Battles and Prayers

So lately I have been fighting battles or at least that is how it feels.

Battle 1 has been with myself and my exercising. It was doing really well and then my hips started bothering me. I am pretty sure it was my hip flexors because this is not the first time this has happened to me. The hip flexors are made up of three different muscles: The Rectus Femoris, Psoas Major, and Illiacus. These muscles work together to help flex the hip, and to provide stability for the lower extremity. The Rectus Femoris is one of the quadriceps muscles, and also helps with knee extension. The illiopsoas group runs from the lower spine and pelvis to the femur. These muscles can be strained during activities, and can cause pain and loss of motion at the hip. The most common cause of hip flexor injury is acute trauma. You may experience one specific instance when you felt your hip flexor pull. This may have been when you broke into a sprint, made a cut, or kicked a ball. The most common symptom of a hip flexor strain is pain. It occurs along the front of the hip and may radiate down the front of your thigh. Your pain will increase with movement, especially trying to lift your knee toward your chest. Running, jumping, and even walking can be painful. So all the stuff in italics is not me but from another site that has the specifics about hip flexors. I had experienced this before when I was playing soccer. I think that it came from sprints I was running on the treadmill. The treatment for hip flexor injury is ice and rest so that's what I did and I have not had any pain for about 2 days now but since I got out of my routine I am not having trouble getting back into the groove of working out again. I did do 30 mins on the wii fit last night and I will do something tonight I just got to get up off this couch!

Battle 2 is again with myself but this one has to do with a huge change to my schedule and I think is also contributing to battle 1. Until last Thursday I was working the late shift at work. I had worked it for almost a month straight and now that I am back on days it is really kicking my butt! I am used to going to bed around midnight and getting up around 8am. Now it's all I can do to get to sleep at 11pm and then I am back up at 6am. My body times are all askew and it's really impacting my energy and motivation. I am fighting to get used to this again! And now that the night shift will be rotated between all team leads at work I will have to really get used to the early shift more which I am sure I can do but it will just take time.

Battle 3 is with my weight. Yes I have a problem weighing. Yes I have lost over 30 pounds in the past 2 months. So I know that I due for a slow month but no matter what I know I still get irritated when the numbers aren't going as fast as I want. So this battle is really with myself and making myself believe myself. Boy that was confusing! HAHA but I am sure you get the point.

I am also battling a few things with family but I am not going to get into those because well I am pretty tired of typing already and Chad will be done with his Wii fit time soon and then it is my turn! I do love my Wii fit! Even with these battles I must say I am happy with my life. Sure there are things I wish I had that I don't have but that's true no matter where you are. Best news of all Chad got a job and he loves it. So thankful for that!

A friend of mine had on her status today a comment about God and answering prayers. I thought it was a great sentiment and reminded me of one of my all time favorite songs, Unanswered Prayers by Garth Brooks, which I happen to share a birthday with. The song while titled Unanswered Prayers to me is not about God not answering the prayers but more about him answering them but not necessarily the way you asked. The lyrics are below and the more I go through life the more thankful I become for some of my unanswered prayers!


Just the other night a hometown football game
My wife and I ran into my old high school flame
And as I introduced them the past came back to me
And I couldn't help but think of the way things used to be

She was the one that I'd wanted for all times
And each night I'd spend prayin' that God would make her mine
And if he'd only grant me this wish I wished back then
I'd never ask for anything again

CHORUS:
Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs
That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care
Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers

She wasn't quite the angel that I remembered in my dreams
And I could tell that time had changed me
In her eyes too it seemed
We tried to talk about the old days
There wasn't much we could recall
I guess the Lord knows what he's doin' after all

And as she walked away and I looked at my wife
And then and there I thanked the good Lord
For the gifts in my life

CHORUS

Some of God's greatest gifts are all too often unanswered...
Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers


And just in case you want to listen to the song too here is the video:


PS yes I love Garth Brooks! He is my all time favorite country singer!