Know your limits. That’s not exactly a phrase that we as Americans like. I think it’s almost ingrained in us–the idea of limitless possibilities with no fences or boundaries. “Manifest Destiny” is alive and well in each of us; come to think of it, I don’t think it’s just Americans. This is part of the human condition. Any two-year-old on the planet will express the same sentiment: Don’t tell me where I can and can’t go! We say the same thing as adults just in a more sophisticated and filtered way.
As a woman with MS, I ran headlong into a limitation of my own when I attended an excerise class at the YMCA called “Bootcamp”. The name should have tipped me off, but the class is basically comprised of intervals of torturous cardio activities followed by equally torturous strength training activities. Suffice it to say, two days later, I can barely walk up and down stairs, and who knew toilet seats were so low?
I think I have come to grips with the fact that, for a variety of reasons, this class is not for me. It may seem silly, but that’s hard for me to swallow–”not for me”. For a long time, I have tried to deny that MS poses any limitations to my life, but that is simply not true.
This whole concept of limits reminds me of a verse from one of my favorite psalms. “The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance (Psalm 16:6).” God has placed boundaries on my life, and He has sovereignly and lovingly chosen them for me. I want to see the fences around the terrain of my life as good and my life itself as a “beautiful inheritance” from the Lord. When I look at it that way, why spend time trying to climb fences?
January 9, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Thank you for sharing about your fences. It puts my fences in perspective. I love your perspective about the beautiful inheritance God has given you. It’s such an inspiration.
I am praying your body will feel better soon. I’m so sorry this happened with the boot camp (I hate that I encouraged you to try it).
January 9, 2009 at 6:41 pm
You shouldn’t feel bad at all. Nothing damaged. No real harm done, I just don’t think my body is up for the challenge. That’s okay.
Thanks for the encouragement to write; you’ve got some superpower!
January 9, 2009 at 9:24 pm
You can just come on back to the gym with me, another rather limited creature.
I already told you why I can’t take that class, but don’t think I’m tempted at least once a week when I see them. I just want to run in the gym and show everyone that I can do it faster/better…what a joke! I live in my own deluded fantasies.
Do you know that the verse you quoted is like a life verse for me? It makes up the title of my blog, “pleasant places”. It’s a verse I think I’ll perpetually be in the lab for, learning and appreciating its truth.
No kidding…even before I had called you today I was praying that God would give me wisdom to discern where/when to push through pain in order to serve selflessly and in faith and when to say, “guess I’ve hit a fence” and not try to jump over it.
Great post!
January 9, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Thanks for sharing; that is very encouraging! I hope to see you at the gym soon!
January 9, 2009 at 11:03 pm
You’ve sure put a positive spin on a discouraging facet of my life: true bodily pain in at attempt to exercise like “normal” people. While it’s nothing like MS, I live with pain in my feet every day. Some days I teach sitting down. I tried the ladies’ exercise class before getting orthotics, and it left me unable to walk much the next day. I know that w/o burning calories, I won’t drop weight too fast, but intense workouts are…how did you say it…oh, yes, tortuous. I pray for your health when I think of you. Perhaps you’ll return the favor? My feet will thank you first.
January 9, 2009 at 11:28 pm
Hey, Zoanna! First, you’re right . . . although tortuous is a word (winding, crooked) it is not right in this context. So, I have edited my post to say “torturous”.
I will pray for your feet. I have trouble with my feet as well–plantar faciitis. It is miserable! Have you had the pastors pray for you? I think it’s a good idea.
January 10, 2009 at 12:21 pm
You’re so cool Emily. His boundaries are good and pleasant indeed. It’s also wonderful that we can be thankful for the great freedom He’s given us within those boundaries.
January 10, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Thanks for your excellent thoughts, Emily! Keep on writing and I’ll try to check in and be edified! You have a gift! God bless you in the ‘yard’ He’s assigned for you. May His grace continue to abound more and more to you.
In Christ,
Peggy Buckley
January 10, 2009 at 11:46 pm
You caught me AND taught me. My “tortuous” was a typo for “tortuous”.I didn’t even know there was such a word w/ the “r” but now I do. Thanks.
January 10, 2009 at 11:47 pm
AGH! I can’t even spell it right when I TRY! Feels like someone’s trying to torture me to spell it right.
January 11, 2009 at 11:47 am
How interesting that I should happen across this post this morning. Just last night I was frustrated with having to go to bed early when I had dishes and laundry yet to do…I had pushed myself too hard earlier in the day and my body was telling me about it loud and clear. One of my children came and crawled in bed for a while…”I need to talk to you, Mommy.” She had several little 7-year-old concerns she needed to talk about, so we talked for a while and then she went on to bed. I suddenly realized that if I hadn’t been in bed already, I would have put her to bed and gone on with my “projects”, and we would never have had the talk she needed. It was such a good reminder that God does have a plan in our infirmities…He slows us down for a purpose! I love the idea of God putting fences around our lives. Thank you for sharing this.
January 22, 2009 at 2:27 am
I appreciate this blog… I understand!! The one thing I would encourage you to do, however is to ALWAYS reach outside of your circle of abilities, even briefly. If you do not, that circle, which will naturally get smaller with time and MS, could become very tiny more quickly. If you reach outside of that circle of abilities, it may not close so fast. However, a bootcamp class is definitely out!!!! I use my eliptical almost every day and do 15-20 minutes of yoga, which I modify depending on my balance. My weight stays down and I feel good about moving my muscles
Melodye Olsavsky
http://melodyejoy.wordpress.com/