A little while back, I saw a quick add for an article on Yahoo! while I was about to log onto my e-mail. It said "Don't take a vacation from your health while on vacation." Now I'm wishing I had read it. I tried to find it but to no avail. At first I thought, I've worked hard, I can take a break... and then proceeded to spend from Memorial Day to the 4th of July eating burgers, brats and hot dogs, potato salads, ice cream and all the fun summer fair...and gained about 10 lbs. Yikes! And I was still exercising at the same time...and gained a 1/2 inch around my gut...
Now, I know this is just me. And I know that everyone is different. But I'm begging you all, don't take a break while on a break! Maybe it's more to myself than anyone else. That voice that's pleading inside my head to be healthy. And that pull by the Holy Spirit to continue on my spiritual journey. What was it? Eat and Drink for tomorrow we die? No.
God has called us to be good stewards of what he has given us--including our bodies. Paul writes "Don't you know that your body is a temple." And he also talks about how he works at controlling his own body so that he is the master of it and not the other way around.
Relax and rest. By all means. If you're working hard on all ends, rest. Enjoy God's eternal rest found in Jesus. Don't push to hard on the diet and exercise and break down. But also, when on a break, don't over indulge...well, not too much. Again, this is probably more to myself than anyone else...
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Teaching each other
Yesterday at the gym I saw something interesting.
As I was lifting, I looked over and saw a couple of teens lifting. One of the teens was struggling on the bench press, trying to lift too much. His friends either didn't know what to do or didn't have the strength to help him, for they were just standing around frozen. I started to head that way to help when an older gentleman came to his aide. (I say older, as in he was balding and looked older than me..real age unknown). I paused my music and listened in on his conversation with the teen. He began telling him how he needed to not over estimate how much he could bench but also encouraged him to keep trying to bench more. He then walked the teen through the proper steps of benching and how to gauge how much he could and could not bench.
I remember back in my weight training classes back in high school Mr. Festerling doing the same thing. He very patiently walked me and the others through weight lifting and proper form. What he taught me has stuck over the last 16+ years since. What was taught to me then has helped me in my pursuit of being healthy now.
I also started thinking of Eddie, Doyle, Merle and Bob, all older gentleman at church who walked me through my faith. They taught me what it meant to be a man of God. Through their actions, conversations and even instruction, they taught me what it meant to be a person of integrity, to be honest, to be loving, to be like Jesus in all I do.
This is what is commonly called in Christian circles discipleship. And it is important in the formation and development of our physical and spiritual health. In his book The New High Intensity Training, Ellington Darden laments how this type of discipleship has gone to the wayside in weight lifting. And I think it has gone to the wayside in our churches as well.
In my own pursuit of spiritual and physical health, I realize that I need to take the time to help others learn and grow in their own health but more importantly in their own spiritual journey. I think this is a charge to us all to do so.
As we work on getting healthy and as we grow in our spiritual journey and faith walk, we need to help others do the same.
As I was lifting, I looked over and saw a couple of teens lifting. One of the teens was struggling on the bench press, trying to lift too much. His friends either didn't know what to do or didn't have the strength to help him, for they were just standing around frozen. I started to head that way to help when an older gentleman came to his aide. (I say older, as in he was balding and looked older than me..real age unknown). I paused my music and listened in on his conversation with the teen. He began telling him how he needed to not over estimate how much he could bench but also encouraged him to keep trying to bench more. He then walked the teen through the proper steps of benching and how to gauge how much he could and could not bench.
I remember back in my weight training classes back in high school Mr. Festerling doing the same thing. He very patiently walked me and the others through weight lifting and proper form. What he taught me has stuck over the last 16+ years since. What was taught to me then has helped me in my pursuit of being healthy now.
I also started thinking of Eddie, Doyle, Merle and Bob, all older gentleman at church who walked me through my faith. They taught me what it meant to be a man of God. Through their actions, conversations and even instruction, they taught me what it meant to be a person of integrity, to be honest, to be loving, to be like Jesus in all I do.
This is what is commonly called in Christian circles discipleship. And it is important in the formation and development of our physical and spiritual health. In his book The New High Intensity Training, Ellington Darden laments how this type of discipleship has gone to the wayside in weight lifting. And I think it has gone to the wayside in our churches as well.
In my own pursuit of spiritual and physical health, I realize that I need to take the time to help others learn and grow in their own health but more importantly in their own spiritual journey. I think this is a charge to us all to do so.
As we work on getting healthy and as we grow in our spiritual journey and faith walk, we need to help others do the same.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Importance of place
I used to always say "If I had more time I'd exercise more" or "if I had more time I'd read my Bible more." And honestly, from time to time, I still do. But the other day, as I for some odd reason woke up to be at the gym by 6:30 am (got there at 7am), I was realizing that I was making time. That was something else someone one time told me. They said, "Well, if you want to do it, make the time." I always responded "I don't have the time to make the time." What that person was saying to me was more to the point of "If it's important to you then you'll find the time."
Think about that for a second--finding the time verses making the time. What is the difference? It's the importance of it.
How important is my health to me? I thought about this as I etched out an hour and a half to catch up on some TV shows that were on the DVR. I was willing to set aside time to watch some TV shows. Why can't I be willing to etch out time to exercise? Or more importantly, why can't I etch out time to spend it with God.
I decided to look at what was important to me. How important was my health to me? Being at over 400lbs six years ago, it was very important to me. After some time I realized that if setting aside time to be healthy was important to me, then how much more important should spending time with God be to me?
Now here's the thing--there's no magic bullet. There's no special plan or trick. It boils down to a shear act of will. Not an act of will to find time or make time, but an act of will to make it important. Where does spending time with God, with praying, with reading, with working on your own spiritual walk, place as importance to you? If it's not where you think it should be, then work on making it important. When it becomes important then it becomes a priority to make sure you place it first on your to-do list for that day, week, month.
Same thing with health. Do you want to be healthy? How important is that to you? There's no easy answer, there's no magic trick, there's nothing but a shear act of will to make it important. I'm not saying that you can't use programs that are out there, some are very helpful.
In the end, it is a matter of a thought change. How you think of things matters in how you place them in importance of what you do.
Now here comes the easy answer--Pray. Pray that God helps you with making Him important in your life. Pray that God helps you being healthy in your life--physically, emotionally and physically. And then allow God to work in your life. If you're not a believer, try it out anyway and see what happens. But allow God to work if you ask Him for His help.
Think about that for a second--finding the time verses making the time. What is the difference? It's the importance of it.
How important is my health to me? I thought about this as I etched out an hour and a half to catch up on some TV shows that were on the DVR. I was willing to set aside time to watch some TV shows. Why can't I be willing to etch out time to exercise? Or more importantly, why can't I etch out time to spend it with God.
I decided to look at what was important to me. How important was my health to me? Being at over 400lbs six years ago, it was very important to me. After some time I realized that if setting aside time to be healthy was important to me, then how much more important should spending time with God be to me?
Now here's the thing--there's no magic bullet. There's no special plan or trick. It boils down to a shear act of will. Not an act of will to find time or make time, but an act of will to make it important. Where does spending time with God, with praying, with reading, with working on your own spiritual walk, place as importance to you? If it's not where you think it should be, then work on making it important. When it becomes important then it becomes a priority to make sure you place it first on your to-do list for that day, week, month.
Same thing with health. Do you want to be healthy? How important is that to you? There's no easy answer, there's no magic trick, there's nothing but a shear act of will to make it important. I'm not saying that you can't use programs that are out there, some are very helpful.
In the end, it is a matter of a thought change. How you think of things matters in how you place them in importance of what you do.
Now here comes the easy answer--Pray. Pray that God helps you with making Him important in your life. Pray that God helps you being healthy in your life--physically, emotionally and physically. And then allow God to work in your life. If you're not a believer, try it out anyway and see what happens. But allow God to work if you ask Him for His help.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Being guided
Yesterday morning, as I sat and drank my coffee, I was doing my devotions. That is, I was taking time, reading through the book of Mark in the Bible and then reading through a book with daily thoughts on Scripture called Today (www.thisistoday.net). The small reflection on how to live my life in a way that is good and pleasing to God. It was about living in God's grace found in Jesus. As I have been reading through the Today booklet and through the Book of Mark, I've been reflecting on how I need to live my life and how I HAVE been living my life. In my own personal readings, I've been seeing how I need to strive to be more like Jesus in my day to day living. In the Today booklet, there's advice on how to do this. Not much, just a few words here and there, but enough to be helpful.
When I was done with my devotions, I realized that there was a weightlifting exercise I wanted to take another look at in one of my books. I wasn't sure if I was doing it right and I wanted to also reexamine exactly which muscle groups I was working. I have a book called Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavir which I have found helpful in better understanding how the muscles work and how to do the exercises properly.
And then it hit me. I was doing something similar with exercising as I was doing with my own spiritual walk.
In our spiritual walk, we can't do it alone. We need guidance and direction. In trying to be healthy, we can't do it alone. We need guidance and direction. I was flipping through the Today devotional to see who had written it, two pastors for the months of May and June. Both pastors were had been in the ministry for a number of years. Looking at Strength Training Anatomy, the author is a long time weight lifter, editor of a European lifting magazine and award winning artist.
Guidance and direction in our spiritual journey as well in our journey for better health comes from those who have gone before us. It comes from those who encourage us and lead us and guide us. We need people to help cheer us on and help us know where to go in our spiritual journey.
IN the Book of Hebrews, there's this great section that speaks of a Great Cloud of Witnesses (http://read.ly/Heb12.1.NIV). This Great Cloud is cheering us on as we keep our eyes upon Jesus, the one who we strive to be like in all that we do.
Who is cheering you on? Who is part of your Great Cloud of Witnesses? What books can you read that will help foster a healthy spiritual walk with God? What books can you read that will help you foster a healthy lifestyle? Who can you talk with to help guide you along your personal spiritual journey?
When I was done with my devotions, I realized that there was a weightlifting exercise I wanted to take another look at in one of my books. I wasn't sure if I was doing it right and I wanted to also reexamine exactly which muscle groups I was working. I have a book called Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavir which I have found helpful in better understanding how the muscles work and how to do the exercises properly.
And then it hit me. I was doing something similar with exercising as I was doing with my own spiritual walk.
In our spiritual walk, we can't do it alone. We need guidance and direction. In trying to be healthy, we can't do it alone. We need guidance and direction. I was flipping through the Today devotional to see who had written it, two pastors for the months of May and June. Both pastors were had been in the ministry for a number of years. Looking at Strength Training Anatomy, the author is a long time weight lifter, editor of a European lifting magazine and award winning artist.
Guidance and direction in our spiritual journey as well in our journey for better health comes from those who have gone before us. It comes from those who encourage us and lead us and guide us. We need people to help cheer us on and help us know where to go in our spiritual journey.
IN the Book of Hebrews, there's this great section that speaks of a Great Cloud of Witnesses (http://read.ly/Heb12.1.NIV). This Great Cloud is cheering us on as we keep our eyes upon Jesus, the one who we strive to be like in all that we do.
Who is cheering you on? Who is part of your Great Cloud of Witnesses? What books can you read that will help foster a healthy spiritual walk with God? What books can you read that will help you foster a healthy lifestyle? Who can you talk with to help guide you along your personal spiritual journey?
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
I'm not a runner
I remember back in high school and junior high we had to run. A lot. In junior high, we had to run a two mile run once a month. In high school, we had to do a mile and a half once a week. And if we didn't meet a certain time limit, then we lost the grade for that day. Back in high school I was pretty healthy (though I think a lot people say that) but I was highly active. I was walking or biking to school almost every day--a three mile journey one way. But I wasn't a runner. Honestly, I'm not built for running. I have some good friends who are built for running. And they can run. Me? I'm built for lifting heavy things. I'm good at that. I like doing that.
So what does this mean for exercising and being spiritual?
Because I do run. I'm not good at it, but I'm getting better. I really am. I've actually done a mile and a half in 15:45 (this doesn't beat the time limit for back in high school but a lot better than I used to do).
As I've been working on becoming healthier, I've learned that I shouldn't just stick to something I'm built for. In doing my cardio as running verses riding a bike which I like to do I've improved in an area I wasn't as god at. And I've learned something about myself too. I may not be built for it and I may not always be good at it, but I can make a personal best.
I think sometimes in our spiritual walk we don't go past what we think we're gifted in. Sometimes we don't even look at some of the spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit gives to us who are in Jesus Christ. We just simply walk along the way thinking "I'm not good at this, I'm not good at that. I'm a better follower than a leader." We can sometimes get stuck in our ways and not allow ourselves to grow spiritually. What I find interesting is the fact that when a child is born, we don't expect them to stay a child. We expect them to grow and try new things, to grow and learn and become who they are mean to be. For those of us in Jesus Christ, we have been reborn through the power of the Holy Spirit, and are expected to grow into who God wants us to be. How can we if we don't step forward and try new things? How can we if we don't listen to the Holy Spirit in moving forward?
Part of our health is following and listening to the Holy Spirit as He guides us in our daily life. Part of that guiding is working on my health physically and maturing spiritually.
Food, Fitness, Faith: Learn and Grow
Food: Don't get stuck on just one type of diet. Try other ways of eating and dieting. It is a lifestyle not a quick fix, allow yourself to grow in understanding what types of foods work best for you to be healthy and fit.
Fitness: Don't always stick to the same exercise routine. Studies have shown that this makes your body actually go into maintenance rather than into weight loss and muscle growth. It can also become boring and even discouraging. Mix it up, see how you can find ways to change what you're doing and see how you react to it.
Faith: Don't get stuck in a spiritual rut. Trust in the Holy Spirit and his guiding. Step forward in faith in trying new things in your faith walk and in reading God's word. Try to find ways to do something new in church or in a bible study or small group.. find new ways to stay true to His Word and learning more about Him and His will for your life.
So what does this mean for exercising and being spiritual?
Because I do run. I'm not good at it, but I'm getting better. I really am. I've actually done a mile and a half in 15:45 (this doesn't beat the time limit for back in high school but a lot better than I used to do).
As I've been working on becoming healthier, I've learned that I shouldn't just stick to something I'm built for. In doing my cardio as running verses riding a bike which I like to do I've improved in an area I wasn't as god at. And I've learned something about myself too. I may not be built for it and I may not always be good at it, but I can make a personal best.
I think sometimes in our spiritual walk we don't go past what we think we're gifted in. Sometimes we don't even look at some of the spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit gives to us who are in Jesus Christ. We just simply walk along the way thinking "I'm not good at this, I'm not good at that. I'm a better follower than a leader." We can sometimes get stuck in our ways and not allow ourselves to grow spiritually. What I find interesting is the fact that when a child is born, we don't expect them to stay a child. We expect them to grow and try new things, to grow and learn and become who they are mean to be. For those of us in Jesus Christ, we have been reborn through the power of the Holy Spirit, and are expected to grow into who God wants us to be. How can we if we don't step forward and try new things? How can we if we don't listen to the Holy Spirit in moving forward?
Part of our health is following and listening to the Holy Spirit as He guides us in our daily life. Part of that guiding is working on my health physically and maturing spiritually.
Food, Fitness, Faith: Learn and Grow
Food: Don't get stuck on just one type of diet. Try other ways of eating and dieting. It is a lifestyle not a quick fix, allow yourself to grow in understanding what types of foods work best for you to be healthy and fit.
Fitness: Don't always stick to the same exercise routine. Studies have shown that this makes your body actually go into maintenance rather than into weight loss and muscle growth. It can also become boring and even discouraging. Mix it up, see how you can find ways to change what you're doing and see how you react to it.
Faith: Don't get stuck in a spiritual rut. Trust in the Holy Spirit and his guiding. Step forward in faith in trying new things in your faith walk and in reading God's word. Try to find ways to do something new in church or in a bible study or small group.. find new ways to stay true to His Word and learning more about Him and His will for your life.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Know thyself
So, I'm paying for it now. I pushed really hard yesterday and I think a number of my muscles are hurting.. but hopefully in a good way.
Last night, sometime after my workout, as I sat on the couch, muscles hurting a bit, I thought of the line from Hamlet. In the beginning of Hamlet, the adviser to the King named Polonius is giving fatherly advise to his son. He tells him a number of good solid proverbial lines and then says to him "Above all else, to thine own self be true." Why was that going through my mind? Well, first of all, I'm a weirdo and have read Shakespeare's Hamlet about 8 times.. but also because I was wondering if I was really being true to myself.. did I really know myself in my exercising... in other words, did I overestimate what I could do or did I do right by pushing myself.. right now, my muscles are picking the first one over the second one, but I won't really know until a few days down the road.
I think a lot times when we exercise, especially when we're first starting out, we don't know our limitations and we don't know how hard we can push past them. I honestly think that when someone firsts starts exercising (and from what I've read on Yahoo! health, this is correct) you need to start slow and work your way up. If you push hard and not know your limitations, you can burn out quickly and become discouraged or worse, you can seriously hurt yourself in the process. Start small, build yourself up, do short tests to see what you can do, step back, review and then push forward again.
I think this happens a lot in our spiritual walk too. For some just starting out, they go overboard and get involved in so much, get into so much and then get burnt out or worse yet, get hurt spiritually and walk away. In our spiritual walk, we need to understand our own personal limits. The Holy Spirit will lead us and guide us. That is His job, that is what He does. Listen to the Holy Spirit, let Him tell you when to push hard and when to back off. Pray that God helps you see where you need to move forward... and allow God to push you past your limits, don't do it yourself. When we allow God to push us past our limits, then we know we're safe.. but if we push ourselves.. we can get burnt out or worse, spiritual hurt and walk away.
Where in your life does God need to push you past your limits and where in your life do you need to take a step back and review what you're doing and how you can keep things in pace with how much you can do.. but physically in exercise and working out.. but more importantly in your spiritual walk
Last night, sometime after my workout, as I sat on the couch, muscles hurting a bit, I thought of the line from Hamlet. In the beginning of Hamlet, the adviser to the King named Polonius is giving fatherly advise to his son. He tells him a number of good solid proverbial lines and then says to him "Above all else, to thine own self be true." Why was that going through my mind? Well, first of all, I'm a weirdo and have read Shakespeare's Hamlet about 8 times.. but also because I was wondering if I was really being true to myself.. did I really know myself in my exercising... in other words, did I overestimate what I could do or did I do right by pushing myself.. right now, my muscles are picking the first one over the second one, but I won't really know until a few days down the road.
I think a lot times when we exercise, especially when we're first starting out, we don't know our limitations and we don't know how hard we can push past them. I honestly think that when someone firsts starts exercising (and from what I've read on Yahoo! health, this is correct) you need to start slow and work your way up. If you push hard and not know your limitations, you can burn out quickly and become discouraged or worse, you can seriously hurt yourself in the process. Start small, build yourself up, do short tests to see what you can do, step back, review and then push forward again.
I think this happens a lot in our spiritual walk too. For some just starting out, they go overboard and get involved in so much, get into so much and then get burnt out or worse yet, get hurt spiritually and walk away. In our spiritual walk, we need to understand our own personal limits. The Holy Spirit will lead us and guide us. That is His job, that is what He does. Listen to the Holy Spirit, let Him tell you when to push hard and when to back off. Pray that God helps you see where you need to move forward... and allow God to push you past your limits, don't do it yourself. When we allow God to push us past our limits, then we know we're safe.. but if we push ourselves.. we can get burnt out or worse, spiritual hurt and walk away.
Where in your life does God need to push you past your limits and where in your life do you need to take a step back and review what you're doing and how you can keep things in pace with how much you can do.. but physically in exercise and working out.. but more importantly in your spiritual walk
Monday, May 17, 2010
Encouraging each other on
Today at the gym, I bumped into someone from church. We started talking and catching up a bit (hadn't had time to talk and connect for a little while). Then he said something. He said that I'm looking better than I was a year ago. That compliment felt good. In fact, I've had a couple of people in the last five months tell me that they can tell I've lost weight and am looking healthier than I have in the past. And you know what, this has given me energy to keep going. I know I'm doing well. I know I'm on track in staying healthy and being active. And also, each time someone tells me that they think I'm doing well, it makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something.
There's a verse in the letter to the Hebrews that says just that. "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." (http://read.ly/Heb10.24.NIV)
But this doesn't apply to telling someone that their exercise routine is doing them well. It's more than that. When we spur each other on in love and good deeds, we're encouraging one another to keep doing what' their doing for God and His church. It's encouraging each other to keep doing what we're doing.
I think sometimes we forget that it's hard work at times to help and serve others. We can get burnt out. Sometimes we get so focused on what we're doing that we forget why we're doing it.
For me personally, I'm lifting weights because 1) I enjoy it and it's a good way for me to recharge but most importantly 2) for me to be healthy and in good working order so I can be there for my wife, kids, and others. There are times when I just focus on getting the routine done and get going home. Which is kind of where I was this afternoon until someone reminded me why I was doing what I was doing.
Why are you doing what you are doing? Don't forget it. Where are you serving in church, helping someone out, being there for a friend or a family member, don't forget why you're doing it. And encourage one another on in love and good deeds.
Food, Fitness, Faith--Spur each other on!
Food--if you are dieting with someone else, encourage them to keep at it. Tell them what they're doing well and where they're succeeding.
Fitness--If you're exercising with a friend encouraging each other to keep at it especially when it's tough or tiring to keep on going. (as Tony Little says)You can do it!
Faith--the author of Hebrews says it best really "Consider how you may spur each other on in love and good deeds. How can you encourage others in church, in your faith walk to keep doing what they're doing. Build each other up, help each other serve and love others.
There's a verse in the letter to the Hebrews that says just that. "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." (http://read.ly/Heb10.24.NIV)
But this doesn't apply to telling someone that their exercise routine is doing them well. It's more than that. When we spur each other on in love and good deeds, we're encouraging one another to keep doing what' their doing for God and His church. It's encouraging each other to keep doing what we're doing.
I think sometimes we forget that it's hard work at times to help and serve others. We can get burnt out. Sometimes we get so focused on what we're doing that we forget why we're doing it.
For me personally, I'm lifting weights because 1) I enjoy it and it's a good way for me to recharge but most importantly 2) for me to be healthy and in good working order so I can be there for my wife, kids, and others. There are times when I just focus on getting the routine done and get going home. Which is kind of where I was this afternoon until someone reminded me why I was doing what I was doing.
Why are you doing what you are doing? Don't forget it. Where are you serving in church, helping someone out, being there for a friend or a family member, don't forget why you're doing it. And encourage one another on in love and good deeds.
Food, Fitness, Faith--Spur each other on!
Food--if you are dieting with someone else, encourage them to keep at it. Tell them what they're doing well and where they're succeeding.
Fitness--If you're exercising with a friend encouraging each other to keep at it especially when it's tough or tiring to keep on going. (as Tony Little says)You can do it!
Faith--the author of Hebrews says it best really "Consider how you may spur each other on in love and good deeds. How can you encourage others in church, in your faith walk to keep doing what they're doing. Build each other up, help each other serve and love others.
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