September Morn

I'm feeling like I should have titled this post September Mourn with all the deaths that have transpired around me lately. We had so many residents pass away that I was close to at work that it was hard to keep things happy and upbeat at work, especially with Millicent and Sister Wachtler passing away as well. Tis the season to try my faith regarding death and the reality of resurrection and the plan of salvation.

In the midst of all of this, I have been trying to help someone close to me get a handle on her depression. I struggle with depression myself, so I know this is a tough battle. I don't know what the right thing to say or do is most of the time, but I am trying to pray and keep tabs on how I can be of help. I feel useless most of the time, but there's no way I will ever give up trying.

I think I can see now part of the plan with why I received specific insight and guidance to start paying better attention to my health. I needed to witness for myself the importance and benefits of caring for my body. I also needed to learn self-discipline and how to endure well the challenge of making myself do things I don't want to do.

I've kept up the running...three days a week since I started! Except this last Tuesday when I spent the night in the emergency room with someone and had to head to work after one hour of sleep. I decided to change my running plan to an interval plan, at least for the time being, to reduce the risk of injury, increase my endurance, and make it possible for me to run the half marathon I am aiming for in March. I've never been a big fan of getting up early, but recently, I have found my morning run to be a blessing in a lot of ways...the peace, the beauty, the lack of people (sorry, but it's true), the chance to be awake and alone with my own thoughts (at times, painfully so), attuned to my body and the adjustments I need to make. I think this is helping me to develop the spiritual discipline to apply what I'm learning to spiritual matters in which I need to grow. On the days I don't run, I am using an exercise program called Slim in 6 to start my day. I am heading into the second segment of this program, and I'm looking forward to seeing how my body changes.

I think I've been gaining and losing the same few pounds for about a month now, but yesterday I dropped to my lowest weight in ages. We'll see if it stays that way on my weigh in day on Monday. I will need to get up even earlier because my training programs are getting longer, and I'm trying to build in more prayer and study into my morning routine so I take care of the important things before I wake the kids and start my workday.