Prayer #14: Body World
I can't run on the treadmill with headphones plugged in, because invariably, I accidentally catch the cord, yank it from my ears, throw off my balance, and fall off the treadmill in a confused pile.
Such is the joy of exercise.
Prayer #14: Body World
10 fingers, 10 toes. More bones than we know what to do with. Hair to clog our drains, fingernails to clip, and skin to protect during extreme weather. Gurgly stomachs, runny noses, bruised knees, teeth left for the Tooth Fairy.
And we won't even get into sports, dance, menstruation, sex, stress, and all other ways we use our bodies to laud Your engineering.
Thank you for making me wake up with the sun and fall asleep with the moon in a circadian cycle. Thanks for the sweats and shivers that keep me homeostatic. And many thanks for the reassuring rhythms of daily functions -- breathing, blinking, swallowing.
So what if I can't run a triathlon? So what if I can't carry furniture up 3 flights of stairs by myself? I glorify you by keeping this temple -- Your creation, my body -- healthy and strong.
Every bite of good food, every sip of sanitary water, celebrates the blessings of health You shower upon me. Each movement and thought reminds me that other people are bound by physical and mental handicaps. I must realize the full potential of my incredible freedom for them.
Be with all those in pain tonight, Lord. Soothe them. Heal them. Make them whole once more. And for those of us who can revel in our corporeal machines, keep us safe from bodily harm, and allow us to stay active in Your name.
One more thing: If you can help me not be a klutz on the treadmill, that would be much appreciated too!
Amen.
Such is the joy of exercise.
Prayer #14: Body World
10 fingers, 10 toes. More bones than we know what to do with. Hair to clog our drains, fingernails to clip, and skin to protect during extreme weather. Gurgly stomachs, runny noses, bruised knees, teeth left for the Tooth Fairy.
And we won't even get into sports, dance, menstruation, sex, stress, and all other ways we use our bodies to laud Your engineering.
Thank you for making me wake up with the sun and fall asleep with the moon in a circadian cycle. Thanks for the sweats and shivers that keep me homeostatic. And many thanks for the reassuring rhythms of daily functions -- breathing, blinking, swallowing.
So what if I can't run a triathlon? So what if I can't carry furniture up 3 flights of stairs by myself? I glorify you by keeping this temple -- Your creation, my body -- healthy and strong.
Every bite of good food, every sip of sanitary water, celebrates the blessings of health You shower upon me. Each movement and thought reminds me that other people are bound by physical and mental handicaps. I must realize the full potential of my incredible freedom for them.
Be with all those in pain tonight, Lord. Soothe them. Heal them. Make them whole once more. And for those of us who can revel in our corporeal machines, keep us safe from bodily harm, and allow us to stay active in Your name.
One more thing: If you can help me not be a klutz on the treadmill, that would be much appreciated too!
Amen.