Walk This Way!

From the beginning of this weight loss journey, I decided that as much as I despise formal exercising, I was going to have to do something to get my metabolism jump started. Since I have asthma (and Tianjin is known for it’s terrible air quality) and my knees are not in the best of shape either, I knew that running was not going to work. The gym was not an option because it is too far away and too costly. Doing my “Biggest Loser” DVD work out and walking seemed to be the only viable options. Fortunately for me, I live right across the street from a beautiful water park that has recently been refurbished and is free to the public. I am also in walking distance to the school which is about a 25-30 minutes walk each way. So far this has been the ticket. Each day as I walk to school, I have opportunities to smile at people along the way. I keep a pretty good pace, so I don’t normally stop and chat except at the stop lights and all the while I am thinking about my life verse:

Ephesians 4:1-3
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to (live a life or walk) worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Walking for my health, and walking out my faith in everyday life are closely linked. If I walk to slow, it won’t get my heart rate up and then I might as well be taking a taxi. If I walk too fast, I run the risk of becoming exhausted before I get to my destination. Both ways are ineffective. If however, I walk at the right pace, using the correct posture, keeping my eyes on the road ahead of me and not getting distracted by all the stuff going on around me, then I will be effective in reaching the place I wanted to get to. It’s the same for my spiritual life. If I get complacent or distracted, I don’t reach my goal and end up in places I don’t want to be. If I get ahead of myself or God’s timing, and I am not pacing myself, I run the possibility of burning out and failing at what I was called to do. And it’s not just the pace of the walk, it’s the quality as well. I have to walk in a way that honors God and lets people know that I have integrity, purpose, determination, and a desire to serve from my heart as the Holy Spirit enables me. It’s a desire to follow in the footsteps of the Rabbi and do so with humility, gentleness, patience and love... and that takes a lot of training. Just like losing weight, it doesn’t happen over night!

On my way to school, there are lots of hazards like, torn up sidewalks, tons of cars and bikers who don’t seem to have a clue what their body position is in relation to others. I’m often hot and sweaty, and the air is dusty and polluted to the point that sometimes it takes everything in me not to cuss under my breath, fly the bird, or simply quit and go back to riding my bike. But then I get a grip on my attitude and remember that even while the walk is reshaping my body, the hazards are a part of reshaping my character and helping me to develop the personality traits that will help me to walk worthy of the calling which I have received in situations that are eternity changing. If I can’t do it in the little things, I can’t expect to be prepared to do it when it counts. So this is the path I’ve decided to take, and so far I think I’m moving in the right direction.