Becoming nimble wrestlers

The world floods in on us all the time.  We seek to find avenues to cope with it in a positive manner.  When things are going great, good things buoy us even more, and when things are going sour, favorable weather can serve to bring in some rain to relieve an emotional drought. 

Sometimes life is great and we feel so fortunate to be alive, other times the world can be an appalling place.  We can look around us and see the suffering and devastation that occurs and have our disposition sink fast.  When those issues hit close to home, whether they are within our community, our neighborhood, our family or even ourselves it often can cause us to deflate emotionally, spiritually, mentally, socially, and even physically. 

It is then that we often find ourselves wrestling with issues of life.

(From Pastor Randy's Sermon 10/20)

From Pamela:  One of the things I have noticed about skilled wrestlers (I am not talking about the sensational WWF style) is that they are nimble.  Whether they are looking into the eyes of their adversary or if they are entangled on the wrestling mat, they are fully engaged.  The rhythm of one wrestler helps to guide the action of the other.  

A pressure hold can be broken, sometimes by a complete relaxation followed quickly by a sudden withdrawal. 

An offensive move can sometimes be dodged, at other times countered. 

When one is "pinned" the moment is "called".... but then the one who has been pinned can spring back up and engage once agin.  

Nimble.  Flexible.  Alert.  and persistent.  

One more aspect seems to be an ability to regain balance, even when being knocked or twisted around.  No balance--no more ability to wrestle.  

How do you regain your balance?  How do you practice flexibility?  How do you enhance your alertness?  How do you act with persistence -- staying with the issues for the long haul?