Drive and Recovery

Sometimes life is like rowing.

In racing a boat, each rower sits on a sliding seat.  They roll forward on their seat to put the oars in the water, then push back with their legs to pull the oar through the water, finishing the stroke.  The rolling up portion, when the oar is out of the water, is called the recovery.  The pushing portion, when the oar is in the water and you’re moving the boat forward, is called the drive.  The drive is where you push with all your strength, and then you’re supposed to relax on the recovery.

{photo from www.carlosdinares.com}

I’ve felt like I’ve been struggling with this ratio.  I tend to want to give a moderate effort during the whole piece, instead of a hard effort during the drive and relaxing during the recovery.  I’m not sure why, but that doesn’t really matter.  What matters is that I do it correctly: hard on the drive, relax on recovery.

The same goes for life.  We have ratios.

There is an appropriate time to rest and recover (e.g. Sundays, bedtime, etc.) and there is an appropriate time to push at full pressure (e.g. work, exercise, school, service).  Give your all during the drive so that you can fully rest during the recovery.  Really rest during the recovery so that you can give your all during the drive.  We are not meant to row through life at a moderate, unchanging intensity. 

Thoughts from Ellie.  Take them as you wish. :) 

Rolling waters

This quote really hit me this morning:

"You don't need an invitation before you start moving in the direction of your righteous goals.

You don't need to wait for permission to become the person you were designed to be. 

You don't need to wait to be invited to serve..."

- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf -

{photo from lds.org}

"How long can rolling waters remain impure?"

When you move forward in faith,

Everything else falls into place.

Now that's beautiful.

Keep our eyes fixed on Christ

http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/14.29?lang=eng#28 

24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

 25 And ^ain the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good^acheer; it is I; be not afraid.

 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was ^aafraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little ^afaith, wherefore didst thou ^bdoubt?

 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

- Matthew 14 - 

the power of thoughts, words, emotions

beautiful things:  

our living, breathing, intelligent biology

+ the power we have to improve our own health 

peace out.

[remember how beautiful the "peace" crystal looked? :) ]