Prayer and Runner's High

Runner’s High is a phenomenon that people experience when one undertakes continuous strenuous aerobic exercises. The operative word is continuous – usually this occurs when one exercises over 30 minutes. This requires perseverance.

Scientists have debated on what causes the high. On the one hand there are those who believe that our bodies release endorphins while other groups believe that it releases anandamide. Still others believe it releases both.

While the debate rages, it is important to point out that both endorphins and anandamide are powerful chemical substances. As these naturally occurring substances enter one’s bloodstream they naturally relieve our bodies of stress and pain and allow us to run, swim, bike or do exercises for long periods of time.

In short both endorphins and anandamide help us do what we would typically be incapable of doing. Also as the heart pumps more efficiently, it causes a greater circulation of the blood to feed oxygen to otherwise sluggish cells. The result is a regenerated body.

This is true of prayer, our once sluggish souls and weakened spirits need continuous unrelenting prayer to release the spiritual endorphins of God into our life. The power to face the pains, trials and struggles of life and run the race marked out for us. Prayer enables us to do what we otherwise would be incapable of doing.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1)

Unlimited Texting & Unlimited Blessings

I love sending text jokes. I have been regularly sending all kinds of jokes to my contacts since 1998 (come to think about it, that’s nine straight years, wow!). My contacts are grouped – college friends, high school classmates, family, other relatives, barkada in Angeles, village basketball group, golf buddies, sales force, fellow employees, and many more. The jokes that are sent to each of these groups would depend largely on several factors like their ages, their educational backgrounds, their work, my relation to them, religious orientation, the language they use, etc. There are jokes that fit some groups and there are jokes that fit all groups.

Why did I start doing this (and why do I continue doing this until today)? First, I want to get my money’s worth from the “unlimited” text feature of my cell phone account. Did you know that I send as much as 8,000 to 10,000 text messages per month?! (Sulit di ba?). Second (and more importantly), I love spreading good cheer to everyone – and receiving a joke “from out of the blue” surely brightens one’s day (even for just a moment). It helps provide them with a respite from the rigors of work or the routines of life. I love it when people smile, when people laugh, when they look forward to your next text, when the sight of your name in the heading of incoming message brings about a happy note or cheerful remark. Yes, that’s enough to keep me going.

Raoul, a high school classmate, once remarked during a reunion we had in Quezon City, “Pare, bakit di ka nauubusan ng jokes na pinapadala mo sa akin?” Well, I told him that, for one, none of these jokes are my original creations. All these were sent to me. If a joke made me laugh, I would save it in my joke folder. During my idle time, I would forward these jokes to people I believe would appreciate them. Surprisingly, a great number of them would oblige me with text jokes too! And this is the reason why at any given time, my joke folder would contain at least a hundred unsent jokes – despite the frequency with which I keep forwarding jokes to my contacts.

The touching part is that I know for a fact that a majority of those who send jokes are people who do not have “unlimited texting” – meaning they have to pay at least a peso for every joke they send me. And still, many of them could barely afford it… yet they still do!). I guess the lesson here is that trite saying, “the more you give, the more you receive”. If you go out of your way to make people smile, people would do the same for you.

So go out there and always be a blessing to others… and receive the bountiful blessings of God’s universe that knows how to repay a kind heart!

"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:2-4)

Having Trouble Sleeping?

A few years ago a food supplement called Melatonin took the world by storm. It was so popular that hundreds of brands surfaced in a matter of a few years. People took melatonin because it claimed to be a natural sleep aid.

Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain. It plays a critical role in determining when we fall asleep and when we wake up.

When the sun goes down and darkness comes our bodies are designed to respond to it. Internally the pineal gland releases melatonin into our bloodstream. Melatonin is what makes us sleepy. Rather than taking it externally it is best generated internally.

The darker it gets the more melatonin is released making us sleepier. Unfortunately most people put their eyes in front of a computer or TV screen at night which stops the flow of melatonin and causes them to be awake even when their bodies are demanding sleep.

Sleep is vital to our health. It is during this time of rest that our bodies go to work to restore our cells and organs through a complex process of chemical reactions. And there is no way around it – it is a natural law.

Rather than take melatonin we need to learn to prepare ourselves for rest and then the melatonin will come. Here is where prayer is like melatonin.

Prayer is generated from inside of us. It happens best when we prepare ourselves to encounter God. When we get there God causes spiritual laws to work for us to restore our entire person both spiritually and naturally.

The key is to prepare ourselves for rest. This we do by eliminating distractions and focusing on the one who can really give us rest.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”. Matthew 11:28