The other day I looked at when my last Blog Entry was and I was a bit shocked. I knew that I had not made an entry for a while, but I hadn't realized that it's been almost three whole months!
Things have been extremely hectic for me lately. The biggest thing is that the prison that I work at is so understaffed right now that we are getting hit for mandatory overtime at least once, if not twice, per week. That’s on top of working our 4x 12 hour shifts. That has been making things extremely difficult for all of us there.
On top of this job, I have a wife and two kids, I usually do a weekly Adult Bible Study, and I am the Adjutant (Secretary) for our local VFW. That’s a lot going on, huh? For some of you out there, that is the norm for you. For others, doing this much work might be a totally foreign concept. I tell you what, it is very difficult to balance all of this.
In fact, that’s the biggest thing. It has been an on-going challenge to get an appropriate balance between work, being there for my family, taking care of things around the house, look for a new job that better utilizes my skills and interests (and is a lot less stressful and dangerous), do my daily devotions, attend church, do a good preparation for my weekly Bible Study, etc. It seems like I have to ‘rob Peter to pay either Paul or Mary.’ And, that is not really including taking time just for myself.
Asides from daily devotions, I admit that I have often shortchanged myself with good, quality self-care time. Whether it’s reading a good book, doing some creative writing (for this blog, for example), watching a favorite TV show, etc., my self-care often goes onto the chopping blog first. Or, when I do take time to rest, relax, and recharge, I feel guilty because I am not addressing any of the other priorities in my life. I honestly feel like I have been burning the candles at both end, and in the middle. Getting very little sleep during my work days because of the insane hours that I have to work, doesn’t help either.
From time-to-time, I have checked the stats for my blog and have often been surprised to see that people have visited it on occasion. This has been encouraging since that means people enjoy what I write and check back once-in-a-while. It is also sometimes a source of frustration. I see that people are coming back, hoping to see more, and are probably disappointed; and, I feel guilty for not adjusting my time more so that I could write more entries.
I am hoping that things will get better soon. Although we are getting new staff, things are still really difficult. However, I still have to deal with all that I have. Since my Bible Study won’t meet again until next year, that will help a little with time.
Each of us have to wrestle with priorities. My wife knows very well how frustrated I often feel with all my current obligations. The Bible Study and helping with VFW are a much needed source of self-expression that I need, something that I thoroughly love doing. So is this blog. It is my hope that things will improve such that I can do more blogging. Not just because it is a creative release for me, but because many of you out there really enjoy reading it. May God help each of us with our priorities.
Showing posts with label devotions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label devotions. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 12, 2017
Monday, August 22, 2016
Physical and Spiritual Fitness
References:
• Our Daily Bread Devotional for 06JUL2016
• 1 Timothy 4:6-11
• Hebrews 12:1-3
• Physical and Spiritual Nutrition
I am writing this blog entry as a follow up on one that I wrote on September 13, 2015, as well as a commentary on an Our Daily Bread devotional that I read a while back. They are both related because you cannot have good physical fitness without good nutrition. Our bodies will not be healthy without good, nutritious food, and our spiritual health will not be good without good spiritual nutrition.
My wife and I have recently purchased FitBit watches (https://www.fitbit.com/) in order to better track our physical activities and the calories that we burn. The phone app and online web page that we log into helps us to track the food that we eat, how much water we drink each day, our heart rate, our sleep, etc. All of it has been extremely helpful with living a more healthy life.
While I was deployed to Qatar last year, I was disciplining myself with running three times a week. At first a 5K (approximately 3.1 miles) was the farthest that I would run. But, having ran the All American 10 Miler back in 2004, I choose to push myself to run farther. By early summer, I was running a 10K (approximately 6.2 miles) once a week. It was an exciting time for me because I was steadily improving my run time.
On top of the running, I also did calisthenics two or three times a week. Add to that, the fact that I walked to my destinations most of the time, I was physically in very good shape. It took a lot of self-discipline to do so. I had to allow time for walking to the different places on base; I had to choose to exercise, even when I didn’t feel like it; and I and to make sure that I was eating good, healthy food.
The summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro have come to a close. There, athletes from all over the world compete against each other in various events. Each of these athletes have to train for years in order to compete on the level that they do. It takes many, many years of practice, self-discipline, sacrifice, etc. The end results can be astonishing feats of athletic abilities that can garner great pride and honor. But yet, for those of us who follow Christ, there is so much more to life than one’s physical abilities.
Eventually, all of us grow old. The things that we used to be able to do with ease will eventually become very difficult, if not impossible. Some people are blessed with excellent healthy, endurance, and fitness throughout their life. But, that is not always the case. For many, illness, injury, and/or lifestyle decisions hamper what one can physically and mentally do as they get older. Though it is important to maintain as healthy of a lifestyle as one can, there is more to life than that. That would be spiritual fitness.
Paul drew a parallel between physical fitness and spiritual fitness. Having seen what Roman soldiers were capable of, having seen athletes compete, etc., Paul had a good understanding of the benefits of physical exercise. Having been a Pharisee and scholar, Paul also knew the important of spiritual discipline. Saul would never have become an important member of the religious establishment in Jerusalem without years of hard work and study. After become a Christian, that vast knowledge and intense self-discipline greatly helped him as a traveling missionary. It is something we should aspire to, I believe.
Not all of us will become biblical scholars who are gifted in one ancient language or another. Not all of us will be able to understand ancient history with how it relates to Scripture. Though some people may be gifted in memorizing Scripture or teach Scripture to others, this is not the case for everyone. God has a role for all of us to play in His plans for us and the Church Universal (the Body of Christ). While how we serve God will vary greatly, there is one that is important to all of us. That is knowing Christ in a personal way and deepening that relationship.
I strive to do devotions every day. I do admit, though, there are times where I do better at doing devotions more regularly than others. One thing that I seem to do very well is maintaining a prayerful attitude (praying without ceasing). While in seminary, I was introduced to the idea of prayer walking. That is, while walking around a particular neighborhood, pray for those around you, whatever God brings to your mind. I also make it a point to pray for at least half of my 20 minute commute to work. Each of these things have been very helpful with maintaining and deepening my relationship with Christ. They are not the only things that I do, just some examples.
Just like it takes a lot of self-discipline and time before you will see major results in physical fitness, the same can be said for spiritual fitness. There will be times where it seems like no matter what you do, things seem stagnate. The same happens when you plateau with your physical fitness for a time. In spite of these challenges, continue to seek to know God deeply and intimately. Though physical fitness does have many benefits, there are eternal benefits (and consequences) for our spiritual health. It’s a lifelong challenge, with many plateaus, mountain top experiences, and deep valleys. Are you ready for the challenge?
• Our Daily Bread Devotional for 06JUL2016
• 1 Timothy 4:6-11
• Hebrews 12:1-3
• Physical and Spiritual Nutrition
I am writing this blog entry as a follow up on one that I wrote on September 13, 2015, as well as a commentary on an Our Daily Bread devotional that I read a while back. They are both related because you cannot have good physical fitness without good nutrition. Our bodies will not be healthy without good, nutritious food, and our spiritual health will not be good without good spiritual nutrition.
My wife and I have recently purchased FitBit watches (https://www.fitbit.com/) in order to better track our physical activities and the calories that we burn. The phone app and online web page that we log into helps us to track the food that we eat, how much water we drink each day, our heart rate, our sleep, etc. All of it has been extremely helpful with living a more healthy life.
While I was deployed to Qatar last year, I was disciplining myself with running three times a week. At first a 5K (approximately 3.1 miles) was the farthest that I would run. But, having ran the All American 10 Miler back in 2004, I choose to push myself to run farther. By early summer, I was running a 10K (approximately 6.2 miles) once a week. It was an exciting time for me because I was steadily improving my run time.
On top of the running, I also did calisthenics two or three times a week. Add to that, the fact that I walked to my destinations most of the time, I was physically in very good shape. It took a lot of self-discipline to do so. I had to allow time for walking to the different places on base; I had to choose to exercise, even when I didn’t feel like it; and I and to make sure that I was eating good, healthy food.
The summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro have come to a close. There, athletes from all over the world compete against each other in various events. Each of these athletes have to train for years in order to compete on the level that they do. It takes many, many years of practice, self-discipline, sacrifice, etc. The end results can be astonishing feats of athletic abilities that can garner great pride and honor. But yet, for those of us who follow Christ, there is so much more to life than one’s physical abilities.
Eventually, all of us grow old. The things that we used to be able to do with ease will eventually become very difficult, if not impossible. Some people are blessed with excellent healthy, endurance, and fitness throughout their life. But, that is not always the case. For many, illness, injury, and/or lifestyle decisions hamper what one can physically and mentally do as they get older. Though it is important to maintain as healthy of a lifestyle as one can, there is more to life than that. That would be spiritual fitness.
Paul drew a parallel between physical fitness and spiritual fitness. Having seen what Roman soldiers were capable of, having seen athletes compete, etc., Paul had a good understanding of the benefits of physical exercise. Having been a Pharisee and scholar, Paul also knew the important of spiritual discipline. Saul would never have become an important member of the religious establishment in Jerusalem without years of hard work and study. After become a Christian, that vast knowledge and intense self-discipline greatly helped him as a traveling missionary. It is something we should aspire to, I believe.
Not all of us will become biblical scholars who are gifted in one ancient language or another. Not all of us will be able to understand ancient history with how it relates to Scripture. Though some people may be gifted in memorizing Scripture or teach Scripture to others, this is not the case for everyone. God has a role for all of us to play in His plans for us and the Church Universal (the Body of Christ). While how we serve God will vary greatly, there is one that is important to all of us. That is knowing Christ in a personal way and deepening that relationship.
I strive to do devotions every day. I do admit, though, there are times where I do better at doing devotions more regularly than others. One thing that I seem to do very well is maintaining a prayerful attitude (praying without ceasing). While in seminary, I was introduced to the idea of prayer walking. That is, while walking around a particular neighborhood, pray for those around you, whatever God brings to your mind. I also make it a point to pray for at least half of my 20 minute commute to work. Each of these things have been very helpful with maintaining and deepening my relationship with Christ. They are not the only things that I do, just some examples.
Just like it takes a lot of self-discipline and time before you will see major results in physical fitness, the same can be said for spiritual fitness. There will be times where it seems like no matter what you do, things seem stagnate. The same happens when you plateau with your physical fitness for a time. In spite of these challenges, continue to seek to know God deeply and intimately. Though physical fitness does have many benefits, there are eternal benefits (and consequences) for our spiritual health. It’s a lifelong challenge, with many plateaus, mountain top experiences, and deep valleys. Are you ready for the challenge?
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Physical and Spiritual Nutrition
References:
- Psalm 42 NAS
- John 6:26-40 NAS
For some people, hunger is a daily issue. Because of poverty, famine, war, etc., they go without food much more than they are with. Every day is a struggle just to survive. Because of the lack of food, they are more often sick, which puts their lives in greater peril.
For most of my life, I have had plenty to eat. There have been times while at work or out in the field that I have had less than what I wanted. But, even then, I have not been in great need. Not like many people out there who are starving on a regular basis.
There have been a few times where I have chosen to limit my food during a time of fasting. Usually it is because there is something significant going on in my life or I need God's clear direction. It is only for a short period of time that I go without my normal food intake. And during that time, I usually drink a lot of milk, fruit juices and water. That way I still stay hydrated and get some nutrition. I also cut back on my physical activity in proportion of my limited food intake. It is all in a controlled manner so as to help me focus more on Bible study and prayer.
Has there been a time in your life where you went without for an extended period of time? Has there been a time where you have struggled with hunger, weariness, or excessive thirst? I seem to struggle more with just tiredness. Some nights it's because I'm stressed and can't sleep well. Other times I have to work very long hours and get very little sleep afterward. I do remember one time, though, when I was so hungry my body was shaking.
Back in 2011, I left the Nebraska Department of Corrections to pursue what I was hoping to be a ministry career. When it came time to move, my wife traveled ahead with our son to our new home to get thing set up there. Although I was expecting help, I was going to be working on my own for several hours. Well, because my help was delayed, I ended up working over 6 hours by myself. Having been to college and seminary, and having a family, we had quite a bit of furniture. Throughout the morning and into the afternoon, I packed at least half of a large truck full of things. I was so focused on getting things loaded that I didn't think about eating.
In the afternoon, my help finally arrived. I was so excited about this that, though I was starting to feel hungry, I continued to work. They helped me load quite a few large pieces of furniture and finish packing the truck. Because it was now starting to get late into the afternoon, we still had to travel over an hour to our new home, and unpack everything, I didn't think about eating. Instead, I closed up the truck, made sure the house was locked, and we took off. About 30ish minutes into the drive, I started feeling very sluggish. Not too long after that, I started feeling weary and my limbs started shaking. Not a good thing to happen while driving through a city in a 20+ foot moving van!
By God's grace, we got to our destination safely. By that time, I felt bone tired, my body was shaking like I was really cold, and I wasn't too coordinated. After opening the back of the van, I excused myself so that I could get something to eat and drink. The church members had brought pizza for everyone and I took the opportunity for a 'quick break.' It wasn't until after my third piece of pizza that I stopped shaking and started feeling better. It turns out that I had worked so hard and burned so many calories that my body was in desperate need of fuel and nutrition. I don't remember how long of a 'break' I took, but most of the stuff was moved in by the time I finished eating and drinking.
It's rare for me to be so tired and hungry that I shake like that. But, it has happened a few times. After I participated in the 82nd Airborne All American Week 10 mile run, I was exceedingly exhausted! I am sure that I was so tired and hungry that my body shook. A couple of times after completing a long ruck march, I would be so exhausted and hungry that I would be shaking and struggling to stay awake. These ruck marches were 12 miles long and we would start very early in the morning. And each of us would be carrying a 35 pound ruck and our assigned weapon.
Sleep deprivation and going without food and water for long periods of time can really hurt our bodies. It causes us to become moody and irritable, we more easily loose our mental focus, we become less coordinated, and we are more likely to make bad decisions. Going without water can cause death within hours. Going without adequate food and/or sleep can quickly affect us, but might not cause death for several days. But yet, if going without physical water and food affects us so much, how might going without spiritual nourishment affect us?
I believe all of us have a physical body that we can touch and see. I also believe that we all have a spirit within us that cannot be seen or measured, but is there nevertheless. And, if it is not healthy, it can affect us physically and emotionally. Without spending time in God's Word, time in prayer, and time worshiping God, alone and with fellow believers, we starve our spirit. When God created us, He created use to be dependent on physical nourishment and upon spiritual nourishment. We need adequate food, water and rest for our physical bodies to be healthy. We need adequate rest and mental stimulation to keep our minds sharp. We also need human interaction and to maintain a healthy level of stress to stay emotionally and mentally healthy. And likewise, God created us to be dependent on Him for our spiritual nourishment.
Without regular time reading God's Word, private and cooperate worship, and time in prayer, we become cutoff from God's spiritual nourishment. When we starve ourselves that way, we often become more stressed, we more easily get distracted by unimportant things, we are more prone to be disobedient to God, and we are more likely to feel dejected, alone, and even afraid.
I have been walking with God for over 21 years now. And I still struggle with keeping myself healthy spiritually. There are times where I am very consistent in my devotions and my prayer life, and there are times where I am not. There are times where I am very consistent in worship, especially with others. And, there are times where I do poorly with that. And whenever I poorly maintain my spiritual health, it starts affecting my emotional and spiritual health.
God created us to be dependent on physical food and water and the need to have adequate rest. We also were created to be in relationship with each other and with Him. Just as doing with out food, water, and sleep can greatly affect us physically, so can starving ourselves spiritually. Let us continue to maintain ourselves physically and spiritually, so that we can be healthy in body, mind, and in spirit.
- Psalm 42 NAS
- John 6:26-40 NAS
For some people, hunger is a daily issue. Because of poverty, famine, war, etc., they go without food much more than they are with. Every day is a struggle just to survive. Because of the lack of food, they are more often sick, which puts their lives in greater peril.
For most of my life, I have had plenty to eat. There have been times while at work or out in the field that I have had less than what I wanted. But, even then, I have not been in great need. Not like many people out there who are starving on a regular basis.
There have been a few times where I have chosen to limit my food during a time of fasting. Usually it is because there is something significant going on in my life or I need God's clear direction. It is only for a short period of time that I go without my normal food intake. And during that time, I usually drink a lot of milk, fruit juices and water. That way I still stay hydrated and get some nutrition. I also cut back on my physical activity in proportion of my limited food intake. It is all in a controlled manner so as to help me focus more on Bible study and prayer.
Has there been a time in your life where you went without for an extended period of time? Has there been a time where you have struggled with hunger, weariness, or excessive thirst? I seem to struggle more with just tiredness. Some nights it's because I'm stressed and can't sleep well. Other times I have to work very long hours and get very little sleep afterward. I do remember one time, though, when I was so hungry my body was shaking.
Back in 2011, I left the Nebraska Department of Corrections to pursue what I was hoping to be a ministry career. When it came time to move, my wife traveled ahead with our son to our new home to get thing set up there. Although I was expecting help, I was going to be working on my own for several hours. Well, because my help was delayed, I ended up working over 6 hours by myself. Having been to college and seminary, and having a family, we had quite a bit of furniture. Throughout the morning and into the afternoon, I packed at least half of a large truck full of things. I was so focused on getting things loaded that I didn't think about eating.
In the afternoon, my help finally arrived. I was so excited about this that, though I was starting to feel hungry, I continued to work. They helped me load quite a few large pieces of furniture and finish packing the truck. Because it was now starting to get late into the afternoon, we still had to travel over an hour to our new home, and unpack everything, I didn't think about eating. Instead, I closed up the truck, made sure the house was locked, and we took off. About 30ish minutes into the drive, I started feeling very sluggish. Not too long after that, I started feeling weary and my limbs started shaking. Not a good thing to happen while driving through a city in a 20+ foot moving van!
By God's grace, we got to our destination safely. By that time, I felt bone tired, my body was shaking like I was really cold, and I wasn't too coordinated. After opening the back of the van, I excused myself so that I could get something to eat and drink. The church members had brought pizza for everyone and I took the opportunity for a 'quick break.' It wasn't until after my third piece of pizza that I stopped shaking and started feeling better. It turns out that I had worked so hard and burned so many calories that my body was in desperate need of fuel and nutrition. I don't remember how long of a 'break' I took, but most of the stuff was moved in by the time I finished eating and drinking.
It's rare for me to be so tired and hungry that I shake like that. But, it has happened a few times. After I participated in the 82nd Airborne All American Week 10 mile run, I was exceedingly exhausted! I am sure that I was so tired and hungry that my body shook. A couple of times after completing a long ruck march, I would be so exhausted and hungry that I would be shaking and struggling to stay awake. These ruck marches were 12 miles long and we would start very early in the morning. And each of us would be carrying a 35 pound ruck and our assigned weapon.
Sleep deprivation and going without food and water for long periods of time can really hurt our bodies. It causes us to become moody and irritable, we more easily loose our mental focus, we become less coordinated, and we are more likely to make bad decisions. Going without water can cause death within hours. Going without adequate food and/or sleep can quickly affect us, but might not cause death for several days. But yet, if going without physical water and food affects us so much, how might going without spiritual nourishment affect us?
I believe all of us have a physical body that we can touch and see. I also believe that we all have a spirit within us that cannot be seen or measured, but is there nevertheless. And, if it is not healthy, it can affect us physically and emotionally. Without spending time in God's Word, time in prayer, and time worshiping God, alone and with fellow believers, we starve our spirit. When God created us, He created use to be dependent on physical nourishment and upon spiritual nourishment. We need adequate food, water and rest for our physical bodies to be healthy. We need adequate rest and mental stimulation to keep our minds sharp. We also need human interaction and to maintain a healthy level of stress to stay emotionally and mentally healthy. And likewise, God created us to be dependent on Him for our spiritual nourishment.
Without regular time reading God's Word, private and cooperate worship, and time in prayer, we become cutoff from God's spiritual nourishment. When we starve ourselves that way, we often become more stressed, we more easily get distracted by unimportant things, we are more prone to be disobedient to God, and we are more likely to feel dejected, alone, and even afraid.
I have been walking with God for over 21 years now. And I still struggle with keeping myself healthy spiritually. There are times where I am very consistent in my devotions and my prayer life, and there are times where I am not. There are times where I am very consistent in worship, especially with others. And, there are times where I do poorly with that. And whenever I poorly maintain my spiritual health, it starts affecting my emotional and spiritual health.
God created us to be dependent on physical food and water and the need to have adequate rest. We also were created to be in relationship with each other and with Him. Just as doing with out food, water, and sleep can greatly affect us physically, so can starving ourselves spiritually. Let us continue to maintain ourselves physically and spiritually, so that we can be healthy in body, mind, and in spirit.
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