Backyard Biceps

Taken when Amara and I were moving weed piles for burning.

I'm feeling very thankful for my health this day.  The weather has been beautiful and there has been much to do in the yard.  I've been tackling it frequently for the past 3 weeks or so, and I can tell that I'm getting stronger.  At the end of the day, I'm sweaty and muscle weak from pushing a mower, pulling weeds, running the weed whacker, etc..  Before all this though, I was showing my sister via FaceTime how you couldn't even see my biceps when I flex because my muscles have shrunk.  Well, after a few weeks of this, you can see my biceps again!  Not that I have huge biceps, I don't, nor is that something I'm really striving for, but it's nice to know all my hard work is building my body strength back up too!

I remember last year, around the end of December, discussing with my husband my exercise goals for the new year, and how I wanted to go on more walks and lift weights to build my strength again.  It was an eye opener for me when I came home from grocery shopping and I was struggling to carry the gallon of milk from the car into the house.  That hadn't been difficult for me since I was a child, I think.  So, I knew it was time to get some muscles back. I'm not one to really stick to a workout regimen unless I'm doing it with someone, and I much prefer to see some immediate results from my hard exercise, so that is why I love yard work in nice weather for my exercise.  

Taken after the Young Women came and helped me weed my garden

My neighbor down the street just got surgery and is in a rehab center for a few weeks, so I decided to mow her HUGE lawn as a service to her.  Our fully charged lawnmower ran out of batteries before I even completely finished the small portion in front of her house, which is about one sixtieth of her yard.  That was 2 days ago.  Tonight I went back and finished the small front section and did a small side yard before the batteries died.  The grass is quite tall, but you couldn't ask for better weather!  Since our mower is a push mower, I'm definitely getting exercise and sweating up a storm, and I get to see freshly cut grass as my reward!  

So next time you're outside pulling weeds, mowing grass, or what have you, remember it's a blessing to have your health to be able to care for others and some of God's creations, and also, you're benefitting from the exercise in 2 ways- #1 your yard is pleasing to look at and brings joy to you and others, and #2 you're getting healthier!