Press On

Have you ever tried to kick a habit? How about if your habit was a drug? Like, maybe, caffeine? I have had the unfortunate experience, this past week, of weaning myself off of this stimulant, which is found most commonly, in coffee, tea, cocoa, and soft drinks. I did a little internet research and discovered a lot about caffeine, including the fact that it acts as a natural pesticide and paralyzes and kills certain insects who feed upon the coffee bean plant.

Caffeine is a central nervous system and metabolic stimulant. It is used to reduce fatigue and restore mental alertness (www.wikipedia.org). I didn't realize that many drug manufacturers include caffeine in pain relievers because it helps the body absorb the medication faster, thus providing relief faster.

However, an unpleasant side effect to increased caffeine consumption is heart palpitations, and that my friend, is the problem. I have experienced a big increase in the number of palpitations, how long they last, and how severe they feel since Christmas, and I think it's due to increased coffee drinking (cold weather antidote) and the amount of diet pop I consume during the day. A doctor's visit was punctuated by two EKGs and a serious warning to quit consuming this drug. This verbal warning was enforced by the fact that I have to wear a Holter heart monitor on Monday, just to make sure there's nothing seriously wrong with my heart.

Heart disease runs in my family, so I'm taking the stern look from the doctor and the warning seriously. I've got withdrawal symptoms, but I'm doing better. You aren't supposed to kick it all at once, but I did, and the headaches and feeling of lethargy were enough to make we want to set up a caffeine IV, but I tried to hang in there. Caffeine-another thing on the list that I need to consume in moderation if at all. I don't want the consequences of feeling the old ticker dance a jig in the middle of my chest, so that's a powerful incentive.

There's always something, isn't there. Always something to work on, to improve, to sacrifice, to give up, to refine, to change, and to ultimately, better ourselves. Sometimes I don't like looking at everything I need to do because it's overwhelming. I'm a work in progress, but some days, I feel like instead of progress, I've stepped back about a mile. I know some of the rest of you feel that way too with things you are struggling with. Let me encourage you today to "stay the course", to, as the Apostle Paul says, "...press on toward the goal..." (Philippians 3:14). Do you need to refocus on a goal you have? Put one foot in front of the other, and let's get going.