Present Sufferings Don’t Compare

Recently I competed in the Iceman. It’s a 29 mile mountain bike race from Kalkaska to Traverse City in Michigan. It was my first race and it is touted as the longest one day point to point mountain bike race in the nation. You can check out the details at http://www.iceman.com/. I pedaled for approximately 2 hours and 46 minutes non stop through hills, trees, sand, etc… I lost about 5 to 6 pounds of body weight while drinking 64oz of fluids. I placed 38th out of 93 in my wave. During the last couple miles I was mentally exhausted and was telling myself it was good to do once but I’d never do it again. About 2 hours after the finish I started to reflect back on some of the fun portions of the race. The next day I came up with a list of things I could’ve done better and thought I’d like to do it again next week to try and better my time. It amazed me how quickly I forgot about the pain and suffering that I experienced and how much satisfaction was felt by finishing the race.

Being a follower of Jesus has some parallels to the Iceman. Jesus said that if we follow Him we will suffer. This is not our home and we won’t be comfortable or at total peace until we are with Him in heaven. Paul says in Romans 8:18 “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

Please understand that life is hard and suffering prevails for now. But, there is a day coming when those who have confessed their sin and turned to Jesus for salvation will no longer suffer but praise God in heaven where no sin exists and no tears are shed. Also, please understand that we only have one life to live. Life isn’t like the Iceman where you can have a second chance next time around and try and better your time. We are only given one life to live. The Bible says in Hebrews 9:27 “man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” I pray that when you face the judgment your sins will be found paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Take some time

Watch this and let God speak to you.

When sin looks more enjoyable than God
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iszVTWUGQQM

Sometimes life feels like this…

You’re being dragged along by your own agenda and the busyness of the life your living. Most if not all of our busyness is self-inflicted. We schedule sports leagues for ourselves and our children, music lessons, parties, etc… Driving from one thing to the next constantly on the go and being stressed out the whole time and not really enjoying life, just being busy. No time for setting down as a family to eat a meal. There’s barely time to swing by a drive thru window. Sometimes I get to work on Monday and am asked “How was your weekend?” And I can’t remember all that I did. All that comes to mind is that it was busy. Life doesn’t have to be that way. A prolonged life of busyness can lead to many health problems: ulcers, insomnia, heart conditions, increased blood pressure, decreased immune system, infertility, digestive problems and depression just to name a few.

So, who do you turn to put things in perspective? The right answer is the one who created us. God. He made us so He knows what we need. And what does He say?

Ps. 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God”
Ex. 20:9-10 “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work”

We need to work but not mindlessly. Work on things that will matter in 5 years. If it won’t matter in 5 years maybe we shouldn’t be wasting time on it. Remember it’s okay to rest. In fact it’s not a suggestion. God commands it. Let go of the handle once and a while and float and rest. This applies to all aspects of life: physically, mental, spiritual. Many kids don’t know how to rest because they’ve never seen it modeled. Sit them in a park without an iPod, XBOX 360, Internet or cell phone and it’ll drive them crazy. Let’s lead from the front and show our children and the coming generations how to work hard, eat right and REST.

Still No Shortcuts

I was highly disappointed the other day when I received a magazine in the mail from a shop I buy my whey from loaded with a ton of marketing lies lightly dusted with fragments of truth. I read these statements:

“Warning: Massive muscle gains ahead. 21 Supplements for industrial–strength results”
“Just one pill will cause Extreme fat loss and mind alteration.”
“The most potent concentrated Pre-Workout formula ever.“

Just to quote a few. The problem is that deep down inside there is a part of me that wants to believe statements like this are true. These marketing people are no different than the old time tonic and elixir salesmen of days gone by. They make absurd claims. Sell their products. And then when their name gets a bad reputation and sales drop off they just change the label and tweak the ingredients in order to sell it to the next guy. The idea of paying some money, taking a potion and receiving results sounds great. But, don’t be deceived. There are no short cuts for hard physical work, rest and dietary discipline.

Job 15:31 Let him not deceive himself by trusting what is worthless, for he will get nothing in return.

Save your money and avoid nasty side effects by working out, eating right and getting proper sleep. Don't waste time looking for short cuts when you could be pursuing your goals.

Challenge Yourself

Recently a friend of mine came up with a ridiculous deck of cards (DOC) workout. [A deck of cards workout is a workout in which you pick 4 exercises, one for each suit. The required reps to perform are dictated by the value of the card that’s flipped over. 2’s are 2 reps, 10 and face cards are 10 reps, Aces are 11 reps. You shuffle the cards. Flip them over one at a time and then do the corresponding work. By the end you will have performed 95 reps of each exercise. ]. We were discussing what would be 4 very difficult exercises to use. Jim came up with the following:

DOC by Jim

• Ab wheel – full roll out from knees
• Burpees – (see http://thatguykp.blogspot.com/2009/08/inspiration.html)
• Thruster – with 2 25lbs dumbbells (see http://www.ehow.com/video_2260367_do-thrusters-strength-training-exercise.html)
• ManMakers - with 2 25lbs dumbbells
  (see http://www.gymjones.com/schedule.php?date=20051123)

This challenge can be a good thing. It exercises more than just your body. It exercises your mind and will. One caveat I’ll mention is to “be wise” (see http://thatguykp.blogspot.com/2009/08/smart-vs-wise.html) and don’t set yourself up for injury. That being said, I had to give it a try. I completed it. It took 66 minutes. Sweat was everywhere on the floor and even on the walls. I had to chalk my hands 5 times to keep them from slipping on the mat during the burpees. But, I completed the challenge. How are you challenging yourself physically, mentally and spiritually? Control what you eat? Control your wandering thoughts? Read the Bible and pray daily? Take on a new challenge today and don’t be afraid of failure. If failure comes, redefine your challenge and try again.

Romans 5:3-5 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Are you asking the wrong question?

Questions asked determine answers given. My father-in-law was at a gas station in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and asked the attendant “Where can I get pasties (a tasty meal consisting of beef, potatoes, carrots, rutabaga, onions in a pastry-like pod)? The attendant told him of a place near by. My father-in-law thought for a second and then rephrased his question. “Where do you get your pasties?” The attendant responded with a place slightly farther away that made the best tasting pasties in the area.

Similarly, when it comes to our health we need to be asking the right questions. When deciding what to consume most people ask: “Is this bad for me?” Most people would say diet pop has zero effect therefore they can enjoy a sweet tasting treat without incurring a negative effect to the body. That mindset leads many people to reduced wellness and wasted dollars.

The right question to ask would be: “Is this good for me?” Asking this question takes you down the thought process of; can my body use the components of this food or beverage to better itself? For example the phosphoric acid in diet pop binds with magnesium and calcium in the digestive tract to form salts that aren’t absorbed. This robs the body of the building blocks of magnesium and calcium that it needs to build strong healthy bones. Did I hear someone say hip replacement?

In regard to fitness if you ask “Is watching 2 hours of TV a night bad for me?” You’d probably answer, “No”. If you ask “Is watching 2 hours of TV a night good for me?” you’d probably also answer, “No”. So, replace some of that time with this workout called “Fat Loss” from David Whitley at www.irontamerblog.com and do something that’s beneficial to your body.

Proverbs 25:28 Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.

Fat Loss
Renegade Rows (5 Left, 5 Right) with 40lbs dumbbells
Double Kettlebell Front Squats (5 reps) with 35lbs kettlebells
Try and get as many rounds as you can in 10 minutes
Rest 2 minutes

Double Kettlebell Clean and Press (5 reps) with 35lbs kettlebells
10 Burpees
Try and get as many rounds as you can in 10 minutes
Rest 2 minutes

Swings with 53lbs kettlebell 30 seconds work 15 seconds rest for 12 rounds

Smart Vs. Wise

For many years I’ve enjoyed wakeboarding and learning new tricks. However, there was this one trick I nicknamed the “Nemesis“. That trick was the heelside wake to wake 180. Time after time I’d attempt this trick and time after time I’d fail. I kept trying to learn from my mistakes. I tried various handle placements, various take off stances and various landing techniques. However, all failed and I’d repeatedly end up floating in the lake waiting for the boat to circle around and get me. Finally one day I read a tip in a wakeboarding magazine. It was simple and accurate. The tip stated that a person attempting that trick needs to look to the shore during the landing . I had always looked at the boat or down at the water. Once I looked where I was going instead looking everywhere else, I started consistently landing the trick. You see a “smart” person learns from their mistakes but, a “wise” person learns from others mistakes. Someone else figured out how to land the trick and I benefited from their experience. Being “wise” helps you avoid a lot of unnecessary pain and suffering in life. The best place to go to increase wisdom is the Bible. We can learn from God, our Creator, when making daily life choices by obeying Him and thus avoiding self-inflicted suffering. Psalm 119:98 “Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me.” Proverbs 1:5 “let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance” Proverbs 12:15 “The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.” Let’s seek out the advice of those who are succeeding in areas where we are failing (marriage, job, finances, parenting, etc) and increase wisdom. And most importantly seek out wisdom from God.

Parallels to the Christian Experience

Metamorphosis is a biological process by which a creature physically develops after birth, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the creature's form or structure through cell growth and differentiation. Some creatures undergo metamorphosis, which is usually (but not always) accompanied by a change of habitat or behavior. To a follower of Jesus this should sound familiar. Insects which undergo this transformation pass through a larval stage, then enter an inactive state called pupa, or chrysalis, and finally emerge as adults. While inside the pupa, the insect will excrete digestive juices, to destroy much of the larva's body, leaving a few cells intact. The remaining cells will begin the growth of the adult, using the nutrients from the broken down larva. Similarly 1 Cor. 15:50-52 says “I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” The journey we’re on as followers of Jesus will include suffering at times, like the cell death talked about above, but in the end the resultant glory will be worth it all. On a smaller scale we’ve all seen the typical “Before and After” pictures of remarkable changes in body and health composition of people losing large amounts of weight and getting in shape. Change can be uncomfortable and painful but at the same time change can be a necessity and beautiful. Here’s a workout that will help morph your body.

Inspiration

A 71-year-old Japanese man has become the world's oldest person to climb Mount Everest. His age made him the oldest person to have climbed the 8,850 meter (29,035 feet) peak. The list of climbers who have conquered Everest include a blind person, a man with an artificial leg and the youngest, a 16-year-old boy. We all know there’s great risk and therefore great preparation involved in attempting a feat like that. Approximately 10% of the people who attempt the climb die. I’m not encouraging you to climb Mt. Everest, although that’s a great goal to work towards. However I am encouraging you to work your body at least 3 times a week. Try this workout. It requires nothing but you and floor space. Do 30 burpees demonstrated below. A burpee is basically a squat thrust with a pushup at the bottom and a jump at the top. Rest as much as needed. If you have to break it up into 30 sets of 1 burpee that’s fine. Just get 30 in. The future goal is to get in 30 consecutive burpees. The extended future goal is a ladder called Jason’s Burpees (20, 19, 18 … 1) in under 25 minutes.



Remember 1 Timothy 4:8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

Solar Panel

In a past post l talked about being MEEK. And said, "Let's be MEEK as Believers, Husbands, Dads, Friends.." The order (Believers, Husbands, Dads, Friends) was intentional. GOD has to have first place in our lives and we have to keep focused on Him. It's like we are a Solar Panel. When our gaze is directed at God we are at full power. Look away and we quickly lose the ability to perform anything meaningful. 2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit”. God is the source of our power and in order to have strength and wisdom to be Husbands, Dads and Friends we must give Him first place.

To demonstrate focus here’s a strict military press with more than half my body weight. With proper practice, form and focus you can accomplish great things.

Fire Hose

You get to drink from the Fire Hose!

A wise man recently told me, “We do what we value.” It really doesn’t matter what we “Say” we value because our actions prove what is really important to us. James 2:18
“But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do”. For example, one might say their wife is important to them but then spend numerous hours blogging, surfing the web, playing video games or repeated trips to the golf course. [ Caveat: None of these things are bad in moderation. But, you know when they’re causing problems if your wife “feels” you value them more than her. ] Proverbs 27:19 “As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man.” Remember it doesn't matter what you "say you value" what you invest your time and energy into "shows others watching you what is truly important to you". God First, Wife Second, Kids Third and so on..... One of the things I value is physical well being. I work exercise into each week because it helps me be better equipped to serve God for the long term. God is in control and He can take me out of this world any time He pleases. I can’t lengthen the time God has for me on this earth but, I can shorten it. Therefore, I shouldn’t take this body and knowingly shorten it’s lifespan by mistreating it with artery clogging, gut destroying foods, ulcer causing worry, sleep depriving side effects or laziness. This week I’d like to show you how to get an awesome full body work out without costing you a dime or much time. The equipment is free. In the time it’d take most people to drive to their local gym and back, I will have already worked out, showered and be sitting on my patio drinking a protein shake. And I’ll also say that this work out will burn more calories in 10 minutes than your standard gym hamster running for an hour on a mindless treadmill listening to an iPod. Here’s a video:

You can get a failed fire hose for free from your local fire station. Just stop by or give them a call and ask if you can have one that they’re throwing away. I cut off the couplings of a 50 foot 2 ½ inch diameter hose, rolled and zip tied 8 inches of the ends and then wrapped them in gorilla tape to make handles.

Try 10, 30 second rounds with 30 seconds rest between rounds to start.

Give it a try. Let me know what you think.

The Pit of Despair

Here's a letter I came across one day that is loaded with life applications:

These thoughts came to me as I was praying for you yesterday. You've proven that you have the resolve to stick to your budget and suceed in the family finances. By this I mean, you had the resolve to do what very few people in the world have been able to do. You had the resolve to lose a huge amount of weight (80-ish pounds) and keep it off. Most people wallow in self pity when they're over weight and instead of doing something about it they lean on excuses like, "it's a gland problem" or "I have a slow metabolism". But not you, you spat in the face of excuses and mustered the resolve to control what your hand put in your mouth. Not only did you keep off the weight but you were able to get muscular definition in your arms and legs. ***Applause Here*** You also possess the resolve to get up at the butt crack of dawn each morning and do devotions, spending time in God's word and in prayer while most people's alarm hasn't even given them a chance to hit the snooze button. Given the two previously mentioned seemingly insurmountable tasks, you've proven that you possess the resolve to meet and exceed whatever financial goal you and your spouse decide to strive for. Let today be the day that the step of resolve that you took when you decided to lose weight and when you decided to do morning time with God be applied to you financial goals.

The letter above in some way or another applies to us all. Some things we're good at and some things we're bad at. The problem is that many people fail instead of succeed in some areas because they trade what they need most for what they want at the moment. Let's not stay in the "Pit of Despair" letting something suck years of our lives away.

We control what our hands put in our mouths. If you’re like I was you’re thinking of the excuse that eating healthy is expensive. That’s dead wrong. If you take the money that you’d normally spend on detrimental calories like: cookies, dough nuts, bagels, chips, pop, fried whatever, etc. and redirect it to the beneficial stuff God made for us like: fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and drink only water you’ll actually save money. God made our bodies to repair themselves, for the most part, if we give them what He made. I refer to these quotes: “If you can't grow it or kill it, don't eat it.” and “Shop the perimeter of the grocery store.”

We also control how we spend our time. There are many activities in life that are like detrimental calories: TV, video games, hours on the internet, etc. For most people it really wouldn’t be that hard to squeeze in 20 minutes of intense exercise 3 times a week. That’s only 1 hour. Our bodies were designed for physical labor. Genesis 2:15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. It’s crazy how the body when subjected to periods of work followed by rest actually gets stronger. “ Or to coin the old phrase if you don’t use it you lose it. Now keep in mind that getting stronger is gradual. A big mistake people make is they’re too impatient and do too much too soon and get injured. You need to know your body and how far you can safely push it. Pain is good. Injury is bad. Practice self control: Hebrews 12:11–13 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen you feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Remember it’s not vain to be in shape: Proverbs 24:5 A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength.

Don’t try and eat healthy and/or exercise like John Wayne. Get an accountability partner. Someone you know and trust and ask them to hold you accountable weekly to how your progress is coming. Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. It’s a lot harder to give into temptation when you know you’ll have to confess it to someone else. As you go on this journey don’t step on a scale. Let the fit of your pants be the way you measure progress.

Rest is another thing that’s frequently overlooked. In our society days seem to be so busy. On the other hand, the body repairs itself during sleep and periods of rest. The time your central nervous system (CNS) repairs itself is during sleep and it takes longer to repair your CNS after exercise than it does to repair muscles. So, it’s a necessity to sit and relax for a while. People who think they don’t have time to relax are the very people who have the greatest need to rest. If you feel overly stressed and don’t know what to cut out of your day, use the 5 year rule and ask yourself if the stuff that’s occupying your mind and day will matter in 5 years. If the answer is no, then replace some of that time with rest.

We need to “lead from the front”. That’s what Paul did: Philippians 1:14 – Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been more encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly. As Christians we are called to honor God with our heart, mind, soul and strength. When we’re obedient to that calling, others like our kids, friends, family and co-workers are more apt to be encouraged that change for the good can happen and actually follow our example as we follow Christ. Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.”

Remember: “Anyone can tell you what they want. Few will tell you what they will sacrifice to get it.” So escape from the Pit Of Despair and reap the benefits of a healthier life.

MEEK

Men,
The other day I was informed of the meaning of the word MEEK. Jesus is described as MEEK. We call ourselves Christians which means Christ-like. Therefore, we also need to be MEEK. MEEK is a term used to describe a horse that's been broken. Ultimate power, under control.



MEEK could also be used to describe a nuclear power plant. The best example of ultimate power under control is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Let's be MEEK men both spiritually and physically. Let's be MEEK as Believers, Husbands, Dads, Friends... And get beastly strong.

Let's be MEEK,
KP