3.21.2011

The Gym, and Good Old edward estlin

I went to the gym today for the first time since knee surgery (healing got complicated a little, and recovery's taking a bit longer).

It was AMAZING.

I took the Aquafit class. My classmates were all older ladies, and they were so gracious. Despite all being buddies, they were very friendly and helpful to me, the newcomer.

It felt so good to move for an hour.

All I can think is my own modification of an old e.e. cummings poem: "i like my body when it is moving. It is quite so new a thing. Muscles better and nerves more." (Advance warning: the original version is not about Aquafit. Ahem.)

I suspect I'm in the minority here, but I really believe, down in my bones, that we worship God with our bodies, and not just with our hearts and minds. Joy, strength, frustration, weakness: these are all attitudes that bring me to God. Whether I need to heal, or I'm feeling that glorious exhaustion from perfect exertion, I'm powerfully engaged with God's creation: my body.

Wiggle your toes. Stretch your arms and fingers wide. Enjoy the gentle massage across your cheeks as you wash your face tonight. Whatever you can or can't do today, I hope you're finding joy in being incarnate.

8 comments:

  1. Again, theological rockstar-ness.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Charlotte, you crack me up.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What if we all went about our daily lives pointing out the theological implications, be they Christian, Judaic, Muslim, Hindu, etc?

    Each individual participant in God's greatness would point out her own view of God and we would see God in a plurality, like a kaleidoscope.

    People who are normally afraid of seeing God in the world might start to share. People who only see God in one way might begin to appreciate that God is as Good as Great, and we can all share.

    Wiggle. Wash. Wish. All people see God in every way.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Too lazy at the moment to actually look this up and get it right...but there is an awesome reference to your thoughts in "Chariots of Fire": When I run, I feel God's presence...He made me to run fast.

    Or something like that. Thanks for your post.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Well it is actually more like: When I run I feel his pleasure...

    What a great film!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Charlotte: Now I get it. Thank you.
    Stratoz: =)
    Sheila: Great to be reminded of that movie-- thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Di, I confess I have started to get a little hippy-dippy in my theology.

    My coursework replies in my New Voices in Anglicanism class are all sorts of "love one another, listen to one another, practice patience..." I think I sound fairly silly; then I realize that is how I actually think about things. And I am okay with it :)

    ReplyDelete

"So keep fightin' for freedom and justice, beloveds, but don't you forget to have fun doin' it. Lord, let your laughter ring forth. Be outrageous, ridicule the fraidy-cats, rejoice in all the oddities that freedom can produce. And when you get through kickin' ass and celebratin' the sheer joy of a good fight, be sure to tell those who come after how much fun it was."
-Saint Molly Ivins