The Treadmill, a Skateboard and Making Spiritual Progress

As I was getting ready to walk on the treadmill this morning, I was thinking about how beautiful it was outside. It was a cold, crisp day. Even a little crunchy since we had sleet, ice and snow overnight. I was very excited that even as I was pushing myself to exercise I would still be able to enjoy the view from the garage where the treadmill calls home. When I stepped up on the treadmill, got snapped on and start to walk, I looked up and out the windows to lose myself in the beauty of God's creation. This is what I saw.

What? How in the world did those windows get that dirty? I immediately stopped the treadmill to do what had to be done.

So much better! This little incident reminded me of something that happened about a month ago. Gene came in from the garage with the unbearable news that our treadmill had died. I couldn't believe it. We have only owned it for 15 years. But unlike a great number of treadmills that become glorified clothes racks, we actually use ours. All the time. I was depressed. How was I going to lose all that baby fat from our adoption of Noelle 5 years ago? This couldn't be happening. So I moped around for a week or so. That dead hunk of metal in the garage was never far from my mind. I certainly couldn't exercise outside. When the temperature drops below 35 degrees this body doesn't go outside to exercise. 

Eventually I decided to go use the philosophy that I live by concerning things that don't work. "If it is already broken, how much damage can I possibly do if I try to fix it myself." On my way to the treadmill, I picked up my bag of tools and set out to conquer. Gene had told me that it was still making noise but that the belt wasn't moving. I turned it on and listened for a minute to try to decipher the problem. As I was listening to the whine of the motor I looked down to discover what had "broken" our treadmill. Crammed under the belt was a skateboard. I am no mechanical genius but even I could figure out that with a skateboard blocking the belt it was unlikely to run. When I removed the offending blockage the treadmill was once again doing what it was made to do. And Gene is back to using it as his excuse for allowing himself an extra scoop of ice cream. "I ran on the treadmill!" 

I am very thankful for our treadmill. Gene runs on it, I walk on it. We keep going. When I took the time to figure out why it wasn't working, I discovered that it was an obstacle easily removed from the path. Now we are moving again.

There are so many things that block our path to spiritual progress in becoming fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. If there is something that is blocking your way, I challenge you. Take some time. Evaluate the obstruction. Pray for "eyes to see." Move that junk out of the way. If it is too big to do alone, find a friend, counselor or pastor that will help you to get past the barrier to a more intimate relationship with Jesus. You will be a more healthy person and you will be doing what you were made for.

Hebrews 12: 1-2a

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith..."

Speaking of Exercise, here is an oportunity to exercise being mission minded:

http://milesformuia.blogspot.com/

Peggy and her husband, Rick are sweet friends that we met in China. Our families were in a group that traveled together to get our daughters.