I don't want TO!!!

Freaky Friday Folks! Here's the run down: ballistics, 5 minute ab work, stairs x 15, sprint, push up variation, 5 minute ab, and stretch. But, truth be told I had to force my self to go!

You ever do things you don't want to do? And I'm not talking about paying your taxes. All of us have to do things we don't want to do that is good for us. We need to get moving. We have to push ourselves and sometimes force ourselves to go. It maybe we have a conversation we need to have with a friend or former friend. Go ahead and make the call!

It is amazing that after we do what we know we should that we do find the reward in it. We may even find a little peace, love, and joy.

Here's the link to the 5 minute ab work - Mike is "Insane!"

http://www.youtube.com/user/sixpackshortcuts?v=4uQtPyWkXcc

Sweating with the old guys

Tremendous Thursday to y'all! Here's the run down: ballistics, laughter, 3 mile run, mile plus push up variations, core and conversation. Yeah it was a little laughter today. I guess my ballistic warm up must be getting good cause two ladies commented that they should video it and put it to music. Apparently I would get hits on Youtube. This cracked me up - talk about sweating with the oldies.

It did remind me that we need to have some fun from time to time. In fact, if you don't add in some fun in your work out you may forgot why you are there. I am certain that we are made to laugh and enjoy our days. Laughter is one of the greatest things that we can do for ourselves.

Some people have tough jobs, tough lives, and tough circumstances. Some even have days filled with worry and concerns. I've been there! On those days many times it was laughter that brought me out of the funk I found myself in.

So go find something to laugh at even if you have to laugh at your self. Laughter is one of the best medicines.

Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. Psalm 126: 2

Day of Rest

Today my muscles need a day to rest and recover. I am now in the study doing some study and prep for our student small group Bible study tonight. The thoughts of worship of the Wonder of Heaven are on my mind. Worship has captured my heart and given it to the Ancient of Days! So unworthy to enter His presence but come humbly because of the Blood of the Lamb.


Deeply immersed in meditation during a church service, Italian poet Dante Alighieri failed to kneel at the appropriate moment. His enemies hurried to the bishop and demanded that Dante be punished for his sacrilege. Dante defended himself by saying, "If those who accuse me had had their eyes and minds on God, as I had, they too would have failed to notice events around them, and they most certainly would not have noticed what I was doing."Today in the Word, March 10, 1993.

 You too are responsible for your own worship expression and passion of the Lord Jesus today! 

Rain Down

Terrific Tuesday to y'all! Here's the low down from the track today: ballistics, weighted vest stadium steps, sprint work, variations of push up routine. Actually, at one point today I felt like a kid out playing again it was so much fun.

The most fun part of the morning was when the rain began to sprinkle down. There is nothing like the feeling of being hot, sweaty, and gross then get caught in a down pour. I needed the cooling refreshing of the rain.

Our spiritual lives need the refreshment and renewal of the rain of God in our lives too. This comes from His Spirit raining His blessings, guidance, and motivation in our lives. We so desperately need this right now. Ask the Spirit to rain down in your life today.

Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Ephesians 4:23  

Holy Spirit, rain down, rain down
Oh, Comforter and Friend
How we need Your touch again
Holy Spirit, rain down, rain down

Let Your power fall
Let Your voice be heard
Come and change our hearts
As we stand on Your word
Holy Spirit, rain down, rain down

Sluggish but Soulful

Mellow Greetings it's Monday! A sluggish kind of day for many of us. Today was a day of pace. I ran 6 miles through town and one around the track. But I was sluggish and slow. So my mind took over and began to ponder people which lead me to moments of prayer. In fact, if you are reading this I prayed for you today.

Some days we can get sluggish and it helps to remember that we can become soulful. I love the Scripture that reminds us to pray with out ceasing ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17). Even on those sluggish days you can still pray.

My prayer list today: don't let me die out here, help me make it over that next hill. Then people started popping in my mind and I prayed for wisdom, insight, direction, compassion, and even for a few of you to become patient in your current situation. The more I prayed the easier it actually was for me to maintain my snails pace!

Remember today its not how fast you finish - it is that you finish strong. Pray, pray some more, and when you think your done say a quick one for me!

Cross Training

Happy Friday to ya'll! Today was a cross training day and it was amazing. Here's the rundown: ballistics, mile, 2 miles at every 100 meters alternated push up varieties, and intense core, stadium steps x 10, & 100 meter sprints x 5. Then a good stretch for a cool down.

Cross training is good for you to keep your muscles strong and guessing. I'm certainly no expert on this however, I know that some times you can get bored with your workout and need to change the pace. Cross training is a great change of pace and keeps you motivated to keep moving and building.

I have a feeling that sometimes our spiritual life appears to be boring. In fact, that is actual an indication that we have fallen in a rut and need a revival. But we have to stretch our spiritual muscles too. So go out there and a have a conversation with someone about the Bible. Launch out and find a way to serve someone in the Name of Jesus - you know do something that you expect nothing in return. Practice a little cross training - put feet to your faith!

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” 

Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 

James 2:18

Come Clean

Emergency! Grass outta control, garden had to be weeded and fertilized, and trimmed some kind of vine thing. So my running this morning was behind a lawn mower. My core work was at the other end of a hoe. Dirty, filthy, smelly, and vile are great words to describe me.

Life happens to all of us. In fact, in a spiritual life we sometimes find ourselves in full recognition of how vile we may have become with sins. In a spark of revival the Spirit reveals to us our condition and our need. "Come get clean," the Spirit calls.

It is the most awesome thing to let that cool water with the soap fall over you and clean off the nasty. But more awesome still is the washing of the Spirit of God with the power of the blood of Jesus to clean off and out the nasty. Praise the Lord for his cleaning.

'I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me. Jeremiah 33:8

Locked Out!

Interesting day! My plans changed suddenly when I was locked out of the track. (Not really but they did have an event going on and I decided to hit the street to run). Here's the run down: 3 miles through town and core work. Light day.

Funny thing was being locked out for real. The boys thought I had my keys so they locked the doors. Good boys! There I was dripping and ready to head inside with no possible way but to try to break into my own house. I decided to wait for someone with a key.

Spiritually we can get locked out too. Many times we try and figure a way in based on our efforts, cunning, or even charm. But we discover those efforts are just that efforts and we are still locked out. We need to come to the right door first. Then we need to humbly make our way through that door. For you see a way (a door) has been opened to us through Jesus Christ.

Change your plans today to Jesus' plans for you. Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep...."I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture..."I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.  (John 10:7,9,11) 

Self-awareness is not just a bunch of amino acids bumping together.

Robert Anson Heinlein  

Need Some Help?

It is Monday! Boy is it Monday! Ever have one of those days? A day of tension, tightness, and tiredness? Just a day that you could use a little help. Today, is actually not that bad personally. I got to run 3 miles in under 30 minutes, sprinted stadium steps x 20, stretched and made it home before the deluge hit.

The thought crossed my mind while ascending the steps that sometimes we caught in the valley with an enemy on the high grounds. We find ourselves trapped with little hope. We may even wonder if we can survive the mission. Then as we lift our eyes up to the hills we remember that there is one higher than the hills. We engage our faith and reckon that the Maker of the Hills is mightier than the foe.

What we need on that day is to engage our faith in Almighty God. We believe that He exist, that He is powerful and mighty to save, and that He is able and willing to rescue his child. This is a good thing to remember on a day when things are going okay - cause there will come a day when this faith has to be activated.

Enjoy all of Psalm 121:

A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

1 I look up to the mountains—

does my help come from there?

2 My help comes from the LORD,

who made heaven and earth!

3 He will not let you stumble;

the one who watches over you will not slumber.

4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel

never slumbers or sleeps.

5 The LORD himself watches over you!

The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade.

6 The sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon at night.

7 The LORD keeps you from all harm

and watches over your life.

8 The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go,

both now and forever.

Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, 

and I'll show you someone who has overcome adversity. 

Lou Holtz

 

Struggles and Da Feet!

Well, today was going to be the day! I set out to accomplish great things. My plan was to run further than ever. Good start to the day and actually a good run, just not as far as I planned. I ran 4 miles today but my goal was 7 miles. In fact, I barely made the 4 miles.

Sometimes we hit a real wall. Mine today was that my legs became noodles on me. This has been a week to push hard and my struggle became my weariness. I'm just not there yet, (key word "YET!").

All of us face struggles in life. All of us go through hills and valleys. All of us can go farther than we think when we don't give up. So let's not give up some things that are important. Keep being a godly man, husband, dad, and friend. Keep being that godly, lady, wife, mom, and friend. Keep going through the struggles and even the defeats you will overcome.

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9

Sometimes you need to get hit in the head to realize that you're in a fight.
Michael Jordan

CORE is Vital

Rainy day kept a lot of folks away today! I decided to have a little fun with core today. Here's the run down: Ballistics warmup, 40 x stadium steps, mixed in 4 x 400 sprints, finished strong with 10 x 40 yard sprints, then CORE blowout!! 

Core is important in every aspect of athletics and life. As a coach I look for and work toward having athletes with a strong core. This will ensure their healthiness, effectiveness, energy level, and actually attitude. But it is difficult to find anyone that really does enjoy core work, because of how hard it can become. The proof is in the effort. 

As I was thinking CORE today something began to take shape. We have a spiritual CORE to that must be developed in order to stay healthy. Our spiritual CORE consists of these key facts: 

C-Christ Centered

O-Ordained Obedience 

R-Radical Relationships

E-Encouraging Evangelism 

So what's the score on your CORE? 

For to me, to live is Christ... Philippians 1:21

Most talented players don't always succeed. 

Some don't even make the team. It's more what's inside.
Brett Favre

Get Ready to Live Strong

Your job is to speak out on the things that make for solid doctrine...lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance...lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness...We don’t want anyone looking down on God’s Message because of their behavior.

But mostly, show them all this by doing it yourself, incorruptible in your teaching, your words solid and sane. Then anyone who is dead set against us, when he finds nothing weird or misguided, might eventually come around.

God’s readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation’s available for everyone! We’re being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears. He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness.

Titus 2: 1-6, 7-8, 11-14 The Message   

There are few things quite so boring as being religious, 

but there is nothing quite so exciting as being a Christian! 

Major Ian Thomas