Running Uphill

Wasn't it just three years ago I was walking four miles in an hour, three or four days a week?

The week of my 65th birthday, two years ago, I averaged eleven miles of walking each day.

Now I'm trying to get back to two miles each day. I admit I'm getting older.

Joey Votto, first baseman for the Cincinnati Reds major league baseball team, was asked at the beginning of spring training this year why his performance declined last year. I thought the reporter's question was rude, but Joey gave him a straightforward answer. i don't have his exact words, but here's a paraphrase: "I'm getting older, and I had always heard it's harder to stay in shape as you age. I had prepared as usual before last year, but it wasn't enough." So after the 2019 season, Joey worked harder than usual, and now was prepared for a better 2020 season.

Okay, I've proved to myself that Joey is right. Staying in shape is harder each year. I'll bet there's an application to other parts of our lives than just physical conditioning.

Can we read the same books over and over and expect our knowledge to grow? Of course not. Can we keep up with technology if we don't stretch ourselves? Nope.

You obviously have to make new friends as you get older. People move away. Others run short of time for you. Some friends will die.

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The apostle Paul was in excellent spiritual health. He knew his theology, he shared his faith, he started new churches regularly. Still, he knew he had to keep pushing to keep his soul 'in shape.' He said in Philippians 3:14, "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Don't let up, even when it feels like you're always running uphill.