to my car. After all, there were people everywhere and I didn't want to seem like a wimp!

Fast forward twenty-four (24) hours later. I made it through the night, with the help of Aleve, I love Aleve, I have stock in it now that I have entered my second half century! I sit most of the day at work, only getting up to retreive something from the printer or to take a personal needs break. Well, half way through the day, I start to make one of those trips, and my determination disagreed with me and told me to sit back down! When I did, my gluteous maximus screamed at me and made me stand up. So for ten or so minutes, I played this up and down game until I could take a step.

Isn't it like that when we are trying to do what God wants us to do? We have a plan all laid out how we are going to accomplish the task, then all of the sudden, wham! God sends us in a different direction, and we are left rubbing our sore "spiritial muscles" until God applies the soothing balm to our aching soul. Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us of this. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

For someone who is a planner and a fixer, believing this verse was hard for me until I did one thing: I grabbed a hold of those handle bars on the eliptical and gave it my all!