One body many parts

My right shoulder is currently in agony.  I've just finished typing up a testimony about God's Divine Intervention so that's the important sharing done and this is just a wee bonus blogpost to update y'all with what's happening in my life.  I know people have been reading my blog.  Beats me why my life is interesting to others, but I do appreciate the support.

Retreat

The venue for the weekend retreat changed very last minute but we thank God for providing for us and He truly showed us that we should fully rely on Him.  Only He can provide for us, even when the future seems bleak and we might find ourselves running out of time or coming to the end of a train track.  For many people it was their first retreat.  This was also my first retreat - my first retreat commuting back home for the two nights.  The bedding capacity decreased to around 60% of the original numbers, so I volunteered to drive home since the campsite was only 20mins drive from city centre.  Left very late on Friday night and a bit early on the Saturday night.  It was not easy though.  Leaving time to drive to and fro meant less time for sleeping and less time for socialising.  I cannot say that I spent much quality time chatting to people at this retreat and getting to know anybody better.  A real shame really, even my small group members I would have wanted to sit with them at dinner times and for us to chill out.  Anyway, we had fun doing the skit stuff and overall we all had a blessed time.  One of the greatest blessings at this retreat was the news that Gary Chan accepted Jesus as his Lord and Saviour.  Whoo-hoo!  Praise God!!  =D

Compliments

I received two compliments at this retreat as well for my guitar playing.  Two brothers said I've been playing very well and improved a lot from last time.  I was very surprised to hear that but I have to give all glory and honour to God.  They also advised me to change my guitar strings which I will do so real soon.  These strings have served me very well indeed.  They were the original strings on the guitar when I first bought it around 2001!  =P  I also received a note in my encouragement sock and this person mentioned on the end of the note that they will continue reading my blog.  Was surprised they read it too, but I'll give you a wee shout out now!  Hiya!!  Haha!!  God bless you!  =)

Shoulder

I returned to the gym on Wednesday morning.  Had hoped to go on Tuesday morning after giving myself Monday to catch up on some sleep, but ended up having a really sore throat Monday and Tuesday.  That was a sign of me falling ill.  It always starts like that.  Symptoms of sore throat followed with groggy-ness around the nasal area and feeling of ears getting blocked up which I clear with yawning.  But I really thank God for sustaining me through those two days as I returned to work and now my throat is totally fine.  However, it appears that Wednesday's training session did some harm to my right shoulder.  There could only be two things that might have caused this.  The incline bench press or the power clean exercises.  Come to think of it, it must have been the power clean and press exercises because I can remember feeling really tired at one point and pushed on to finish my six reps.  So there was a slight tingle of my right shoulder yesterday morning and there'd a slight funny feeling whenever I raised my hand up above shoulder height.  Today I went to the gym with Vince and only did light workouts hoping to loosen up any tense muscles and when to chill at the jacuzzi and sauna steam room.  The muscle felt great during the relaxation time but after I left the gym the shoulder started freezing up and now any movement causes pain.

It's times like these when you realise how important every part of your body is.  Here's what shoulder pain can affect: putting hand in pocket to get car key, opening and closing car door, steering, opening and closing car boot, putting key into keyhole on door, carrying gym bag, pouring water into kettle to make tea, sometimes holding a knife to cut dinner on a plate, washing of dishes, turning lights on and off and changing clothes.  How many times a day do we do these things without any thought to it.  How many times do we take our health for granted and not appreciate every body part functioning together to make things work?  There's a verse in the Bible that reads:

1 Corinthians 12:21-22 "The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable..."

So my right hand cannot say to my shoulder "I don't need you!" cos right now even if my hand wants to reach for something, like say my computer mouse, it cannot do it quick as quick as it usually can because the shoulder is weak and sore.  So there!  Every part of your body is important.  Learn to appreciate your body and look after it well dudes!  I'm gonna rest here.  Will watch Hustle on BBC iPlayer now.  Haha!

p.s. before I go, just to update, that's me gone one month and four days without drinking any fizzy drinks and without eating any sweets.  I had a risotto from Dino's today though.  Was totally unplanned and I blame the cinema for making last minute changes which meant I had no time to make/bring food for post-workout!!  Grrr!  Well at least I went a month without any eating out.  =)  The risotto tasted quite salty!

Going without

That's me gone eighteen days without eating out now.  Not bought any food whilst being outside, not even a sandwich.  Anything I eat comes from the house, homemade sandwiches or pasta etc.  Wanna see how long I can keep this up for.  Eating out would mean exposure to excessive oil, salt, sugars and msg etc.  Stuff that are not good for the body.  I'm not avoiding for allergies or anything but just overall health.  As I said before I want to be 'living clean and pure'.  Avoiding eating out will help towards my bodyfat loss in a healthy way. Not some crazy-ass fad diet where I starve myself (cannae afford that if I wanna keep my mass and size!).  So whilst I keep my weights training up and do cardio, I want to make sure I don't spoil my efforts with grease.  Lol!  Someone congratulated me for being able to avoid eating out for so long.  Haha!  Last Sunday I had to decline an invite to Wudon after the church meeting and I went home for dinner instead.  Throughout the day I was tempted with strawberry and coconut cake things, homemade brownies and chocolates.  All of which I just looked away from.  Lol!  It's not that difficult actually.  I would invite people to this wee challenge and see how they get on.  =)

EM Retreat

I wonder how I'm gonna survive the weekend retreat with the EM.  Haha!  Need to eat every two-three hours and hopefully something rich in protein.  Definitely not snacking like chocolates and biscuits etc.  Might just bring cream crackers.  Haha!  Definitely need to remember my protein shakes.  Maybe one for each morning.  I'm quite looking forward to the retreat.  Have not done much at all so far as this year we've been blessed by a willing Core Team made up for TC, HY, CL and CM.  First time such a small team is doing such a big job.  God bless them.  Will keep them in prayer =)  Looking forward to meeting Dick Dowsett and hearing him speak to Word of God to us again.  I hear he will be leading a workshop on Boy-Girl Relationships.  I have signed up for it mentally already.  Lol!  I want a more mature approach to BGR this time round.  I can't remember much from previous attendance of BGR workshops, apart from it starting with the book of Proverbs and keywords such as bosoms and stuff.  Haha!

It ain't easy

Living clean and pure ain't easy.  It's weird isn't it.  Just when you decide to abstain from something then it seems that that particular thing shows up, more times than normal.  Does anybody else get that?  Just like if someone says they have decided to quit smoking, they might feel more and more people are smoking.  And the smell of the smoke tempts them.  Or they might quit alcohol but then get invited to the pub by their friends sort of thing.  Just this morning I was driving off to my first lesson and on the one street there were two temptations!!  I mean, I want to live pure and keep my eyes to myself and focus on God.  I scan the surroundings a lot whilst driving (probably more than the average Joe) and glanced at girl with a skirt on walking up the street to my right.  'Ok, don't look', I thought to myself, 'Just drive on'.  My head was having a mini battle: 'I shouldn't look.  Just focus on God and don't sin.'  / 'Just one look won't hurt.  Go on!' / 'No! I should flee from temptation.'  And before I knew it the opportunity had passed for me to look and I drove on relieved.  Just two blocks away my scanning of the road picks up a figure moving.  Turns out to be woman running with dark grey running leggings on. This time she's on the left.  Here we went again: 'Don't look!  Focus on the road.' / 'Go on!  Just a quick look!' / 'No! I must make effort for Jesus.  I can do it!' / 'Then how about look at the mirror after you pass her?' / 'No!  I don't want to waste this effort that I've made for Jesus so far.'  And before I knew it the opportunity passed for me to look at her or the mirror.  Phew!  I was on my way to my first lesson with a clean heart and pure eyes.  I thank God for giving me strength =)

If the shoe don't fit...

If the shoe don't fit... then what?  I've been thinking about this for the past couple of hours.  Impulse buying is wrong.  Might feel fun at that moment but later when you calm down and think about it, or even try the purchase on, you might find it just ain't right.  Just doesn't fit properly.  Just doesn't look right.  Just doesn't feel right. What do you do?  Certainly cannot force it on yourself.  It's not who you are.