Gratitude - Our Bodies

Tonight I came home from the gym and wanted to collapse into bed but I decided that I would continue this - at least through November - and so I'm here!  LOL

I biked for 22 miles today, did water aerobics for 1/2 hour and also had a half hour training sessions with my trainer.  I'm reminded every day that I am growing older...whether it's the gray in my hair, the need to have things repeated so that I can hear them, my eyes that need the cataracts removed, or the weight that will not budge.  Nevertheless, I have a profound gratitude for this body that the Lord has given me.  For the most part it operates quite well.  I am getting stronger as evidenced by the increasing weight I can lift or the distance that I can ride or swim.  I am in awe of how resilient my body is - even though the average woman loses 5% of muscle mass each decade (thanks Dr. Oz), it doesn't have to remain so.  I will not be 20 again for many years but my muscles can/are gaining strength, flexibility, and mobility with exercise and good nutrition...I'm not doomed to have atrophying muscles if I choose to work at it. 

I also love that my body is washable.  I know that sounds so stupid - but I can get all sweaty, dirty, grungy even and yet a shower or bath or just washing my hands is so helpful both from an aesthetic and sanitary view.

I marvel about the all the cells, DNA, and the biological processes that are going on all the time - the fact that our hearts beat and we don't even think about it, that our livers and kidneys function without even missing a beat.  Our brains are such miracles - not even 3# - but look what they can do???  I remember my podiatrist explaining about the intricacies of the human foot - there are more bones in the foot than any other part of the body - but the cool thing is that when the foot is just hanging there it is just a mass of bones - it isn't until you actually step on it that it becomes an operational foot - because those bones are free floating they can adjust for any terrain they are called to go on - pavement, gravel, a stream bed, mud, grass - isn't that just so cool???

And perhaps the thing I love the most is the fact that my body was able to conceive and bear 6 beautiful children.  The processes that entails are so miraculous I can't even begin to describe or even understand.  And yet, feeling their little bodies inside of me, was just wonderous - I have no words to describe the joy their lives have brought to me - how grateful I am for them and their bodies.  We've been so blessed to have bodies and so often I take them for granted or get frustrated by them.  Hmmmm...I ought to reconsider those responses.