Tuesday, July 03, 2012

Sole Survivors, or, When Life Gives You Lemons, Climb Mountains With Them!

But Eric, you say, what do lemons have to do with climbing?

Everything!

Kinda.

Ok, bear with me here. First off, I am stealing from a post on a forum I read on www.fitbit.com. I posted the story I relate below, and Ken replied, and... well... just keep reading.

Lately my bike has been having some issues. The rear tire has been going soft over time. I have two spare tubes, but when you buy 700cc tubes, apparently Wal-Mart only sells them with a Presta valve. uh. Ok. Sure think, boss. Whatever. It's a tire.

Yeah, no. Standard valves in the good ole U.S. of A. are Schraders. Different critter. Suck.

So until I can get a Presta Pump, or an adapter, I have just been pumping up the rear tire once in a while. No biggie.

Until this morning. This morning I got on my bike, pedaled maybe five feet, and realized the Front tire was flat. Screw this. I'm walking.

I'm a paranoid person (Do NOT enter my apt without announcing yourself. It will not end well for you.), so I always leave 45 minutes early for work. I live about a mile away, so it's a nice walk. I get to see the sunrise most mornings. Pretty sweet deal, really.

So I lock up my Schwinn, toss my helmet back in the door, and head out. I notice that there are less crickets out, which is nice. Sun rise is pretty, and a good breeze. It's a good day.

Naturally, I am wearing my Fitbit. I see my steps, think "cool," and go on with my day.

I average about 9-10 thousand steps a day when I walk to work. American average is 5,000, and it should be 10,000. So, you know, I do ok when I walk to work.

I also average around 25 calls a day at work.

I got, like... 9. And it was a busy day. But most of my day was swapping two phone sets from two different floors, swapping them back when a hubbaloo was raised (for good cause), moving some monitors around for a new person, then having it decided I should move the pc part to another spot, meaning I needed to run downstairs and get longer cables than what I had, run up to check on someones software... huff huff huff.

Oh, and I walked around the building twice.  Yeah. I hit 12,000 steps on the way home. And then, just as I was about to turn right to head home, and I saw 12k steps... I thought "Why not go to Wal-Mart? They might have the pump I need..." So I kept going and turned left.

Staggering into Wal-Mart, I perused the bike section and found a pretty sweet looking pump. It is a Schrader, but it has an adapter for Presta, and a patch fit, AND a pressure gauge built in! And it mounts on the bike! Sweet!

Also, I found Bell brand Camelbak thing. Awesome.

Loot in hand, I walked home. About 5:15, I hit 15,000 steps. I figure, sweet. Another Badge on Fitbit! I get home, sit down, and check my steps.

16,999. I cannot make this stuff up.

Oh, and 12 floors climbed. Some of that must of been the cross country walking to wally world.

So I make some coffee, listen to a bit of GBTV, post my success on fitbit, and get a lot of encouragement and cheers from the gang there.

As I relate the story, Ken takes an interest. Ken runs the Challenge group I am in. he wrote in a reply to me "making Lemons into steps and miles!!! Way to get it done!!!" Later, he highlighted some great feats for the day, and said I had "Climbed a mountain to get to work."

I was confused at the first post for a bit. When did I get lemons? I don't even LIKE lemons. Then I realized that he saw the flat tire as life handing me lemons. How did I respond?


Did I have a choice? I guess I could have called my boss and begged a ride. I have a open offer. But did I think about it? Not really. Why? I had planned for it. I was prepared. God had set in my heart a desire to never be late, regardless of circumstance, and so I planned to match, just in case. Walking, I get to work with 15 minutes to spare. This was not a hardship. I could have chosen to complain. I did mention it, since I have no social life and I like to share interesting things with my co-workers. But whine? Nope. Complain? Nah. It was a nice walk. 

When I was at work, I was given a number of tasks I didn't really care for, and a few I did but were more active and time consuming then I expected. I sweated most of the day. Complain? Nope. I addressed some concerns. But I was getting some good stats on my Fitbit and frankly I was enjoying getting off the phones. 

When I walked home, did I complain about the heat, the humidity, the pain in my feet? Nope. I thanked God for a good day. Then I went and got what I needed. And I walked home. 

After posting on the forums, I went and got weighed. 374.3lbs. I checked my steps. 18k. 

... something woke up in me. 

I can do this. 

I can actually hit 20k in a day. And not feel dead. (The latter being important to me.) 

I got my shoes back on, put on the water pack, a hat, and my iPod. I walked out to the College Track Field. The field was closed, but they have a flight of nice stone steps out front. 

... I can do this. 

I went up and down four times. I caught my breath. I went again. And again. And again. 

I can do this.

I am now home. 

21,149 steps. 
25 Floors.
6.02 Miles walked.


I sit here, coming off of an exercise fueled high, and one thought is in my head. 

I can do this.

Why?

What gives me the ability to do this?

Wrong question. 
Who...

"... for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In and and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."
Philippians 4:11b-13 ESV

Ken says life gave me lemons, and I climbed a mountain. I beg to differ.

God gave me opportunities to bless Him or curse Him. I blessed Him, and through my faith in His providence, I have moved mountains.


I will extol you, my God and King,
    and bless your name forever and ever.
 Every day I will bless you
     and praise your name forever and ever.
  Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
    and his greatness is unsearchable.
  One generation shall commend your works to another,
    and shall declare your mighty acts.
 On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
    and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
 They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
    and I will declare your greatness.
 They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
    and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
 The Lord is gracious and merciful,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
 The Lord is good to all,
    and his mercy is over all that he has made.
  All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
    and all your saints shall bless you!
 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
    and tell of your power,
 to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,
    and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
  Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
    and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
[The Lord is faithful in all his words
    and kind in all his works.]
 The Lord upholds all who are falling
    and raises up all who are bowed down.
 The eyes of all look to you,
    and you give them their food in due season.
 You open your hand;
    you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
 The Lord is righteous in all his ways
    and kind in all his works.
 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
    to all who call on him in truth.
 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
    he also hears their cry and saves them.
 The Lord preserves all who love him,
    but all the wicked he will destroy.
 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
    and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

Psalms 145 ESV

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