I-I-Ice B-B-Bath! Wahhhhh!

I recently added a regimen to my workout routine that was painful, but effective.

It's called an ice bath.

You have not lived until you try to sit in water that is 60 degrees F for two minutes. 

Optimum time is three minutes. The following graphic explains it all.

I had it all planned out. I did my usual run on a hot humid Houston morning, cooling down, then would try the ice bath.

I happened to be speaking to my first best friend since childhood on the phone, explaining what I was about to do. She "went with me" to McDonalds where I got ten lbs. of ice for $10, bargain! (In reality, it took two trips. Long story, but she was with me through the whole event.)

"I'm getting in!" I told Gina, "but stay on the phone...Arghhhh! I can't believe I'm doing this! Talk to me!"

I don't know what she said, because everything became other-worldly. The minute each body part hit the water, every vessel and gland constricted, including my tear ducts! I felt like crying but couldn't. I laughed! My body was now a popsicle!

Every 30 seconds felt like five minutes. I barely made the two-minute mark when I hopped out!

"Enough! I'm out of here!"

Then the most amazing thing happened a few minutes afterwards, just as promised. The blood rushed though my body and I began to feel great! In fact, I slept well, got up and had extra energy today.

When relaying the story to my aunt yesterday, she said she had never heard of ice baths until watching the US Open. I learned Novak Djokovic and Marton Fucsovics took an ice bath break. Then refreshed, went at it another two-and-a-half hours.

I recommend the ice bath, but only after doing your research and if it fits in with your personality and regimen. 

I am looking forward to my next one. I read they should be done at least one week apart. That's long enough to forget the pain and live in the gain, much like giving birth, so I hear.

This post is dedicated to all athletes paid and not, big and small, known and unknown doing what you can to care for your temple including challenging it to do the amazing so that you can live a longer, stronger more vibrant life!

Here's to the Polar Bears!

The Healing Power of Good Art

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My father just had a kidney removed over a week ago. My sister and her husband drove all night to be with Dad for the surgery. My sister-in-law and our niece were there also.

While Dad was in recovery, the six of us sat in the waiting area. The surgeon walked up to my mother. The look on his face told us that something was amusing him.

"Mrs. Huff, your husband is singing in recovery." I asked if it was The Girl from Ipanema, and the good doctor replied, "I don't know, but everyone is enjoying the singing." Later that evening after Dad got settled in his room, his nurse let my mother and me know we could go in.

He told us his name was Gabriel and added, "He's taught me some Portuguese and I am teaching him some Spanish." Later Mom told me his name was appropriate as he had that extra gift of grace in all of his dealings with Dad. He told Mom that he liked to treat his patients the way he'd treat his own parents.

So I asked Gabriel if had heard Dad sing, specifically The Girl from Ipanema. At that moment, Dad, still in his half-wakened state began softly singing The Girl... Knowing the song, Gabriel chimed in matching Dad's volume as not to disturb the other patients.

As I have mentioned in other blog posts, my early years were filled with all kinds of music. Though my father is a minister and we love singing in church and singing hymns outside church, we love all good music. I believe it elevates our God-given spirits.

This song may sound like elevator music to some, but let me offer a different perspective. It comes from a family of music meant to relax the soul.

Life can be tough and harsh sometimes, and what better way to soothe the soul but to bathe in well-thought through melodies and beautiful word pictures. Relaxing songs nurture and bring out the goodness in one's heart. I am not a trained philosopher nor a theologian, I am simply making an observation that humans need rest, redirection and redemption, and good music offers all three.

I also believe that God gave us the gift of music to enjoy, as a means of therapy and connection with other people. When cultures produce good art that nurture the soul, I see a characteristic born from the Creator to want to heal the human spirit. Afterall, we are made in His image. 

Spring in Live Oak Park - Photo by DHM

He loves us individually more than anyone else and seeks our good. And He will use anyone He wants to produce good art. Ours is to listen and watch for it if we are artists that we may make good art. If we are not artists, it is good to appreciate good art by encouraging good artists and investing in art and artistic events that elevate the soul.

I was an art student my first two years in college, but continue that gift in a different way. My canvas is family and friends. My media are hugs, gifts, and love -- lots of love. Am I perfect in my results? On some days, hardly. But as I learned long ago, if you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time. My aim is to bring beauty and joy to my "patrons." I only hope their critical observations will be as graceful as the art I attempt to produce, because good art heals.

My father is home convalescing, and while he will nurture his soul spiritually with God's written Word, he also enjoys the therapeutic results of gardening, watching good movies, reading good books, turning on good background music and connecting with family and friends. He's a artist in his ministry, allowing God's love to flow through him to others, and it is coming back to bless him. Good art also heals the artist.

This post is dedicated to my wonderful father and mother. Dad, wishing you great success in your healing! Mom, you are an artist incognito, your artwork is a clean and orderly home, lots of love for anyone walking through it's doors and good food to feed the body and soul!

The limitless that is borne from the limited

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 So many good gifts. So little time.

I am going to attend worship service at my local congregation shortly. We sing unaccompanied by instruments. But during the week I enjoy a plethora of accompanied music, Christian, lite jazz, lite classical, blue grass, folk, country classics, pop classics and too many other genres to mention. There is a world of music too grand to know, and there are tunes yet to be written.

What is amazing is each song is written from the basic building blocks of 8 notes.



 I have loved music since a child. At one point I panicked thinking that all the notes would run out and no more songs could be written. I also had the same feeling about the 26 letters of the alphabet; that at one point everything of value would be written and one day all written works would dry up, and the landscape of humanity would find itself sitting in a vast wasteland wondering what to do next.

 

Well, the wonderful thing about appreciating God's good gifts as a Christian are all the good gifts God has for us to create for His glory to uplift those created in His image. There is an eternity of songs, literature and innumerable other gifts waiting to be created from the finite and limited sources around us.

The builder with a good eye looks at wood and sees the home that will house others. The seamstress/clothing designer with clear vision looks at wool and cotton and sees the beautiful clothing made to honor the human body. The engineer looks with a sound mind at materials waiting to be forged into machines to better humanity. The teacher with a good heart sees the opportunity to create a more sound human being, who better fit into their families and society.

 

I think you get the picture.

So after a week's worth of work in my own arena using the materials God has given me to build up those around me, I go worship the God who gave me the gifts I have, leaving all at the door to focus on Him with the congregation, joining their hearts, minds and voices to mine. By myself with Christ in my heart, mind and voice I know my sacrifice of praise is worthy. But bound together with the congregation, the love poured to God is limitless and undefinable.

Does this sound strange and hypocritical? It is no more strange than the fact a couple shares their hearts, minds and bodies in proper intimacy that they may better serve humanity by bringing more humans into the world and being better equipped in heart, mind and body to do the work needed in the world.

 

I have come to learn that worshiping and beseeching Eternal God to help build up and steward His creation with limited resources is one of the recipes for happiness in good times and fuels steadfast joy in times of trial. This plays into health and ultimately holiness. I also believe these three work together and only Holy God can judge rightly how this all works out. Mine is to do what He asks of me and praise Him all the more for His good gifts, the first being His beautiful and perfect son, Jesus.

Thank you God that in seeking to obey You and reflect Your Son by the power of Your Most Holy Spirit I am relieved of playing God. May my finite plans be put in Your Eternal and most capable hands. When any kind of joy-stealing wall is put up, give me the grace to tear it down with Divine Love. May our limited resources always be used for Your unlimited pleasure and attract others to your Door, that we may help all enter who are looking. May we encourage all who need it, always blessing those who even reject You. For only You know the depths of cursing others in our minds and hearts and the damage it can do to our souls when we give in.

Amen.

May your limits be healed and you find unlimited joy in eternal God! The sun is rising and I am going to enjoy a walk among God's handiwork.

This post is dedicated to those whose limits have been reached, who don't know where to turn when energy and hope have run out. This is your day to find help and healing in God, one of whose many names is Jehovah Rapha, meaning The Lord that heals, and El Olam, meaning The Everlasting God. "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him" [Psalm 34:8]