This past four months has been full of much soul searching and evaluating my life which is causing some refocusing for me. I am comparing life to a football game which consists of four quarters. I am realizing that I am in the middle of the third quarter. I have moved out of half time and need to be focusing on finishing the second half well.
My health issues this year have been like my coach pulling me out of the game and sitting me down on the bench and giving me a good talking to about my approach to the game. Here is some of the instruction I have gotten.
Son, if you don't quickly begin to focus on health then your not going to be able to finish the game. Your body (the tool that it is) will not be able to withstand the rigors of the game anymore. If you don't learn to say no to greasy foods like cheese fries and chicken fried steak and cheeseburgers then your body will not perform for you anymore. So I have traded in chicken fried steak for grilled chicken salads. I have traded in tacos and fries for breakfast for a protein shake. I have traded in my cheeseburgers for turkey on wheat w honey mustard.
Son, if you don't exercise for health you can't expect your body to act healthy. The reason it is not performing is you are not exercising it right. Adrenaline can only last so long before many pieces of the body give out. So I have begun running 2 miles at least three times a week and lifting weights at least twice a week. The others days I am trying to walk as exercise.
Son, if you don't exercise your heart with the thoughts and attitudes it needs, your heart will wear out. A quaility life depends upon how your heart is. As proverbs says "Guard your heart with all diligence for out of it flow the issues of life". More specifically you have to meditate on God's word day and night. This will direct your heart to the healthiest desires and thoughts it can have. They will be kingdom thoughts and kingdom desires. They as much as anything can bring you health. -- So I have set a goal of reading a minimum of two chapters of the word each day. And I have begun a blog on the gospel of John to keep up with some of the things I am learning and to help me focus on a specific book of the Bible.
Son, if you just live to survive, if you just live to take care of today, you will get weary quickly. You will live wanting to give up. Live with a transcendent cause. Live for something bigger than yourself. Live to leave kingdom legacies on the earth. Live to prop up other men and women and their gifts and ministries. This is a cause worth giving effort for. This is a cause worth being disciplined for because it gives glory to the giver of Life, the Lord Jesus Christ.
So I have been sidelined. I am on a blood thinner right now which slows me down whether I like it or not. Since I am a doer it has been hard to be slowed down, but good as I am learning the importance of being consistent with my coaches advice so that I can live on with the health I need to finish the full game, all four quarters, and to be able to say I ran the race well, I finished the fight and to further hear my coach say "Well done son, you listened and you learned, and you have completed the task on the earth you have been created for."
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Can we change ?
How do we change ? Modern Psychology says we gain a cognitive understanding of what is wrong and make right choices to correct the problem. In others words we get the right thought track and change our doing. I think in the church we take this tact also. We find five steps to change our habits.
I think we see a different pattern in the Word of God. It is true that we must think differently and that thinking differently we change who we are which in turn changes our actions. What is missing too often in the equation though is that the only way to change is through a relationship. It is a relationship that has the power to affect change in us. It is a relationship with a master mentor. Someone with all wisdom to help us. Our change doesn't come in our putting some new thoughts in our mind. Our change comes as we get in relationship with God himself and begin to think His thoughts. We begin to get to know Him and how He thinks and how He is. In the context of that relationship we begin to change. We begin to grow in wholeness and health in all parts of our being.
The key is to think, be, and then do in context of a relationship with God.
I think we see a different pattern in the Word of God. It is true that we must think differently and that thinking differently we change who we are which in turn changes our actions. What is missing too often in the equation though is that the only way to change is through a relationship. It is a relationship that has the power to affect change in us. It is a relationship with a master mentor. Someone with all wisdom to help us. Our change doesn't come in our putting some new thoughts in our mind. Our change comes as we get in relationship with God himself and begin to think His thoughts. We begin to get to know Him and how He thinks and how He is. In the context of that relationship we begin to change. We begin to grow in wholeness and health in all parts of our being.
The key is to think, be, and then do in context of a relationship with God.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Update 04/01/08
This has been an interesting season in my life to say the least. I have had a serious illness that causes problems to my spleen and put me in the hospital for 10 days in December. The doctors could not find a cause for my problem and since that time I have been on a blood thinner. The blood thinner makes me tired often and quickly. During my time in the hospital which was rough both emotionally and physically the Lord has strongly had me focus more on health in my life.
In recent years I had allowed eating what I wanted and not exercising become a habit, as well as not being daily in the word. It has been impressed upon me that HEALTH, both physically and spiritually needed to become an emphasis in my life.
I began in the hospital and have since been focused on HEALTH as a goal in my life. I am trying to read at least two chapters in the Bible each day. Along with that I am studying through the Gospel of John. I started a blog to help me record what God is showing me and what I am learning in John. On the food side my diet has changed dramatically. In the three months since I have been out of the hospital I have eaten two pieces of red meat (so no hamburgers). I am eating salads frequently and fruit. I usually start the day with a power smoothie comprised of whey protein isolate and soy protein isolate, lecithin, probiotics, apple vinegar, glucosamine, msm, flax oil, safflower oil, bananas and fruit mixed in orange juice. Ummmm doesn't that sound good. It actually doesn't taste too bad and helps me get all those good items my body needs to start a day. I have had no butter in three months. I am eating whole wheat breads. I am eating non fat yogurt semi frequently. I have taken almost all fried foods out of my diet. Turkey and chicken breast are the usual meats I have.
HEALTH take more discipline but is a good thing. I've lost about 30 pounds in three months and am working out at the gym three to four times a week. I didn't realize 40 year olds could still have actual defined muscle. I try and get on the treadmill or elliptical each time out at the gym and do some weight training.
more later . . .
In recent years I had allowed eating what I wanted and not exercising become a habit, as well as not being daily in the word. It has been impressed upon me that HEALTH, both physically and spiritually needed to become an emphasis in my life.
I began in the hospital and have since been focused on HEALTH as a goal in my life. I am trying to read at least two chapters in the Bible each day. Along with that I am studying through the Gospel of John. I started a blog to help me record what God is showing me and what I am learning in John. On the food side my diet has changed dramatically. In the three months since I have been out of the hospital I have eaten two pieces of red meat (so no hamburgers). I am eating salads frequently and fruit. I usually start the day with a power smoothie comprised of whey protein isolate and soy protein isolate, lecithin, probiotics, apple vinegar, glucosamine, msm, flax oil, safflower oil, bananas and fruit mixed in orange juice. Ummmm doesn't that sound good. It actually doesn't taste too bad and helps me get all those good items my body needs to start a day. I have had no butter in three months. I am eating whole wheat breads. I am eating non fat yogurt semi frequently. I have taken almost all fried foods out of my diet. Turkey and chicken breast are the usual meats I have.
HEALTH take more discipline but is a good thing. I've lost about 30 pounds in three months and am working out at the gym three to four times a week. I didn't realize 40 year olds could still have actual defined muscle. I try and get on the treadmill or elliptical each time out at the gym and do some weight training.
more later . . .
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