Old School Feel

It's been a bit, but I finally started hitting the gym again. It's strange, really. I got so used to the gym back in the Chicago area. The equipment was newish, and was about to be upgraded to brand-spankin new shortly after I left. The free weight station was good, solid new equipment. The machines were in good shape, a bit worn, but up to date. I had my groove in place. I knew what to use, how to use it and what I could handle.

But now I'm at a new gym. It's an old school style. The equipment is good and solid but olderish. And it's not as crowded and so I've done most my workouts alone. Now, I'm a big advocate for having a spotter and workout partner, or at least having someone around. But I also know what I'm doing and have the safeties in place.

It's not that the gym is bad, it's different from what I'm used to. Don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing Old School gyms in the least. Some of the greatest body builders of all time and some celebrity body builders too (Hulk Hogan, Arnold "The Govenator" Schwarzeneggner to name two) have come from the Old School style of lifting. And there've been many greats who have come from a new method of working out.

But the problem comes when you lift Old School over New School and vice versa. There are many lifting books out that are touting that we need to go back to Old School lifting. And there are other books out that bring forth the latest in exercise science in weight training. Both have their merits and their problems. Somewhere a good balance can be found and used to be effective in lifting and weight training.

Recently, I've started pastoring a church here in South Dakota. To be honest (and I'm not putting anything down at all, I love the place) it has that Old School feel. Old School isn't bad. It's different. I'm trying to get used to it. I'm trying to get used to how it works, how it functions, what's available to be done and what I need to improvise on. The church here in Corsica is a good solid body of belivers who have a solid foundation--Old School and good. I came from a different area. Not cutting edge but different. And it was also good.

I do know this--since moving out to South Dakota, I've placed 3 inches around my waist and 20 lbs on me. That I don't like. I'm trying to get my self motivated again to hit the weights. I miss it. I need it. I don't want to gain weight spiritually. And I know that there is strength in the Old School I am at. Good. Solid. Strong. And I like that.

This is all new to me. But I'm looking forward to building up with them, Old School style and finding our way in Serving God and doing his kingdom work here in Corsica, SD.

Confession Time

I'm pastoring a great church right now--Corsica CRC and Grace Reformed. Two denominations (CRC and RCA) but one congregation. When we worship at Grace, we have a time called God's Guide for Living. Two weeks ago, I read from 1 John where it says, if we confess our sins, he will forgive us. I have a confession to make. I haven't been as healthy as I should be as of late. I haven't been eating the way I know I should be, I haven't been working out--at all! And I'm feeling it. I'm feeling bogged down, I'm feeling frustrated, I'm feeling, I don't know, bleh. I know I don't like how I'm feeling, yet I don't do anything about it.

I wonder if this is how it feels when we don't confess. My wife took out the garbage from the kitchen this morning because I (again) forgot to take it out. I'm wondering, is it the same thing as not working out or not confessing. If you don't take out the garbage, after a while it builds up and stinks. You know it's not good to have it out all the time, you know you need to get rid of it, you know you need to dispose of it and give it over to the garbage man, but you still don't.

If we confess, he will forgive. So, I'm confessing. I'm not working out the way I should and I'm I think I'm feeling it physically, emotionally and spiritually. I'd lift, do devotions, focus, clear out my self, and give to God and be ready for the day, the week... now, not so much. And yet I don't do ANYTHING with it. It just sits there. I haven't even gone into the weight room I set up because I just feel guilty about not doing anything. So, I think about trying it again, and then I hear Yoda in my mind "there is do and do not, there is not try." So, yeah.. well.. still gotta do it before the garbage piles up too high

Golden Silence

Yesterday I finally had a chance to work out. It'd been a few days and I was missing it. As I've said a number of times, It's part of how I recharge and how I refocus. And I hadn't lifted in about a week and I was feeling it. So, finally, work done, house empty save for me and my bench. I went to the basement with my iPod, portable speakers, water bottle and a whole lot of lifting to do.

As I started lifting, my portable speakers stopped. I had a choice: stop the rhythm I had gotten into and get my headphones or exercise in silence. I opted for silence. I noticed something, Time stopped. It was just me. Nothing else. Just me. I'm not used to that. I'm used to noise--weights dropping, people talking, music blasting. But now, nothing.

I took that a step forward later that evening. I stopped. I remained quiet. The words "Be still and know that I am God." started flowing through my mind.

In our spiritual walk, we need times of just silence. I'm not talking about emptying out yourself. We need time to just stop, listen, think. Allow time to stop and just exist in the presence of God. Focus on him. Listen to him.

I gotta do both again.

Spiritual Exercises

For the longest time, I'd go hit the gym and then come back and maybe read a little bit of the Bible, maybe a short devotional and maybe even pray. Maybe. I wanted to make sure I hit the gym before I did anything else. Recently, I've changed that. I've been instead, taking time in the morning to exercise spiritually before exercising physically. It is a different experience.

I've learned that in weight lifting, and in any and all exercise routines you have, you get out of it what you put into it. You cannot gain muscle mass without working out. You can't get better at running if you do not keep it up. And you can struggle spiritually if you do not constantly come to God in prayer.

Now, when it comes to constantly being in prayer, I'm not saying that this means all will be okay, that all your problems will be fixed. I'm saying is how you deal with things will be different. A lot different. How you deal with setbacks, how you deal with joys, how you deal with God will be different. But you get out of it what you put into it. If you just give a quick short prayer and that's it, then you're not getting out much. If you just do a long prayer once a week, you're not getting out much.

Try this, work on your spiritual muscles and health the same way you might work on your physical health. Set aside time and come to God in prayer. Start out slowly as you would in weight lifting or running. Then progress further. You can do short times of prayer mixed in with longer times in prayer. Short times trying to understand God through reading the Bible, and long times. But start small and work your way up. And if you've been away from it for an extended amount of time, don't start off where you were last time, go back to the basics and move forward from there again.

I truly think that our spiritual health is just as important as our physical and emotional health. All three need to be worked on, maintained and continued to move forward.

Be Still

I do one of four things when I get anxious or nervous. I lift weights, I hit the punching bag, I go for a walk or I munch on junk food. Since May 25, I have been anxious. I interviewed for a position as pastor for two churches in Corsica, SD. An amazing place. But I became anxious. What if they didn't like me? What if I did something to blow the interview? What if? What if? What if? And so I hit the gym, I lifted weights. I hit the bag and worked on my "boxing" skills. I went for walks and contemplated what God might have in store. But I also ate. Too much. I was able to compensate with my exercise but after a while I realized I was just making excuses for myself. And then my bag and weight bench were packed and moved...and I munched.

On June 27, I was offered the position. On July 3, I accepted. I wish I could say that my anxiety calmed. It didn't. I think it got worse. I wish there was a way to say that I found the perfect answer to calm my anxiety. I don't. Not in the least. But I have learned something.

Since we've arrived here in town, I've been praying a lot more. A lot lot more. And one line from Psalm 46 has been going through my head "Be still and know that I am God, I will be honored amongst the nations." I still have my anxiety, but I also need to stay still. Be still, listen to God's voice, his caring touch on the shoulder, leading and guiding.

There is something bigger than myself out there. And he is in charge. Be still, I hear him tell me, and I will take care of it. Be still, and understand that there are bigger things.

Health is so important to me both physical and spiritual. I've learned over the last few years that my physical health is tied into my spiritual health and vice versa. And so, I must be still. Come to my Father in prayer and listen to him, not just gab but truly, completely, listen and be still.

while on a break

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...

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.