When was the last time you challenged your assumptions. I ask only because I have caught myself lately being locked into one of my assumptions and my assumption was wrong. So I have had to go through that whole admitting I was wrong thing and redrawing my opinion. Maybe I am the only one but I hate it when that happens. I want to think I have good discernment and that my judgment is sound “all the time”. The truth is that when I think I am right “all the time” that is just pride and pride unchecked is SIN. The problem was I was so focused on what I thought about someone that I lost sight of my man given opportunity to mess up. I can only hope that I can catch myself before I quick draw judge again. After all I wonder if people’s assumptions about me are really me or just the me they think I am.
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
-Ephesians 4:2
Today I:
Stayed in with my son
Did a lot of nothing
Started blogging again
Missed working out (how strange is that)
Sorry it has been so long since blogging. I have no excuse except to say I let this get away from me and I will try to do better.
I am trying to focus on working out and getting healthier. I made a commitment to working out in January 2008, and as hard as it has been I have managed to keep that commitment. I had several rough patches during the year but all in all I feel good about the progress. I work out at the YMCA before work five or six (sometimes seven) days a week. I don’t know when it happened but I actually enjoy going to the gym!!! Instead of having to make myself go I look forward to the way it helps me start my day.
The differences I see and feel in my life have been profound. But, believe it or not, the physical changes have not been the motivating factor in this process. The major difference between now and all the other diets and weight loss regiments I have tried (believe me there have been many) is that I don’t care about losing weight. I am more concerned about and committed to the process of working out that the weight loss has become a byproduct of the process. When I used to focus on weight loss, my attitude and motivation was tied to losing or gaining weight. My success or failure was linked to loss or gain. Given how hard it is to lose weight, if I didn’t lose or even if I just stayed at the same weight, then I considered it failure. Unfortunately my failures have always stayed with me longer than my successes, so I would get discouraged and throw in the towel.
I think that sometimes we can get so overly focused on the completion of a project that we forget to learn from the experiences we encounter. In essence, we let our tunnel vision for the final goal rob us of the ability to enjoy the things along the way. At this stage in my life, I am finding out that the experience of working toward a goal can be just as sweet as reaching the goal itself.
Today I…
designed artwork that I think is cool
am four days in to the Daniel Fast
had a serious talk with my boys
am proud of Nate
did five miles at the gym
Hello from Nanjing China;
We have been traveling ever sense we got on the plane. Between all the travel and observing the formalities and receptions we have barely had time to breathe. We have had three meals that had as few as 8 and as many as 12 dishes. Some of the food is outstanding and some may send you running. That being said I have tried many new things. We leave today to our Bible distribution centers. They have all been approved by the "RAB" (Religious Affairs Bureau) and the "CCC" (China Christian Council). Last nights meal we dined with the Nanjing leader of the NAB and the CCC. Very high up on the political totem pole over here. It is all about relationships!!!!! We have got to go catch another plane. I hope I can find computer access but no guarantees.
love to all
Bob
Today I:
Had breakfast and did not ask what I was eating.
Packed for another plane trip.
Sent a bunch of postcards by a woman who had no idea what I was asking for.
Am having a life-changing experience.
For a long time in my life I looked for failures. Not my own of course, just everyone else. I thought if I could see all that was wrong with you then I must not be doing that bad. I gauged my success not on how well I did but on how much you sucked and as long as I did better than you then that made me the winner. That made me superior. I was more concerned with how I looked than how I lived. So I caught myself looking for the worst in people. It got to the point that flaws and mistakes became the first thing I saw.
When I got serious about my faith and I started to study the example of Jesus it became very clear that I had it all wrong. He knew the worst about everyone he met, before he even met them and chose to focus on their potential not there failures. To encourage their future not condemn their past. He was the master of nurturing people out of inadequacy into sufficiency. His method of loving us into our potential was what changed my outlook on life.
The joy I seek now is found in trying to see past failure, flaws and foul-ups and to see the God given gift of talents and tools. The talents and tools we all have to fulfill the plan God has for each of us.
It is my opinion that by looking for the best we defeat the worst. It is the focus on failure that keeps us rooted in the past and does not allow us to fulfill our God given future.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
-Philippians 4:8
When we took our kids to Student Life for Kids Camp this past week I was hoping that God would work in the life of our children. I got to see kids loving life and growing in their faith. They worshiped, heard God’s Word preached, they got to play and develop Christian friendships. The seeds of faith were planted and cultivated in the lives of our kids.
Camp charges my batteries and refocuses me toward our Children’s Ministry at FC. Personally, the Student Life staff encouraged me as well. They have a commitment to excellence and are focused on presenting the Gospel in creative and relevant ways to children. Working along side people who have a similar vision for children’s ministry was reaffirming and motivational.
I didn’t know how much I need the boost I received this past week. I have heard that if you drop a frog into boiling water it will jump right out. But if you put a frog in a pot of room temperature water and turn the heat up slowly it will continually try to adapt until it boils to death. Now the water in my life wasn’t boiling, but it was hotter than I thought. I love what I do for a living too - it is not a job to me; it is a way of life. Some people need to go on vacation to recharge and refocus and I enjoy a break as much as the next person. But I am also motivated and rejuvenated by being creative and innovative. This helps me more than taking down time. Doing things differently and thinking outside the box is a huge motivator for me.
…Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men…
Ephesians 6: 7
Today I:
have felt sick all day.
wanted to pound my computer with a hammer.
have gotten hooked on “Socom” on the PSP.
am going to bed early.
Two weeks ago I was teaching at a camp in Winnsboro at White Oak Conference Center. It was a good camp with great kids and awesome leaders. I love camps and trips with kids but on this trip I got sick the first day. I think it was food poisoning because no one else got sick. When I say I got sick I don’t mean I felt bad took a nap and got over it, I mean the gut wrenching cold sweat shakes that rock you to your core, the kind of sick that I am still feeling the after effects of two weeks later.
I tell you this because on the Wednesday night that camp started, at about 3:00 am, I came close to quitting. I was pushed to the edge of giving up and going home. I just wanted my bed, my wife and some relief. I don’t think that anyone would have looked down on me if I had gone home but I stayed. I don’t know if it mattered to the camp because, like I said earlier, they had awesome leaders. But it mattered to me!
Lately I have been trying to stress to my sons that you should live up to your commitments and not to just do a job but do it to the best of your ability. Especially when times are tough or things get hard. It is a hard lesson to learn and a hard lesson to teach. I am still trying to figure it out for myself. I am finding that being a dad is the ultimate in accountability. This being a dad stuff is tough. I don’t know how my dad did it, but he made it look easy, for me it is anything but. Am I setting the right example, am I giving the right advice, am I leading them in the right direction? I don’t know about you, but I struggle with this every day. I trust that God is directing my steps as a dad. After all, they are his kid... he just trusts me to raise them.
"How will our children find a father in God if they don’t find God in their father?"
Today I:
did some website work.
am getting ready for Student Life Camp.
started studying Romans.
I struggle with pride. It especially becomes a problem for me when it comes to money. I have always wanted to make it without any help from anyone. You would think with all the times I have failed at this I would have come to grips with it but, no. I still get all stressed out over having to ask for help when it comes to money. So you could say that when I sent the letter out on Friday needing help with the China mission trip it was a huge step for me. I know that I have said hundreds of time that “God calls us to community” or “we don’t have to live life alone.” I believe it with all my heart.
“Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other."
-John 13:34-35
So why do I still get hung up on asking for help? I guess it is harder to change behavior that has been so ingrained for so long. I want to follow God’s will for my life and I know to do that I have to trust that he will provide for me in ways that exceed my understanding.
“Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life!”
-Proverbs 3:5-8
Today I:
presented the Gospel to our Kids at FC.
saw great volunteers serving God and our church.
had a meeting to prep for CM camp at White Oak.
am hating that I have no AC in my truck.
