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Year Two, Day 5, I Did It!

I did it! I ended my day yesterday with a workout at the gym!  The hot tub was awfully crowded, so I opted for a steam room session. Which seemed to help my allergy clogged sinuses.

I did about 20 minutes on the treadmill and some lat pull downs and stretches. I was worried that a workout that late would interfere with sleep. Not! Slept like a baby, did I!

Even better, I fought the urge to eat when I got home. Instead I had a tall glass of water and headed to bed at 10:30.

Interestingly, I am no more ravenous this morning than usual. And it has been over 12 hours since I last ate!

I am hopeful that I can apply some of what I learned in year one to year two. It seems to me I had more control over my eating when I had a cut off time of 7:00 in the evening. I think the reason I backslid is that I broke the rule and gave up. I am guilty of all or nothing thinking.

Perhaps there is hope for me yet.

Speaking of hope, my psalm of the day is Psalm 39. I am typing the text of this psalm, verses 1-8 from my "The Revised Grail Psalms, A Liturgical Psalter" book.

In many of my past posts, I copied and pasted the text of the psalms from the translation that spoke to me that day. But I find the words have more meaning, if I actually type them in myself. More time consuming, but part of my personal growth is to be more present in the moment.  To go deeper.

These verses really speak to me today. When I did a bit of research on the meaning, I found many scholars say that David was suffering, perhaps wounded or ill when he wrote these words. He was also probably afraid of being discovered by an enemy.  I find the second verse full of meaning.  I, who often think after I speak, and act.  Then in verse five and six, the lesson that I have been learning with increasing frequency as I age, the incredible brevity of life. Verse seven speaks of what I have grasped as a young adult, possibly having struggled financially most of my life, and seeing the incredible hilarity in clinging to wealth and possessions, when we will eventually turn to dust and hopefully live eternally in paradise!  I have increasingly sought to minimize my belongings and focus more on living simply with as much love for God and my fellow people as possible.

Often this is quite difficult as I am quite the introvert! But as a teacher, I feel I conquer that side and hopefully leave a legacy of love through music.

I am ending on verse eight, because ending with hope is a good way to start my day!


Psalm 39
1. For the Choirmaster, for Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.
2. "I said, "I will be watchful of my ways,
for fear I should sin with my tongue.
I will put a curb on my lips
when the wicked man stands before me. "
3. I was mute, silent, very still, as my pain became intense.

4. My heart was burning within me. 
At the thought of it, the fire blazed up,
and my tongue burst into speech:
5. "O Lord, you have shown me my end,
how short is the length of my days.
Now I know how fleeting is my life."

6. How short the span of days you have given me;
my life is as nothing in your sight.
Surely all mankind stands as but a breath.
7. A man surely lives as a shadow,
surely the riches he hoards, a mere breath;
he does not know who will gather them."

8.  And now, Lord, what is there to wait for?
In you rests all my hope."

Happy Friday! :)



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