Back on the Straight Chair

Straight chairs again. 

I was so careful not to slip on the ice, wearing those Trekkers and walking like an old lady – which I am not (yet). And I didn’t slip on the ice.

But then, last night I popped into the bathroom to wash out the bath between bathers. What did I do? I seem to have leant too far, scrubbed too hard, or prolonged the operation beyond what was necessary. Whatever I did, as soon as I stood up again, I felt it. The stiffness radiating through the lower back. Pulled muscles I think, which is preferable to a slipped disk, obviously. But still...

So a hot shower, a hot water bottle, a warming massage with Ben-Gay, and now moving cautiously, sitting carefully, popping paracetamol and hoping that this all passes in the blink or two of an eye.

Whatever the precautions, life can ambush us. Jesus said that in this life we would have problems, but not to lose heart because he has overcome the world. And that start of that amazing story is what we are all celebrating now. What a Lord we have. What a Saviour. 

Walking into the last week of Advent with my hand in the hand of Jesus, and my heart full of gratitude and my mouth full of praise.

When I’m not walking, though, I’ll be back on the straight chair, thank you.

Pushing a Pram Uphill

One of the delights of having a beautiful granddaughter only half an hour away is the opportunity to pop in for a couple of hours and give Mum time off to do what she wants. Of course, at five months old, Flick’s attention span is not long and each time we end up saddling up and heading out for a walk, so she can nod off and I can get a break.

Well, I hesitate to say that as my break includes pushing a pram up-hill. Yesterday I realized just how much strength my body has lost since my twice-daily walks with Dusty ended. ‘Use it or lose it’ used to be a mantra when I was growing up with regard to physical exercise, and yesterday I was reminded of that. 

Yet again I determine to take a walk at least five times a week. To practice Pilates that often as well. To use my body so that it retains whatever strength it has now and doesn’t deteriorate at a faster rate than it should.

The Christian life is a journey, a way of life, and if I am going to continue fit and strong to live the life Jesus calls me to I need to keep flexing my spiritual muscles as well, on a daily basis. This requires more than the odd ‘Help!’ prayer groaned or shouted in times of need. To walk in the strength of Jesus I need to refuel daily on his Word, storing it up and relying on it to power me forward as I encounter obstacles and challenges. 

Just as my body is only as strong as recent exercise makes it, so my spirit is only as strong as what I feed it through reading, praying, meditating. Spending time with God tends to get side-lined in the whirlwind of daily activities, but it is essential for building a strong spiritual core capable of bearing many burdens, confronting evils, and discerning the right way forward.

Then, even when the Christian walk feels like pushing a pram up-hill, we will be fit and strong to manage.