Rain and Pain, Inspiration for a Wednesday.....

Well, as you can see, the rain has returned.   This is a picture taken of my back patio this morning (I use the term "patio" loosely, it's more of a concrete slab).  As I was browsing facebook statuses this morning, the rain was a hot (but a really cold) topic.  "Loving the rain",  "Isn't the rain beautiful?", "Thank God for this rain!"......Hmmmm, I'm not feeling it.  I know, I know, we live in the desert, and the rain is good for us, we will be glad later, blah, blah, blah, blah blah.   Thankfully, Keaton didn't have school today, so we can "enjoy" the rain from inside our semi-warm house (it's almost impossible to keep the house warm when the sun's not out).  But, fear not, I'm ok.  I have a cup of coffee, and the kids and I are snuggling up in front of the TV with a movie, soaking in our time together and a day off.  Plus, since Keaton didn't have school, I got to sleep in.  He even crawled in bed with me to cuddle once Tim got up.  I LOVE that!  It's been a great day so far, despite the rain, I'm in a good mood.
 

The rain, however, is NOT the topic of my ramblings today.  You see, I'm back on my diet/fitness plan, and I know I am going to have to get off this comfy couch and get a work out in.  I usually go to ladies aerobics on Mondays and Thursdays, and the other days I use my treadmill.  I do all of this during the two hours that Keaton is in school each morning.  Otherwise, he interrupts me too much.  (Mom's you know!)  But Keaton's home today.  I'm not sure how this work out is going to, well, work out.
 

Are you guys watching "The Biggest Loser" this season?  I never miss it.  One of the things I am hearing this year more than ever is the idea, "get out of your comfort zone", "be uncomfortable," "if it don't hurt, it don't work."  I am reminded of my favorite childhood movie, "The Neverending Story."  This movie is really a story within a story, about a boy warrior named Atreyu.  Along his journey he meets many interesting characters, suffers hardships, and learns lessons on his quest to find the Southern Oracle, where he intends to uncover the dying Empress's new name, which will save her life and, in turn, save the world of Fantasia.  This movie produced a number of one-liners that my family has repeated for decades now.  "Your books are safe", "They look like big, strong hands", "We don't even care, whether or not we care."  Just thinking about these quotes makes me think of my dad and smile!   Toward the end of the movie, Atreyu reaches the gates of the Southern Oracle, where he meets it's gate keepers, Enywood, and Urgle.

 

Aren't they cute!

Engywood, finally having an audience for his musings, begins to fill Atreyu's head with all that he knows about the Southern Oracle, being the self proclaimed expert on the topic.  And Urgle, being the mothering type, sees that Atreyu is quite beat up from his travels and sets out to mend his wounds.  She applies some home brew of a remedy to his cuts, and as he winces in pain, she says one of my favorite one-liners, and perhaps the greatest bit of wisdom this movie has to offer.  "It has to hurt if it's to heal."               How true.   

I think Bob and Jillian would agree.  If Jillian were in my living room while I was half-heartedly dragging along on my treadmill, she would tell me, "turn that thing up, get uncomfortable, it has to hurt if it's to heal."

We don't like it, we don't want to admit it, but if we stay in our happy warm little cubby, nothing much in our life changes.  We have to really stretch ourselves to an uncomfortable place in order for real change to occur.  If you want to loose weight, you're going to have to work out until it hurts, and you're going to have to be hungry.  If you want to get out of debt, you're going to have to sacrifice things you REALLY want, and think you need, in order to put that money towards progress.  If you want to save your marriage, your going to have to suck it up, swallow your pride, and not say that oh-so-clever comment that will inevitably hurt your spouse, only to feed your ego.  If you want to get closer to God, you are going to have to drag your butt out of bed on Sundays (even if it is your only day to sleep in) and get to church.  You're going to have to sacrifice some TV time, to read your bible, and pray.  You may even have to give up some couch time on a weeknight to be a part of ministry.  Not that TV and couches are bad, it's just a choice between good, and better.  We have to stretch ourselves and give up something we kind of want now, for something we really want later.  It has to hurt, if it's to heal.  I'm saying this to myself, as much as I am sharing it with you.  It's time for me to make some sacrifices to get what I really want out of life (I think it's ok to groan). How about you?

So tell me internet land, what are you working toward?  What are you going to have to sacrifice to see results?  I would love to hear from you....  I'm going to finish watching Charlie Brown, and work out a way to work out.  Happy Wednesday!