push yourself

i was looking back through the times of those who finished the SPA 10K this past weekend. i was in the 25-29 age bracket and finished just a min. short of where i wanted. as i was looking at the times, i saw a 49 yr old man, who finished in 36:48:48 averaging a 5:56 pace/mile. then i saw a 40 yr old man who finished in 39:00:12, averaging a 6:17 pace/mile.

this morning during my almost daily run regimen, i upped my pace. i have been averaging a 8:00 pace/mile. so today i went for a 7:30 pace/mile. to my surprise i held onto it. i felt i could have put in another mile.

i say this not to impress you with my skills, (as you see the lack thereof) but because i really was shocked. i asked myself, "Why have i been going so easy?" i mean it was like i was playing it safe. sometimes i think we don't really know our limits until we push them.

then i got to thinking about my relationship with the Almighty and if i tend to play it safe. when God says give, i start thinking about how the giving will affect me, can i give that much, spare that much. what if's start clouding your vision and before you know it you are living in the safe land, never challenged by God. we stay on the porch and play it safe. never wondering off into the unknown, where our faith might be challenged, or even questioned.

so i need to push myself. push myself to go, give, live, talk, move, help, serve, act...doing exactly what is asked/commanded of me. maybe i will see that i've been playing it safe for far too long.

let go

the past two Sunday's have been great experiences for me. if you are a leader you will understand that we tend to be critics in a worship service more than worshipers. over the past few weeks i LET GO. let go of what i wished for, would do different, would or would not have said, what i would change, what would fit better at this point, etc.

this is not to say that i don't worship on Sunday mornings, i do. however, my mind tends to be filled with so many other things, than what i need to hear from God, or what i need to be saying to God.

for leaders i think it is hard for us to LET GO. let go of the details on a given Sunday. then again i'm sure we will never totally let go or even should. from time to time however i think we must. we must for the sake of us. we must let go for the sake of hearing what the Almighty is saying.

decisions, decisions...

so i'm planning a bike-packing trip, which is coming up really soon. i have been trying to decide on which instant coffee to take. i have ruled out Starbucks VIA...absolutely refuse to pay $10 for 12 cups of instant coffee. but i picked up NESCAFE Tasters Choice instant coffee in single serve packets...7 packets for $1.09. the coffee is really good, no it's not Starbucks, but it will do.

i have a few things on my menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner...but was wondering from all those backpackers out there, what you like to take for food on a multi-day hike or ride?

joy

last wed. i started a series called joy (more than a feeling). oddly enough i tackled the story of Zaccheus. not a message you hear very often outside of the kids ministry. much truth to be seen in that story.

this week we are looking at the parable of the Rich Fool. this guy had tons of cash and product (grain) and not near enough room to store it. so he built bigger barns to have a place to store it. as the story goes God stepped in and said, "you fool..." after that statement, God asked a big question, "after you are gone, whose will all these things be?" he give this statement after telling us a big truth, "Take care and be on guard of all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15

that is a stunning question and statement for the Western church and family. we tend to be overly consumed with the accumulation of stuff. thinking that when we get what we want we will be happy. i even feel like my 3 yr old daughter at times, who cries almost every time she doesn't get to play on the playground at Chik-fa-la or when we leave a restaurant and she sees a candy machine and dad doesn't have a quarter for gum. if i just had a new book, a new car, a new shirt, a cool pair of shoes, a new bag to carry all the stuff i bought the week before, a new whatever...i would be a much happier person. (as i type this an ad from PricePoint popped up on my email reminding me that i need a new bike product).

i am trying to teach my daughter a principle i haven't even learned myself...one more thing will not make me more happy.

so where does consuming stuff and hording it all in our homes that are conveniently placed on the right side of town get us? Jesus would probably call us a fool.

believe the best

while at Catalyst 09 last week, Andy Stanley taught a principle for leadership i would like to share. he said, "Occasionally there are gaps between what we expect people to do and what they actually do. in those times we can choose to believe the best or assume the worst.

there is so much truth to this. as a leader we can think up the worst, and most often do, possible scenario of why that person did what they did. we dream up things that assume the worst about that person. [they're lazy, don't listen, can't stand me, don't care about my leadership, etc.] you conceal the issue, you grow suspicious, and ugliness grows. remember "concealed suspicion poisons the entire relationship."

yet what if instead of assuming the worst you believe the best. you may have no idea why they did what they did. so assume the best. Andy shared this thought, "I believe you are smart enough to do what i tell you to do and when you screw up you will tell me and fix it." you must create a culture of trust in your organization.

i feel this truth and principle taking me along way in my leadership.

CAT09 Day1

What a phenominal day!! Andy Stanley, Malcolm Gladwell, Shane Hipps, Rob Bell, Tony Dungy, Matt Chandler, and Francis Chan...great worship...wow!!!

until you miss it

my morning routine normally consists of wanting to wake up at 6am to run and sleep in until 6:30am, and be awakened by little footsteps into our bedroom. mary beth is a great alarm clock. until this morning i didn't realize how much i love this part of my day. she will lay in bed with me for about 2 min. then ask if i will get her some juice. then she will ask me to play (anything from brake the ice, to puzzles). around 7am i will let mandi know i am off to run.

this morning was not quiet like that. Catalyst is here so i slept all of about 5hrs. i hit the treadmill and returned to the room around 5:45am. i miss those footsteps and that little voice that calls out to dad as if she is getting ready to ask a question.

Mary Beth - "Dad? where did you go?"
Dad - "On a run."
Mary Beth - "Why?"
Dad - "Oh, to stay in shape."
Mary Beth - "You're all sweaty!"
Dad - "Yeah"

i miss that even though i'm ready for CAT09.