GETTING PHYSICAL

"I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." (Psalm 139:14)

This may not sound like a big thing to you, but it was a big thing to me: I went for a routine physical examination this week. I had not had a complete physical since 1989 although I had a few sort of basic doctor checkup visits in the early 1990s. The only thing I haven't had done yet is a colonoscopy. (Private note: I know, I know, DCM, but give me credit that at least I had the physical!) In the distant past I've written about why visits to doctors have tended to be few and far between for me, so I'm going to skip writing about that. One person recently pointed out that I have regular dental checkups and regular eye exams, and so it doesn't make sense to neglect the rest of the body. It IS hard to argue with that one!

While all of the details and results of the physical are certainly personal, I will say that overall my health is pretty good. There are often concerns about prostate issues for men over 50. My prostate is very good. My thyroid is also very good. Although I am at least thirty pounds overweight, there's absolutely no indication of diabetes. I was actually surprised that I've LOST about ten pounds since Christmas. The doctor would like to see me lose at least another ten. Well, I'll try! My cholesterol number is slightly elevated, but it's not high enough to warrant being put on medication. My B.P. is also a bit on the high side but not quite at the level of needing medication.

It was much harder for me to have that physical exam done than you can imagine! I will admit, however, that hearing that I'm basically in good health was comforting.

I readily identify myself on this blog as "fifty-something" and anybody looking at my "salt and pepper" hair and middle aged demeanor is not going to confuse me with a 27-year-old! Even so, I'm one of those who has had a difficult time REALLY accepting being over fifty. I think of people over fifty as constantly talking about their ailments and operations and what medications they're taking. My parents and their peers were certainly that way. I'm trying not to "go gentle into that good night" if you're familiar with that poem title.

On the other hand, I do understand that we are called to be stewards of not only our money and our things, but of our bodies, also. That thought certainly comes across in verses such as First Corinthians 6:19, "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"

So, yesterday I did something which was very much out of my comfort zone. When you're called to do something outside of your comfort zone, God's grace is sufficient for you (says Second Corinthians 12:9). So, know you can take that step with God's help.

I can't say much more about it now, but at this time I'm finding myself constantly thrown into situations which are outside of my comfort zone, and as the Recovery groups say, I'm trying to take each of these situations, "One Day at a Time".