I’ve been lamenting the fact that, as I approach 40, I’m not as physically fit as I’d like to be. I was an athlete throughout my school and college years, but when the babies started coming one after another, my “free” time disappeared. I would start exercising, continue for a few months, then get derailed by sickness, weather changes, or laziness. Here was my list of excuses:

• I’m tired.
• I have no free time to exercise.
• I have no one to watch the kids while I exercise.
• I don’t like to sweat. (Don’t laugh!)

I’ve had no trouble beginning to exercise; I’ve done it lots of times. It’s the discipline of keeping up with it that does me in. So perhaps my blogging about my excuses will keep my accountable!

I was discussing my lack of physical discipline with my husband one night and after listening to me, he says:

“The only person stopping you is you.”

Sigh.

So, Thanksgiving Day, I started exercising AGAIN. I wanted to start before the New Year in order to get a leg up on my New Year’s resolutions. My goals are to exercises 5-6 times a week, for 1/2 hour of light aerobic activity (walking). Right now, I can only find time to do this first thing in the morning. (Ugh. I’ll save my thoughts on early rising for another post!) I plan to give an update on my progress after the New Year. It’s always a good time to begin again.

While we spend time with friends and family this holiday, let us thank God for his infinite grace and mercy upon us all. Happy Thanksgiving!

“Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:8-11.


“We see that there were three reasons for giving this commandment: First, with the seventh day of rest the Lord wished to give to the people of Israel an image of spiritual rest, whereby believers must cease from their own works in order to let the Lord work in them. Secondly, he wished that there be an established day in which believers might assemble in order to hear his Law and worship him. Thirdly, he willed that one day or rest be granted to servants and to those who live under the power of others so that they might have a relaxation from their labor. The latter, however is rather an inferred than a principal reason.

As to the first reason, there is no doubt that it ceased in Christ; because he is the truth by the presence of which all images vanish. He is the reality at whose advent all shadows are abandoned. Hence St. Paul (Col. 2:17) that the sabbath has been a shadow of a reality yet to be. And he declares elsewhere its truth when in the letter to the Romans, ch. 6:8, he teaches us that we are buried with Christ in order that by his death we may die to the corruption of our flesh. And this is not done in one day, but during all the course of our life, until altogether dead in our own selves, we may be filled with the life of God. Hence, superstitious observance of days must remain far from Christians.

The two last reasons, however, must not be numbered among the shadows of old. Rather, they are equally valid for all ages. Hence, though the sabbath is abrogated, it so happens among us that we still convene on certain days in order to hear the word of God, to break the [mystic] bread of the Supper, and to offer public prayers; and morever, in order that some relaxation from their toil be given to servants and workingmen. As our human weakness does not allow such assemblies to meet every day, the day observed by the Jews has been taken away (as a good device for eliminating superstition) and another day has been destined to this use. This was necessary for securing and maintaining order and peace in the Church.

As the truth therefore was given to the Jews under a figure, so to us on the contrary truth is shown without shadows in order, first of all, that we meditate all our life on a perpetual sabbath from our works so that the Lord may operate in us by his spirit; secondly in order that we observe the legitimate order of the Church for listening to the word of God, for administering the sacraments, and for public prayers; thirdly, in order that we do not oppress inhumanly with work those who are subject to us.”

—From Instruction in Faith by John Calvin, sec. 8, “The Law of the Lord.”