swimming does a body good

I love to swim. Let me clarify that, I love to swim outdoors with the kids for fun and a good dose of vitamin D. Right now I'm talking about the the kind of swimming you do in a indoor pool, the flip turn, lactic acid sets, leg cramp and feeling like you just swallowed the entire pool. I haven't always loved it though. Just recently I learned to swim, four years ago to be exact. It's not something I wanted to learn to do or even remotely thought much about. I didn't even know there was more than two strokes in swimming, but I could save my life if I drowned.

About the time Lindsey was 18 months I started taking classes at the local YMCA. It was summertime so the classes consist of like five people max. I really just like to soak things in so I do what I do best, listen to people's conversations. You know you can learn a lot about a person by what they talk about. One time I overhead these people talk about training hard for something called a triathlon. I didn't even know what that was, I had to keep listening to their conversations to find out what it was. Well, before long I was gaining confidence in this exercise thing and I decided that if I could learn how to swim, I would train for the triathlon. Wow, this is a big commitment on my part.... could I do it.. I could not even move in the water. Okay I had a great teacher who was very patient with me and some others in my same place and little by little I was learning to swim.

I can still picture that very first lap I did when the teacher said "Go". I laugh now, and the entire time I was given so much encouragement. Wow, I am so thankful that someone took time to believe in me and patiently teach me how swim.



Some great things God showed me through this whole training process:

1. The journey was so much more important to me than the actual race day


2. I like to work hard, it feels good


3. "But encourage one another daily"-Hebrews 3:13 This one was really important. It was probably the heart of what I learned. It was fun to work together, so many of us of different backgrounds, religions, political views, single, married, divorced, and all ages.


4. I got out of my comfort zone


5. I met lots of new christians


6. I need to have a passion for Jesus, just as much as I had a strong desire to train

Okay so as I think and reflect about that time in my life I can say it was a great time, and I will always cherish that season in my life.

Thank you Father God for using something as simple as swimming to teach me and mold me. I am thankful for the constant change you bring about in me and the way you work all things for good. Thanks for guidance and bringing about change that only you can give.