Strong(er) in August

No pull-up gains this month, but I did go up one more pound in the dumbbells I used for strength training. No, it is not a lot, but it is something, and I will take it. Although I still an't do a pull-up, I think I might be gaining a little bit of strength, as push-ups seem a little bit easier, and like I am doing them more fully. I have committed to eating more protein in this season, but it is just hard to gain muscle when I am training to gain strength to hit my running goals.

On the running front, I did switch to a new training plan this season. I bought the 30 day core challenge from Run to the Finish and have been working through it instead of doing my daily physical therapy exercises. I have had the return of some foot pain, though, so after this 30 days I am likely to return to what works. With the heat and my strength, I am not hitting the prescribed paces in my new training plan, but I am trying and that takes some mental strength. I will take it and thank God for it.

Our marriage weathered another air conditioning outage this month. Thankfully, my husband is just working one job this time. (Our air went out three years ago when he was also in school.) It was not pleasant, but we survived (in part thanks to my hairdresser, who loaned us their portable swamp cooler). We continue with our devotions, and we have even fit in a few fun date days (a culinary day and a paint by numbers day). Quality time helps fill my love tank, which gives me more bandwidth to weather trials like the air conditioning outage. An addition to our Sunday routine has been couples yoga or stretching after our walk around town. That has been a fun way to connect, and I think that having fun together also strengthens our marriage.

Spiritually, I am sticking with my same routine. I am not sure if that makes me stronger or just maintains strength. Either way, I will take it.

I guess that is the theme of stronger this month: I will take it. While the limits of my strength are finite, God's are infinite, and for that I praise God and look forward to the next month of growing stronger in the life that He has given me.