SOUL CLEANSE- Dec 17

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” Hebrews 5:12-14

As a year’s end rapidly approaches, I get a little retrospective. I was looking over my 2014 resolutions and was disappointed in the general lack of accomplishment. I was particularly disappointed with the progress toward my body weight goal.

I was 200 pounds at the beginning of 2014. My goal was to be 186 pounds at the close of this year.

I exercised more consistently this year than I have in my entire life. I ran more miles than I have ever run. I pedaled over more asphalt than I have ever cycled before. I followed the black line in my pool lane, lap after lap, for more laps than I thought possible (for me). I did the Jilian Michaels Body Revolution and P90X3.  I took a fitness test and it said that I have the fitness level of a 21 year old.

Yet, I was 204 pounds as of November 1^st.

I know  I have put on muscle but that only explains a portion of my weight gain. My bathroom mirror exposes a lot of things, including the myth behind my rationalizations. The reservoir of fat that accumulates above the dam of my belt has persistently survived through the drought that I sought to subject it to. The reality is that the drought was not as severe as it needed to be. I no longer have the metabolism of a twenty-nothing. I can’t eat whatever I want and just workout a little more to stay lean.

My weight is a frustration because I do not eat excessively. I don’t drink carbonated-sugar colas or snack on junk food.  I have only an occasional dessert. My only meal of substance is dinner. Yet, the weight has persisted through a year of consistent exercise.

2014 has conclusively taught me that if I want to be lean then I have to watch both the quantity and quality of what I eat.

Therefore, my wife and I decided to treat ourselves to an early Christmas present – a Vitamix  and  Dr Oz’s two-week cleanse. My diet has been replaced by fruits and vegetables with a little bit (6 oz.) of protein for dinner. That is not very much.

However, this initial phase has been enlightening as to how much our grocery shopping has had to change. Our refrigerator crisper is now overflowing with produce that is actually eaten before it has a chance to rot; frozen fruit and Greek yogurt has replaced the ice cream.

When we made this concerted effort to refrain from our normal diet, we were able to access how many compromises were being made in what we consumed. They had not been huge compromises, but they all accumulate – right above my belt to be precise.

In general, we have been consuming the better rather than the best.

So far, I am very pleased with the results of our Christmas present. I am down to 196 lbs and 186 lbs seems possible by the time the 2015 triathlon and cycling season starts.

As I stared into my bathroom mirror and giggled in frustration the deposits that I hope will be gone by spring, I wondered about the fitness level of my soul. I live in a world with many very good things, a lot of neutral things, and a whole plethora of bad things. I take into my mind a regular diet that feeds my soul.

I believe that we can be spiritually fit with chunky souls.

We may know the basic principles of God.
We may be secure in the elementary doctrines of Christ.
We may  be steadily maturing in our faith.
Yet, we still retain that persistent “baby fat” of an immature follower of Christ.

Is your soul lean? Mature faith is lean faith

What is the diet of your soul?

Are you feeding your soul the solid food of the mature believer or the milk of the immature?

Is your diet filled with the things of the Spirit or the compromises of the flesh?

I believe it is good to do a periodic spiritual cleanse. When we make a concerted effort to refrain from the normal diet of what we allow into our minds, we are able to access how many compromises we make in our soul’s diet. These compromises might be sinful, but they don’t have to be. We may have merely substituted the better for the best. Compromises don’t have to be huge but they can accumulate to pull our eyes off of Christ and make us spiritually fat.  I believe that this process of stepping back and assessing what we let into our minds is instrumental in allowing the Spirit to train our souls to discern between good and evil.

Let us not settle for the better. Let us push on to the best. Let us push on to maturity with a diet that will feed a lean soul, fit for the work of our Lord.

PRAYER: Father, you have been so good to me.  Thank you for my faith.  Thank you for the maturity that you lead me in through your Spirit.  Father, teach me discernment.  Show me the difference between good and evil, better and best.   Lord, give me a desire to have a lean faith.  Give me an appetite for the things of you rather than the things of this world.  I pray this in the precious name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DISCOVERING THE BIGGEST LOSER – Nov 6

“God settles the solitary in a home…” Psalm 68:6a

I recently returned from a business trip to the Los Angles, California area. Like many business trips,  I found myself with an afternoon departure time leaving me with a long morning of free time.  Since I was going to be lingering through a day, I decided to do my lounging outside the confines of TSA.  My client had mentioned the Santa Monica Mountain National Recreation Area. Since I collect National Park lapel pins, I decided to take this opportunity to collect another. Therefore, I weaved my way along the Ventura Freeway amongst the morning commuters and a rising California sun to the Park visitor center. This visit was unique to other parks I have visited due to the solitary of the experience. I pulled my rental car under a shade canopy in the visitor center parking lot. Mine was the singular vehicle occupying a space designed for many. I got out of the car and looked for other visitors. There were none. I was the only visitor on this morning. I perused the exhibits of the visitor center and learned that I was on the King Gillette Ranch. This had been a ranch commissioned by King Camp Gillette, of the Gillette razor fame and fortune, as a “paradise on earth, California style” in the late 1920’s. I meandered from the Visitor Center along a nature trail lined with native plants, intent on working my way to see the Gillette Ranch House. In typical California fashion, the trail did not lead to the Gillette ranch house so I had drive. I found my way to yet another parking lot only this one was filled with cars. While I now parked with other cars, the atmosphere was still unsettling due to the absences of people. I wandered toward the buildings in search of King Gillette’s California styled paradise. Oddly, all of the buildings appeared to be in some sort of administrative use. There were no tourist directions or information kiosks. “Very strange”, I thought as I slowly gazed across the campus from the steps of its largest building, wondering what I should do. That was when I saw a young lady, hustling fawn-like, across the grass expanse disappearing down a trail on the opposite side. I considered returning to my car and heading back to the airport, since I had no idea what lay down the trail she traveled. However, she looked intent so I decided to follow my new “Mrs. Tumnus” and explore this rather drought stricken caricature of paradise. She led me under a grove of oaks and down a slightly descending trail. The tree canopy diffused the intensity of the sun but the appearance of activity ahead was still cloaked behind the glare particular to California. I could make out approximately a dozen people milling about as I strolled closer but that was not what focused my attention. It was the cameras. There were four cameras; two sets each focused on separate points of interest. I quickly stopped because the path  I was on was going to take me directly across their back-sight. I looped around to another trail that took me further away from the activity but still let me investigate what was going on. I immediately knew what was occurring from the voice that rushed across the woodland. “C’mon, pick up that jump rope. Two minutes; start…now!”, I had to restrain myself from instinctively jumping in-place. Jillian Michaels, the tormentor of my basement workouts, was leading a workout of two hapless fellows. My wife and I had filled our winter mornings doing the Jillian’s Body Revolution.  Therefore, I knew that voice and right there in front of me stood the rather small body of that distinctively large voice. As I looked closer, there was Bob Harper over in the corner, having an intimate discussion with one of his competitors that did not look as intimate with two cameras peering over their shoulders. I looked around me and saw a beige building with “Biggest Loser” sprawled across its entrance. I had stumbled upon the filming of an episode of the Biggest Loser. This may have been the Gillette Ranch but it is now more famous as the Biggest Loser Ranch. I pulled out my cell phone and started taking pictures, which drew the attention of an official looking individual. He approached me and inquired as to whether I was “with the show”. When he discovered that I lacked the appropriate credentials, he informed me that they could not allow me to be taking pictures. I apologized but when we continued to stare awkwardly at each other, I realized that my presence was not entirely welcome. So, I decided that it probably was time to head back to the airport rather than participating in a game of “catch me if you can” around the Biggest Loser ranch. Once I was back in the secured confines of the Burbank airport, I reflected upon how cool my little adventure had been. The unexpected surprise revealed from following “Mrs. Tumnus” provided an enjoyment, whose memory still engenders a smile within me. I would never have had the fun of discovery if I had not taken the initiative to do something different. You just never know what you might stumble upon when you explore beyond your security zones. A quick inspection of my life reveals a busy mind hard at work constructing a myriad of security zones. However, they are not really for security, but more for comfort. My tendency is toward the comfortable solitary.

My preference has been to read a book at the airport rather than explore the unfamiliar.

I cringe when confronted with social mingling in its various forms.

I would rather have on one real conversation than twenty superficial discussions of the weather.

I have turned from gatherings due to the absence of an insider to make my introduction.

I have curiously watched many a “Mrs. Tumnus” walk over a ridge into the unfamiliar and merely returned to the security zone of a known life.

I have written about being an introvert before (Hello, My Name is JD and I’m an Introvert). Yet, I still find it an embarrassing admission that even now with so many gray hairs in my beard, my actions can still be dominated by such a childlike preoccupation with self. My little surprise in the Santa Monica mountains reminded me that while it is fine to be an introvert (I needed my own blog to preach that back to me) there might just be wonderful discoveries just beyond the safe boundaries that we have established for our self-esteem. Maybe, the curious draw of the “Mr. Tumnus” or “Mrs. Tumnus” that we encounter is really the Spirit leading us to an enjoyment that will bring a lasting smiling to our hearts.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for giving me a little surprise in the Santa Monica mountains.  Thank you for for encouraging me to go beyond my comfort zone while reassuring me that there is nothing wrong with me.  Lord, please make this disposition to be with people that you have given me be a blessing to others.  Lord, lead me to the wonderful surprises you have awaiting.  I pray this in the precious name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen

“BEING SPECIAL” – Oct 22

“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30

AirmanMagazine / Foter / CC BY-NC

With one last pull of my arm, I glided to the end of the pool, my other arm extended in front of me.  Now, that was a good swim.  I had just completed 2,000 yards of swimming without stopping.  I had considered doing some shorter sets due to how I had started my day.

The days have been getting shorter, which has affected by workout routine.  The sunrise no longer quick enough in chasing the night away for me to squeeze in a morning run before I have to leave for work.  Therefore, my wife and I have returned to Jillian.  We are back to doing the Jillian Michaels 90 day Body Revolution.

Doing an upper body, weight training workout in the morning is not performance enhancing for a lunch hour swim.  My satisfaction in my 2,000 yard swim stemmed from overcoming this new workout schedule.  I felt the effects of Jillian’s super-sets, 5 laps into my swim.  I could feel the energy drain from my shoulders on every pull.  The tightness in my triceps made keeping my elbows high a challenge.  I wanted to quit at 10 laps.  I was very glad that I pushed through for another 30 laps.  I did not have a great time but that was not the point.

I was feeling pretty good about myself as I bobbed at the edge of the pool.  I was the only lap swimmer in the pool.  I shared the pool with a group of intellectually disabled (ID) swimmers who come to enjoy the pool once a week.  After a short recovery, I pulled myself out of the pool.  My upper body was shot but the benefit was that I had a pretty good pump going.

istolethetv / Foter / CC BY

I admit that I was being rather vain as I admired my muscles.  I had pretty good definition in my shoulders.  I could see a distinct diamond in my triceps and I could discern a shadow of a vein in my bicep.  The excavation of my abdominals, while still incomplete was showing the ripple of a couple ribs so that was encouraging.

I probably peacocked a little bit as I headed into the shower.  I had just got all sudded up, still enjoying vainness of my pump, when I noticed someone walking through the shower.  I was in the process of washing the soap off of my head when this interloper spoke.  The water flowing over my head prevented me from hearing him clearly but it sounded like he said something about the Olympics.  “Well that is cool, he must think I’m of Olympic quality”, is what I thought but in my heart I knew that could not be.

I swiped the water from my head with a back of the head to chin motion.  My lack of immediate response motivated my admirer to repeat himself, only louder.  This time his question echoed through the shower, “Are you in the Special Olympics?”

Lost in vanity, my immediate response was a surge of indignation rushing up my spine.  In a flash, my mind raced through all the implications of this obvious insult.  Why would this guy think I was in the Special Olympics?  He must have meant, “Am I WITH the Special Olympics” maybe a coach, but that is not what he said.  He said, “Are you IN the Special Olympics?”  Where is he going with this?  Regardless of his motivation, I squared up to my intruder in a move of unreasonable machismo.

I took one more swipe across my eyes to clear my vision as I blurted out, an incredulous “what?”  In an instant, I felt rather foolish.  Standing across from me was a man in his mid-twenties.  He was over-weight with stooped shoulders that shrunk his 6’-3” frame.  He repeated himself again, “Are you in the Special Olympics?” with an innocent and sincere face that acknowledged that he was intending to compliment me.

I laughed to myself as I said, “no.”  I asked him if he had been in the Special Olympics because I now recognized that he was part of the ID group that I regular shared the pool.  I was quickly awash in his effusion of words explaining that he indeed was a Special Olympian and that he had won several events.  I smiled at his joy of participating in the Special Olympics and realized that, for him, there was no greater accomplishment than to be a Special Olympian.  My vanity vanished in the delight of this Special Olympian as I praised him of his accomplishments.

This little experience reminded me of how much we can miss due to our vanity.  I could have dismissed this young man based on a misunderstanding of an unintended insult.  I would have missed the blessing of his joy.  He would have missed being encouraged.  We both would have lost if my vanity had won.

Vanity emerges in so many aspects of our lives:

Preoccupation with our image,
Demonstrations of strength for the sole purpose of strength,
Bound to the home with the chains of imperfect make-up,
Demanding the fashionable,
Shouting to be heard,
Spewing sarcasm to be witty,
Logging deserved praise and inadvertent slights,
Relegating hospitality to a dust layer.

What are we afraid of?  Are we afraid that someone will view our Olympic caliber efforts as “Special”?  No one can withstand the relentless pressure of public opinion.  Living for the opinions of peers is like sitting in a pressure vessel at the bottom of the ocean.  The slightest crack in our façade allows all of those feared opinions to rush in and crush a fragile and vain self-image.

Everyone will eventually succumb to the pressure.

No matter how hard I work out, age will have its way with my physic.  My hair will eventually gray and fall out.  My skin will wrinkle and sag.  My world will fall apart if it is based upon other people’s opinion of my appearance, intelligence, abilities or anything else.  If I allow people to get too close, they will eventually see that I am not perfect.

Consider what has to be sacrificed to the pressures of vanity and the fear of human opinion.

God’ opinion is so much more important than any man’s.  Therefore, it is God whose opinion we should be concerned about.  Freedom from the pressure of our peers comes when we remember that we don’t need to worry about other people’s vain opinions.

We cannot please God and man.

Everyone must pick who they will live to please.

Everyone must decide whose negative opinion they will fear.

PRAYER: Lord, forgive me for being so vain.  Forgive me for often letting my vanity keep me from blessing other people.  You are the one whose displeasure I fear.  Help be to remember who I am in You.  Help me to value what you are making me into more than what the world wants me to be.  My hope is in you and not the opinions of my peers.  May all I do be pleasing to you.    I pray this in the precious name of your Son,  Jesus Christ.   Amen.