10 Miles Around the Lake

We live in a community with a 350-acre lake. And we live on the main road that circles around the lake. If you pull out of our driveway and remain on the same road, you will eventually circle back to our home - 10 miles later (follow the blue line).

After completing a huge milestone in my professional career 6 weeks ago, I made the resolution to create a more healthy lifestyle for me. That meant altering my diet (which I have actually thoroughly enjoyed) and being more active. One of my goals was to walk/jog the 10 miles around the lake on July 4.  I've been doing 4-6 miles the past few weeks. The beauty of going 3 miles one way is that you have to go another 3 miles to get back home.  It would be too easy for me to quit if I were on a treadmill.

This Saturday I was going to do increase my distance to 8 miles. But in my mind, if I'm already going 4 miles one way...and the half-way point is 5 miles...why not just keep going straight rather than turn around?  (Plus, the hills during the first 2 miles are KILLER and I really didn't want to do them again.)

So I put this on (which was absolutely perfect, by the way):

And I placed my MP3 player in the pocket as well as my cell phone (to track my time...and also call Karen if I couldn't pull it off) and set off at 7AM this morning.

Two hours and 13 minutes later I staggered up the driveway.  It was crazy...SO not fun...and I don't think I'll ever do it again!  Now, I did enjoy the scenery.  I did enjoy the feeling of accomplishing a difficult task.  But long distance is just not for me.

I felt light-headed, knew I would faint at any moment, and was queasy. I circled around the interior of our home several times, ate an apple and a cheese stick, and drank some Gatorade and lots of water. I stretched and did some jumping jacks and felt really good within 30 minutes.  But why people do this for "fun" I'll never know.  I had a goal...reached the goal...and will move on.

4-6 miles a day is perfect for me.  It's an ideal workout for me and I enjoy that distance.

But, I did learn something doing the 10 miles this morning.  What happened to me afterwards caused me to reflect on my spiritual health the past few years.

For years, I have served and given without replenishing my own oil.  That was especially evident while I was serving in the bishopric.  I read the scriptures because I was preparing a talk, or a lesson, or a spiritual thought.  But I didn't study them for myself.  I prayed all the time (quite literally)...but it wasn't until recently that I began having regular personal prayers again.  It was as if I was using all of my reserves...draining my spiritual strength and never restoring what I was happy to provide for others.

When I got back from the 10-mile expedition, I did more stretching than I had done before I left. I consumed a ton of carbs and a little protein because I knew my body needed that to restore its strength.

My spiritual life over the past several years could be compared to me jogging 10 miles without doing the stretching afterwards and not eating what my physical body so desperately needed when I returned.  The Gatorade I drank during my jog could be compared to the blessings received when providing service to others.  Those blessings sustained me and kept me going to finish the assignment.  But those blessings don't replenish the "nutrients" expended over time.

Daily personal scripture study, multiple personal daily prayers, and renewing our covenants at church and at the temple are the "nutrients" and "stretching" our spirits need on a regular basis.  But it's so easy to neglect the scriptures and prayer...for me, at least.

Before serving in any capacity, we certainly need to "stretch" adequately to perform the task.  That stretching may be physical preparation, prayerful preparation, studying multiple scripture references and various manuals, etc.  But I believe the "stretching" we do afterward is more important.  We cannot continuously and effectively serve others without nourishing our own spirits.  We may for a season.  But it's not possible long-term.

The continuous "stretching" afterwards replenishes our spirits and conditions us to do even more for the Lord in the future.  Part of my resolution to a more healthy lifestyle is to ensure that the oil in my lamp is always full.