40 Days of Feasting: On going for a swim.

We've been away for a few days.
We stayed in a lovely hotel.
We stay there quite a lot as a family member works there.
And the best thing about staying in a hotel?

Free stuff!

I love it all!
The teeny bottles of toiletries that probably belong in the value aisle.
The pen, the tea and coffee, the biscuits and the slippers...
And of course the buffet breakfast.
You know, the one where you tell the children to eat as much as they possibly can as you're not buying lunch.

In line with my 40 days of feasting I decided I would enjoy what was offered,
but not stockpile stuff so they'd replace it...
Or is that just me?

So it's been a lovely few days.

This hotel also has a Leisure Club.
Every day the boys wanted to go down and make the most of the facilities.

Now I love swimming.
In the old days (before children), I used to swim three times a week.
But now it often feels like too much effort. And the whole getting wet business....

On one of the days I sent Chris and the boys on ahead.
I was tired, and my magazine was calling me.
But as I sat there
In the desperately needed silence
I realised that we were very fortunate to stay in that hotel.
It was a real blessing.
The Leisure Club was part of that blessing.
And maybe, just maybe, I needed to push myself a bit.
Think how much my body needed the exercise.

It's a tricky one isn't it?
Not the 'to swim or not to swim' issue.
But the tension between rest, recovery and moving on.

Last night I read Psalm 16.
It's one of my favourites but these verses took on new meaning:

My heart is glad and my tongue rejoices
my body also will rest secure,
because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead
nor will you let your faithful one see decay.
You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

The 'realm of the dead' has been a place we know well
But it's not a place to stay, and He hasn't abandoned us there.
Instead he draws us into his presence.

I want to be where God is.
Whatever that means for me in terms of my work, my leisure, my family...
That's where I want to be.

"You will fill me with joy in your presence"

And couldn't we all do with a bit of that.