One Holy Passion

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

2010-11-17T20:42:00.000-08:00

It's been a few days.... but here is what I keep coming back to; it's really quite simple! This whole thing about losing weight (106-by-46) is really pretty simple. Make wise choices! Choices that move you closer to your goal, not farther away. Choices about eating healthy and wise. Choices about exercising and moving wisely. Choices about attitudes and wisdom in my approach to things. I have eaten better this week ( a long way to getting it right every choice). I have moved more this week (and been more sore this week). My attitude has been better this week toward the little things and toward the goal. So while it is extremely hard to pay the price for the choices (physically and such) it is really quite simply in making the wise choices. Eat right - Move right - Think right!

As a result in the first real week of making the effort I was down 2.2 pounds. The goal is to lose 3.4 pounds per week on average. So I still have work to do in this second week. The biggest challenge ahead is next week and Turkey Day!! I am getting charged up about making wise choices all next week so that one day does not ruin it for me. With God as my guide and deliverer I will survive!

Friday, November 12, 2010

2010-11-12T11:13:00.000-08:00

Today as I was thinking about how easy it really is to slip back into the habits we have developed. The term "comfort food" came to mind as I was being tempted to make poor choices. The term obviously has meant a few different things to people, but is generally accepted as meaning food that takes us away from whatever it is we are facing. As I was reflecting on it today I thought of it in terms of where the "comfort food" takes me.

I was tempted to get a chicken Philly sandwich because it has been one of my favorites over the years. When I was in my early 20's that sandwich was a part of my life in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida with some awesome friends. The best chicken Philly then was at a place called RJ Gators. It wasn't even on the menu, but I was trying even then to cut back on the red meat and I asked if they would make a Philly with chicken instead of beef. Well, they started doing that for me whenever I came in for lunch, dinner, or in between. (we met there a lot) Before long it was on the menu. I am not saying that I am responsible for inventing the chicken Philly... but I was at that restaurant. The reason the sandwich takes me back there, however, is because of my friends. The good thing then is that I was pretty fit and played one sport or another almost every night of the week.

Then I moved to Wilmore, Kentucky where I used to order the chicken Philly at the Asbury cafe. We would meet there to study, have lunch, and sometimes just to hang out. Those were good times as well. The thing about Asbury that made the chicken Philly so good was friends. I was also running three miles a day and working out fives days a week. A chicken Philly in those days was really nothing to worry about.

In Orlando we used to go to Beef O'Bradys and to Froggers to get a chicken Philly. I have great memories of taking Abigail, and then Bekah and Abigial, to Beef's for lunch occasionally. It was great because the waitresses would always take special care of me because I had the girls with me. Good stuff! The better sandwich though was Froggers. So today I went to Froggers because I am back in Orlando. This is where the temptation came in and I will admit freely that I gave in today. It was a great sandwich and it was truly comfort food as it brought all of this stuff to my mind.

So where do you go from here when you are trying to lose 106 pounds by the time you turn 46. Two ideas come to mind:

Forgive yourself and move on! I could dwell on the fact that I gave in OR I could forgive myself, do a little extra exercise and move on. I think I will choose the forgiveness route.
Create new healthy "comfort food" associate with new great memories. This will kill two birds with one proverbial stone. So I am looking for some new ideas.

The good thing to note is that I am still on the wagon and a lot of good exercise will overcome a lot of slip ups. I continue to press on in hopes of winning the race.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

2010-11-11T18:58:00.000-08:00

Today was filled with challenges. The challenge of being out of my routine because of a federal holiday and the office being closed. The challenge of being on the road as I traveled to Orlando for the homecoming of my sister-in-law from the Philippines after two years in the Peace Corps. The challenge of having to eat on the run and not having enough time to exercise (yet). The challenge of celebration foods which were not exactly the most healthy choices. Oh yes, a very challenging day indeed.

So it is late and I am blogging about the experience of today rather than heading to the other room and getting a little bit of exercise in. I will be doing that in a minute, but I needed to get the frustration out of my system. Hopefully, this will be enough to do that and I will be able to move on. So I will leave with a Scripture verse to remind me where my success comes from.....

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed" Proverbs 16:3

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

2010-11-10T04:11:00.000-08:00

As I wake up today it literally has only been two days since I started over. The truly encouraging thing is that, when you are as out of shape as I am, you can really feel the change beginning already. The physical change starts to happen almost immediately because muscles that have been inactive for quite some time are being asked to tighten up again. It really is encouraging and will serve to help me get going today and make the effort.

The hardest part is getting back into the routine. My body remembers what it feels like to work out. My mind remembers all the tricks and discipline it takes to endure. But the schedule tries to get in the way every day. The energy level in the beginning is questionable as well. Exercise takes energy and when you are out of shape you feel very drained after doing the first several weeks of exercise. So I need to remember to keep the energy levels up through vitamin suppliments and the right foods. The energy level will be there if I take care of this area.

So the last thing I am working on for today is getting the nutrition aspect of the plan in place. In the past I have gone immediately to an "eating plan." This time I am going to taper into it. I know what I need to eat and I will work for about a week or so easing myself into a more strict eating plan. I just do not want to do it all at once and overwhelm myself. I have been working toward making healthy choices for about a month now. The problem is when I slip up and have something obviously not healthy, or go to some party and blow the plan completely. By easing into this I can make plans ahead of time to set myself up for success.

So today I am feeling pretty confident. Today I am feeling the early effects of making this lifestyle change. Today I will commit whatever I do to the Lord and my plans will succeed. (Proverbs 16:3)

Starting Over

2010-11-09T14:17:00.000-08:00

So yesterday I decided to start over, again. I have been concerned about my overall physical health for a while. Now it is time to do something.

I have had several times in my life where I started working toward getting in shape. The first time was to play baseball. I started running and working out in order to try out for the high school baseball team. I got in better shape and made the team, but only got in one game as a pinch hitter (I struck out). Another time I wanted to play on the college team and worked out and made all of the try outs. I found out on the last day of try outs I was going to make the team, but did not have any elligability. The next time I started running with a partner in college and got into the best cardio shape of my life. Unfortunately, when that running partner transferred schools my running days soon came to an end. Most recently I had a friend offer his trainer to work with me and then he worked with me. I wanted to simply be fit and they helped me get into the best shape of my life. However, my work roles and schedule changed and then I moved and those days are gone too.

So why start over now? Well, I currently am in the worst shape of my life. I am heavier than I ever imagined I would be; I am as unfit as I should possibly be; I am as unhappy with my physical health as I ever thought I could be. I was reading a post from a colleague of mine who is losing weight and I decided that needed to be me. There is a slight competitive spirit in me and I read this post and thought, "He is not going to be the only one." So now is the time to start over. Now is the time for me to get things in gear and get dedicated to this cause. Now is the time to start the second half of my life. Now is the time to get into shape and get fit for life (to borrow a phrase). The second half of my life will be one defined first by my faith, second by my family, and now by my fitness level.

So I am going to blog about this as often as possible. I am going to share my thoughts and struggles. I am going to share my celebrations and failures. Along the way I pray that this will be both cathartic for me and helpful to someone else who might read these posts. I intend to be very transparent and honest. I will write some things that may very well be used against me. However, I believe that I will emerge from this experience a better person AND a more fit person. So here are some of my goals:

Lose 106 pounds by my 46th Birthday! [June 29, 2011]
Be able to run a half marathon by the same date!
Move my blood work into acceptable ranges for cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure, resting heart rate etc.!
Take my BMI and BFP from the obese range to less than 20%
Increase my flexibility.
Try to get off the CPAP and eliminate sleep apnea.

I know one thing is for sure....I can only do this with Christ's help and I must do this for myself. I have tried in the past to accomplish this for other reasons and without Christ's help and every time it did not last. This time it will be done with the power of Christ behind me and for me.

If you are a friend, family member, or complete stranger and you are reading this... I covet your prayers. Let's get on this and get it done.

106by46

Good Friday

2010-04-02T07:54:00.000-07:00

After having just attended a Sacrificial Breakfast this morning I am wondering why we use the term Good Friday? The passion of Christ was not something that I would have immediately looked at and called "Good." Yet, as we gathered today and will gather tonight for services to remember the passion and death of Jesus Christ, should we be reminded of the suffering alone? This Good Friday should we be reminded of all that Christ went through on our behalf? Is this what Good Friday is to mean for all who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior?

I believe we can call it Good Friday because we know the end of the story. I believe we can look to the passion, suffering, and death as "Good" because we know how the whole thing worked out. I do not believe that Christ-followers at the cross that day would have called it "Good." The pain and anguish of that day would have precluded them from saying anything of the sort. If the truth were known I would imagine they would not have been able to say much of anything about that day. There would have been crying so heavy that they would not have known what else to do that day. I don't believe that words would have been able to express the depth of emotion the followers of Christ around the cross would have felt.

And yet Sunday was coming! Good Friday is only good in the sense that it represents the height, length, depth, and width of Christ's love for us. Good Friday is only good in the sense that the grave was only temporary. Good Friday is only good in the sense that the shadow that was over all of humanity would be lifted as the stone was rolled away. Good Friday is only good in the light and anticipation of Easter Sunday. Good Friday is only good when we have the assurance that by grace through faith in Jesus Christ our sins are forgiven and we too are sons and daughters of God. We come to this Good Friday with the assurance and the knowledge that we are joint heirs with Christ; the Christ of Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

So I can't help but experience the sadness of Good Friday. I can't help but feel the emotion surrounding Christ's suffering and death. I also cannot escape the fact that Sunday is coming. Easter Sunday is coming. Out of life comes death, out of death comes Resurrection, out of resurrection comes new life in Christ Jesus. May I live in the new life of resurrection. May I remember the passion, the suffering, and the death of Jesus that took place on "Good Friday" But may I live in the reality of the resurrected and Risen Lord of Easter Sunday as well. The two must be held in tension because they are very different realities. The two must be realized together in order to create the new reality of Christianity for all who follow Christ.

I pray that this is truly a Good Friday for all who follow Christ!

Radical Obedience

2008-11-19T13:32:00.001-08:00

Have you ever felt like God was asking you to do something so big that it scared you? You know, something that was so far beyond your own ability that you couldn't begin to imagine you being the one to make it happen. This something is something you can actually imagine, see in your head, capture a picture of how it would function, but have no idea how to make it happen. This idea, image, or ideal is just too big to break into pieces and figure out how to get from ground zero to the big picture. Have you ever had this kind of dream or vision?

This is the kind of vision I believe God specializes in. I believe God gives Christ-followers some pretty amazing dreams and visions on a regular basis. The problem is that most people dismiss them as impossibilities and silly daydreams. Most of the people who are experiencing these visions and dreams do not know what to do with them. The sheer magnitude of the vision or dream blows their mind. Some may file the dream or vision away in the back of their mind and wonder if it is for a later day. Others may entertain the notion of attempting to follow after the vision only to be discouraged and lay it aside. Regardless of their reaction there are people to whom God is giving visions and dreams.

The amazing thing about this reality comes when the dream or vision falls on someone with the courage and perseverance to see it through. There are a rare few who will take the vision that God has given them and intentionally and faithfully live into that vision with all diligence. These are the people that fight off the turning in their stomach. These are the people who walk right through the aches and pains of living into a vision that no one but he or she understands. These Christ-followers have said I will even when everybody else says no way. I wonder what kind of Christ-follower you are today.

Are you the type of Christ-follower who will live into the visions and dreams that God has given you? Will you charge the hill with the hope and faith that God just may go with you? Are you willing to take the risks and absorb the hits that a doubting world will throw your way? Can you pursue the vision God has given you even after you have carefully calculated the costs? How far are you willing to go in order to follow after the vision that God has given you for your life? To all of these I pray that the answer to all of these is "all the way!"

I guess I am wrestling with this question in the light of the dreams and visions God has given me. I have seen the big picture and I am a little more than overwhelmed by the journey it will take to get there. Of course, this should not be anything new to me. As I felt God's call to be an ordained pastor in The United Methodist Church I was overwhelmed and ran. As I came to grips with the fact that God's vision for my life was not going to go away I was able to turn and embrace the vision. I was able to not only embrace the vision, but to run full steam ahead into the vision and eventually see it become a reality. What seemed impossible 22 years ago has been the most exciting journey of my life.

So I close with asking you and myself, "Will you follow with radical obedience the dreams and visions God has given you for your life?" Will you count the cost and move foreward anyway so that God can be honored through your radical obedience? It is my prayer for you and me that we will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to follow with radical obedience the vision that God has placed in our hearts and minds. May this be our One Holy Passion!

Reaching Higher

2008-09-29T19:52:00.001-07:00

There seems to be a simple truth about we human beings. We tend to be content with the usual. I was driving past a house the other day and noticed a flat screen television hanging on the wall. A few years ago I would have been impressed. This day I actually thought, "How ordinary!" You see several years ago that home would have been on the cutting edge. A flat screen television would have meant that they had the means to buy an electronic device that most people could only wish for. Today it was in an average, almost rundown, home with nothing about it that said cutting edge. This once amazing technilogical advance has now grown very ordinary and usual.

I was thinking about this in terms of the rest of life. How many things that used to amaze us now don't even cause us to notice. It used to be that you would never dream of having a computer in your home. Computers were just too expensivea and didn't do enough of the stuff that would benefit the average person. Now most homes have at least opne computer if not several. I have a phone that has a computer in it and does far more that the first bulky home computer I owned. Computers used to wow us and now they have become ordinary and usual. There are many more examples of this phenomenon if we stop to think about it.

As I thought of this the other day it made me stop and think about my faith. How many things have I seen God do in the past that when I see it now seem less amazing? My prayer is that there are not that many. But the reality is I can remember how incredibly amazing my relationship with God was when I first became a believer. Nothing was usual or ordinary any longer. I saw everything differently. Everything I experienced in those first few days, months, and years was new and almost unbelievable. Now I interact with God on a daily basis and many, many times each day. The things that I would have found absolutely amazing in the early days I almost expect these days.

At face value you could have at least two arguments for why this is a good thing. First, you might say that it means I have matured in my relationship with Jesus Christ. I can anticipate what my wife is going to do or say more easily after knowing and living with her for the past 13 years. You might expect that I would know a little better what God might do after knowing Christ and having the Holy Spirit living in me for 22 years now. Second, you might say that I am more aware of the spiritual activity in my life and aware of the way that God is interacting with me and my ministry. I would not find fault with either of those arguments. But there is more to the story.

I do not want my relationship with Christ to ever be ordinary or usual. To get to the point where I actually hear myself say, "OH, it's just Jesus. He always does that" would be absolutely terrible. I can't imagine that the disciples would have been business as usual if Jesus had raised another 50 people from the dead after Lazarus. I can't imagine the folks who saw the excitement of the blind man seeing for the first time in his life would grow tired of seeing the same enthusiam many times over. I never want to get to the point where the movement of God in and around me leaves me unimpressed, unmoved, and not left in awe. That would be one of the worst things I could ever imagine.

So what is the remedy? I believe the remedy is to always remember to reach higher. Reach higher in our expectations of how God interacts with humanity. God is not limited to giving us the best parking spaces, blessing us with a few extra dollars, or even repairing the disagreements we have at work. God can and does do all of those things, but they do not define God. God is the God of creation, floods, rainbows, waters parting, wet wood burning, dry bones living, blind seeing, lame walking, dead men rising, and the resurrection. So why do we expect to see just the little things from this God? Why do we not expect God to create anew, fulfill His promises, part new waters, start new fires, give new sight, and continue to raise the dead to new life? We forget to reach higher in our expectations of God.

The challenge is for me and for you to reach higher and become awed by God again. Expect the unexpected not just the usual and ordinary. If we are only aware of what we are used to are we really aware? When we reach higher and expect more of God we will see more of what God is doing in and around us. There is a song that Charlie Peacock wrote a number of years ago entitled, "Aim A Little Higher." The song was about his dad teaching him to shoot a gun at a target. He was always hitting lower than he thought he was aiming. His dad gave him the advice to "aim a little higher, son." I think when it comes to our faith journey with Jesus Christ we need to aim a little higher with our expectations. I believe that when we do that we will be awed more often, extraordinary events will happen, and we will cease to see the usual. So reach higher and seek to be empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit to achieve the heights of potential God created in you.

Down Time

2008-08-31T18:50:00.000-07:00

Today I was blessed with a little down time. I did my best to offer what I believe God asked me to say to the folks at First United Methodist Church of Dunedin at our two morning services this morning. Then we had a great lunch with friends (both old and new). When we got home there were a few things to do around the house before I was able to do what I really love about Sunday afternoons, rest.

It is during down time that I am able to do some of my most introspective thinking. It is among these quiet times that I am able to slow my brain down long enough to listen for the voice of God. I love those times. You see in my everyday life people want me to provide direction, vision, leadership, and answers. However, in the quiet times I am able to just be. I am able to be in the presence of God, just the two of us. I really enjoy those times. These times completely refresh me for the rest of my life.

I think the most amazing thing about these quiet times is that they are completely necessary. You have to have downtime in your life in order to make the up times possible. Jesus would never stay in the crowds for very long. He would be among the people and teach them, heal them, and love them for a while. Then... he would move away and have the downtime he needed to talk with his Father. To receive his direction and guidance. Jesus spent time alone to remember the vision God had for his life. Without it he would not have been able to offer you and me the offer of his life.

I need these times as well; perhaps even more than Jesus. In John 15 Jesus tells us that when we try and do things on our own we can't. When we count on Christ to do things in his power we can do all things because he strengthens us. Jesus himself said that those who love him will do even greater things than he had done. So I need the times apart where I get refreshed by God's vision for my life. Where I am reminded of my created potential. It is in the times apart where God reminds me of whose I am and what He has called me to be. I love these times because it is in these times I hear the truth.

This morning before worship the guys that run the technical stuff put on the preworship music. The song that was playing was Casting Crowns, "The Voice of Truth." That song is about what I think the greatest benefit of downtime with God. It says in the song that whenever we face things that seem to be bigger than ourselves there is one voice telling us we cannot. We are not good enough, strong enough, smart enough, loved enough, empowered enough. But there is another voice telling us we can. We are loved, strong, courageous, empowered, and needed. This is the voice of truth and the times we here it best are in the downtime in our life.

So make sure you are taking adequate downtime to hear the voice of truth. Give yourself enough quiet time to listen for God's vision, guidance, and direction. It is easy to let it get phased out by the rest of life. Don't let that happen to you. God has some amazing things in store for you as you set time aside to be with him. Stop and listen and allow God to show you.

Judgment!

2008-08-28T16:25:00.000-07:00

A simple question for you today.... Do your words speak judgment or grace?

I know it seems like an overly simple question at first. But live with it for a little while. Reflect back on situations, conversations, and interactions you have had with people today, this week, this month! You see some of the things we say seem extremely harmless to us. They are off the cuff remarks that once they have left our lips they are out of our thoughts. Words have power!

The very words we may think nothing about can wound others. The words we use can provoke reaction in the people we engage in conversation. Do you take time to measure what you say? Do you, as Scripture recommends, hold every thought captive before it becomes words? It's one of those easier said than done realities.

So think about it a little while today and see what happens! It's a worthy endeavor and just may lead to a means of grace in your life.

Potential

2008-08-26T19:42:00.000-07:00

Potential is a funny thing. By its very nature potential is something elusive and mysterious. I can't tell you how many times in my early years in education I heard, "You have so much potential." I'm not sure that I had any clue what that meant back then. I think I have a better idea not what that was all about. The next few thoughts are my ideas concerning potential as it pertains to you and me as well as the church.

What I have come to understand about potential is very simple, yet very profound. Potential is that inate quality within into which you and I were created to live. The funny thing about potential is that most of the time we cannot see our full potential. The people who know us and love us usually can see the potential within us long before we can. Moms and dads see our potential perhaps better than anyone in the world. They see what we could be and believe in what we should be. They work to build that vision within us so that we can catch glimpses of that elusive potential.

As a believer, husband, father, and pastor I know it is difficult at times to see the potential in us. The beautiful thing about our faith is that we have the promise of not having to see this potential through our own eyes. Just as a parent sees the potential in their children, so God the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of all that is and ever will be sees the potential in you and me. God sees the potential in each of us because God created us. God redeemed us so that we can live for God is a powerful transformative relationship. This potential is very difficult for us to see and even understand. This is the reason that Jesus said God would send the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guides, directs, and empowers us toward our full potential. We do not have to see or even understand our created potential. God knows our potential and the Holy Spirit takes us there. So what is our role? Our only role is to abide in Jesus and remain faithful to our relationship with Him.

So here is the point of my writing. I believe that just as this pertains to individual believers this also pertains to the church. Each church has redemptive potential. Every church has a potential to redeem the individuals in its care and the communities in which they serve. So if this is true... it is the responsibility of the church the work as faithfully as possible to reach this full redemptive potential. As each church is diligent to seek its purpose within the context they serve they will work toward reaching their full redemptive potential. Of course, the leadership of each church needs to seek to be faithful to listen for the leading of the Holy Spirit and then faithfully follow.

Potential is a funny thing. Some would say we can never reach our full potential in Jesus Christ in this world. I would say that is right; if we try and accomplish this in our own power. However, if we strive to abide in our relationship with Jesus Christ and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in all that we do it can happen. God designed us to reach our full potential in Jesus Christ. God also designed the perfect system to accomplish this. We need to believe that God would not create a potential that we could not live into. This applies to individuals as well as the church. So believe, stand firm in your faith, and believe that through the power of the Holy Spirit you can live into your full potential in Jesus Christ. May this be our one holy passion.

Starting Over

2008-08-23T16:39:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I started a blog again and haven't used it for a while. Well, let's think about what has been going on lately. A move for the family, new church, new friends, new challenges. We have been a little busy. So, I am now getting adjusted and looking at updating the blog on a very regular basis. So come back no later than Monday morning and there will be more frequent updates and thoughts about what God has in store for us. Monday will be my thoughts about reaching the churches full redemptive potential in Jesus Christ. Should be interesting.

Why don't we change?

2008-05-29T18:51:00.000-07:00

I am at annual conference this week for The Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church. As I experience conference this week I am asking the question again, "Why don't we change?" Not only the church, however that is important, but Christians in general. I was walking into the auditorium alone and noticed my friends were sitting in the same place for the fifth year in a row. The set up of the exhibit hall was pretty much the same as it has been. As the first main session is getting ready to ramp up the organ begins to play, people are scurrying for their same seats and nothing much changes.
Why? Are we really that fond of the same old routine? Are we so predicatable that the familiar is the most exciting risk we are willing to take? I guess the answer for most of our life is yes! So if we admit that this is true what are we to do? God desires for us to allow Him to continue to create in our midst. God desires for us to be moved and nudged to see the new in every moment of our life. This does not mean that God changes, by no means, instead God is ever constant in character as he is ever active in creating. We are to look for the constants of God's character even as God creates new opportunities around us. This is what is truly exciting about being a Christ-follower.
I am challenged to know that 5 years from now church should be different. The character of God in the presence of God should not be different, but the look, feel, and experience of church SHOULD be new. Why is it a staple of the church to continue to practice things just because we always have? I believe it is because we are comfortable with it that way. We too often mistake the familiar for faith. Jesus did not see it this way. Jesus constantly prayed for God's will to be done not his own. If that is the case then if God told Jesus to stand on his head and whistle dixie while facing east that would be worship. Fortunately God did not tell Jesus to do that then and I believe God is not telling us to do that now.
I don't have all the answers and I certainly am not there yet. I do believe that if we continue to do something just because it is familiar we are missing the boat and short-changing God. The God who created an ever changing world did not see worship as a stagnant and familiar event. Worship is the creation of an ever creating God. The character of worship will never change because the character of God never changes. Our experience of God is new every morning and God continues to long for us to seek creative and new ways to express our love for our Lord and Savior.

Welcome

2008-05-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my world! I am excited that you have come to check it out. As we get to know each other you will experience my heart through the writings of this blog. My prayer is that you begin to sense my one pure and holy passion for Jesus Christ. So come back as often as you like and we will be challenged together. I am sure of one reality in life and that is that I love Jesus Christ with all that I am and long to be a fully devoted follower of His but..... I am not there yet! Hopefully, we will strive to get there together.

In Christ's Grip,
Pastor Tim