Times of Challenge

Jim decided this past weekend that he was going to get me out of bed at 5:45 every morning so we could go to the YMCA and work out.  Now, anybody who knows me knows I am NOT a morning person. Left to my own, I normally wake up without an alarm clock between 8 and 9 am.  So getting up at 5:45 was not something I wanted to hear.

Goat Milk Stuff

It’s not that I don’t want to be a morning person.  I do.  Because even though I don’t like getting up early, I like being up early.  It’s nice to get so much accomplished early on.

But with all of the stress from the construction and moving, Jim and I have both put on some weight that we want to get rid of.  So today is day 4 of getting up at 5:45 and going to the YMCA.  Brett and Colter go with us on alternating days so the other one can stay home and watch the rest of the children.  Since they both get up that early (all on their own I might add) and work on their computers, it works well.

(Actually – Brett is even less enthusiastic about going to the YMCA in the morning than I am.  She’s started another Camp NaNoWriMo and would rather be writing than working out.)

While I’m on the elliptical, I usually either listen to a podcast or read.  Today I was reading The Compound Effect* by Darren Hardy.  The premise of the book is that the small, daily decisions you make shape the life that you live.  In the book, Darren mentions a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It’s one that I’ve heard before, but never really thought about. 

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge.”

Since I felt like I was dying on the elliptical (have I mentioned I’m not a morning person and working out before 7 am is a little difficult for me?) the quote struck a nerve with me.  And even though I was definitely being challenged at 6:30 am on the elliptical machine, those weren’t the challenges I was thinking about.

The challenge that I started thinking about was the stressful past year we’ve had dealing with all the ongoing construction for Goat Milk Stuff and our new house.  It was very, very challenging.  Looking back at it, there were times that I did more whining, griping, complaining than I am proud of. 

Did I compromise my principles?  No. 

Did I do anything horrible? No. 

But would I hold up my behavior as something for the children to emulate? 

No.

I think for me I’m fairly good at challenging times of short duration.  But the process of moving to Scottsburg began over 2 years ago.  That’s not a short duration and in hindsight, I think know I could have done a better job.

In all honesty, my challenge was pretty easy.  It was not cancer.  It was not death.  My family was all healthy and safe.  In fact, I’ve said many, many times that I’m thankful for the problems I have.  Life is not without problems, and I’ll take my problems over the problems that other people experience any day.

But I’m going to challenge myself to respond better to the challenging times in my life. 

It doesn’t matter if they are major (like a tornado) or minor (like spilled cocoa) challenges. 

It doesn’t matter if they are short (like sleeping in the soaproom) or long (like building a new house) challenges. 

Afterall, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge.”

Have you had a challenge in your life recently? How have you measured up?

PJ

 

 

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33 thoughts on “Times of Challenge”

  1. Its work, thats for sure. But a routine workout is good for the mind and the body.. As you stated, while working out, the quote that hit home with ya about how you act during critical times.. Good ol mind defragmentation while your working out 🙂 It happens to me when I mow 🙂

    • I don’t mind working out at all, we work out a lot. I’d just rather do it later in the day. LOL PJ

      • Lol, I hear ya.. But I will say, there is something nice about being up early to have a fuller day. But the big trick is which you discussed in a podcast about going to bed before 12.. It makes a huge difference in quality of rest for sure! You may not feel like the workouts have strengthened ya much, but when you start doing things you’ll notice its not as hard as it used to be 😛

    • We completed P90X and have been doing other stuff. But with all the time that was needed on the move, less time was spent on exercise and more time was spent getting stressed out. LOL Besides, Jim gets bored doing the same stuff, so we’re always switching it up. 🙂 PJ

        • I liked P90X, but there are some drawbacks.
          First, you need a LOT of time for it. 90 minutes – 2 hours was what we found it took.
          Second, it is not for people want to get in shape. It is for people who are in shape who want to get REALLY fit.
          We did Jillian Michael’s 30 day Shred, then Tony Horton’s Power 90, then P90X. So we worked toward it for 4 months before doing it.
          But it was definitely the strongest I’ve ever been in my entire life.
          The sad part was how quickly it went away if you didn’t keep up with that intense exercising. That much time for exercise just isn’t realistic with my life.
          Bottom line, I’m glad I did it, but wouldn’t recommend it for most people. Especially not anyone with any kind of injuries.
          We still do pieces of it, however. For example, the other week I did half of Yoga X which was a great workout for me. 🙂 PJ

          • I just recently started T25 (another workout programf rom Beachbody) and am loving it. It’s only 25 minutes but you go non stop the whole time. Super sweaty but I feel like I get a great workout! Love all you blogs and FB posts!

          • 25 minutes is much more doable for the long term!!
            Thanks!! I’m glad you’re enjoying them!
            PJ

  4. That has always been one of my most absolute favorite quotes. Have it on my fb page! Good luck with the morning routine.

  5. Thanks for sharing! It really resonated with me as I find myself whining about the heat here in upstate NY right now – boy, do I need to remember what’s important & what kind of example I’m setting for my kids! … And my daughter is an avid NaNoWriMo-er, too!

    • I’ve often said that God gives us children not just so that we can grow them up, but so that we can finish growing ourselves up! LOL PJ

  6. This is a beautiful post. Thank You for your openness and honesty. God give the energy and ability to move forward with your desires and challenges. Blessings

  8. This is so well said and very thought provoking… and hopefully action provoking! I am also an early morning resister, so I feel your pain. Kudos to you for not finding every excuse in the book to avoid going!

    • Well… I don’t want to pretend that Jim doesn’t have a lot of work to do to get me out of bed. LOL But once I’m actually on my feet I’m good to go! PJ

  11. I think the older we get the more we know the everyday challenges in life are not as important as we once thought. I know I pick my battles anymore and look at everything much different than when I was younger.

    • Totally agree with that!! I tell my daughter all the time to just relax… things will be ok. 😉 PJ

  13. So nicely written, thank you so much for sharing. Definitely makes you stop and think about how we tackle the trials in life!

  14. Unfortunately, I do pretty well with the major stresses in life–I’m currently dealing with a serious health issue and it is easy for me to trust in God and rest in his peace. It is my day-to-day life stresses I fail at miserably. I believe it’s because I KNOW I must trust God with the “big picture issues,” but sub-consciously think I can or should handle the “little picture issues” all by myself, and being a perfectionist, I never measure up to my own unrealistic ideals–and often, I don’t think those around me do either :(. I need to consciously let go of control over the little stuff and give myself and others some grace.

    • Hi Sherry – when I was in my twenties, I used to argue with a friend of mine. I said God was just a “big picture God.” And he said “God is a detail-oriented God.” I am so thankful that my friend is correct and I was wrong. God has all the details covered all the time. Doesn’t mean we don’t have to work at things, but He’s got them under control. But I totally agree with you – finding that balance can be tricky! I said a prayer for your health issues! PJ

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