If you want to dance...

Yep, I'm baptist and just typed dance, but I already digress...

There's a song (Undone) by FFH that I hear on the radio a lot.  Part of the chorus says:
"... we all want love, we all want honor.  Nobody wants to pay the asking price".

That gets me thinking of how I say I want things, to run farther, faster, to know God better, to get another certification, to make more money, to finish my masters degree, to {whatever}.  It also reminds me of the folks I talk to (had one today) that say they want to get on my program or the like.  Truth be told, I bet you have an "I want" list, too.  I don't think there is anything wrong with any of my wants, as long as they are kept in the proper place.

So, what keeps us from accomplishing them?  It is because, as the song says, "Nobody wants to pay the asking price."  If I want to run faster/further, I have to get out and run more.  If I want to know God better, I have to spend time reading His word and praying.  If I want to finish my degree, it will mean nights away from my family.  There is a price to pay for the things we want.  Do we want them **THAT** bad?

When I went from 265 - 270 lbs, 48" waist to my current +/- 170 lbs, 32" waist, I wanted health and fitness MORE than I wanted the doughnuts and fast food.  It wasn't easy, but it was worth it.  I wish I'd paid that asking price a long time ago.  As I'm working on reading the Bible through this year, I have to want that more than I want the extra sleep in the morning.  It is about priorities.

Now, we can all sit back at the all-you-can eat buffet and say I want six-pack abs and to run an ironman next year OR we can get our butt up and start paying the price.  We can say we want to be God's servant and we want to know Him better OR we can get our Bibles down (or down load them on our smartphone/tablet/whatever) and get on our knees.  It is our choice.

I want to stop being hypocritical about my wants, my "I'm gonna ..."s and start looking to see what the costs are before adding them to my to-do lists.

Jesus tells us in Luke 14 to be sure we count the costs.  There are costs involved in following Him.  However, they are well worth it.  I would encourage you to join me in getting off our rear-ends, counting the costs of living healthier lives (both physically and spiritually) and jumping in.

"If you want to dance, you got to pay the fiddler..."

As always, I love hearing your thoughts on these posts.

May He increase and i decrease,

shane

What... one won't hurt anything!!

 I was talking with a dear friend the other day and the subject of my weight loss/fitness came up in relation to spiritual matters.  The question came up, something to the affect (or effect or whatever) "how is it Biblically wrong to have a cookie?".  My thoughts, 'cause I haven't found cookies anywhere in the Bible, are that it isn't assuming you are in control of the cookie, not the other way around.  

At one time in my life, I couldn't have one cookie, or whatever the snack/food was.  I couldn't say no.  I didn't practice self-control.  So, like in Phil 3:19, my stomach was my god (“Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.”  Phil 3:19 NIV).  We know from the Gospels and Exodus that God is a jealous God.  He doesn’t share his kids with other things.  When I couldn’t turn down that cookie, that extra serving of fried fish, that cake, that doughnut, that diet coke (ouch, did that hurt you as much as me?), that {whatever}, I was trying to serve God and a god.  Can’t do it.  

Along those same lines, the Bible also goes on to talk about self-control other areas.  Just a couple:  

• Proverbs says:  “Like a city whose walls are broken down 

   is a man who lacks self-control”

• 1 Thessalonians says:  “So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled”

Self-control, I’ve found, also leads to self-confidence which then leads to more self-control.  Funny how God wired us, isn’t it? 

I posted earlier that the more discipline I have in one area, it surprises me how much discipline I have in others.  Discipline and self-control are pretty much the same thing in my mind.  Life is just better when you have it.  

Maybe you’re OK with passing on a cookie, but how are your thoughts on exercise?  How many days do you miss reading your Bible (OOOUUUCH! My toes, my toes!), how is your prayer life?  

Anyway, I’ll try not to be as preachy next post and hopefully it will not take me 2 months to post again.  

Til next time.

May He Increase and i decrease,

shane

I have a heart condition...

No, not a medical heart condition... I have a condition of where my heart is.  The Bible reminds us that where our heart is "there our treasure is also".  I'm better than I was before.  Dropping nearly 100 lbs and keeping it off has changed my heart.

Ginger and I were talking the other day and I told her that when I am disciplined enough to exercise, I'm usually disciplined to keep my office cleaner, etc.  Everything works together.  That really kinda tied in together for me on a run the other day.  My shoes were giving me fits, I'd not slept and I really didn't want to be running that morning.  I wanted to sleep and wake up and eat pancakes.  True story.  I was wondering, if God is God of all (and He is), then why would I, as an otherwise sane person, have to be up and running before the sun came up?  Why wouldn't God just give us all the ability to stay healthy and eat what we want, when we want and how much we want?  While we're at it, why do we need to tithe (I mean, come on, God doesn't really need our money anyway, right?)?   The answer to all those questions is it is a matter of the heart.  Remember, where our heart is (say it with me now) there our treasure is also (great job).  It is God's way of conditioning our hearts.

When we practice self-control in one area of our life, it spills over to others.  We keep our office (or car, house, whatever) cleaner, we watch our spending and become more frugal with what God has entrusted us with (including time), we may even go so far as having a regular devotion.

He's entrusted us with these bodies that the Bible teaches are His temple.  When we put things in front of what God has told us to do, it becomes idolatry, right?  Then let's treat God's temple with the respect and self control it deserves, let's put His words to action and not have idols in our life.

Ephesians 5:5 says:  "For of this you can be sure:  No immoral, impure or greedy person -- such a person is an idolater -- has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God"  (Thanks, http://www.biblegateway.com)

For me, caffeine has become an idol at times.  If I skipped it on Sunday morning, I couldn't listen to the message because my head hurt too much.  I'm removing that.

What idols do you have that need to be removed?  What is the condition of your heart?  I pray it's better than mine!

May He increase and i decrease,

shane

I've always heard knowledge is power

It’s been a while since I’ve had the chance to sit down and update my blog.  I have missed it.

In my reading the other day, I came across the following verse from Hosea 4 “my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge…” and it got me thinking.  I do not read my Bible as much as I should… I don’t learn as much about the Biblical customs/traditions/etc as possible so I could apply them in context with what I read.  I need a deeper knowledge of the scriptures and how they fit in with the people then so I could better apply them to my life now.

That also got me thinking about how I used to eat.  I had no knowledge about what I was putting in my body.   I bought into the cliche of "better living through chemistry" as it applied to food.  Now, I’m learning about the different things that we’re consuming and have been shocked by the junk we’re consuming, sometimes even doing so to be healthy (have you read what's in some of the low {whatever} foods??).  We truly are morons at times.  (I said WE, not you).   The less we know about what we put into our bodies, the worse we are for it.  We stay tired, our vitals go wrong, etc.

A greater tragedy is not feeding our spiritual life good things.  Listen to what people are saying in books/TV shows/music/movies/etc closely.  If they are clearly going against your beliefs, change channels, leave, whatever you have to do.  Don’t be like I was at one time and just go grab something to eat and hope that part of will be off when you get back. 

Please, let’s join together to put into our minds, hearts and bodies things we know are good at least for 2 weeks.  If a food has a list of ingredients that looks like they are written in a foreign language, skip it for a banana or a salad with olive oil dressing.  If a TV show has a history of saying things that are 180 degrees away from your beliefs, turn the TV off and read or, better yet, go for a walk or run.  We can’t consistently avoid things that are not in line with our beliefs, but we can take a week or two off.  We may find out that the TV show we thought we liked, really isn’t as good when we go back to watch it after “cleansing” our mind.  We may also find that the food we thought we liked really doesn’t taste as good as we remember.  If we do this long enough, we may also find our pants fit better than we remember!

Thoughts?

May He Increase and I decrease,

shane

You can't have real un-noticed change

Looking at my pictures above, you'll notice I've changed a bit.  I changed with guidance from liveRIGHTnow (http://www.liverightnowonline.com/).  One thing you won't notice is the change has happened all over... not just my face and belly.  There are changes you don't notice, however, in the pictures:  I have more energy, I can actually run now, I can even wear out a four year old rather than the other way around.  Another thing I thought was odd is my shoes and caps now fit differently as well.  I have a pair of loafers that I have to wear two pair of socks to wear.  We were talking about this at work a while back and when I told a co-worker about this, he said "wow, you were fat from your head to toe, huh?".  I'd not thought of it that way, but it is true. 

Ginger and I were talking the other day and she commented that she also thought my feet had "shrunk" (this is different than her saying my feet stunk, but I digress).  These two comments made me think.  When I changed one thing that most folks wouldn't notice, it lead to changes that they do.  Think about it... when was the last time you were in a restaurant and REALLY noticed what someone was eating other than if it looked really good or something.  By changing what I eat and the amount of exercise I get, neither of which most people would give a second glance to, my whole body, from head to toe, was transformed. 

Think about that in a different context.  If we are really sold out to Jesus, we really don't have to announce it... people will know.   We don't need to miss an opportunity to lead someone to Christ, but we also should live a life that people can see a difference in us.  The Bible talks several times about our need to change.  Two places come to mind... Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:11 " When I was a child, I talked like a child. I thought like a child. I had the understanding of a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me." and, more specifically, in 2 Corinthians 5:17 "¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."  Did you get that?  all things have become new.  We're not the same person we used to be, physically or spiritually.  As big of a change as you see above, there is an even bigger change inside me that happened years ago and was made possible just over 2000 years ago.  I am a new creature. 

How about you?  Have you changed?  Think so?  Do others see it?  If not, re-evaluate and be honest with yourself.  If you’re not different, there is no change.

Thoughts?  Comments?  Love to hear 'em.

May He increase and i decrease,

shane

God, Fast Food, Dad and Bob Dylan... what a combo!

Other than the story of Jesus birth, death and resurrection, one of my favorite stories, if not my favorite story in the Bible comes from 1 Kings 18.  The story starts to unfold in verse 19 when Elijah and Ahab were talking about who has caused trouble for Israel and ends with God showing Himself to the Israelites in a powerful way.  (Read the story here:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20kings%2018:19-39&version=NIRV

  I love the confidence and humor displayed in Elijah.  He shows himself to be someone I’d like to hang out with and, I believe, my Dad would like to hang out with as well.  If we look at the history of the story, though, it reminds me of one of my favorite stories about my Dad’s Dad.  I’ll get to that shortly.

So what does that have to do with weight loss?  Healthy Eating?  Exercise?  The other half of what this blog is about?  Well, you see, people then had a problem.  They had competing loyalties.  They were trying as hard as they could to worship God and the other gods of the area/time referred to as Baals.  This reminds me of the way we are in America today.  We’re going to get healthy… we’re going to eat right… we’re going to lose weight.  Then, the next day, we’re pulling through McDonalds/Burger King/{insert your favorite fast food place here}.  We may try to continue walking with one foot on each side by ordering a grilled chicken sandwich and drinking a diet coke, but what we’re doing is eating something that may (or may not) have started off as chicken but is so processed and shot full of chemicals that it is damaging us.  We cannot have our proverbial cake and eat it, too.  We have to decide… do we want to eat processed junk food that is quick and cheap *OR* do we want to lose weight and increase our health?  If we want the former, we need to stop working toward/talking about the latter.  For the most part, barring a few freaks of nature, they are mutually exclusive.  Decide and fall in line and life is easier. 

Same thing in our Spiritual lives.  We show up to Church on Sunday morning, may sing a few songs, may even give money… maybe even tithe.  Then we cross back over the line and walk on that side the rest of the week.  Next Sunday, if we feel like it, we’ll go back to Church and start again.  We need to choose a side and follow that leader.  In the late 70s, Bob Dylan (not that I think he’s a theological person to follow) had a song that said it best:  “You’re gonna have to serve somebody; Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord; But you’re gonna have to serve somebody”.  Just like with our eating, the sooner we pick who we’re going to serve, the better we’ll be. 

So, how does this story remind me of my Dad and Grandfather?  Elijah’s confidence in God and sense of humor remind me of my Dad.  He’s someone to be proud of and set a great example for me growing up.  When we look at the background of the story is where I think of my Grandfather.  The people in Israel were going through a bad drought then.  They’d been praying to their gods as well as God for rain, but it hadn’t come in about 3 years.  The story I remember of my Grandfather (and I hope it is true) is the community where I grew up was going through a drought of their own way back when.  The men of the Church decided to have a special prayer meeting to pray for rain.  My Grandfather was one of two men that night that brought his umbrella!  That’s faith, confidence and my memories of my Grandfather.    

Thanks for reading… hope you got something out of it.

May He increase and I decrease,

shane

Life might be like a box of chocolates, but sin is like a pizza buffet

I've been slow in posting recently, we've been out of town, Sarah's not sleeping again, etc etc etc.  One thing that's been weighing on my mind (and stomach) since Tuesday is another correlation between our spiritual lives and physical.  After swim class, we went out to eat with a bunch of Ginger's friends at the local pizza buffet.  I knew I'd eat some pizza, so I had a pretty big salad before.

As I ate a couple slices, I thought, this isn't **that** bad... However, about 5 minutes after eating, it was.  My stomach hurt, I felt bad, actually felt guilty plus felt like I'd been ran over by a truck.  It was the stinkin pizza that I'd just had that didn't taste bad eating.

That's the way it is with our spiritual life as well.  We do this or that which doesn't seem that bad, but before you know it, we've done way too much of it.  Maybe it is something that in and of itself is not bad unless taken to extremes.  But... then comes the reckoning when that activity or word or whatever hits.  We feel bad, we wish we hadn't, but it is too late.  It's done.

The other thing that comes to mind is that before I started eating better, we'd go to these places occasionally and I'd leave not feeling bad.  That intake was normal.  When we continue doing things we shouldn't, our spiritual lives become such that our conscience dwindles and dwindles.

Let's join together by getting the pizza buffets out of our spiritual lives, then let's get them out of our physical lives.

Running and Boxing (no this isn't Rocky 127)

I've been thinking all week, what is next?  I keep going back to 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. (thanks, http://www.biblegateway.com).  


The verse really could mean different things to different people.  One could look at it and say, "well the Bible clearly says that physical training is of little or no value, so why do it?"  I, on the other hand, see that the Bible mentions it and the verse seems to say, at least to me, that physical training is important, but not nearly as important as spiritual training.  OK... I got that;  had that before.  What keeps ringing in my head, though, is the mention of physical training.  I mean, it could have said the color clothes you wear, the kind of breakfast you have or any of a million things.  So, I'm thinking Paul must be saying physical training is important.  Why else would he mention it?  


Let's think a little broader, Paul also mentions in 1 Corinthians:  "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."  Hebrews (author unknown, but credited to Paul) says "let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith".


So the New Testament authors are telling us of running and boxing.  Preparing our bodies for these two sports.  I see from this, that if I have my body under control and tamed for running, I have it under control when other temptations come about.  I need to be training to "run with perseverance".  Once I have my body tamed, then I'll be in better shape for the spiritual combat I'm faced with every day.  


Don't do like I did for so long and pass over the boxing reference.  Boxing back in these days was nothing like it is today.  Boxers wore gloves with spikes in them and usually fought until one was dead or at least incapacitated.  Sounds like something I'd want to be in great shape for, what about you?  That also reminds me of the stakes of our spiritual "boxing" we do every day.  The stakes are high and there are no time-outs.  Let's get our bodies in shape and prepare our bodies and spirits for the boxing matches of the day.  


May He increase and i decrease, 


shane

Choices

I know I haven't kept up with doing this once a week like I'd planned.   It's been a rough few weeks in the Mason household.  I've had to make some decisions here and there and the blog, sadly, has lost out a few times.  This got me thinking about how choices often times happen way before a decision is made. 

We make choices and decisions every day.  I choose to eat better than I used to.  I choose to excercise.  In an earlier post, I wrote that my kids were not going to be a statistic.  That is something that we have to choose now, not when they're 12 and experimenting with drinking or 14 and spending "alone time" with boys or... It happens now.  We choose now to do things to set our kids up to make responsible choices as they get older.  Because of that choice,  I choose to work at the job I do so I can be home at night.  I choose to put their well being and happiness above my self pride. Most importantly, I choose to put my faith and hope in my Lord, Jesus.  We have to make choices, drive a stake in the ground and say "this is how it is".  Once we do that, our decisions will follow those choices (most of the time).   

We have to choose to stop abusing our bodies with the plethora of crap the marketing firms we call fast food is dishing out.  (yes, I used plethora and crap in the same sentence... that's called talent ;-) ).  The time for that choice is at home when you're sure you can make that commitment.  Not when you're in the drive through lane at the golden arches trying to **decide** what is the least toxic on the menu.  Once we've made that choice we decide in the morning to have oatmeal or yogurt or eggs and toast rather than the doughnut drive through on the way to work.  Once we choose to eat better, we'll decide our kids don't need the kids meal with the choking hazard painted with lead paint in a cartoon box. 

This also applies to our spiritual lives.  One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Joshua 24:15.  Many of us know it says "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" and I like that.  I **LOVE** the whole verse though.  From http://www.biblegateway.com/ "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD".  We have a choice in who we serve, but make no mistake, we will serve someone.  So, my challenge to you is a tweak to this verse.  If serving God seems undesirable in your sight, that's fine, but don't put it off, choose today whom you will serve.  Whether it be yourself, budda, mohamed, money, fame and fortune, or whatever.  Bear in mind, these are all temporal "little g" gods that will have no power to keep you from the gates of hell.  For me, Ginger, Natalie and Sarah, we will serve the Lord. 

Thanks for reading!!!

May He increase and i decrease,

shane

Fuel and Salt

I've noticed recently that we have lots of food that is no-calorie, low calorie, etc.  It got me thinking why do we eat this stuff?  Is it really a selling feature to sell food that our bodies use for fuel that has no fuel or has had a lot of the fuel taken out of it?  Or has had the fuel altered to be different than the "normal" fuel?  Would we buy gas for our cars that has had all or most of the chemicals removed needed for combustion to happen?   My truck isn't very new or worth very much money, but I wouldn't put anything like that in it.  I buy fuel to be able to go places.  So the engine will function the way it should.  I want the engine to pull a load if I am pulling a trailer, I want it to make my truck go fast if I "floor-it".  Let's go a bit further.  I buy either gas or E85 for my truck because that is what it was designed to use.  It wasn't designed to use diesel, but it is sold where gas is and looks a lot like gas.  My truck wouldn't function well, if at all, if I started putting diesel in it (plus, have you seen the prices of diesel???)

Our bodies need nourishment from the food we eat, which includes calories we use for fuel.  I had a co-worker ask me the other day if I am still counting calories or not.  He was taken aback when I told him I never counted calories.  I ate (and still eat) when I'm hungry and I stop or don't eat when I'm not.  Throw in some exercise and you've got what dropped between 90 and 100 lbs off me and is still off.  The trick is eating the right foods.

So, I come back to my first question... What are these foods (and I use that term VERY loosely) that have had the calories taken out of them?  Do we eat them to get full and limit the intake of calories?  There is some logic there, but if we're hungry, shouldn't we eat?  If we're not, why are we putting things in our mouth?  Isn't hunger our body telling us it needs something?  Let's concentrate on getting food in our bodies that our bodies can use (like gas in our cars) and let's stop putting things in there manufactured for the taste/smell/appearance.  Let's face it... once we're done with it, it all looks the same!  Our bodies will function better and I bet if you're not the weight you should be, that you'll notice your clothes fitting better really soon. 

We don't need to put tons of calories in our body just for more energy, we can over do.  Plus, not all calories were created equal.  There are good ones and bad ones.  Calories our body can effectively and efficiently use and others that it doesn't know what to do with.  There are gas pumps and diesel pumps. 

When we go to the grocery store, how do we know which "pump" to use?  Look for foods that were not processed.  Fruits and veggies from the produce section.  Get fresh meats.  Remember, God didn't put any of our food in boxes for us. 

I've rambled on pretty good about this empty stuff we're putting in our bodies and calling food.  What can I use to apply to my walk with God in this?  In Matthew and Mark, Jesus talks about Christians being the salt of the Earth and asks what salt that has lost it's flavor is good for.  Are we the kind of Christians that make up programs, classes, even whole churches that don't provide saltiness?  If our job is to add flavor, why are we bland?  And if we're bland, what are we good for?   Let's all, as Christians, come out of the box!  Let's be good for something.  If I were put among a group of people, would they be changed?  Would there be a difference in the group?  I hope so, but have to admit, I'm probably at best half salty.  I'm working on becoming more salty, though.  What about you?  How salty are you?  What are you doing to add flavor?  Are you trying to add the right flavor?


May He Increase and i decrease!

What are we thinking (or ARE we thinking)?

You know, I've been thinking about making cakes and how that is different than it used to be.  Not sure what got me on this road, but I've been on it for a week or two now.  Ages ago, if you wanted to make a cake, from my understanding, you'd get some flour, eggs, milk, sugar and butter and, if you mixed the right amount of that stuff together, you'd end up with a cake. 

Let's fast forward to now when we've gotten soooo smart and made so many advances.  I don't know what order we advanced so much in, so I'm just going to go in this direction.  We decided that whole grain flour really wasn't needed, so we have processed all the nutrients out and ended up with white paste that you can literally make glue out of.  Then, we really don't need butter; we can use shortening or margarine because we manufacture that stuff rather than take milk and churn it into butter.  It will be cheaper and everyone wins then, right?  While we're at it, let's do away with the milk and eggs to and put in manufactured stuff rather than the natural stuff.  The bottom line is important isn't it?  Well now we're making these things in labs rather than kitchens and people can't really come up to the lab to get a cake or slice of cake, so we have to add preservatives to the cake, and I love this, "to preserve freshness".  Thank goodness for this, your chemicals really can't be too fresh, can they?  What are preservatives?  These are other chemicals that inhibit the food from decomposing and, I'm sure, have some impact on us digesting the concoction we have. 

Now, our waist lines are expanding (talk about watching the bottom line), so we have to make this healthy, right?  Let's take the sugar out and put in artificial sweetener and lower the caloric value so it will now be healthy...  Man, we are SMART!  We have now taken the natural sugar out of the chemical frankenstien we've created to make it healthy!

The same goes for our spiritual lives... we introduce a little of this and a little of that until we no longer have a real walk with God.  The Bible does say all things are permitted for Christians, but we don't follow through with the rest of that verse where it says but not all things are profitable.  We take our daily Bible study out and replace it with a little extra sleep.  Then, we take out some prayer time for a few extra minutes at work.  Then we take out, well you get the picture.  Before long, we don't have the wonderful treat we had when we started.  We have something that looks like the real thing, may even smell and taste like the real thing, but is actually full of things that will literally poison us. 

Let's stop engineering our food and our walk with God.  Let's let both be combinations of natural, basic things to make a very special treat we can savor and enjoy. 

May He increase and i decrease,

Shane

What are we thinking?

We as Americans are INCREDIBLY blessed!  We also do some incredibly crazy things.  We actually have an industry that seems to be doing very well based on us just being hoarders or greedy or something.  Have you noticed how many storage building rental places there are around and going up everywhere?  We pay money to store crap we don't think worthy of keeping at our house.  This may make sense if we had really small houses here, but we have a term called mcmansions describing how big our houses are getting.  

The Bible says "Where your heart is, there is your treasure also".  I don't think there was a Jerusalem mini-storage back then.  Think we could scale down today?  Do we have things in our houses we could get rid of (regardless if we actually rent a storage building or not)?  More importantly, what kind of junk do we have in our diet?  Even more importantly, what do we have in our spiritual life that needs to go?

Here's to a week of getting garage sale stuff together, cutting junk out of what we eat and cleaning out our heart.

May He increase and i decrease,

Shane
 

Progress or Re-gress

About 2 months or so ago, I noticed a nice elderly man in the local grocery store.  He looked as he belonged in our middle/upper class grocery store and I almost didn't give him a second thought.  Normally, I wouldn't have paid much attention to his cart, but I noticed his cart that day.  He had a box of butter or margarine and one or two other items, but not much.  That hit me for some reason and I started thinking of how different the foods we eat are now versus when this gentleman was young.  Back then, we didn't have the modern advances we have now like hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated oils, 2-3 kinds of fast food/drive throughs on every corner, gas stations actually sold gas and not lunch, etc.  Is that progress or what?

Let's think of other ways that we've "progressed"... Prayer out of schools, metal detectors in and teen pregnancy booming.  More two income families, more divorce, more debt and less concern about either. More individualism and less individual responsibility.  Tolerance for every belief under the sun, except for the One who made that sun.

So, we now have progressed this far during my lifetime.  I am about to turn 40, so any of you out there older than me, feel free to chime in about your memories.  Any of you my age and younger, tell me... How does this progress sound?  If this is progress, I want to regress.   I want more real food, more real family time and most of all more real time one-on-One with my creator and the One who paid for my salvation.  I've taken steps toward more real food by changing what I eat, I've taken steps toward more family time by taking a job that pays much less than I'm accustomed to making so I can be home every night and am working on devoting more time to the One who I owe it all to.  It is my desire that this will spread to others.   

We see what progression has done to our way of life.  I am determined that my family will NOT be a statistic or a casualty of this progress.  Unless I'm called out of this world, my kids will know their dad and I will be a major part of their lives.  My wife will know that she is safe with me and if I'm late coming home, it is because I'm stuck in traffic or something of that sort.  There is a phone call on the way.  My family might not always like me being around, but they will know I will be there.  Now that I'm 95 lbs lighter and in better shape, I can be a bigger part of their lives for longer.  I won't be a spectator with a CPAP and oxygen machine; I will be in the fight, leading the charge for a better way of life.      

Will you join me in regressing?

 May He increase and i decrease,

shane

What would you say if i told you I got drunk yesterday?

I didn't, but what would you say if I did?  My friends that drink, I'm sure, would say something like "I wish I had seen THAT!".  My Baptist friends may not say anything, but I'm sure the thoughts would run the gamut.  "He did WHAT?"  "I had him pictured to be so much better than that"  "And on SUNDAY of all days, too!".  Am I right or am I right? 

Let me ask you this... what did YOU have for lunch yesterday?  Dinner/Supper (depending on where you're from)?  Did you gorge yourself?  Have you heard of a term called gluttony?   How do you think it is looked on by the One who created our bodies?  Have you found a place in the Bible where sins are ranked as one being "wronger" than the next?

As I said last week, this week is about perspectives that have changed in my life.  In my new perspectives, I see the chicken fingers, fried okra and squash casserole to be just as bad, at least for me, as if I'd dipped into libations.  You see, I have a problem with food.  If I didn't, I wouldn't have been well over 260 lbs twice in my life.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not promoting drinking.  The statistics don't lie, it is a very bad habit to get into.  It is just that it seems to me that we, especially as Southern Baptists, critisize and judge people who drink while we stuff ourselves with fried chicken, desserts, etc as if that is different.  I think we all need to apply a little Luke 6:40-42 in our lives and adjust our perspectives.  Drinking definately does affect the temple of the Holy Spirit (our bodies), it is addictive, it is a lot of bad things.  So is fast food and all-you-can-eat buffets. 

Hopefully, you won't read this and take up drinking.  I also don't want you to think I'm defending alcohol or alcoholism.  My hope and prayer is that you'll think about what you put in your body, whether liquid or solid, and think about what it is doing to the temple of the Holy Spirit.  Also, if you're one of my friends who would actually call me out if you saw me drinking, please call me out if you see me eating poorly... in my new view, I am having problems seeing a difference. 

As always, I truly welcome your comments or questions. 

May He increase and i decrease,

Shane

Perspectives

I've been thinking a lot of what I was going to write this week.  Perspectives won out, it's been on my mind all week how I still have the perspective of a fat man (I hope I always do).  It is difficult for me to put the thoughts and ideas that are bouncing around in my head down, so please bear with me as I try to make some sense of them. 

When I talk with folks that I haven't seen in a while, the subject of my weight loss comes up most of the time.  I enjoy the affirmation that I'm much smaller than I used to be and that helps me do better when faced with good and bad options at meal time.  However, I had a "slap in the face" the other day.  I was looking at the BMI calculator for someone and realized that I'm 0.2 (whatever BMI is measured in) away from being overweight.  I've been looking at my size and journey through the eyes of a fat man. 

As I sit here writing this, I'm wearing a Large shirt and 33" waist pants.  Now, to some of you, you may say "he still needs to lose some more... his clothes are telling him that, he's wearing a LARGE shirt after all".  Others may say, "My left ankle is 33" ".  My guess is most folks will be in the middle of those.  When I started losing weight, I was in a 2XL-3XL shirt and a 46-48" waist.  From that perspective, that of a fat man, 33" waist pants seems awesome.  Then I bump into a friend that has a smaller waist and reality sits in... The journey is not over.  It is something that has to be worked on from now on. 

Spiritually, we need to realize the perspective we're looking at things from.  Remember Paul in 2 Corinthians 12?  How his physical ailments were really a way for God to shine?  I hope my weight issues through life will be an instrument God can use to shine through me. 

On a similar topic, I read this week that the South is not only the Bible Belt, but we're also known as the Stroke Belt and Diabetes Belt as well.  Let's think about that.  We treat our bodies so bad that we are statistically more likely to have a stroke or diabetes.  We live a much more laid back life than any other area of the country that I've visited, so it must be the way we treat our bodies.  We know that we are the Temple of God, yet we treat the Temple this way?  From this fat man's perspective, there is something really, really wrong with that.  I plan on picking up on this subject next week. 

I truly hope you have a great week and truly welcome your comments or questions. 

May He increase and i decrease,

Shane

Feet to my words

OK, so I've been writing about what I want, how I've been doing, etc.  That's great, but I thought this week, I'd share a few practical things I have done/do/etc and hope this helps out. 

1 -- I live in MS where there is no such thing as tea that is too sweet. Drink it unsweet (no, you won't go to hell for it, I checked) or drink half sweet/half unsweet.  You'll probably not notice much of a difference and will save half the calories.  Or better yet, rather than drink tea, drink water.   
2 -- Cook with olive oil, it tastes great and is actually good for you.
3 -- This one just hurts... Eat salads, at least occasionally.  Yea, I know, I don't like them either and don't eat them often, but try to get them in here and there.  I still remember the trip to O'Charleys when I got a salad and got home and realized my salad (Black-N-Bleu Caesar with oil and vinegar rather than Caesar dressing) had roughly the same number of calories as the cheeseburger i wanted.  Yes, I was mad, very very mad.  Now, however, I've cooled down a little, I can realize that the salad had more veggies and nutrients to keep me full longer.  It really is better for me.  The salad,  I'm sure, kept me full longer than the cheeseburger would have.  This cut down on the amount of food I would have eaten later in the day.
4 -- Don't go on a diet.  Commit to changing the way you eat for good or don't do it.  I've learned through the years that if I cut out calories, carbs, fats or whatever "the thing" is to cut, once I get a few pounds off, I put them back into my diet and my weight goes up.  This just messes your whole metabolism thing-a-ma-jig up. 
5 -- Exercise really isn't a four letter word.  Some folks like it, some folks don't.  Find something that you like to do that gets you active... Work in the yard (or work in mine), walk, run, lift weights, chase kids, what ever, just do something you like to do.  When I first started, I wanted to run.   I was in such bad shape, I didn't think I'd ever get to, so I settled for the elliptical machine.  After a little while of it, I was actually running.  This is important, once you find something you like, stick to it. Later, add in something different.  I now run and lift weights and enjoy both of them.
6 -- Set some realistic goals.  Be honest and firm, but don't be too hard on yourself.  I started around 265-270 lbs in Feb.  I couldn't have set my goal at 150 by May.  I didn't even set long term goals for a while.  I would set goals sometimes daily, but definitely weekly.  3 lbs here, 4 lbs there, before you know it my weight was down and I was in the losing weight groove.  There were setbacks along the way.  They have to be taken in stride.  We are human, we will screw up.
7 -- Find someone to be accountable and honest to.  I am gullible when I talk to myself, I'll believe anything I tell myself and I WILL lie to myself... "No, you're not THAT big", "The scale is wrong", "That guy is much bigger than you are", etc.  Yea, riiiigggghhhht.

These are things that helped me, hope they help you. 

May He increase and i decrease,

Shane

Old habits die hard, new habits, not so hard

OK, so last week, I posted that I'd really messed up.  This week was my  week to make a serious comeback and be able to say that I'd turned around.  I was back on the wagon, I was {insert your favorite cliche here}.  I was very sure of myself.  Guess what?  If you guessed I didn't do that great this week again, you'd be right.  I did better than last week, but only ran about 3.5 miles all week... I ate better, but not the way I know to eat.  I read some in my Bible, but not the amount i wanted to and let's not even mention my sleep (or lack there of). 

I've heard before that the folks that are hardest on overweight people are people that used to be overweight themselves.  More than once, I've caught myself wanting to go up and give folks advice.  Tell them my story, "look at me, I did it, you can, too if you really wanted to" type discussions.  This is the opposite of what I want.  As my blog says, I want less of me.  I want to be used to help people, not to promote how good I am ('cause I really ain't that good).  I want to use what God has helped me do to help others... not to promote me.  This week has been a me week.  I want the rest of the weeks I have to be a me help others week. 

The thing that has been going through my head all weekend, thinking of what I was going to write, is "let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall".  I don't remember what version of the Bible that's from, but the scripture is 1 Corinthians 10:12.  I needed that reminder.  I've been proud of this and proud of that, not in a good way (like I'm proud of my kids), but in a "look at me" way.  I'm sorry to you my friends, family and those I haven't even met. 

This week, I want to be more humble, more meek, I want there to be less of me... less of my physically as i take off these prideful pounds and less about me.  I want to point others to my Saviour and Lord this week because it really is about Him.

Thanks for reading.  As always, may He increase and i decrease,

shane  

I'm human

OK folks, I absolutely blew it this week.  I was kicking myself and am reminded that, despite what I often think, I am human.  I make mistakes.  The big thing is to learn from them and move on.  If there's nothing to learn, just admit I made the mistake and move on.  I want this blog to be about the analogies I see between eating healthy/excercise and what I see in the Bible.  So far, this applies to both the physical and spiritual realms. 

I ate like a moron all week and didn't excercise...  Honestly, I screwed up... I ate a big piece of pecan pie al a mode from Char this week.  I felt bad afterward and the pie wasn't as good as I remembered.  It wasn't worth it.  I had a burger this week.  It didn't taste very good and I felt bad afterward.  It just wasn't worth it.  My tastes have indeed changed.  I need to get back to eating properly and excercising and move on.

This is true in my spiritual life as well.  I haven't read my Bible as much as normal this week and I feel bad.  We'll skip the rest of the things I did (or didn't do) this week that I feel bad about and just say my tastes have changed there as well.  It just hasn't been worth it.  There are things that we do (or omit from doing) that we remember as being great, but afterwards, we think "really?  I used to like that?"  Our tastes of what we want to do/don't actually do change (see Char reference above).  The important thing is that we give these things to God and ask for forgiveness and move on.  His word tells us he casts our sins as far as the east is from the west (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20103:11-12&version=NIV) and does not remember them after we ask for forgiveness (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2043:25&version=NIV). 

As I begin a new week, I have to remember that I am human.  This doesn't give me a license to eat horribly and not excercise nor does it give me the right to commit blatent sins without a second thought.  This means that I will slip up in my fitness routine... it's gonna happen.  It also means I will sin this week.  That's gonna happen as well.  The important thing is what I do afterward. 

Hope this helps you in some way. 

May He increase and i decrease,

Shane

Blog inspiration

A year ago, I weighed 265 - 270 lbs.  Think about that, that is roughly 1/4 - 1/2 a full grown cow.    With the help of God and an awesome trainer (Terry at http://www.liverightnowonline.com/), I'm down 90-100 lbs to a more reasonable 170 -175 lbs. I've struggled with my weight for a long time and have known I needed to do something about it, nothing ever worked.  Terry got me on a lifestyle that is not difficult to maintain and actually worked for me. 

Now the "real" part to me.  The part that makes this a passion for me.  I am a Southern Baptist, but more than that, I am a Christian, a set apart child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  I am, as the saying goes, blessed beyond measure.  I believe, better I know, the God of the Universe gave me this body to be a good steward of.  He tells us through his word that it is His temple, he lives in and through us and this is the way I treat the gift He gave me?  This is the way I treat His house?  If I abused my next door neighbor's house this way, I'd be put in jail.  Still, day after day, I vandalized a much more valuable gift from a much more loving and caring source.

It is my plan to write things on this blog at least once a week that will make you think about your relationship with God and/or the body He entrusted to you.  Please subscribe to get updates and I welcome your comments, questions and input.

May He increase and I decrease,

Shane