08 Feb Sometimes, the Most Spiritual Thing You Can Do is….

I sat on my couch in the living room, curled up under a blanket with a cup of hot tea and a book. Everything in my body was rejecting the idea of moving, but I knew that I needed to. Dinner had to be made and no one else was going to be making it.

As I pulled my body up involuntarily, I seemed to keep thinking the same thing: “Why am I so tired? Why do I seem to be so impatient with the kids lately?”

I had the chance a few days later to process my feelings with a trusted friend. We both agreed that the weather had a lot to do with it – we had both been in that “don’t want to get up off the couch” kind of mood. The things I normally do to maintain good mental and emotional health just weren’t swinging it, so I decided to dig a bit deeper.

Here’s the thing I nailed down. Every one of us as human beings are wired a certain way. There are certain things that just make us “come alive.” For me, being in nature is that “thing that makes me come alive” more than any other.

And it’s not just going on my regular morning jog in the neighborhood (although that is essential). It is being in green space where little me with all my big problems gets engulfed in God’s big creation which reminds me once again that if God can care for all of this (sweep across mountains and waters, trees and sky) He can certainly handle my cares.

I love my home. I am so thankful for a cozy, warm place to enjoy living in with my family. But when I’m inside too much, these stable, comforting walls begin to feel a bit suffocating and confining.

If you, like me, sometimes experience in the dead of winter a “what is wrong with me? Why am I so tired? or sad? or frustrated?” kind of feeling, you are not alone. God created us to need simple things like: time outside, healthy food, good sleep, plenty of water, encouraging relationships.

I remember one time in a young mom’s Bible study group, one woman shared a quote from a book she was reading. This was ten years ago, but I still haven’t forgotten it: “Sometimes,” the author said, “The most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap.“

Sometimes (and maybe a lot more often than we realize) the way that we can best glorify God and ready our hearts and minds to serve others is to do something good for our physical bodies:

Take a nap.

Turn off the TV or shut off our phones and go to bed early.

Eat more fruits and vegetables.

Drink more water.

Laugh more with a good friend.

Play hide and seek with the kids.

Bundle up and take a long walk to get some fresh air, sunshine, and a change of scenery from our normal home or office routine.

Today I took a bike ride with my family after church for about an hour. We took advantage of a sunny, almost 50 degree day to get outside, get some sunshine, laugh and ride together, and get some exercise.  I feel so good physically and mentally from this short outing and I also feel closer to my family. What a win-win-win.

What is one thing that you can do this winter to care for your physical, mental, and/or emotional health? Considering sharing your goal with a close friend who can encourage you in your journey.