Eghersis
is a transliteration of the Greek word, εγερσις, which has the meaning of being roused to life. Thus, it is my hope that what you find on this blog will empower, arouse, stimulate, excite, and animate your life--your soul, your spirit--the wholeness of who you are.


Monday, April 19, 2010

Engaging the Surprise


A couple of weeks ago, a surprise greeted me at the fitness center. I have been participating in various classes to see whether they and I are a good match for exercise. I love yoga and enjoyed the step aerobics. One week, I missed aerobics, so I decided to try something new--body sculpt.

I entered the classroom, went to the instructor, and said that I was new to the class but wanted to try it. I didn't notice the mounted bags sitting around the room until the instructor replied, "Oh okay, you can borrow these. They're clean." She promptly tossed padded gloves on top of one of the bags.

It dawned on me that this didn't seem to be body sculpting. I went out of the room and checked the schedule. What I thought was going to be one thing was going to be something unexpected--circuit contact kickboxing. I was too embarrassed to go in and say that I had changed my mind. So I went back in and pulled the gloves over my hands.

The surprise came with the first few punches. I liked it. I punched harder and kicked harder. I focused on the bag and beat it. It felt good. Therapeutic. I thought I would be a wimp, poop out, and look foolish. But I didn't. I kept up. I worked hard. I was satisfied with myself.

There is something good about engaging with the surprise, even the scary ones. The surprise may be a surprise. In this case the surprise came in multiples. I was surprised that I had committed to a class that I would not have considered trying. Seeing the gloves surprised me and shook my insecure self. Finding that I liked beating a bag surprised me. And being that fit surprised me. So one small error on my part became a source of many surprises--happy surprises.

Surprises change us, stretch us, move us, transform us. That is why God uses them. Our part is to notice them and engage with them. They are an invitation to find the surprise within the surprise.

6 comments:

Dianna Woolley said...

Love the surprises! Stepping out of one's comfort zone can be just amazing - thanks for sharing it - it's made me smile:)

Lisa Gonzales-Barnes said...

Thanks for your comment. I am glad that it made you smile.

LG Enterprise said...

I'm not so surprised that you liked it. It can feel good to discharge negative energy using a physical outlet.
I never looked at the element of surprise in this manner.

Thanks For that.

Lisa Gonzales-Barnes said...

Hey Lorenzo,

I like thinking about discharging negative energy. This makes me think that work and exercise are God's way of dissipating the negative through the body, through the physical. And so, this makes it good to be in the body, really in the body.

Cheryl Russell said...

Hi Lisa! Happy to have been surprised by your blog today via Mark Love! Great post on the kickboxing surprise. I too enjoy punching things really hard! lol. Seriously, this is therapeutic and a great way to get your heart rate up. I have a few friends whose therapists have encouraged them to get a punching bag for release.

Still using my prayer rope! Thank you and God Bless!

Lisa Gonzales-Barnes said...

Hi Cheryl,

Glad to hear that the prayer rope is serving you well. Thanks for the comment on my blog.

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