Sunday, February 6, 2011

Press Revisit

About two months ago I said that gym had "become fun"
B-i-i-i-g mistake!
I haven't been back since then

Why is making a habit of going to gym so hard?!
Especially since it quickly becomes exciting to see your improvement
All the exercising of will power; good intentions, whatever -
Nothing seems to work.

This following looks like a digression but bear with me:

When I was about 10, my grandpa made me a double-storey dolls house -
Handcrafted with loving care, such attention to detail
With a handcarved varnished staircase, green felt lawns, a mirror fish pond with tiny hat-decoration flowers around it.
Months and months of painstaking work, love and care went into every minute detail as he bent over it in his fragrant-wood-smelling workshop.

I was thrilled with my wonderful present and for a while played with it constantly.
But over time, it got sidelined, abandoned
I left it in the garden, in the rain, in the sun.
I didn't even notice that the wood warped and bent.
That the varnish peeled away, the paint faded and the staircase broke.

My beloved grandpa never said a word but I wonder what he felt.
Dear man that he was - I know he would not have held it against me
Oh when I think of it today my heart aches!
But you know, God can use everything to teach us something - and maybe what follows is that . .

And against that backdrop, an unusual thought occurred to me, born, I think, out of this scripture:
"But a body You have prepared for Me" (Hebrews 10:5)
It was prophetically spoken about Jesus, referring to God's preparation of His human body.
It also tells us that "You (God) formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb" (Psa 139:13) - the implication being that He made a body for us too.
Imagine!
A handcrafted body, carefully tailormade for us. Unique.
But needing care.

Here's the connection:
The way my grandfather crafted my dolls house is a vivid picture of the way God lovingly crafted my body for me.

I want to value His present to me
To see it as a gift to treasure and look after.
Not to neglect it and let it fall into ruins as I did my grandfather's gift.

May this lesson run deep and bear good lasting fruit!

7 comments:

I'm so not a blogger said...

I think it's the fact that our head gets involved, and for some reason we listen to the words there: oh, I dont feel like going today, I have too much to do, I dont have the time etc etc etc... where we should switch the words off and just do, and just be. Its not easy.
(I am starting a boot camp today and already my head has started...)

MelB said...

I dont think motivation will be a problem ever again. :-) Brilliant post.

blackhuff said...

Also thought about this so many times since I have lost weight. I've done good to the temple of God, my body. I think that it is a good motivation, treating (exercising and eating good) the temple of God with respect.

MrsLG said...

Oh blegh... You know I said I hadn't been since my Note to Self blog either... but after this one, like Mel, I think it will be easier to go back. Lekker post! x

Olivia said...

Nicely put...I am going to sound like a groupie, but I loove reading your blog, it really soothes my heart and soul...I cannot believe you're 67...what's the secret?
Take care...Bisous

Shayne said...

So, the question remains - have you been back?

xxx

Lynette Jacobs said...

Stunning post Allie! What a wonderful grandpa you had...he showed you God's love for you.