Exercise

Say the word, "exercise" and I'll start feeling what many people feel when they hear me the preacher say, "Bible study" or "prayer"--guilt.

I don't exercise enough. I'm reminded of this anytime I watch sports, or more recently, heard about Vernon Davis, a tight end from Maryland. At the NFL combine, he's been described as a "freak" because of his amazing combination of speed and size.

Speaking of the NFL, someone once told me: "A football game is 22 people desperately in need of rest, being watched by 70,000 people desperately in need of exercise."

When I do exercise, I usually run. Living in rural America and central Kansas, I'm not limited to running like a hamster around an oval track. I can trek down a dirt road and enjoy the view.

What I like best about running is this. When I've started breaking a sweat and it's getting a little tough, my mind goes into a trance. The outside world disappears. All you hear is the rhythm of your breath and the hoof beats of your shoes.

But don't ask me the last time that happened. I can't remember. I did run sometime this year though.

Physical exercise, like spiritual exercise, is important. So the guilt does serve a good purpose. It reminds me of what's important.

If I don't exercise, I might end up like the elderly lady who once told me, "I'm falling apart and there are no spare parts available to put me back together."

This is the same lady who also told me, "When you're pushing 80, that's exercise enough!"