GCR Women

I’m getting ready to have my left knee replaced in about a week. It’s been just over three years since I had my right knee replaced and I’ve known that one day my left knee would need the same treatment. Knee pain is debilitating. Every step hurts. It aches at night. Getting in and out of cars and chairs is excruciating. All of those are reasons I’m doing this.  But even then the decision hasn’t been easy. Having done this once before, I’m well aware that there will be a lot of pain after the surgery and the healing process will take time - lots of time.  To get ready for the surgery, I’ve consulted a doctor who has a good reputation in this field. I’ve done pre-op testing and classes to help ensure good results with minimal discomfort.  Part of the protocol is twice daily exercises designed to make the supporting muscles stronger going in which should help in the post-op recovery. If I don’t do the exercises, they won’t help me. Just being advised to do them and knowing how to do them

Having been rather sedentary for the last few years, I realize I’m not as strong as I used to be. I’m exercising some, going to water aerobics pretty regularly, but I’m still weaker than I’d like to admit. I could attribute my weakness to age but really I think it’s from inactivity. And if I lapse in my exercise efforts for a little while, it’s like I’m starting from scratch, weak and needing to build my strength back up. Use it or lose it, as the saying goes.   On my own, I tend to be sedentary spiritually, too. I can pretend I’m spiritually strong but I know I’m really not. I can’t take any steps in life without realizing how weak my spirit is. I need more than I can find in myself. I need God’s strength.   It takes daily (sometimes more often than that) active participation in God’s plan to take hold of the strength He alone can supply. He wants to be my personal spiritual trainer. He can teach me to:  Exercise prayer, Bible study, meditation, praise, self-examination.  Engage in wo