Are You In Full Bloom?

This week's photo was taken at the Creation Museum just outside Cincinnati, OH.  I am not sure what type of plant this is but was impressed with its beauty.

We understand, on some level, the cycles of life that God has put in place in His creation.  Among the most magnificent is that of the plants and their seasonal changes particularly how they bloom.

We also face cycles in our lives.  Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes that "there is a time for everything under the sun."  He then went on to describe several of the ups and downs that we might face.

If we want to flower or bloom as so many of the beautiful plants then we need to cultivate habits in our lives just as we cultivate those plants in our care.

Plants are not immune from the elements, and require actions to be preserved in extreme conditions.  If, for example, you have planted a garden early in spring it is possible that a cold snap could damage or kill some of your tender young plants if you do not take the time to cover them.  We too face times where we need an added layer of protection, be it physical or spiritual.

Plants require water to survive, and so do we.  Hydration is a vital component to our health.  Increasing your hydration alone can pay dividends for us that will improve our "blooms".  Spiritually we are born of blood and water through baptism into Christ.

In a garden the plants will thrive when they are given proper fertilizers.  We too must be fed, the spritual food that is the Word of God, and the right physical food to nourish our bodies.  Without either of these we begin to flounder and lose our blooms.

Our plants when well maintained are strong and yet flexible.  We need to look at our physical abilities and ask are we strong and flexible?  If not we should take action to improve in these areas with specific forms of exercise.  Spiritually we must know the Word and be strong in it, while knowing it well enough to be flexible to respond to the multifaceted attacks that will come.

I am sure there are several other lessons available in looking at the beauty of the plant life around us, but today these leapt out at me for consideration.  I hope that each of you will Do Well in improving your bloom, perhaps it will put a smile on the face of someone you come into contact with in the future, just as this plant made me smile a couple of days ago.

Fading Fast?

Often our efforts to gain fitness or stay fit seem to take a detour.  Like the early morning moon in the photo they are fading fast.  What do we do to stem the tide when this occurs?

This is a difficult question that has many answers which could be right.  Based upon my experience here are a few suggestions.

First when you begin to notice the fade, give yourself a timeout.  Much like a basketball coach will take a timeout to stop theomentum of the opponent.  Give yourself a short respite from what you have been doing toward your fitness goal. 

This timeout is where you assess what is happening and the reasons for your fade.  Could it be a lack of support structures in your life, or a change of physical condition such as the onset of an illness, perhaps even boredom with the same old routine. More than likely there is a confluence of a few to several reasons that you are fading.

Once you have identified the apparent causes you must make some decisions on how to address them.  You may need to seek out a training partner to add accountability or support.  It could be time to check in with your physician and have some blood work done.  Creating a new exercise regimen or altering the course of your daily run/walk/bike may be just enough of a change to renew your enthusiasm.

A final thought in this area is don't be afraid to take a day off occasionally from your routines of life.  This shocks your body, mind, and spirit just a bit and can serve as a very necessary restart.  So in the words of legendary college basketball analyst Dick Vitale, "you better get a t-o (timeout) baby!"

If you will read the signs and take the right actions you can Do Well.  Be aware of your situation and don't allow the fade to overtake you on the road to success.

Under Construction

Each of us are at varying stages of life.  Just as the photos with this post show homes in various stages of construction.

It is easy to make the assertion that we ouselves are under construction as well.  No matter our age, abilities, interests or desires we are involved in construction from birth to end of days.

Whether it is faith, fitness, finance or any other functional area of our life there are principles of construction that must be followed to end with the best results.  These are like the foundation of a home.  Without a firm foundation the house will not stand, a principle we teach our small children in the song, "The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock." 

At the most basic foundational level is the plan or blueprint.  Without a vision for the finished product and an understanding of what is required to get there it will be near impossible to have the desired product in the end.

Once the plans are established comes execution.  This is how we follow or fail to follow the blueprint.  How closely we follow the blueprint will determine our eventual success or failure.  With our fitness for example, if we jump in too quickly and overexert ourselves we will face pain, if not injury, and our plans may become derailed.  The same applies to our financial lives, as well, to keep our budget on track means not making those impulse purchases that may put us in a bind.

In building a home you can't do much of the interior work until your construction is "in the dry" meaning the inside is safe from the elements that might otherwise do it harm.  Likewise as we progress we seek to make a difference on the inside this may mean aquiring additional knowledge in a particular area to allow for more detailed construction or renovation.

This concept also leads me to think about the quality of materials that we are using to build our lives.  There is a term GIGO in computer programming which means garbage in garbage out.  Choose the best materials that will stand the test of time when inputting knowledge to build your life upon.

When construction is occurring on a home often the homeowner will track the progress each day with the builder, noticing the sometimes subtlest of differences.  We too should adopt this practice in various areas of our life.  Progress made and witnessed is powerful reinforcement to continue.  The process we take to build a better life requires planning, great materials and constant progress checks.

If you will adopt these practices, you will DO WELL in building a better life.

Power for Positive Change

Seeking change is a difficult thing, whether it is walking away from sin in our life or changing our habits to create a healthier lifestyle.  How do we deal with change when it is necessary, or sometimes thrust upon us?  That is the question for today.

In order to adopt change in our lives we must recognize the necessity for the change.  This is often our biggest challenge as the status quo has a lot of momentum behind it.  We must be able look beyond the here and now to the brighter future that positive change provides.  This will slow that momentum of the past.

Next we must truly be able to visualize the future we desire from the change.  When we can see it in our mind's eye, then we can begin to determine the course or courses of action to get there.  At this point motivation becomes a key factor, do we have the internal drive, an internal compass to guide us each step toward this true north?  If yes, then we are well on our way, if no, then we still have some work to do before we can plan and implement positive change.

Assuming we can see the brighter future, and have the right internal motivation then the steps along the way will become more clear.  In our Christian walk it is stated that, "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."  God's Word is a wonderful starting point for our journey and my recommendation as the proper lens to view all aspects of our life.

Within our journey to fitness, faithfulness, or an other worthy change we must recognize how to see the change and then be the change.  No, change will not come easy, but it will be rewarding.

Finally we must admit when we get off course, and turn back to the pathway of success.  For the Christian this is repentance and acceptance of God's grace.  When we step aside from the chosen path we cannot beat ourselves up, but rather course correct and give ouselves a bit of grace, just as God our Father give us grace.

If each of us would look inside, and follow these steps as the need for change arises in our lives, we would be much more likely to succeed.  Change your world for the better, Do Well.  Others are watching and your positive change can inspire others to be better as well.

Routine or Rut-ine?

Have you ever noticed that within the word routine is hidden the letters you also need to spell rut?

Routines are good for us.  They bring order to our life along with a degree of certainty and knowing what to expect.  All of these are positive, but do we get so wrapped up in the routine that it becomes stale or mundane?  If you are anything like me that can become the case.  Before we know it we are doing nothing but going through the motions for no other reason but to mark them from our list.

It is at this point that the routine has become a RUT.  What do we know about ruts?  If we think of some of the country roads, they will become rutted by the traffic and if a spark of change ( road crew) doesn't do something about it the rut only gets deeper.  As a rut deepens it becomes harder to get out of and if it gets too deep we become stuck.  If we are stuck then we are not getting any results from our efforts.

Personally I believe I have fallen into some ruts in my life.  How about you?  Is it time to make some changes in our routines?  For me it is, and if you recognize a rut forming in your routine then I strongly suggest shaking up the routine.  It doesn't have to be drastic, but it cannot remain the same.

In Matthew 6:31-34 Jesus reminds us not to worry about everything "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." (NKJV)  If we will start with this thoughr at the top of our priority list then He will guide us through the rest. 

Go out this week with Christ first and then let Him take control of the routines of our life, that we May DO WELL.

Checkpoint

We have put to rest the first week of the new year.  Many have set out on resolutions or goals for the year, now are they willing to check-in to assess how they are doing?  This at the heart of why many will not live up to the ambitious targets they have set.

If you truly seek change in your life, then it is imperative to check-in periodically.  When we fail to keep tabs on our progress  we often wind up in an out of control spiral away from the target, and that is when we give up.  You are better than that! 

In matters of faith, are you praying regularly?  In a letter to the church at Thessalonica Paul exhorted them to "pray without ceasing".  We are further guided to "study and show thyself approved. . ."  Have you been in the word?  Finally in the faith category, are you attending worship?  Being with others who are seeking God, encouraging one another and bearing one another's burdens is a wonderful blessing.

On the finance front what have you changed toward a different result?  Are you still living the bad habits of your past?  Adopt the "B" word, a budget, and work at it daily.  Work on yourself to hone your skills and increase your knowledge to make yourself more valuable in your workplace or the marketplace at large.  In the words of Dave Ramsey, use "baby steps".  We did not get to where we are overnight, nor will we get to our desired outcome that quickly either.

Finally on fitness, again it is a journey to a desired end.  Much like learning to ride a bike we will have crashes and some of them will hurt.  We MUST however, pick the bike back up and go again.  With practice we get better, and with a coach or a cheerleader, any accountability partner it is easier to get going again.  Do you have a champion, to turn to for encouragement, just as those learning to ride that bike typically have that parent running alongside until they get the confidence to go it more on their own?

The bottom line this week is don't let the early distractions or obstacles deter you from your goals.  Assess and limit the mess!  Together we can all DO WELL!

How to Do Well

Last week we looked at establishing goals for the coming year.  This not necessarily an easy process but it is necessary to success.  I hope that you have considered a few goals, or at least begun rolling a few ideas around in your head.

Once you put them on paper, or onto an electronic planner you are not finished.  There is a next step that many people will skip which the most successful will not, and that is to develop a strategy of how they will achieve those goals.  This again will take some time, and to be optimal may force us to confront changes in our daily actions and thought processes.  This is why most New Year Resolutions don't last through the end of the first month as we fail to confront these changes and develop these strategies.

You and I can make 2016 highly successful for ourselves if we will commit now to Do Well.  This involves the types of preparation we have discussed the past couple of weeks, along with a plan for tracking of our progress and course correction when we deviate.  It is my hope that you each have gained something from this discussion and are better prepared remembering that"With God we will. . . Do Well!"

Thanksgiving

In the coming week our nation celebrates a day of Thanksgiving.  On this day we collectively show our gratitude to God for his blessings and mercy.

As Americans we have much to be thankful for, and as Christians oh so much more.  I pray that as we enjoy this day that we not forget those in some special positions that secure for us these freedoms, or who put themselves in dangerous positions on a daily basis to serve and protect.

These are our military, intelligence services, law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians.  Each of these hold fast to the idealism of the America our founding fathers envisioned, and protect the public interest not for glory, but with a  mission to serve.

We each have many things to be thankful for, but don't overlook these important members of our community and the families who share them with us each day.

Gratitude is good for the spirit and vital to our nation.  Please join me in saluting these folks for a job a well done, and asking God's continued blessing on them all.

With God we will. . . Be Grateful!

Healthy Holidays

We are coming into a favorite time of year for many with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years all in the next 50 days or so.  At the heart of how we celebrate is often FOOD, and lots of it.  Many of our favorites are not favored by the healthy foods police, and for good reason.  All this food everywhere we turn is a temptation that is hard to resist.  Causing most people to pack on the pounds during this season, fueling everyone's favorite New Year's resolutuon, to lose weight.

Is there a strategy for minimizing our risk, without compromising our enjoyment?  Yes, and it is one we should be employing 24/7/365.  It goes something like this, we can't have it all, choose wisely and in smaller portions. 

Secondly drink more water, hydration is a wonderful thing for the body and a well timed glass of H2O, approximately 30 minutes before meal time can give us that fuller feeling quicker.   

Third, it's activity, we must be diligent to PLAN activity to coincide with our intake, burn those calories and promote better nutritional absorption by getting moving.

Finally incorporate a good sleep routine into your schedule.  When we fail to sleep adequately our body and mind becomes fatigued and those bodily functions don't fire off as they should making the burn come slower and the pounds stack up more quickly.

It is my sincere wish that each of you enjoys the happiest of holiday seasons.  With a little thought we can win these battles, and with God we can win the war.

The Second New Year

Personally I have had some struggles the last couple of weeks with keeping my routines and commitments to improving my fitness.  This must change.  In order to be effective in my service to God I need to maintain the best level of health that I can.
Today I look at the back to school season as a "second new year", a time to renew or update my commitments.  So here are a few things that I am looking at to closeout the remainder of the calendar year:
1) Continue my daily Bible reading to complete the reading of the full text this year.
2) Continue toward my goal of reading 30 books this year.
3) Improve my physical activity level further to increase my average daily steps above 10000 per day for the month of September
4) Lower my weight to under 200 pounds by end of year.
As you can see these goals relate to fitness on the physical, mental, and spiritual levels addressing the whole person.  I challenge you to take a look here at "the second new year", and set a few simple goals.  Even if you fail to achieve them you will have at least taken the first step to improvement, recognizing where you are now.  Join me on the journey, set your sights on improvement, and remember "with God we will."

Getting Started

Small Steps
It has been said that where we are in our lives is the sum of all the decisions we have made.  I believe this to be quite accurate.  That being said we then must realize that whatever condition we find ourselves in spiritually, relationally, fitness/healthwise, etc. did not happen overnight.  If this condition did not come upon us quickly then it is likely that the solution will not either.  

How to Begin
Nike says "Just Do It", I'm not sure it is that simple.  We need to assess our current state to determine where we are versus where we want to be.  Yes, I am saying we must have a goal (or set of goals), but no it doesn't have to overwhelm us.  If you were going to drive your vehicle from Arkansas to Michigan you would want a roadmap (GPS for our more tech savvy/dependent friends), and you would likely have a pretty good idea of where you would want/need to stop along the way.  This is analagous to our goal-setting, know where you are going (long term goal) and setup some stops along the way (intermediate and short term goals).  This is where many of us often fail.  We too often setup this aggressive, elaborate goal, but it should be long term, and we think we can get there quickly when it really needs to be broken up with some positive milestones along the way to provide short-term wins that build momentum for us. 

Just a Suggestion
As a Christian I believe all my goals should support my walk with Christ.  My top goal is to make sure that I am "in the Word".  I read my Bible every day, among the first things I do most days.  I track this by recording in a journal my daily readings.  This provides clear guidance as to how I am doing with the process of daily reading.  The harder to measure portion is the effectiveness of the reading, though I can tell you that I seem to recognize and recall scriptures when they pop up in services, classes and general conversation much better than before beginning this program.  One of my next goals is to improve my physical well-being.  Since the diabetes diagnosis (and others) in 2012 I have had to bring this to the forefront.  The end results of uncontrolled diabetes are scary and I don't want to go there, plus I want to remain able, as I age, to enjoy my family as well as to serve God in a very active way.  The reality of type II diabetes was a catalyst for additional discipline in my life that has spilled over into so many other areas,  Though I had been introduced and reintroduced to the concept of tracking over the years it did not become real or necessary until facing this challenge.

In the most moving speech I have ever heard, Jim Valvano's speech at the ESPY awards in 1993 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuoVM9nm42E) he said the following, "Don't give up, don't ever give up."  This was said only a few weeks before his passing of cancer.  No we don't want to give up, but if we don't get started it is irrelevant.  Start your journey, to wherever you are heading with a little contemplation and a ladder of goals that are unified around the important things in your life.  Take the challenge and remember, "With God I will. . . "

Genesis

Why this Blog

Scripture opens with the book of beginnings, "Genesis".  With that thought in mind I want to share with you the beginnings for this blog.  I am an ordinary man, I come from a humble, hardworking family where I always had my needs met growing up, with a few extras.  In high school I was a good, not great, student, who could achieve at high levels without expending great effort while pursuing my athletic interests.  I went on and earned a  Bachelor's Degree in Finance from our local state university, and later married a wonderful Christian young lady.  Through her patience and some wonderful people who influenced me along the way I grew to a saving faith in Jesus Christ, far too late in life.  Along the way we had a daughter, now 14, who has brought much joy to our lives.  

In 2012 after gaining 80 some odd pounds in the 25 years since high school, I began to experience some health issues.  My years of snoring led me to a sleep study confirming I have severe sleep apnea.  A few months later some issues with my vision led to testing and diagnosis for diabetes, high cholesterol, and underactive thyroid.  Change was most definitely in order.  After absorbing the initial shock I determined that I must take control of my health or it would take control of me.  Working in a facility that provides healthcare to frail seniors I saw daily the results of health issues that had grown unchecked and it wasn't (still isn't) appealing.  

It has been quite a journey and now I want to share with others some of the lessons I have learned over the course of many years.  The Bible tells us in Philippians 2:12 ". . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."  I have drawn this blog's name from this verse and look forward to helping anyone who reads to improve their faith, fitness, finances and more.  Together we can walk this journey, learning from one another.  Join me in this mindset "With God I Will. . ."