Omega

The Bible speaks of God as the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.  When I began this blogging journey it was with a biblical reference to Genesis as a beginning.  Thus it is fitting that I would close it with the Omega reference as an ending.

Since 2015 I have poured out a lot of thoughts on life, and many of them have been centered around the theme of simplicity.  Today I choose to take some of my own medicine, and simplify.

The thoughts I have shared weekly have been at most times a joy, but recently it has begun to seem more like just an additional item to check from my list.  Today I choose to simplify in a small way by taking the step of ending this journey of Workout Your Faith.  My heart and mind are no longer aligned to continue.

I am thankful for all those who have read these musings for nearly 3 years, and the amazing feedback from many.  However, it is time, and I am finished.  Best wishes as you continue to Workout Your Faith, and I hope as the Bible states that you will do it, "with fear and trembling."

Time and Lack of It

For most of my adult life, and especially since my daughter was born, I have been a proponent of not over-scheduling.  Something of a "less is more" advocate you might say.  How then is it that I feel like I have fallen "off the wagon" so to speak with my time management recently?

To begin answering my own question, life is hard, and we have so many things coming at us that we often don't realize just how full we are loading our plates until we feel the overwhelm.  That is where I am today.  I feel a little of the overwhelm, and some of it is not strictly my own, but a nice portion vicariously for my wife and daughter as well.  We each have a lot going on in our lives, as do you I'm quite sure.  The question becomes, how much of it is necessary, and how much have we chosen as excess and how much of the excess is truly too much?

This brings us back to that tried and true topic of priorities.  Yes, I'm going there!  Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines priority as:

Definition of priority

plural priorities

1a (1) : the quality or state of being prior 

(2) : precedence in date or position of publication—used of taxa

b (1) : superiority in rank, position, or privilege 

(2) : legal precedence in exercise of rights over the same subject matter

2: a preferential rating; especially : one that allocates rights to goods and services usually in limited supply 

• that project has top priority

: something given or meriting attention before competing alternatives

Do we really set priorities?  This is a question we must grapple with if we indeed want to master the allocation of our time.  Currently I would say that I am failing, but less miserably than most.  How about you?  Are you setting your life up around a small number of priorities?  If so, then that is fabulous.  My guess however, is that you are not, and that you are working hard to keep your head above water trying to do it all.  Am I right?

Today take a moment and rediscover what is important to you.  Find those few building blocks that need to be in place as a foundation upon which you build the rest of your activity.  I can't speak to what this will look like for you, but here are a few suggestions from my own self-examination:

1. Faith - there should be time in each and every day to practice and express your faith.  Nothing can bring you back to your essence quite like recognizing that God provides for our needs, and sustains us on our journey.
2. Family - recognize the value of those who are closest to you, and build one another up with love, understanding, and encouragement.  When this building block is neglected your foundation will assuredly be shaky.
3. Fitness - again a foundational issue.  We cannot function at the high levels we desire when we don't take care of the machine (our mind and body).  As someone who deals with chronic illness I now recognize this more than ever, and to be honest this has been one of my greatest recent struggles.  Understand your body, and the phrase "your health is your wealth".  Recently I have forgotten this and made too many poor choices.  I have seen it revealed in some of my numbers, known it in my mind, and excused it to my own detriment.  Don't make this mistake.  I am personally re-committing to finding the joy of improved health and hope that you will too.  Let's do this together.
4. Finance - Yes this old bugaboo is troublesome for most of us.  Take a few minutes today to sit and do a financial inventory to see where you are in this area of life as well.  Finances can be a huge stressor for us affecting each of the three other building blocks listed before it.  Most of us are not wealthy by the "American Dream" standard, and many of us struggle to keep the right balance in this area between living for today and planning for tomorrow.  We should remember though that just by virtue of being an American we are wealthy by the standards of most of the world.

Yes these four come up over and over again as some of the top building blocks for creating a life that rocks!  I encourage you, and remind myself, to take a look, fine tune, and Make Today Great!

Agents of Change

Yesterday was a beautiful day across Arkansas and my family and I enjoyed it in the Little Rock area.  As the afternoon grew toward evening we spent a little bit of time walking around the Arkansas State Capitol grounds.  There we found flowering trees in bloom, the distinctive architecture of the Capitol structure and the several memorials spread across the property to be quite interesting and beautiful.

Among the various memorials was one that was quite striking.  Pictured above is a sculpture of "The Little Rock Nine."  This group of 9 students bravely walked a path that no student had walked before as they were the first African-American students to enroll at Little Rock Central High School.  Their entry into the school was a national, if not international news story, which stirred emotions and involved not only police but National Guardsmen, and a power struggle between the Arkansas governor, and the President of the United States.

These brave young people paved the way for others of their time, and for generations to come, to be afforded the dignity of a full and equal education as they were integrated into Central High.  These young lives served as agents of change in a society that didn't know that it was ready, and in need of, such change.  So it is with so many others, perhaps not on this grand of a stage, but on whatever stage they may be cast.  Change never comes easy, and often evokes emotion, or extracts a high price in the short run.  Change, however, is necessary. 

There is only one thing that is unchanging and that is God's love for us.  God offers us stability in changing times, and is a refuge for the believer.  

The Lord will also be

a refuge for the oppressed,

a refuge in times of trouble.

Psalm 9:9

God expects us, His children, to be agents of change as we walk through this world.  He knows that from the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, up until Jesus returns in glory, there will be a constant need for change.  With the propensity of man to seek pleasure in sin and to spurn the will of God, there would be a need for faithful folks to take up the call of faith.  The Christian agent of change is actually quite paradoxical, in that we change by seeking to stay the same.  We hold a course, in Christ, that doesn't waver and becomes attractive to those with an honest heart who seek shelter from the storms of life that are exacerbated by the powerful consequences of our poor choices.

Though the Christian is spiritually set apart, we are not perfect and do endure storms in our lives.  The difference makes all the difference.  We walk through these storms with a hope that rings eternal.  It is the dignity and the convictions of our faith that make others take note.  Today can you as my brother or sister in Christ be an agent of change?  Stand firm in your convictions and share your hope.  Through this maybe you can spark change in the soul of another, leading them to the place of refuge in the Lord.  If you will choose this path, then that is a fundamental way to Make Today Great!

The New Man

Life is full of struggles both great and small.  Some struggle with their health, others with relationships, and yet others with their finances.  The struggle is REAL!  The struggle is a part of the human condition.

The struggle doesn't have to be debilitating.  Yes, you heard me right our struggles don't have to be debilitating.  There is hope beyond the struggle.  It comes through our faith.

There is a section of Ephesians chapter 4 in the New King James version of the Bible which has a heading of "The New Man".  

 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,  having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;  who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

 But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

I just want to say a few things about this passage.  The first thing is in that very first verse where it says that we shouldn't walk as the Gentiles, "in the futility of their mind".  Do you see that word futility?  That is a strong word.  Futility is what we feel when we feel powerless or that what we are doing is useless or meaningless, that is futility.  This passage says we don't have to feel that way with God.  Hallelujah for that!

The next thing I want to point out is a little further into the passage where it says, " who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness."  There is a lot for us to ponder in this section.  I want to zero in on that phrase, "being past feeling."  That is when Satan feels that he has you securely in his grasp.  He wants the struggles of this world to overtake you into that sense of desperation to the point where you feel defeated and nothing more matters.  It is precisely at this point when many give up and no longer even try to walk by faith.  However, if we will reach out God will be there and He can and will restore our hope.

The final thing I want to leave you with is found in the phrase, "and be renewed in the spirit of your mind."  The mind they say is a powerful thing, and scripture speaks to it repeatedly.  If you are in the depths of struggle look for opportunities to renew your mind.  What does this really mean?  Change your way of thinking.  The mind is the ultimate sponge with a tremendous capacity.  Think about that sponge you may have under your sink or in your garage.  When it has been in pure water and you squeeze it what will come out?  Pure water.  Likewise, when it has been run through the muck and the mire or muddy water what will come out under the pressure of that squeeze?  Muddy, dirty water.  Our mind works that same way.  We need to begin filling it with the good, the pure, and the positive.  We know that we are going to be put to the test, under pressure.  If we will renew our minds by continually choosing to fill it with the good then as we face the pressures and challenges of life the old and dirty can be expelled in favor of the new, the pure, and the good.  This is when we prove ourselves to be living like the passage is titled, "The New Man."

This week take bold steps to renew your mind and find "The New Man" within you.  If you do, then you will Make Today Great!

Valuing Others

As humans, and particularly Americans, we tend to put a value on everything.  Typically that value is measured in economic terms.  Is that the proper model for viewing other individuals, or ourselves?

As Christians we should value one another as God values us, not in economic terms, but rather in relational terms.  Genesis 1:26 tells us that we are all created in the image of God.  This alone makes us very special in his view, and should be a cornerstone for how we relate to one another.  In the book of John we are told:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another;

as I have loved you, that you also may love one another.  By this

all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

John 13:34-35

This past week, in the same day, I had reminders of this on both ends of the spectrum.  During a meeting at work I posed a question that, at its core, was rather cold and lacking compassion.  Thankfully, when the meeting was over my boss called me out on it and helped me realize the selfish nature of what I had said.  Just a few hours later I was having a running correspondence with one of my daughter's teachers (not from this school year, but the past) who was encouraging her and some other former students to participate in an event at a nearby university on Saturday.  Not only was he taking care of his current students, but also continuing to watch out for and develop his former students.  In this case I took the opportunity to thank him for this and made the following statement,

"thank you for the confidence you instill in your students

especially Olivia.  The school system would be so much

better if all faculty invested in kids the way you do."

Since Friday when these events occurred I have had several thoughts on how inconsistent I was in my actions and words that day.  As a leader in my home, my church family, and my workplace I must do a better job of recognizing the value of others.  Beyond that I need to help others recognize that value in themselves.  Many around us need an encouraging word, or the confidence boost of sharing our trust in them.  

5 Ways of Showing

Others Their Value

1) Give your undivided attention

2) Express thanks whenever possible

3) Teach them something new

4) Be consistent

5) In the words of Ronald Reagan, "trust but verify"

I intend to take these to heart and put them more consistently into practice, and hope that you may do likewise.  If you we would all do this it would Make Today GREAT!

Olympic Perspectives

With the Winter Olympics coming to a close, I am somewhat sad.  Although most of the sports that are a part of the games are not a part of my warm weather culture, for two weeks every four years they are captivating. 

Let me begin by turning in my "man card".  One of the most fascinating events of this Olympiad for me was the Ice Dancing competition.  It is not an event that has ever been of interest before but for some reason caught my attention.  The performances were strong and the final night was incredible with the gold medal coming down to an incredibly close showdown between two pairs, it was truly electrifying.  This is what good competition is all about, rising to the occasion and pushing one another to greatness.  This also occurred in the women's figure skating competition which was extremely close with two champions pushing one another to a tremendous finish which was decided by a razor thin margin.

In Arkansas we don't get much snow, but most of us at least understand traditional alpine skiing events which are speed based, but where do they come up with some of these other things like moguls and skicross or the Nordic events such as ski jumping?  I will say that ski jumping has always been a favorite event of my winter olympic viewing.  I did not see very much of it during these games, but it never fails to captivate.  Even with how much I enjoy watching the ski jumps, I can't figure out how that one got started.  I suppose that there just isn't much daredevil in my soul.

Then there is curling.  Wow, that one grabbed my attention several years ago probably during another Olympic year, and now it is must see television.  A few months ago I wrote about how "The Joy of Painting" with Bob Ross is mesmerizing.  Curling, too, is mesmerizing it is so different that you can't help but become intrigued.  This Olympic season it became even more intriguing as the U.S. men's team began to take one of the most unlikely journeys ever from a 2 win, 4 loss start in pool play all the way to the Gold Medal.  As the old song "Young at Heart" says, "Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you. . . "  This year that fairy tale did come true for the five men who formed this team.

Now what does all this have to do with faith?  It all depends on how you look at it.  From my perspective each of the athletes who competed has dedicated themselves to their sport.  That dedication takes on many forms and requires daily preparation.  Could we as people of faith look to our Olympic favorites and put their discipline to practice in our lives?  Yes, and for such a greater cause.  If we spent time daily in the Word of God, intentionally seeking a greater understanding, then we could be better ready for the "competition" of daily life.  Those times when roadblocks and temptations are placed before us would not seem so daunting.  The opportunities we are given to share our faith would be a bit more comfortable.  The fine tuning of our bodies and minds would give us the physical and mental strength to carry on as soldiers for the cause of Christ.

Yes, the Olympics are concluding, but the lessons we learn can be something to propel us onward, if we put it in the proper perspective.  I hope you have enjoyed these Olympic games as much as I have, and more importantly I hope you can take the lessons of discipline and determination and apply them to your faith.  It is by daily walking with a disciplined approach to our faith that we will Make Today Great, each and every day!

LIfe's Soup

Last week I wrote about physical health and wrapped that discussion up by discussing how our physical health impacts our abilities to serve in our faith.  We often want to put our lives into boxes and move ourselves from box to box.  The truth of the matter is that it is not possible to live fully under this approach.  The various aspects and dimensions of our life could looked at as a soup.  Yes, you heard that right our life can be looked as a soup.

Second Corinthians 4:6-8 says:

  For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair

This passage speaks of our lives as a vessel, in my line of thinking that is the soup pot.  Now if we were in the kitchen and were preparing a pot of soup we would choose various ingredients to include in that soup depending upon what we want to end up with and eventually eat.

Soups like people come in many forms.  There are hot soups and cold soups.  There are vegetable soups and soups that include meats.  You can make chili or chicken tortilla.  Each of these requires different ingredients in different proportions, and to get to your desired result it requires making decisions.

Aha, decisions are our control mechanism.  To build a life, like building a tasty soup requires making the right decisions of what to add to your life and in what proportions.

A tasty soup will have a good base to which all the subsequent ingredients are added, but which often controls the depth of the flavor.  Our lives also, if we do it well, will have a strong base in faith.  If we choose this base, then we have set the tone for the ultimate outcome of our lives.  Like completing that soup recipe we mix in other things that will add to the flavor and satisfaction of the soup.  

In our lives we add things like family, friends, home, work, health, finance, personal growth and so much more.  As we make decisions about how we mix these things we will find our lives taking on various flavors or tastes.  Just like those who are cooking up soup in the kitchen we must continually sample the product with a little taste test.  

In the realm of life this means consistently taking a look at ourselves and doing some self reflection, what is the taste we have currently?  Is it the life we desired, is it tasting more like that final flavor we are looking for?  If so then our life mix is on track, however if it is not, then we need to consider either emptying our bowl (pouring ourselves out before God) and refilling ourselves with that base of faith, or if we don't believe that we are off by much, then we can tweak the levels of the various ingredients bringing them into a more tasty balance. 

What is in your bowl today?  Are you feeling pretty good about the taste that the soup our your life is leaving in your mouth?  Today I challenge you to consider the soup of your life and make some decisions.  This is another way to Make Today Great!