Good thing I'm not on the real biggest loser. I would have been booted off for sure. This week, painful and embarrassing as it was, I GAINED 2 POUNDS! Actually, it wasn't painful at all...just embarrassing. Sometimes I really just screw myself over. This weekend I did that for sure. I ate way too much junk this weekend without keeping my head in the game.
So, in the spirit of the Biggest Loser....no more excuses! I got to get this thing in gear and make it happen. One of my Sailors is already somewhere around 15 pounds. I've lost 2. Time to put up or shut up.
Here's to a painfully brutal and honest week. I want big numbers next Tuesday.
On a good note, I am getting my new running shoes by Friday. I can't wait to try them out!
Week 1 Biggest Loser Results
I am truly so grateful that I lost any weight at all this week. I know that's not very motivational, but it's true just the same. This week I lost 4 pounds, which again I'm very grateful for. My eating has not come under control, and my workouts aren't great yet. Still, 4 pounds if 4 pounds, and takes me closer to the goal of passing my upcoming Physical Fitness Assessment and winning the Great Lakes CSCSU Biggest Loser!
On a related note, I started my half marathon training plan Monday. Today I'm doing 3 miles as part of the plan I use. You can click here to see it in detail. It was the plan I used for my first half in Carlsbad back in 2010 and worked well for me then. I'm not sure yet about what race I will be running first this year. A lot will depend on when our third child shows up, which of course is a bigger priority to me than running.
On a related note, I started my half marathon training plan Monday. Today I'm doing 3 miles as part of the plan I use. You can click here to see it in detail. It was the plan I used for my first half in Carlsbad back in 2010 and worked well for me then. I'm not sure yet about what race I will be running first this year. A lot will depend on when our third child shows up, which of course is a bigger priority to me than running.
Christians and the Fear of Success
A lot of Christians are afraid of success, especially in the vocational ministry setting. Even outside of that, in a secular job setting, people are scared of it for some reason. Yet I look at Christ's example and see Him dripping with ambition. He was out to change the world. So it is most certainly possible to be out to change the world, or be successful, and still be meek and humble. This is a dichotomy that most Christians don't understand, yet they aren't actually mutually exclusive. I am convinced that you can be even more effective in your witness with success just as in how you handle failure. I was recently promoted last year in my job in the Navy. I am now a Chief Petty Officer. I wanted that position (rank), I worked hard to get it, and I maintained my integrity while getting there. Now, I have an entirely new group of people to minister to and even witness to, just ask my fellow Chief Petty Officers.
It works, but you can't be afraid of success.
As I mentioned earlier, being successful doesn't mean you can't lead with humility, or be a servant leader. Again, using my military career as an example, I can say that I have done this. One of my strengths in both ministry and in the Navy is mentoring. I was taught by good mentors in this art and I know a fair amount about it. I'm not the best, but I'm blessed in my efforts. It may seem ironic (although it isn't), but by mentoring younger, less experienced sailors, I have actually furthered my career. Making sure that my sailors are cared for increases my influence and my net worth to my superiors, thus adding to my success.
I did not become someone else in order to get this success, nor have I seen great numbers follow me. What I have seen is some people saved, many grow in their faith, careers changed for the better, and my own success as a blessed byproduct.
Maybe most importantly when discussing success and Christianity though, I want to follow a born leader…someone who is successful. And I want people to follow me because they can see that I am good at what I do. Don't be afraid of success. Push forward and bear it out!
It works, but you can't be afraid of success.
As I mentioned earlier, being successful doesn't mean you can't lead with humility, or be a servant leader. Again, using my military career as an example, I can say that I have done this. One of my strengths in both ministry and in the Navy is mentoring. I was taught by good mentors in this art and I know a fair amount about it. I'm not the best, but I'm blessed in my efforts. It may seem ironic (although it isn't), but by mentoring younger, less experienced sailors, I have actually furthered my career. Making sure that my sailors are cared for increases my influence and my net worth to my superiors, thus adding to my success.
I did not become someone else in order to get this success, nor have I seen great numbers follow me. What I have seen is some people saved, many grow in their faith, careers changed for the better, and my own success as a blessed byproduct.
Maybe most importantly when discussing success and Christianity though, I want to follow a born leader…someone who is successful. And I want people to follow me because they can see that I am good at what I do. Don't be afraid of success. Push forward and bear it out!
Running for President in South Carolina
We all know that character, and in this case sexual immorality, comes up as an issue with our presidential politics. Clinton was a womanizer, and he was probably the first one to really get hit with the allegations. Now it seems that every candidate has to clean out his/her closet because it's coming. Some appear at least to be clean in this issue, like the Bush Presidents. Others, like Edwards, seem clean and then the lid blows off on the issue. Gingrich's news isn't particularly surprising, as he has screwed up marriage since he started his, but it does mean that it will undoubtedly be a part of this election season.
Sexual immorality isn't the only character issue of course. Mitt Romney has been asked to show us his tax returns so we can see what kind of American he is. If he obliges, I wonder exactly what we'll see. Oh, and Obama was challenged in 2008 because of his relationship with a very aggressive preacher.
Would I pass the character test? I don't know. I definitely have things in my past that would come out during a campaign of this magnitude. While I've found grace and forgiveness for everything I've done (and everything I will do in the future) through Christ, I don't know if it would be enough to win South Carolina's primary.
Would the people who know me now vote for me? If book sales are any indication, then probably not as I've sold a grand total of 13 copies of my e-book. However, I also know people in several churches around the country who would be at least interested in my progress, which could be the jumping off point for a grass-roots campaign.
At best, I think I'd be something of a Ron Paul type of candidate. I'd be moderately (I hope) successful in my own little corner of the world, and make a bid each Presidential season for something I don't really have much hope of winning. This might end up being the jumping off point for book sales, speaking engagements, etc. If I could have a career doing that, then I'd say I got my part in the process.
Could you ever see yourself running for office? Would you pass the character test?
Competition 1 of 2012: MWR Indoor Triathlon
Competition 1 of 2012: MWR Indoor Triathlon
Part of what makes weblogs wonderful is that they can act as a sort of journal of activity. 2012 represents a year of change physically for me as I strive to be healthier. So, in the spirit of being better physically, and tracking my progress in this wonderful medium, here is my report from the MWR Indoor Triathlon.
I was completely unprepared for what a triathlon requires. The good thing is that it was broken into three very easy to swallow parts. Still, it was very taxing on my body and showed in painful detail how much further I need to go.
The MWR staff split the event up into three time slots throughout the day, with six possible competitors in each slot. Unfortunately, only two of us showed up for our time slot. I feel bad for the guy I went against because I was horrible competition. He was a student at one of the schools in my command, which was cool. I also learned that he was going to a ship where my former mentor is stationed. That was pretty cool to learn.
The first event was the pool. We were given 10 minutes to swim as many full laps as we could. I managed 6 laps, which was pretty good for me really. Total distance: 300 Meters. Naturally, having not been in a pool in probably six months or more, I was winded fairly quickly, and without goggles my eyes were burning pretty bad. I was honestly embarrassed at myself for being as out of pool condition as I was, but I was convinced that, even if I came in last, it would be a competitive last.
After the pool, we were given ten minutes to get changed before the next event. Once dried and changed, I went to the stationary bike and set it up for my height, etc. I also grabbed my iphone for music. I don't usually race with music, but since it was a stationary bike I was concerned that I would be bored. Besides, I was already to the point where I had wished I hadn't signed up for the tri, so I just needed a distraction. The bike went well though. I was as much of an animal as I could be. 7.05 miles total distance. Not too shabby for 20 minutes of work.
Finally, after another ten minute break, we went to the track. Here's where I realized that I was in trouble. I pride myself on being an avid, if not slow, runner. Unfortunately, after the pool and the bike, my legs were shot. I took my first turn on the gym track and realized my body was not good to go. From my knee down on my left leg I was in horrible pain. Did I stop? No! I kept going very slowly, almost walking at one point. I only got 1.4 miles run in 15 minutes. It is what it is. I'm not happy about it, but like I said, it is what it is. Once the race was over, I walked a cool-down lap and was told the results would be out after all competition was over. I'll update the post as soon as I know...I'm sure I was at the end.
Well, that was my first competition of the New Year. Here's to many great competitions in 2012. Have you had a competition yet? How did it go?
UPDATE: Results!
It took awhile, and a smarter person would hold on to these results and not write about them, but they serve a purpose. Here are my results:
I placed 2nd in my age group! Can yo believe that?!?! Yeah, you guessed it...there were only two people...
Part of what makes weblogs wonderful is that they can act as a sort of journal of activity. 2012 represents a year of change physically for me as I strive to be healthier. So, in the spirit of being better physically, and tracking my progress in this wonderful medium, here is my report from the MWR Indoor Triathlon.
I was completely unprepared for what a triathlon requires. The good thing is that it was broken into three very easy to swallow parts. Still, it was very taxing on my body and showed in painful detail how much further I need to go.
The MWR staff split the event up into three time slots throughout the day, with six possible competitors in each slot. Unfortunately, only two of us showed up for our time slot. I feel bad for the guy I went against because I was horrible competition. He was a student at one of the schools in my command, which was cool. I also learned that he was going to a ship where my former mentor is stationed. That was pretty cool to learn.
The first event was the pool. We were given 10 minutes to swim as many full laps as we could. I managed 6 laps, which was pretty good for me really. Total distance: 300 Meters. Naturally, having not been in a pool in probably six months or more, I was winded fairly quickly, and without goggles my eyes were burning pretty bad. I was honestly embarrassed at myself for being as out of pool condition as I was, but I was convinced that, even if I came in last, it would be a competitive last.
After the pool, we were given ten minutes to get changed before the next event. Once dried and changed, I went to the stationary bike and set it up for my height, etc. I also grabbed my iphone for music. I don't usually race with music, but since it was a stationary bike I was concerned that I would be bored. Besides, I was already to the point where I had wished I hadn't signed up for the tri, so I just needed a distraction. The bike went well though. I was as much of an animal as I could be. 7.05 miles total distance. Not too shabby for 20 minutes of work.
Finally, after another ten minute break, we went to the track. Here's where I realized that I was in trouble. I pride myself on being an avid, if not slow, runner. Unfortunately, after the pool and the bike, my legs were shot. I took my first turn on the gym track and realized my body was not good to go. From my knee down on my left leg I was in horrible pain. Did I stop? No! I kept going very slowly, almost walking at one point. I only got 1.4 miles run in 15 minutes. It is what it is. I'm not happy about it, but like I said, it is what it is. Once the race was over, I walked a cool-down lap and was told the results would be out after all competition was over. I'll update the post as soon as I know...I'm sure I was at the end.
Well, that was my first competition of the New Year. Here's to many great competitions in 2012. Have you had a competition yet? How did it go?
UPDATE: Results!
It took awhile, and a smarter person would hold on to these results and not write about them, but they serve a purpose. Here are my results:
I placed 2nd in my age group! Can yo believe that?!?! Yeah, you guessed it...there were only two people...
Biggest Loser at Great Lakes
A week or so ago I recorded a question asking the Biggest Loser crew:
The question basically asks what we can do to not fall apart every six months between Navy Physical Fitness Assessments. Like it or not, several of us bigger people struggle with it.
Well, one thing that we can do is exactly what the Biggest Loser does. Have a bunch of overweight people fight tooth and nail for several weeks to lose as much weight as possible. It gets the competitive juices flowing. Several of my fellows (and a female comrade as well!) are taking part, and the smack-talking is already in full swing.
I have dreams and desires for this 12 week journey. Our weight-ins are on Tuesdays, so I'll update the blog then. Wish me luck and root for me!
Mentoring Monday: Can I mentor from a Distance?
Can I mentor from a distance?
I understand that sometimes you are acquainted with a younger believer who lives far away from you. Paul clearly mentored Timothy even when Timothy was no longer in Paul's presence. It's biblically acceptable, and I would say that it's logistically possible as well, particularly because of modern technology. In fact, I have mentored young Christians from a distance myself. It is never the best option, mind you, and I do my best to help my young protégés find someone in their local area to fall under for guidance, but it can be done.
It will be very important for your protégé to find other methods of accountability because you will honestly not be close enough to him/her to really ascertain whether he/she is meeting all of the goals you set down at the beginning of the relationship. Your protégé may tell you that the Bible reading and prayer times are good to go, but that doesn't make it necessarily so. It will be, to a large degree, up to them to make that happen. You are there for guidance, not for accountability.
I understand that sometimes you are acquainted with a younger believer who lives far away from you. Paul clearly mentored Timothy even when Timothy was no longer in Paul's presence. It's biblically acceptable, and I would say that it's logistically possible as well, particularly because of modern technology. In fact, I have mentored young Christians from a distance myself. It is never the best option, mind you, and I do my best to help my young protégés find someone in their local area to fall under for guidance, but it can be done.
It will be very important for your protégé to find other methods of accountability because you will honestly not be close enough to him/her to really ascertain whether he/she is meeting all of the goals you set down at the beginning of the relationship. Your protégé may tell you that the Bible reading and prayer times are good to go, but that doesn't make it necessarily so. It will be, to a large degree, up to them to make that happen. You are there for guidance, not for accountability.
A Win for all Linux Geeks
A story broken by Naval Open Source Intelligence states that the famed US killer drones are now flying on a Linux-based system vice a Windows-based system. The fact is I don't know why this didn't happen sooner. You can say whatever you want about the advances Windows has made with the "7" launch in the area of security, but it isn't what Linux has. Point, Set, Match.
And even with advances in Windows 7 in terms of security, very few military systems are running on the newest OS from Microsoft. We are, sadly, almost always a few models behind. My system for tracking students is still in the 2000/NT era (or before actually) and our daily operating OS is a trumped-up XP.
Anyway, it looks like at least part of the military has realized this and has made the smart move: we're now going to be killing terrorists with Linux. It's about time!
Something fun for the weekend
I subscribe to Frugal Dad, a great site about personal finances. Please check the blog out...you'll be glad you did. Also, he has some great graphics, and I'm borrowing one today. Enjoy!
Source: http://frugaldad.com
Source: http://frugaldad.com
Fat Sailor Friday: Slothfulness Part I
As part of a continuing theological discussion on being overweight and out of shape, particularly as it relates to the new year, I'm turning the focus from one evil of overeating to another one; being lazy. Stay tuned in future weeks for additional parts...all in the hope that you'll remain strong in your resolution to lose weight and get healthy. Remember, YOU ARE THE TEMPLE!
Proverbs 6:9, 10
9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
I hope you've enjoyed the discussion on Gluttony. We now turn our focus from the idea of gluttony, wherein the believer (or unbeliever for that matter) has trouble eating proper portions. It is, at its heart, a problem of greed, but what about being lazy?
The fact is that I often treat exercise as a way to counter my struggle with gluttony. I try to outrun my intake, as it were. Unfortunately, that rarely works effectively for more than a few weeks. Then my motivation for working out falters and I'm back to square one: Dealing with the problem of slothfulness.
I woke up this morning at 5:00 AM with all of the intention in the world of going to workout. As I laid there on the living room couch, which is where I went after I left the bedroom at 5:15, the above verses came to mind. How long was I going to lay there? When was I going to actually, finally, get up from my sleep?
Laziness is a slippery slope. It compounds upon itself to create a monster that will not only destroy your personal fitness goals, but your health as well. You won't even be able to fight for a good time at the next 5K race because you'll be too busy trying to get off of the couch.
If you are trying to lose weight and/or get back into shape, then get prepared to fight against slothfulness. Remember that you are the temple, and clean it up! Get up and run!
Proverbs 6:9, 10
9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
I hope you've enjoyed the discussion on Gluttony. We now turn our focus from the idea of gluttony, wherein the believer (or unbeliever for that matter) has trouble eating proper portions. It is, at its heart, a problem of greed, but what about being lazy?
The fact is that I often treat exercise as a way to counter my struggle with gluttony. I try to outrun my intake, as it were. Unfortunately, that rarely works effectively for more than a few weeks. Then my motivation for working out falters and I'm back to square one: Dealing with the problem of slothfulness.
I woke up this morning at 5:00 AM with all of the intention in the world of going to workout. As I laid there on the living room couch, which is where I went after I left the bedroom at 5:15, the above verses came to mind. How long was I going to lay there? When was I going to actually, finally, get up from my sleep?
Laziness is a slippery slope. It compounds upon itself to create a monster that will not only destroy your personal fitness goals, but your health as well. You won't even be able to fight for a good time at the next 5K race because you'll be too busy trying to get off of the couch.
If you are trying to lose weight and/or get back into shape, then get prepared to fight against slothfulness. Remember that you are the temple, and clean it up! Get up and run!
Why so many blog topics on Navy Christian?
Blogging sense defies me. It's probably why I'll never be famous. I'm not consistent enough with my blogging. The fact is that I'm just too spread out myself. I wear a lot of hats, like a lot of men do. I'm a Sailor, a senior leader at my job, a father, a runner, a husband, a Christian, a seminary student, a minister-at-large, a mentor, a writer, a protégé, and a flash-mob organizer (ok, the last one isn't true, although I wish I was one).
So my blog does the same thing (except the flash-mob thing). I will think of a mentoring piece I want to write and then write it. Then an article about eating or running with strike my fancy and I'll do that. The bottom line is that I really like to write about a lot of different things.
One thing that hopefully runs through all of my articles, indeed my entire blog, is that I want to help men become better men. I hope you'll see that as well, and enjoy the posts I write. My desire is consistent, even if my choice of topics isn't.
So whether you're here for problems with health, family, mentoring, or any of the other hundred things I'm about, please join in the conversation!
So my blog does the same thing (except the flash-mob thing). I will think of a mentoring piece I want to write and then write it. Then an article about eating or running with strike my fancy and I'll do that. The bottom line is that I really like to write about a lot of different things.
One thing that hopefully runs through all of my articles, indeed my entire blog, is that I want to help men become better men. I hope you'll see that as well, and enjoy the posts I write. My desire is consistent, even if my choice of topics isn't.
So whether you're here for problems with health, family, mentoring, or any of the other hundred things I'm about, please join in the conversation!
On Being an Authentic Christian
It seems like everyone wants to know what being an authentic Christian is like. I've heard sermons before wherein the main thesis was, "What does an authentic Christian look like?" Recently, a pretty big Christian blogger wrote about being authentic, and he points out good things to think about. In his article, Michael Hyatt, the CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, says a few important things that have to deal with strengths and weaknesses. He says that you have to discover your strengths and manage your weaknesses. I couldn't agree more. One of the things that plagued me for most of my Navy career was the fact that I didn't know who I was at the core. I didn't know what made me who I was. I didn't know my strengths and my weaknesses.
The thing that Mr. Hyatt doesn't lay out, however, is that we aren't always the best judge of what our strengths and weaknesses are. For this reason, we need mentors. When I was being mentored by a Navigator in San Diego, I was asked what I thought my strength was. It turns out that it wasn't an easy question to answer. However, after a few meetings, my new mentor knew what my strengths and weaknesses were. As to my strengths, he said my biggest was my ability to learn. That is an important strength, and I didn't even know I had it. That strength turned into an ability to figure out what it would take to get a promotion to Chief Petty Officer because I learned what was required of me. That strength also led to what is probably my biggest strength now...becoming a good mentor to others.
Mentoring is all about being authentic, to a point. Your protégé doesn't need to know everything about you like an accountability partner would. However, he must know that you're using your strengths to help him. I have that situation now with a Sailor at my command. I've already learned that he wants to be involved, but he doesn't just get his feet wet. When he goes in for it...well, he goes all the way. That sort of ambition is a pretty good thing if it can be tempered and utilized for the right purposes. I'm happy that one of his strengths is his willingness to take risks.
So you see, strengths and weaknesses do make up a great deal of who we are. The only thing I would counter with is that we are not always the best person to know those strengths and weaknesses. That is why you need to be in a mentoring relationship, both as a mentor and as a protégé.
The thing that Mr. Hyatt doesn't lay out, however, is that we aren't always the best judge of what our strengths and weaknesses are. For this reason, we need mentors. When I was being mentored by a Navigator in San Diego, I was asked what I thought my strength was. It turns out that it wasn't an easy question to answer. However, after a few meetings, my new mentor knew what my strengths and weaknesses were. As to my strengths, he said my biggest was my ability to learn. That is an important strength, and I didn't even know I had it. That strength turned into an ability to figure out what it would take to get a promotion to Chief Petty Officer because I learned what was required of me. That strength also led to what is probably my biggest strength now...becoming a good mentor to others.
Mentoring is all about being authentic, to a point. Your protégé doesn't need to know everything about you like an accountability partner would. However, he must know that you're using your strengths to help him. I have that situation now with a Sailor at my command. I've already learned that he wants to be involved, but he doesn't just get his feet wet. When he goes in for it...well, he goes all the way. That sort of ambition is a pretty good thing if it can be tempered and utilized for the right purposes. I'm happy that one of his strengths is his willingness to take risks.
So you see, strengths and weaknesses do make up a great deal of who we are. The only thing I would counter with is that we are not always the best person to know those strengths and weaknesses. That is why you need to be in a mentoring relationship, both as a mentor and as a protégé.
Mentoring Monday: Jesus as Spot Mentor
I've written before about the importance of spot mentoring as a way into a mentoring relationship. Sometimes it works out for the better and sometimes a prospective protégé will balk at the advice and walk away. It's part of life for those of us who mentor on a regular basis. More often than not, a spot mentoring situation will simply present itself, the two individuals will exchange information, go their separate ways, and never discuss the issue again, and maybe not even see each other again.
Jesus got involved in one such episode, recorded in Luke Chapter 18:
18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.
In this well-known passage, we see Jesus doing what mentors do best. It should come as no surprise, of course, that he is entering into someone's life and making an impact. What is obvious from this story is that the young man didn't want anything to do with giving up his riches. What is not immediately obvious to the man who hasn't been involved in mentoring is that Jesus is prodding a possible protégé.
The situation opens with someone asking advice from a wise man. Now, you and I can't compete with Jesus, but you've probably had someone ask you for advice before. It's what you do with that opportunity that counts for mentoring. As a spot mentor, you're hoping to affect a less-experienced person to the point where they do two things: 1-Make a good decision and 2-Trust you with future opportunities.
I was on duty one day on base as the Barracks Duty Officer (BDO). It was my job to ensure that the students at the barracks were safe and not causing mayhem. During that rotation, I was asked by a young Sailor for a few minutes of my time. I told him to come in and sit at my desk. He told me his problem, I gave him some advice, and he left. At its heart, that was a spot mentoring moment.
Unlike Jesus in the above scripture reference, the young man who asked me for advice seemed ready to act on my suggestions. Like Jesus, however, I only got one opportunity to make an impression on the young man. Just like we will never know the future of this young ruler, I also won't ever know the results of the young Sailor I shared my life with for a few minutes that cold January day. And it doesn't matter. We as mentors do our job, and our job is to be used by God however we need to be used.
You've probably been involved in Spot Mentoring at some time in your life. Someone came to you for some advice, you stepped into their life for a moment by giving some suggestions, and then you step back out. What you might not have known to do was to follow up if possible to see if the young guy could become a protégé.
Biggest Loser Question...Help me Pick!
Biggest Loser just welcomed video questions for the Biggest Loser Team. I have always been interested in the Biggest Loser and would love to compete if ever given the chance. I spent a few minutes on break yesterday recording some videos to send in.
I NEED YOUR HELP!!! Please help me by picking which video to go with. Vote either on the poll at the right or in the comments section. Thank you!
Here's Video 1:
Here's Video 2:
Thank you in advance for helping me make the decision! Remember that you can vote either below in the comments section or via the poll at the right!
I NEED YOUR HELP!!! Please help me by picking which video to go with. Vote either on the poll at the right or in the comments section. Thank you!
Here's Video 1:
Here's Video 2:
Thank you in advance for helping me make the decision! Remember that you can vote either below in the comments section or via the poll at the right!
Fat Sailor Friday: Gluttony Part IV
This is Part IV of a 4 Part Series
For a refresher, visit the following links for Parts 1-3:
Part I
Part II
Part III
Here is today's part:
Don't you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 HCSB).
I have a slogan for running and healthy eating that I've started using. I don't expect it to be my official slogan forever, but it works for me now when I'm tired and don't want to work out or when I want a bag of chips between meals. Here it is: I AM A TEMPLE.
Granted, it's not very flashy, angry, militant, or even all that athletic. However, I am a believer, and as a believer, I have the Holy Ghost in me. This is something I've always ignored really, at least as far as how it relates to my body image and my eating.
Right now, I confess that I'm doing significant damage to the temple which is me. The rafters are rotten, the foundation is weak (my knees!), the walls are bloated with rot and “extra.” But that's now the temple I'll be in the next several months.
The funny thing is that I'm asking God for his help in rebuilding his temple. I can't do this on my own because I'd run this temple into the ground if it were up to me. All success, therefore, is God's as the Holy Ghost rebuilds his temple within me.
I am a Temple.
For a refresher, visit the following links for Parts 1-3:
Part I
Part II
Part III
Here is today's part:
Don't you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 HCSB).
I have a slogan for running and healthy eating that I've started using. I don't expect it to be my official slogan forever, but it works for me now when I'm tired and don't want to work out or when I want a bag of chips between meals. Here it is: I AM A TEMPLE.
Granted, it's not very flashy, angry, militant, or even all that athletic. However, I am a believer, and as a believer, I have the Holy Ghost in me. This is something I've always ignored really, at least as far as how it relates to my body image and my eating.
Right now, I confess that I'm doing significant damage to the temple which is me. The rafters are rotten, the foundation is weak (my knees!), the walls are bloated with rot and “extra.” But that's now the temple I'll be in the next several months.
The funny thing is that I'm asking God for his help in rebuilding his temple. I can't do this on my own because I'd run this temple into the ground if it were up to me. All success, therefore, is God's as the Holy Ghost rebuilds his temple within me.
I am a Temple.
Praying for Students
Since becoming a Chief Petty Officer, and moving into the role of Lead Instructor, I haven't been in a classroom much at all. The only thing I've done is evaluate a few instructors and teach some staff members. The only dealings I have with students are the occasional counseling, usually for a student being late to class, disruptive, or otherwise "un-sailor-like."
Yet I attempt to remain, as best I can, involved in the lives of students. On my rounds, while officially checking on the instructors that report to me, I am always striking up seemingly random conversations with students. My goal is to find out how they are and how things are going in their class.
The biggest part of remaining involved with the students is through prayer. I am not allowed to discuss spiritual matters with the students, at least not outright, and certainly not allowed to proselytize. Yet I have found that many mornings I can come in to work a little early and pray for them and their day. Or I can do it as I walk around the building. One must never discount the ability to pray. We can pray at any time we want to. We are able to at all times.
Won't you pray a little today for a few minutes for my Sailors? Thanks!
Yet I attempt to remain, as best I can, involved in the lives of students. On my rounds, while officially checking on the instructors that report to me, I am always striking up seemingly random conversations with students. My goal is to find out how they are and how things are going in their class.
The biggest part of remaining involved with the students is through prayer. I am not allowed to discuss spiritual matters with the students, at least not outright, and certainly not allowed to proselytize. Yet I have found that many mornings I can come in to work a little early and pray for them and their day. Or I can do it as I walk around the building. One must never discount the ability to pray. We can pray at any time we want to. We are able to at all times.
Won't you pray a little today for a few minutes for my Sailors? Thanks!
Blog Strategy for 2012
The goal of this post is to show you my blog strategy for 2012. You may think that it's kind of late to have a blog strategy for 2012 since we're already on day 4, but I disagree. One must be sure of what he/she plans to do, so if taking a few extra days is what is required to make sure things are what they need to be, then so be it.
So, back to the strategy for 2012, I plan the following:
1. Focus on health, especially as it relates to the Bible. I have written several articles on gluttony and will continue in that vein. However, I plan to break a little from gluttony this year to put together a plan for writing about how laziness plays a role in being overweight and out of shape. So I'll be moving the focus slightly to include workouts and motivational pieces.
2. Focus on politics. This year is going to be ugly...very ugly. I suspect that we have only begun to scratch the surface on how devastating these next several months are going to be. I want to help believers navigate through the mess that is going to be 2012 so that we can maintain our faith and maybe even some hope, that the right path will be chosen.
3. Mentoring. Even though it's not number 1, it is in my heart. For whatever reason, God has made mentoring my strength. I'm good at it. I understand how it works. I want to move more into a specialist role as far as mentoring is concerned, so my articles will move toward that end as well. Also, I hope to publish a short how-to guide on developing a mentoring culture. Obviously I'll let you know how that goes.
4. As usual, there is a catch-all section, and that's what goes here. Everything from race reports to missionary status reports from Japan will go here, and who knows what else to boot! Should be fun.
Having a strategy does not guarantee that all will be well, but it does hopefully help determine where to go from here. So, on January 4th, I move forward with a strategy of sorts, even if it's not a perfect fit for what most blogging experts would suggest. This is Navy Christian, after all, and I am a Navy Christian. I don't think only about one thing...why would I blog that way?
So, back to the strategy for 2012, I plan the following:
1. Focus on health, especially as it relates to the Bible. I have written several articles on gluttony and will continue in that vein. However, I plan to break a little from gluttony this year to put together a plan for writing about how laziness plays a role in being overweight and out of shape. So I'll be moving the focus slightly to include workouts and motivational pieces.
2. Focus on politics. This year is going to be ugly...very ugly. I suspect that we have only begun to scratch the surface on how devastating these next several months are going to be. I want to help believers navigate through the mess that is going to be 2012 so that we can maintain our faith and maybe even some hope, that the right path will be chosen.
3. Mentoring. Even though it's not number 1, it is in my heart. For whatever reason, God has made mentoring my strength. I'm good at it. I understand how it works. I want to move more into a specialist role as far as mentoring is concerned, so my articles will move toward that end as well. Also, I hope to publish a short how-to guide on developing a mentoring culture. Obviously I'll let you know how that goes.
4. As usual, there is a catch-all section, and that's what goes here. Everything from race reports to missionary status reports from Japan will go here, and who knows what else to boot! Should be fun.
Having a strategy does not guarantee that all will be well, but it does hopefully help determine where to go from here. So, on January 4th, I move forward with a strategy of sorts, even if it's not a perfect fit for what most blogging experts would suggest. This is Navy Christian, after all, and I am a Navy Christian. I don't think only about one thing...why would I blog that way?
Two Resolutions I'd like you to Consider
There are two things I'd like you to consider. One of them is for all people regardless of faith background, and the second one is for Christians.
1st, I want you to consider getting a mentor, and if you have one, I want you to consider mentoring someone. At the moment I am mentoring four Sailors...two of them are believers. I am mentoring three of the Sailors for career reasons (for them) and one of them I'm mentoring for primarily spiritual reasons. In that relationship, the Navy is secondary in importance.
But the truth is that I don't have a mentor right now. I need to find one. I'm not sure what area to focus on, so that will be my first step. As far as my career goes, I'm in a holding pattern becuase I won't be eligible for three years for the next rank. That allows me to start working on some other areas that are important to me, like education, running, weight-loss, writing, parenting, etc. Finding out which area I want to focus on will be number 1 priority over the next week. Then it's off to hunt for a mentor. You should be doing it too. If you don't know how, let me know and I'll help you.
2nd, I want you to consider reading the Bible all of the way through. I'd love it if you would do it even if you don't believe in God, but I know that is a difficult request. However, for you believers...get to know God and the Bible more by joining me on a quest to read through the Bible! It's only January 2nd or 3rd (depending on when you read this post), so get in now! YouVersion (for iphone and Droid) are great plans, but there are several others I can point you too. I did this once before several years ago and it was a blessing. Time to do it again!
You may want to lose weight or spend more time with family, or countless other things for 2012, but I would like for you to consider these two especially. Let me know if you need help!
1st, I want you to consider getting a mentor, and if you have one, I want you to consider mentoring someone. At the moment I am mentoring four Sailors...two of them are believers. I am mentoring three of the Sailors for career reasons (for them) and one of them I'm mentoring for primarily spiritual reasons. In that relationship, the Navy is secondary in importance.
But the truth is that I don't have a mentor right now. I need to find one. I'm not sure what area to focus on, so that will be my first step. As far as my career goes, I'm in a holding pattern becuase I won't be eligible for three years for the next rank. That allows me to start working on some other areas that are important to me, like education, running, weight-loss, writing, parenting, etc. Finding out which area I want to focus on will be number 1 priority over the next week. Then it's off to hunt for a mentor. You should be doing it too. If you don't know how, let me know and I'll help you.
2nd, I want you to consider reading the Bible all of the way through. I'd love it if you would do it even if you don't believe in God, but I know that is a difficult request. However, for you believers...get to know God and the Bible more by joining me on a quest to read through the Bible! It's only January 2nd or 3rd (depending on when you read this post), so get in now! YouVersion (for iphone and Droid) are great plans, but there are several others I can point you too. I did this once before several years ago and it was a blessing. Time to do it again!
You may want to lose weight or spend more time with family, or countless other things for 2012, but I would like for you to consider these two especially. Let me know if you need help!
Goals for 2012
In my heart, I want 2012 to be stronger and better than last year. I don't know if it's because I'm getting ever so slightly older or what, but I am a little cynical. Honestly I don't have much faith that I'll actually reach any resolutions I set, particularly about weight loss and eating habits.
Furthermore, I see 2012 as a continuation of 2011. As a Sailor, I've accomplished everything I came to Great Lakes to do, so finding a challenge at work will be…well…a challenge. I've got my eyes on a few things but we'll just have to see what happens with that. I'll keep you posted. The point is that you won't see any resolutions about work or the Navy.
The biggest thing coming up for us is the birth of Hannah Grace, who is due on or about the 15th of April. We are extremely excited for her arrival. The kids are excited, we're excited (and anxious!), and I think our extended families are at least intrigued.
As to goals and resolutions, I offer myself the following:
1. Running: I want to run two races in 2012.
First, I want to run the Fort2Base race in September. I ran in the first one in 2011 and I would love to get a chance to run this one as well. Obviously, I'd like to beat my time last year. I was in very good shape for this one since I was going through CPO Induction, but I hadn't been able to train for a race that long, so this year is a unique opportunity as well.
Secondly, I want to run a marathon. In particular, Libertyville (the city where we attend church) has one in the fall and that is my goal. The Marathon has eluded me because of injury or other expenses, and this is my year to get that monkey off my back. Granted, it's a monkey I put on my back, but I still want him dead.
Finally, I want to take part in every MWR race in 2012. There are ten of them and they are free, so there is no excuse. They make great training runs for races. I can't say that that I won't want to join in other races, but these are the goals for the year.
2. Writing: I have a few goals for my writing.
Number 1 is to be published again with a book. This year I published Sea Stories, but that was a self-publishing venture (not that it was easy because of that fact). My goal is to have a full-fledged publishing contract, no matter how small, with a publisher by the end of 2012. I miss writing and it will be good to be back in the hunt, as it were.
Secondly, I have a goal to expand my blog. In 2010 I had 5903 hits and in 2011 I had 5561. I need to bump that up to reach some other goals for the year. My goal for 2011 is to blog well enough to reach 7000 hits. That is a rather ambitious goal for the year, but I have some ideas as to how I'm going to make it work. Part of that is up to you, my readers, of course. Would you consider subscribing to the blog? Or putting it in your Google/Yahoo reader? That will help me a great deal! Thank you!
Finally, as to the other goal, I want to make $50 from my blogging efforts this year. As you can clearly see, I sell ads on my website. Each time someone clicks on the ad, I get a portion of the money. It's not much, but it's a start. If I make $50, then I will reach a $100 and get my first paycheck from Google, something that I've been wanting to do for a while. I haven't set a goal for the rest of my writing in terms of money, but definitely with my blog. So that's what I've got planned.
How about you? What are your goals for the New Year?
Furthermore, I see 2012 as a continuation of 2011. As a Sailor, I've accomplished everything I came to Great Lakes to do, so finding a challenge at work will be…well…a challenge. I've got my eyes on a few things but we'll just have to see what happens with that. I'll keep you posted. The point is that you won't see any resolutions about work or the Navy.
The biggest thing coming up for us is the birth of Hannah Grace, who is due on or about the 15th of April. We are extremely excited for her arrival. The kids are excited, we're excited (and anxious!), and I think our extended families are at least intrigued.
As to goals and resolutions, I offer myself the following:
1. Running: I want to run two races in 2012.
Finally, I want to take part in every MWR race in 2012. There are ten of them and they are free, so there is no excuse. They make great training runs for races. I can't say that that I won't want to join in other races, but these are the goals for the year.
2. Writing: I have a few goals for my writing.
Secondly, I have a goal to expand my blog. In 2010 I had 5903 hits and in 2011 I had 5561. I need to bump that up to reach some other goals for the year. My goal for 2011 is to blog well enough to reach 7000 hits. That is a rather ambitious goal for the year, but I have some ideas as to how I'm going to make it work. Part of that is up to you, my readers, of course. Would you consider subscribing to the blog? Or putting it in your Google/Yahoo reader? That will help me a great deal! Thank you!
Finally, as to the other goal, I want to make $50 from my blogging efforts this year. As you can clearly see, I sell ads on my website. Each time someone clicks on the ad, I get a portion of the money. It's not much, but it's a start. If I make $50, then I will reach a $100 and get my first paycheck from Google, something that I've been wanting to do for a while. I haven't set a goal for the rest of my writing in terms of money, but definitely with my blog. So that's what I've got planned.
How about you? What are your goals for the New Year?
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