Failure is something that we all have in common, and I failed
last night. I set it as my goal to pull a real "late-nighter"
for the magazine deadline. At around 7 or 8 pm I drank a new
Mountain Dew MDX drink. I wanted to see how it worked in
comparison to other energy drinks (like Monster, Rock Star,
and Red Bull). No jolts of energy hit me and around 10:30 pm
(much earlier than I would like), my body's energy started
taking a dive. It was mostly in my head. The "I'm ready to
tackle this" kind of energy that makes us feel robust and
alive is mostly centered around the brain, I think. I
couldn't bear to muster up the energy to be creative, write,
or even lay out some graphic design. I had just finished the
"bullets" for the "Hard News" section, as well as designing
the CD Sampler cover and disc, so it felt like a good
stopping point. I could always get more done tomorrow (which
is today).
However, when I laid down and tried to force myself to sleep,
my mind appreciated the break, but my body just wouldn't
comply. For hours I wrestled with not being the right
temperature or the most comfortable position. It was futile.
At 2:30 or so I got up to turn the thermostat down. Then I
drank some water. I could tell that the taurine and caffiene
and other ingredients in the MDX drink were taking their
toll. I sat in silence on the couch for awhile. I tried to
eat a little and drink more water to try and flush this stuff
out of my system. I was able to go back to bed around 4:30
am, but I couldn't get away from the feeling that I "wasted"
a late night. I just didn't treat my body right, and now I'm
paying the price (being very tired today).
While I failed, at least I know that the new Mountain Dew MDX
drink is a success! It'll keep you awake!
Psalm 34 says, "I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise will continually be in my mouth." While I think that this is a direct reference to speaking words of praise on our lips, I think it also involves our mind, our will, and our thoughts. A serious person will have fun and recreation, but they can also realize that every aspect of their life can be an act of worship. Taking care of our bodies, a simple discipline, is one such area that can be dedicated to Him. I want to apply this sort of thinking to my body. It will no doubt make me healthier and I think that's a worthy pursuit.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at January 18, 2006 08:25 AMIt cheers me up to know that you know where to take refuge in times of difficulty (Nahum 1:7 and Matthew 11:28).
Posted by: solomon at January 18, 2006 08:40 AMI know what it is to feel like I'v wasted time. Don't be too hard on yourself about that!
It was for the very reason that I couldn't go to sleep till about 4:30am that I stopped drinking pop. That stuff somehow makes you "tired" but keeps you awake at the same time.