By Sidne O’Reilly

I mentioned in my last blog that I am writing a continuation of the Twelve Week Challenge, a 12 Week Challenge to Design a Spiritually Based, Sustainable Healthy Life Style. Here is an excerpt:

A word about physical preparedness -- The ten virgins come to mind. “And five were wise and five of them were foolish.” We recognize the familiar story of how the ten virgins came to the wedding feast. “They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them.” Now, isn’t that interesting. They took their lamps, but no oil? What were they thinking? Maybe thoughts like. “Someone will surely share with me -- Oh, I will have time to get oil later. After all, I do my visiting teaching. I do my calling. I attend the temple and do other forms of service. A way will be provided.” Their actions show that perhaps their thinking was along these lines. The consequences of their lack of preparation are chilling. No one could share with them. They went to buy oil at the last minute and when they got back “the door was shut.” When the five foolish virgins returned they said, “Lord, Lord, Open to us.”

“But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.”

Many times this example has been used to illustrate preparedness as far as our food supply is concerned. It is an important parallel. Could it not also apply to the physical preparation of our bodies? What if there were an emergency that required physical strength. We couldn’t ask to borrow it from someone else. We couldn’t go buy it. No, we have to bring it ourselves. I am not suggesting that our physical condition could keep us out of Heavenly Father’s kingdom as it did the five foolish virgins. But it could cause us to pay prices higher than we want to think about.

Now is the time. This is the place. We can fill or lamps with oil and in this case bring extra to share as we design our spiritually based sustainable exercise program. Let’s go for it.

I am cheering for you!