A Few Things I've Learned

I woke up at 6 a.m. today.  6 A.M.  And it wasn't even Black Friday.  The other day, I woke up at 7 a.m. and looked out my bedroom window.  Not a leaf was stirring on the trees.  My phone showed it was already 78 degrees outside.  I immediately knew I wasn't going to enjoy walking that morning.  And I didn't.  It was hot and muggy.  I did not enjoy one single step.  I didn't want to walk the whole three miles I've worked up to.  I just wanted to go back to bed.  But, I did walk. All three miles.  I knew if I didn't walk that morning it would open the door ever so slightly for me to make an excuse to not walk when it gets hotter.

So this morning I woke up at 6 a.m.  I got dressed and went for my walk.  It was muggy when I started.  Already in the upper 70s, however, this time the sun was not all the way up so it didn't feel quite as hot.  By the time I was finished walking, clouds had rolled in and there was a slight breeze.  I suppose for a couple of months this will be my new routine.  

There have been a few things I've learned along the way while walking....

1.  I didn't know you could sweat in so many places on your body.
2.  Vaseline helps with blisters on the feet.
3.  I need pockets in my shorts for phone, garage door opener, keys, phone and mp3 player.  I don't want to strap the mp3 player to my arm because then I'd have a strange tan line. 
4.  Don't wear knit shorts with only two pockets or they will keep slipping down (see #3).
5.  My feet now look like I am permanently wearing no-show socks because of the tan line.  No amount of flip flop wearing is going to remedy this.
6.  The rubbing is interesting.
7.  I've learned a little more about amphibian anatomy due to the squished frogs in the streets I have to walk by every day.
8.  It looks like a package of crushed Ramen noodles has been thrown onto my neighbor's driveway and sidewalk because of all the dead earthworms.  I don't know why it's just their sidewalk.  My daughter rescues an earthworm from it certain demise there almost every day.
9.  Mandisa and TobyMac have some great music to walk to.  My playlist needs new songs though.  Anyone for suggestions on great motivating music to walk to?
10.  I have walked just over 200 miles since the beginning of March.  
11.  I have eaten my fair share of bugs while walking.  I'm sure a look like a lunatic in my haste to not swallow them.
12.  I do not like junebugs in my hair.
13.  Watch out for low hanging branches.
14.  I've made a couple of new rabbit friends.  There's always one or two of them in a particular yard.  I'm going to throw them a carrot next time.  Hopefully they aren't rabid.  :)
15.  My dog likes the rabbits too, but I don't think they like him.  He almost pulled my arm out of the socket today when we rounded a corner and he saw it.
16.  Dogs will pee on anything.  
17.  Dogs will eat almost anything - and I mean anything!
18.  You get to know your neighbors when you're out and about.  Especially the ones who like to speed down the street.
19.  When you see the sun coming up and you're listen to Mandisa sing "Good Morning", it's hard not to be thankful for the day God has blessed you with.
20.  When you walking, it's a great time to spend in prayer.  

Those are a few of the things I've learned the last few months.  I really just thought I'd be getting a little bit of exercise by walking.  Who knew there was so much benefit to this walking stuff?

Psalms 30:5
"...... joy comes with the morning."