Walk With Dogs- Sweating Freedom

Exercise has always been difficult for me. Anorexia was a beautiful escape from the skin I lived in. Anyone could touch me and it never hurt. I was safe. I could simply live in my head and use my body as a vessel to get from point A to point B. We had a perfect balance; I fed it exactly what it needed to survive and it would move my brain. A process that began 25 years ago came to a beautiful conclusion this past Lent.

Through posts by Elizabeth Esther and Mary DeMuth I was able to create a strong narrative for exercising and easily eating well. My body does not belong to me, it belongs to God and I am charged with its stewardship. In caring for myself- loving myself- I learn to more effectively  love others. Since Easter, a new ease and simplicity came to eating well. Exercise was timidly fun, feeling my muscles strain and work still caused a bit of anxiety, but it wasn't overwhelming. I wrestle with Fibromyalgia as well, so exercise is difficult. Finding the sweet spot between too much and just enough is difficult. An article about working out for six minutes a day then slowly increasing as the body adjusts gave me a great how. Yet, I still struggled with a clear, focused reason why. Then on Friday Dwayne Johnson aka: The Rock tweeted this:

Training for me becomes my daily "anchor". Personal daily challenge. Me vs Me. Then the rest of the work day is cake;) #RockTalk @azntatboy
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) April 26, 2013

Light bulbs exploded in my head. The last few chains of shame dropped away. Meeting myself in the morning to capture the beautiful fluffy body I live in. To take thoughts that imprison me and put them into Holy Spirit's control. Then Divine Love can continue to heal and regenerate me. Today's Walk With The Dogs was pure sweaty, exhausting Joy.