The Work Out: Consistency Pays

On to part 3 of “The Work Out” – “The routine”
Ok, we have the diet and the desire. Now we just need the routine. Like our bodies, if we are not constantly working out we see little to no productivity or growth. You see anyone can go to the gym once and a while to do a crazy hard workout but if they don’t do it regularly, they will see little results. It’s the same with many areas of our Christian walk. If we only read the bible, (attend church, pray or do devotions) once every now-n-then; 1) we limit the amount of Gods word in our lives, 2) we forget what we have read or learned and 3) we distance ourselves from God will. A devotion a day will keep the sin away…not really but it will focus your day on God over self. So for the best results practice your spiritual disciplines DAILY!

Side bar, p.s., rabbit trail or whatever you want to call it: What’s with the “only 10 minutes a day for 30 days” crap I keep hearing? These people want us to think that losing weight and getting in shape is easy and fast!!! LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING; it took years of eating junk and sitting in front of TV’s for us to get this fat and out of shape, what on earth makes you think you can clean up your act in any less time? There has to be a self-sacrifice. You have to take in the good stuff and you have to GET UP and do things! Humm, let me think…you could take in Gods word and you could do something like serve or bless someone and don’t forget; Consistency will yield the best results!

The Work Out: Diet First

Ok part two of “The Work Out” – “the diet”
I am amazed at what these people do to get into shape and stay in shape. Although good cardio and weight training is important the biggest part of it is diet. What you put into your body has more effect than what you do with your body. Although I believe this, it is still the hardest part. In both our physical and spiritual lives, the above is true. We constantly crave the stuff that’s not beneficial and sometimes just plain bad for us. Our spirit needs good nutrients. We can get this from Gods word, Prayer and Fellowship. Instead we feast on TV, secular music and worldly friends. These things clog our spirit up with fat that makes it hard for us to do the things God has in store for us. Sure we make an effort but come up short breathed and out of shape. So before we go any farther into this mini series, let’s start off with the Godly Diet. Remember: what goes in…is what comes out!

The work-out

So I was at the gym yesterday for the first time in about 4 weeks! Man everything I did killed me! It was tough, Just 4 weeks ago I was pushing so much more. This got me to thinking about how much this was like our spiritual walk. If we dont stay up on our game we get weaker and cannot handle as much. This is just the first of a little series I will be doing of the gym vs the walk so stay tuned & I will be back. Oh yeah, sorry about the spelling mistakes if there are any.

for those not at Discovery this week

THis is my blog from our Bulletin this Sunday morning:

Friday night I had the opportunity to stand outside of the Apple Store during the launch of their IPhone. There were about 250 people waiting in line for the 6:00pm release. When the doors opened everyone clapped and were cheering. As I watched the
people rushing in I wondered what generated all that hype. Nobody there had even held one, much less played around with it. They all wanted it because they had been told how great it was and they believed it! They had faith in it and its performance! I then wandered why people don't get that excited over God and Jesus. I haven't see lines waiting to get into church. And I wondered what it would take to for people to cheer and clap when the church doors were opened. I don't have the
answers and don't think I am as excited about my savior as much as I should be. But rest assured, long after the Iphone hype dies down (and it will), God will still be saving souls and loving us at maximum performance. And he will need no warrantee or upgrades!

so here are a few phone [not iphone :( ] pictures I took:


This is the first of the waiters, these are the "campers". I hate to tell them that there is enough phones in there for everyone! 2 days later there were still cases full of them left :)


Here are people like me (sadly) watching people wait in line.

THis is the really long line, I guess about 150 people or so.

its not as small as I thought!!!

God is Good!!!

Nothing particular just a reminder! No matter what my actions are, either good or bad, He is still good. I sometimes have trouble with Gods unconditional love. I find my actions are very conditional, if things are all good, its easy to be good and happy but when things get a little bumpy or totally out of hand, I tent to follow suit and falter in my walk.

I am in Tampa…and have a few minutes and free wifi so though a little update would be nice.
We (Sheila & I) visited Kings Avenue this Sunday for second service and I have to say that Pastor Richards message was good and well received. He had a great tie-in to the 4th of July and I cannot say I have seen so much passion form the pulpit in awhile…then again I really don’t get to much big church time being with the kids and all.
Work is good, we got everything done and are looking to help other companies with their workload. We had no calls over the weekend and it was nice and peaceful!
Mom is having her first quiet day alone since Bobby passed away. I will not call her today, she needs this time to stop fighting it and let the “front” down. She is still the strongest woman I have ever known.
Me and my real father are having a few issues and could use your prayers. I think things will be fine but we both need some time. I really haven’t had too much time to reflect on and morn for Bobby due to this situation. It has been distracting at the least.
Sheila is here with me and probably shopping with her mother. She is good and had been SOOOO supportive through all of this. I don’t think I would have been able to handle things without her help. With trips to Tampa, preaching 2 times, Bobby’s passing and issues with my real father, things have been on edge and I have been ready to crack! So Sheila, if you read this…Thanks again!!!

Well that’s all for now, too much blogging may send Jim & Derek into overload!