“Moving”
closer to God
Last
year I started a Zumba class at our church. Zumba is an exercise
program based on various dance styles, from samba to salsa. The idea
is to have fun while getting a good workout.
You
may wonder what Zumba has to do with church. However, I think it’s
a perfect fit. It is a known fact that our spiritual health and
physical health are related. There is indeed a “mind/body”
connection. The research is clear that exercise can relieve
depression, calm anxiety, help to prevent many diseases, improve
mobility, and ease pain and stiffness.
My
daughter recently gave me the book “The Blue Zones.” The book
looks at societies with the highest concentrations of the
longest-lived and healthiest people in the world. As I was reading
about these healthy societies, I realized that they had a common
thread. The people had a great spiritual faith and EXERCISED DAILY.
In fact, I was amazed at the activity level of these people!
The
author of the book describes his day with Marge Jelton, a Seventh Day
Adventist from California. He writes:
“After
prayers and reflection, it was power-walking time. Marge’s corner
of the apartment was in the independent-living facility. If she made
her customary beeline down the hallway to the other end of the
building and back six times, it worked out to a mile…Then she did
her exercises… She hopped on the lone exercise bicycle, quickly
adjusted the resistance with a spin of the thumb and forefinger, and
started churning. ‘I ride between six and eight miles a day, except
for the Sabbath,’ she said over the whirring bike… ‘Well then,
let’s get you going,’ she announced, hopping off the bike and
moving toward a series of hand weights in the corner… She
demonstrated an eight-part, dual-hand, lift-and-stretch exercise as
she counted it off, and barked for me to follow along. Then we
started with twisting trunk contortions, followed by side-to side
stretches with the weights held over our heads.”
Marge
Jelton is 100 years young.
1
Corinthians 6:19-20 states “Do you not know that your bodies are
temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received
from God? … Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
Jan
Versical
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