I haven’t run in a week, and it’s frustrating. I’m mainly frustrated because since taking running up again I have made great

progress and feel great doing it. But, in the midst of feeling good, I over did it. Again. I got a little bit ahead of myself in terms of speed and distance, which resulted in a minor injury. Minor enough that I should be able to start running again this week as long as I take it easy.

This is not a new thing for me. I seem to lack the ability to take it easy when I set my mind to something. I’m a 100% kind of guy, even if, say, my ankle wants me to be an 85% guy. I have managed to injure myself as a result of exercise more than once. When I overdo it, I pay the price. My golf swing is the same way. When I remind myself to swing at 85%, I tend to hit it further and straighter than when I swing at 110%, trying to hit like Tiger Woods. This minor injury reminds me of two important things, which I can hopefully learn from (again) and apply to other areas of my life.

The first one comes from the Living Compass program that we’ve offered at Christ Church in the past, and will be offering again in October. One of the lessons in Living Compass is around how we learn to pay attention to signs in our life, which can develop into symptoms, and when left unchecked can lead to a disability or a breakdown. In the case of running, I noticed the pain and the bruising. At that point, I had a choice to make: stop and let it heal, or “push on” for greater glory, potentially doing lasting damage. The key is to pay attention to the sign before it gets to be a real problem; it’s important to pay attention to the signs and symptoms that might indicate an area where a change or some work is needed.

We can find signs and symptoms like these in our health, in our relationships, in our spirit – just about anywhere we look, if we care to look. Where are the signs that a relationship is under stress? What are the signs that our spiritual life isn’t feeding us properly? Once we identify them, we have an opportunity to do something about it, one way or the other. We get to make the choice. Being aware of our need to address things will ultimately allow us to be healthier and to grow in any given area.

The other learning I try to apply to my life is the 85% approach. While some people can go 100% all of the time, I have realized that I cannot. Not only do I tend to hurt myself when running or doing pull-ups or showing off for my wife, but when I go for too long without adequate down time and Sabbath time, I get physically ill. It is a rare Christmas and Easter season that does not find me nursing a sinus infection or the like, and I know it is because I push hard through those seasons. Like my golf swing, I learned I can be more effective when I don’t go for broke every time. If 85% sounds lazy to you, just remember that God instituted the Sabbath to make sure our human bodies get rest, and that works out to be about 15% of our week that is set aside for rest and re-creation.

Feel free to learn from my experience if it will save you injury or additional trouble. Look at your own life and see where there are signs and symptoms that need to be addressed before they negatively impact your well being. Think about how you approach things and determine if you can be more effective at 85% than 100%. And if you decide to run, get a good pair of shoes, and pace yourself.

Tom+

O god, in the course of this busy life, give us times of refreshment and peace; and grant that we may so use our leisure to rebuild our bodies and renew our minds, that our spirits may be opened to the goodness of your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.