The Economy of Grace

Tree on my car

2012-02-13T13:39:00.002-05:00

Last Saturday a huge tree branch feel on my car. I'm very thankful it landed the way it did and it wasn't the entire tree!

I had gone out hiking with some folks at Vickery Creek in Roswell. It was a terribly windy day as well. In fact, near the end of the hike, we heard a loud cracking and saw the wind literally break a massive branch off a tree and blow it into the river. Wild stuff, ya don't see that every day.

Conversation quickly moved to the time this teacher and her class witnessed and entire tree fall over onto a shed next door to their school. Wow. We continue on, nearing the parking lot.

Wait, what is that? Looks like a fallen tree in the parking lot. How bout that. As we move closer I realize a massive branch is on top of my car. Yikes! Pictures are below.

Anyway, the care is fine I think. The branch landed "just right", such that 6 eaches forward or backward would have placed the bulk of the weight or force on the windshield. Instead, the top and the hood took the brunt. They now bear minor dents and scratches. According to my brother, the car now has personality. Ah the Taurus. I hope it last me 4-5 more years.

in about the the middle of the bottom picture you can see where the branch broke off the tree. Hard to give perspective with how high it was though.

Why set goals?

2012-02-13T11:07:00.000-05:00

You can be one step closer to achieving your goals if you answer this question. Are there good, generic reasons to set goals? Yes. They can help keep us focused, stay on priorities and so forth.

This is all well and good, but unless this is actually what you care about, setting a goal isn't going to do much for you, or move you closer to that direction. So if you'd like to set a goal for something, go ahead and think about why, perhaps write out your answers in lucid prose or in bullet points. Truly thinking through why you want to set goal x is crucial to you following through on it.

What's in it for you and those you care about? What happens to you and your team if you reach this goal?

Some other questions to answer:
-What skills or knowledge do you need to reach the goal?
-What are the major obstacles and mountains to climb to reach the goal?
-Who are the individuals or organizations needed to help me reach this goal?

Clearly thinking through these things will help you set good goals and increase your chances of reaching them.

What does good look like?

2012-02-12T10:57:00.000-05:00

When setting goals, I used to aim for one, stationary object. If I made it, great, goal achieved. If not, fail, goal missed.

There is a better way and that is to set a range, instead of a single point to aim for.

The lower end of that range = Good. The higher point of that range = Excellent.

So for instance, in the case of my half marathon next week. I would like to beat 1:55 (my previous time). However, this may be too easy, and if it is why not set something higher to shoot for such that if I reach it, I know I did excellently, but if I don't reach it and still land within the range I still did well and achieved a goal time.

Setting a lower and higher number can also keep one from being discouraged when an ambitious goal was not reached. Perhaps that ambitious mark aimed for was a measure of excellence and a lesser number could have been picked for good.

Add flavor to your world

2012-02-11T05:30:00.000-05:00

How do you feel about yourself right now? Alone? of little effect?

As a Christian, you are the salt of the earth (Matt 5:13).

The beatitudes in the sermon on the mount describe what the Christian is and afterwards Jesus talks about what we must now go on to be. Or, to put it another way, the beatitudes describe the character of the Christian, and then the sermon moves on to the function and purpose of the Christian according to God.

In first world countries we don't use salt quite the same way our ancestors did but you'll still be able to follow. If something needs salt, there's likely something about it that doesn't taste right or needs some more taste. Salt is also a preservative. So, if you are salt in the world, that implies rottenness in the earth. Just as meat needs salt for preserving so we can see the world has a tendency to a sort of pollution and to becoming foul and offensive.

The principal use of salt is to act as a preservative and antiseptic. So in a sense, it's main function is more negative than positive. It acts to prevent putrefaction.

So down to specifics - what does it mean that you are the salt of the world?

-We are to be unlike the world. "Salt is essentially different from the medium it is placed in and in a sense it exercises all its qualities by being different" (Lloyd-Jones).
Are you such a person that you are essentially different from everyone else?

-We are to prevent decay in the world.

Lloyd-Jones puts it like this:

The main trouble is that there are far too few Christian people, and that those of us who are Christian are not sufficiently salt. By that I do not mean aggressive; I mean Christian in the true sense. Also, we must admit that it is not true of us that when we enter a room people are immediately controlled in their language and their general conversation because we have arrived. That is where we fail lamentably. One truly saintly man radiates his influence; it will permeate any group in which he happens to be. The trouble is that the salt has lost its saltiness in so many instances; and we are not controlling our fellows by being 'saints' in the way we should. Though the Church makes her great pronouncements about war and politics and other major issues, the average man is not affected. But if you have a man working at a bench who is a true Christian, and whose life has been saved and transformed by the Holy Spirit, it does affect others all around him.

Motives Matter

2012-02-10T05:30:00.000-05:00

Had dinner with a friend recently and somehow we got on the subject of motives and actions. She gave some good advice her mother gave her: Do the right thing, even if your motives are wrong; and pray that God will give you the right motive(s).

If you feel guilty about doing something not because the thing is bad but because your heart isn't necessarily there, go ahead and do it. Better to obey, than to not obey at all. Or better to be kind even if the true attitude isn't in your heart. If our actions perpetually mirrored our heart reality there would likely be very little good done. So go ahead and do the right thing even if you hate doing it...it's progress at least being in touch with your feelings like that. Now go one step further and pray to God that he will change your heart and give you the right motives.

A solution for the difficulty of healthy eating

2012-02-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

Crossposted from the primal challenge:

Possibly the hardest (and only hard?) part about eating primal is that it can be pretty extreme. No cheats allowed. I know, I know, there's the 80/20 rule, and that is good and helpful. It was for me as I was getting into this. But now, as I keep learning more, there's little point in cheating, especially, as Robb Wolf emphasizes if the cheat involves gluten. I've suffered too. If I have even a little bit my body will tell me about it! Other diets are likely way easier simply due to convenience and they allow processed foods.

Okay, so all that said, here is a tip to overcome the roadblock presented us in the difficulty: Find others to be primal with.

Might be roommates, people across the country, or a group in your town. If there are others who can hold you accountable and encourage you you'll have a much easier time at it. Chuck Grimmett was super helpful for me when I was just getting started. He really threw down the gauntlet: no grains for 30 days, pure primal. Dang, ok man, lets do it!

This Saturday I'm planning on going on a hike with an Atlanta Primal/Paleo meet-up group. You might look around your area for a local meet-up.

Who do you know that can keep you accountable and you can trade ideas with?

The desperate need of others

2012-02-08T05:30:00.000-05:00

I blogged over at TLI today.

Who you are - God's child, born of incorruptible seed

2012-02-07T05:30:00.000-05:00

As Believers, it's so easy to believe lies about ourselves. We set ourselves up for this if we spend little time investigating and saturating our minds and hours in the truth about who we are. I've decided to start a series here going through the many truths the Scriptures say about the Believer, as a reminder both to myself and others. Thanks to my friend Vince for passing this list that I'll be using on to me, and Charles Hooper for coming up with the list.

I am God’s child, born again of the incorruptible seed (1 Peter 1:23).

"since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;"

Matthew Henry says of this passage:

The apostle speaks of it as what is common to all serious Christians, and by this they are brought into a new and a near relation to one another, they become brethren by their new birth. ...This new and second birth is much more desirable and excellent than the first. This the apostle teaches by preferring the incorruptible to the corruptible seed. By the one we become the children of men, by the other the sons and daughters of the Most High. The word of God being compared to seed teaches us that though it is little in appearance, yet it is wonderful in operation, though it lies hidden awhile, yet it grows up and produces excellent fruit at last. Those that are regenerate should love one another with a pure heart fervently. Brethren by nature are bound to love one another; but the obligation is double where there is a spiritual relation: they are under the same government, partake of the same privileges, and have embarked in the same interest. This word is a living word, or a lively word. It is a means of spiritual life, to begin it and preserve in it, animating and exciting us in our duty, till it brings us to eternal life: and it is abiding; it remains eternally true, and abides in the hearts of the regenerate for ever.

Live above your circumstances, not under them

2012-02-06T17:03:00.003-05:00

A couple weeks ago Ken Boa transitioned from Philippians 2 to chapter 3 in his weekly Bible study. I have really enjoyed this early Friday morning time as one to fellowship with other, elder men in North Atlanta who are eager to know God's word and go deep in it. Below are my notes:

We can live above or below our circumstances. It's all about our perspective.

In chapter 2, Paul stressed the importance of others-centric love. He then describes three people who model that: Timothy, Epaphroditus, and himself.

In chapter 3 he transitions to people who are utterly joyless, largely because they are legalistic.

The best the world has to offer will not sustain us. Only holding fast to the Lord will.

Jonathan Edwards said, "Wisdom is to treat things according to their true value."

To avoid the seduction of the world, believing lies that what it has to offer are ultimate goods for us we should constantly be in Scripture. There we will see the promises of God to us and can lay hold of those.

You're always thinking about something. You're never not thinking about something. So, to avoid useless or vain thoughts, it is best to speak the Truth to ourselves when our minds are in "neutral".

    Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
   I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.
   I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.
   Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
   Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

   But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
(Philippians 2:17-3:6; Philippians 3:7-11 ESV)

Primal Air Travel

2012-02-02T05:30:00.000-05:00

Airlines in the States typically serve peanuts and some other sort of processed food to passengers. So how's one supposed to fly from here to there and still eat healthy? By bringing your own food.

God Moves in a Mysterious Way

2012-01-29T06:42:00.004-05:00

The story behind the hymn:

William Cowper often struggled with depression and doubt. One night he decided to commit suicide by drowning himself. He called a cab and told the driver to take him to the Thames River. However, thick fog came down and prevented them from finding the river (another version of the story has the driver getting lost deliberately). After driving around lost for a while, the cabby finally stopped and let Cowper out. To Cowper’s surprise, he found himself on his own doorstep: God had sent the fog to keep him from killing himself. Even in our blackest moments, God watches over us.

(from Cyberhymnal)

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

More Barefoot Running Myths

2012-01-28T05:30:00.000-05:00

The irony here is that I actually did get injured barefoot running a week ago, when running up an incline, scraped some skin off the front of my toe. Anyway, as far as running injuries go (my first), I'll take it. It's getting better. Moral of the story is to watch my form better. As you'll see below, correct form is the key to preventing calluses. I'm amazed at how the human body was designed to heal itself. Absolutely incredible. Came across this post on ten myths of barefoot running. I have heard almost all of them from people. I wrote a post before on the fear of broken glass. And people often asked me about callousness.

Barefoot running, minimalist running and natural running are all terms that describe running in a manner that allows our foot to function the way it was designed (or has evolved). This happens through the use of little or no shoe at all. Many runners suffering from chronic injuries are adopting this way of running and are experiencing relief of symptoms to find themselves running with enjoyment and a more relaxing form.

Check out the whole thing here.

Lies of the Union 2012

2012-01-27T05:30:00.000-05:00

Fantastic video here responding to the lies made in Obama's State of the Union speech earlier this week:

Primal food for a week -

2012-01-26T05:30:00.000-05:00

A friend e-mailed and asked for a week's menu. I wrote my response over at the Primal Challenge and have cross posted below.

Before I list the menu, some things to keep in mind:

I eat very simply and don't put a ton of time or creativity into my meals. Frankly, there's other things I'd rather be doing than cooking. That said, I do enjoy cooking. It's easy, a way to be creative and to actually produce something at the end of the day, and top it off with being able to immediately enjoy the fruits of your labor. All that said, don't take what you see below as what you or others who want to do primal must do. I simply stick to the basics. Below I've listed some great resources on the web for primal recipes.

Remember that you're basically shooting for Proteins, Fats, and Carbs, for your macro-nutrients, keeping others (like sugar) to a minimum. Thinking about that, or what I need at a particular time (i.e. right after a work out) helps me figure out what I should eat.

Try to be picky about the foods you eat. Eating a steak will do you little good if that cow didn't eat well when it was alive. Grass fed/vegetarian fed is best for things like chicken, eggs, and cows. This applies to vegetables in that you will try to purchase what is in season. The folks at Whole9 have put together a great pdf showing what's in season when. Stick that on your fridge and reference it as you put together grocery lists.

Food preparation ahead of time is a must. Why? Because there will be inopportune times when hunger strikes. Perhaps midmorning or perhaps you worked late and you're "starving" or right after a workout, etc. And those are the times when you will be most tempted to go with what's easy, opening up the pantry to see what box of industrial, processed food you can chow on. So, you must have (real) food always ready. For me, this tends to look like a bag of almonds or macadamia nuts always under my desk. I also always have veggies ready to go in the fridge and it doesn't take me longer than a minute to make a quick salad if I want to sit down for a few minutes (I usually stand and work all day, so sitting down for a salad usually means a break in my focus). And I always have meat of some sort ready to go. Right now I have a few pieces of pork in the other room I've been grazing on all morning. Do what you need to do to prepare. That may mean taking what feels like extra or too much food to work, or a primal snack with you on a day out on the town.

I encourage you to plan your meals ahead of time by at least a couple days. Doing so every week is helpful for me. I'll sit down and decide what I'm going to have on Saturday afternoons and that helps me take stock of what I have and what I need to shop for more groceries. I use weekly menu planner.

Snacks: In no particular order through the seven days I toss: almonds, bacon, and macadamia. On days after more intense workouts for me (M, W, F, S) I list chocolate milk with avocado. I just toss a half to whole avocado in the blender with chocolate milk and protein powder. Dump it in a canteen and drink it in the gym locker room. It's delicious and great for post workout protein and fat. While milk has some great growth properties it's not for everyone though. I use whole, and when I can use unpasteurized.

Breakfast every day: This consists of 3 large scrambled eggs, cooked in coconut oil. I season the eggs and may toss in chopped onion and green pepper. Depends on what I have on hand. If I have one, I usually will eat a banana as well. Morning is usually when I will take my supplements (D, Magnesium). On non-workout days I may eat half an avocado with the eggs. Second Breakfast: I eat early in the day and workout so by 10 am I am usually pretty hungry again and have a hobbit style second breakfast. I treat myself to a smoothie of some sort. Use a high quality whole fat yogurt (brown cow, stoneyfield farms, etc. Of course, I'd prefer nonpastuerized but where am I supposed to get that?...) as your base and just go from there. Pineapple, mangos, berries, coconut flakes, coconut milk, avocado are all great ideas for additions. This usually lasts me til noon. Lunch:

Chicken Strips - I buy breasts, cut them into strips, and cook them in oil with various herbs and spices. I'm fairly generous with the oil. This keeps them from drying up, which I think is why I grew up hating chicken, it was always so dry and chewy.
Salad - I always use kale, spinach, and romaine and then just go from there with whatever is on hand. Be sure to avoid using standard dressings and croutons. Those are not primal or real food! Lately I've been using an olive oil that is seasoned with chili peppers. It's fantastic, gives the salad moistness and a definite kick. I'll toss on carrots and peppers, and walnuts as I feel like it or depending on what's on hand.
Pork chops - Same deal here. I bought some pork chops and cooked them in some herbs and oil.

Dinner:

Some nights are straight vegetarian. This is usually just to make sure I'm getting enough vegetables. It's usually difficult to eat too many vegetables and they're just packed full of nutrients so it's hard to go wrong just having salad for a meal or snack. Lately I've been working on a couple different vegetable stir fry recipes. I buy a pack of frozen mixed veggies that's family pack and end up eating the whole thing for a meal. Other nights may be a salad...or two, depending on how hungry I am.
Beef. The easiest (and cheapest) option for me is to just get some ground beef (85% or less lean, get that saturated fat in your diet!), and brown it with other things in there (onions, peppers, garlic). Maybe toss in some spices for good measure. A pound makes about a meal's worth for me. I usually make two pounds at a time and save at least a pound of it for later.

Side dish and post workout: Sweet potato. I usually make a couple at once then cut them in half when they're done and save them in the fridge. I imagine most people like to eat these hot but I'm perfectly fine pulling one out of the fridge and cutting it up and eating it cold. These are a great source of carbs, so may be a good option to put in your lunch pail. I think I've had a half a sweet potato every day this week.

Indulgences. I rarely have dessert food and do so now mostly just to be polite or if I truly do have a craving. If you're going to eat sweets, keep it primal: dark chocolate, minimally processed ice cream (Haagen Daz is great), or fruit, etc.

I hope this is helpful. Again, it's relatively simple. Not a ton of variation and it's cheap. There are many recipes out there that are more colorful, and complicated. Your metabolism and workout routine will determine how hungry you are. Don't be worried if you're eating a ton or if you're not hungry for much. Just follow the signals your body is giving you and give it real food.

Some other great resources I recommend:

The Paleo Solution: The Original Human Diet - Robb has a 30 day meal plan in the back of the book with some recipes. If you're a more analytical person you'll enjoy learning why certain foods are recommended and others are to be avoided.
Chuck Grimmett likes to post recipes - I haven't tried any myself exactly as written but they look great and I've taken some ideas and they work well!
Everyday Paleo - big stash of recipes.
Nom Nom Paleo - She posts delicious looking recipes all the time.
The Paleo plan - You can sign up to have a weekly/monthly menu made up for you and be given the grocery lists! It does cost something but may be worth a shot. I haven't done so yet but may try within the next year.
The Whole9 - more recipes...
The Cothes make the girl - recipes in every category you can think of.
The Foodee - check it out, TONS of recipes and they post stuff in an easy to organize format of breakfast, lunch, dinner.
The Paleo recipe book - Another paid product here but it looks pretty solid. You get quite a bit for the price.

I hope you find the above information a good resource and helpful. Let me know any questions or comments you have. How do you traditionally plan your meals. Is there any typical day for you?

A profound sense of the love of Christ

2012-01-25T12:00:00.000-05:00

My weekly post for TLI is here.

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 - Book Review

2012-01-24T17:03:00.003-05:00

Every night I read a chapter of a book before lights out. It's usually a more devotional or theological book to be sure my days are book ended with what I hold to be most important. And it means as I'm going to sleep my thoughts are more likely to be on things of spiritual and eternal significance. The most recent book I finished was lent me by a cousin. I am quite grateful.

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 is a great devotional book. The writing is clear, filled with little stories, and relevant (at what point or circumstance in life is Psalm 23 not relevant?!). W. Philip Keller, the author (whom I've never heard of), was at one time a shepherd, thus he has many insights to offer. Some of the wonder of this book is that Keller takes a familiar Psalm and shows far, far more meaning than one ever realizes was there. Now, when I hear a phrase from the Psalm - "your rod and your staff, they comfort me...", for instance - the images, and stories from Keller's shepherding come to mind, along with the rich spiritual implications.

I've read commentaries on Psalm 23 before, so you might say, "I already had it down". And hey, it's self-explanatory anyway. Don't take a simple Psalm and over complicate it! The familiar phrases were certainly given more depth for me in this little book. More than that, Keller takes the phrases I thought I knew and totally reorients me. "He prepares a table for me...", "he anoints my head with oil", pretty simple right? You're probably wrong. Keller uses his shepherding background to explain the likely and literal meaning David had in mind when that was composed.

This is a book I'll be purchasing for myself to read through it again at a later date as well as purchasing a handful to give to others as gifts. It was especially neat for me to be lent this book by a younger cousin who's birth I remember! Now he has grown to a maturity level such that he can say along with Paul, "When I was a child, I spoke as a child...when I became a man, I put away childish things", and he is recommending solid, worthwhile material that his elders are profiting from.

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23

How to battle despondency

2012-01-23T05:00:00.000-05:00

There were several tactics in Jesus' strategic battle against despondency. 1st, he chose some close friends to be with him. “He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee”. 2nd, he opened his soul to them. He said to them, “my soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death”. 3rd, he asked for their intercession of partnership in the battle. “Remain here and keep watch with me”. 4th, he poured out his heart to his Father in prayer. “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me.” 5th, he rested solely in the sovereign wisdom of God. “It not as I will, but as thou wilt”. 6th, he fixes his eyes on the glorious future grace that awaited him on the other side of the cross. “For the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God”.

When something drops into your life that seems to threaten your future remember this: the first shockwaves of the bomb are not sin. The real danger is yielding to them. Giving in. Putting up no spiritual fight. And the root of that surrender is unbelief–a failure to fight for faith in future grace. A failure to cherish all the God promises to be for us in Jesus.

Jesus shows us another way. Not painless, and not passive. Follow him. Find your trusted spiritual friends. Open your soul to them. Ask them to watch with you and pray. Pour out your soul to the ather. Rest in the sovereign wisdom of God. And fix your eyes on the joy set before you in the process and magnificent promises of God period.

-John Piper; Future Grace

Are you travelling or at home?

2012-01-20T05:00:00.000-05:00

Your statutes have been my songs
in the house of my sojourning.
(Psalm 119:54 ESV)

There are two actions: here singing and sojourning. With David as our plumb line, we can ask ourselves first:
-What are my songs? Lady Gaga? Brooks & Dunn? Bieber? Or perhaps you sing God's law and his wonders.

I think the more we sing (even if only in our heads!) songs of God the more we will realize this life is but a pilgrimage.

When you first heard the term "mobile home" or "house boat" did you think, "now that's an oxymoron!"

A home is where you stay, where you live. It's home base. When you're at home, you're not traveling. When you're traveling, you're probably not at home. That was all the old man though. The believer is a new creation and the old is passed away and the new has come.

For David, even when he was home...he knew it wasn't his home...he was still "on the road" looking forward to that city with foundations. Is this how you view living in your home and house? Though in a very significant sense, it is and should be home and homey, we should also know and live such that is also really only a house of sojourning. We are still on the road, even at home.

Primal for 30 days. Give it a shot. Here's how:

2012-01-19T05:30:00.000-05:00

Some friends emailed me to ask about any tips for trying the Primal Challenge for a month. I have turned my response into a blogpost. I hope you find it helpful. Send me any follow-up questions or comments.

1. Truly be sure you want to do this. Nonprimal food can be really tempting and when those temptations come it's helpful that you really are doing this for 30 or whatever number of days. This isn't about seeing how close to 80/20 you can get. This is about truly being 100% for 30 days in a row. If you're skeptical going in, you probably will never truly do it. Make a commitment that you will not buy doughnuts, eat a cake, or bowl of cap'n'crunch, tempted though we can be!

2. Make a plan. Processed, high-carb, high-sugar food can be pretty convenient. When hunger or impatience strikes what's to keep you from choosing those things that truly taste good but probably aren't so good for the body? Other options that are readily available. Rather than a granola bar, choose almonds or macadamia nuts. Rather than a candy bar choose some fruit. Rather than something made of grains choose a piece of beef jerky. Point is to plan ahead to have alternatives easily available. I keep macadamia nuts right under my desk and there's usually always cooked meat of some sort in my fridge.

3. Plan ahead. This is different from the above in that I refer to plan specifically what you will eat for meals and snacks ahead of time. This is super key for me, more so a few months ago when I really started taking this seriously. Today it is helpful in helping me put together a grocery list and buy the right amount of stuff. So sit down and decide what you will have for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack every day of the week. Then convert that to a grocery list. Remember that some meals become left overs. You're not going to get to noon on Friday and wonder to yourself, "What will we have today?" I'm tired I'll have a sandwich. Nope, not anymore. You've got a plan and you're ready, having already decided what you're going to eat with the ingredients already in your possession.

4. No cheating allowed for 30 days. Not even a small piece of bread or a teaspoon of ranch dressing. Cheating defeats the purpose primarily because even a small bit of something like gluten causes gut inflammation that can last 15 days. So if you're great the first 15 days, then on day 16 cheat by having a pastry, the next 15 days the gut will be inflamed and healing from that. The purpose of the experiment has been thwarted. If you must cheat, try your hardest to make it something gluten free. See this pdf for an outline of the nutrient dense foods we aim for. You can do a lot with that really. I tend to be simple and boring just making ground beef and eating that (with spices and herbs). But feel free to get creative. I've been working on a new dish recently that is basically a vegetable stir-fry with coconut milk, curry, and turmeric. Absolute delicious and doggone healthy.

For the rest of the post head on over to The Primal Challenge. Happy Thursday!

What is the driving force of your life?

2012-01-18T11:00:00.000-05:00

I wrote about this today over at the Missions 101 blog.

Always Thanking God for You

2012-01-17T18:02:00.000-05:00

I'm memorizing, with the help and partnership of Brent, the book of Philippians this year. We're at the very beginning, in Paul's Eucharisto, where he states: "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you..."

I think the profundity and purity of this statement rests in the word "all". Paul didn't say, "I thank my God for you." No, every single time the Philippians come to mind gratitude wells within him. He goes on to describe how and why he prays this gratitude, but what a heart of Paul's and encouragement to the church that while he could begin with anything he began by exclaiming broad and sweeping thanks for them.

This likely struck me because I realized how difficult that can be at times. I may think of person and gratitude is certainly not an accompanying thought. Something like disappointment, anger, resentment, jealousy, etc. may be.

We don't know the intricacies of Paul's relationships with the Philippians. We do know it wasn't perfect since no relationship is. And somehow the actions of Euodia and Syntyche were causing quite a to do (Cf 4:2). Still, in all his remembrance of the Philippians, Paul thanks God.

O to have this heart of gratitude and selflessness.

Prayer for Evening of Tuesday of Third Week of the Year

2012-01-16T20:07:00.002-05:00

Most merciful and most glorious Jehovah, we would, this evening, bow ourselves before you, the most high God, our Creator, our preserver; the God and Father of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. O teach us how to pray. Give us your Holy Spirit, the spirit of adoption, whereby we may cry, Abba, Father. We cannot of ourselves order our speech, by reason of darkness. Enable us to worship you in spirit and in truth. Who is a God like unto you, glorious in holiness, and full of praises, doing wonders? You are great, and do wondrous things; you are God alone.

We pray, most merciful Father, that we may not be permitted to deceive ourselves. You we cannot deceive, for all things are naked and open before the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. You have searched the heart and tried the reins, that you may give to every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. But our hearts are deceitful above all things. Search us, O Lord, and know our hearts; try us, and know our thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in us, and lead us in the way everlasting. Let us not incur the guilt of those who made religion a cloak to their sins; but may we be enabled to maintain a conscience void of offense toward God and toward man. We give you thanks for the temporal mercies which we enjoy. But especially do we give you thanks for the rich provision which you have made for the supply of our spiritual wants. Thanks begin to God for Jesus Christ, his unspeakable gift. May he be made unto us righteousness, and wisdom, and sanctification, and redemption.

We bless you, O God, for the ordinances of religion. The lines have fallen to us in pleasant places, and we have a goodly heritage prepared for us, O Lord, to value and improve all our privileges. May your word be dearer to us than thousands of gold or silver: that it may not, at length, be to our condemnation that light has come into the world. May the sabbath of the Lord ever be to us a delight, the holy of the Lord, and honorable. May we never be contented with that bodily service which profits little; but, consecrated to you in soul we desire to live by faith upon your Son, and body, and spirit, present ourselves a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable through Jesus Christ. We desire to be made partakers of the spirit, and to be enabled, while discharging, with fidelity, every present duty, to have our affections set upon the things which are above. Make our bodies the temples of the Holy Ghost, and let thy gracious Spirit witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

We bless you for all the goodness which you have, this day, made to pass before us. In the blood of Jesus blot out all the guilt which we may, this day, have contracted. Take us under your protection during the night. May the Angel of the Lord encamp around us. We would remember you upon our bed, and meditate on you in the night watches. Uphold, protect, and guide us during all the days and all the nights are appointed pilgrimage, and at length graciously receive us to the city of habitations; through Jesus Christ our strength and our Redeemer.

Amen.

The above is from "Family Worship", a collection of prayers and devotionals put together by a group of Scottish Presbyterian ministers a few hundred years ago. There is a devotional for every morning and evening of the year.

To attest, certify, or confirm that which honors God

2012-01-15T05:30:00.000-05:00

More from Sam Crabtree's Practicing Affirmation:

People tend to be influenced by those who commend them. While praying for relational breakthrough, keep on commending the commendable.
...
Criticism aimed at helping a person succeed in becoming more like Christ is different from merely expressing your irritation at someone who is disappointed or inconvenienced you, or embarrassed your pride. “I've had it with you” is a sweeping condemnation of the whole person, not just a desire for improvement in one area. Corrections can be made without becoming put-downs. Without a steady diet of affirmations, however, corrections can be taken as putdowns, even if they were not meant as putdowns.
...
Always model what it is you want from others. If you desire affirmation, model it.
...
Affirmation is truthfully declaring by complimentary word or action the goodness of something. Good affirmation attests, certifies, or confirms that which honors God, that which is morally upright.

Fire-stoking, refrigerator-electrifying, and garden-tending

2012-01-14T19:11:00.001-05:00

From Sam Crabtree's Practicing Affirmation:

Affirmation is like an invigorating sudsy shower after a long day of manual labor. It's like a cool rain after a long, hot dry spell. It delivers a combination of relief, respite, hope, optimism, satisfaction, and energy. It’s life-giving. It blesses.
...
We affirm and refresh others by paying attention to them. There are infinitely more important things than orange shirts and favorite foods, things like the character qualities we find in Jesus Christ. My point is simply to show that we already know how to offer; the challenge is to practice the process consistently and God centered ways.
...
It seems easier to practice affirmation early in relationships, and it can get harder later. Generally, new relationships are still predominantly affirming, but as all relationships endure the years, they also endure a lot of correction. More specifically, affirmation didn't keep up. Not enough affirmation was dished out compared with all the other messages in the relationship.
...
Affirmation is a fire-stoking, refrigerator-electrifying, garden-tending side of relationships.

Book Review: Enemies of the Heart

2012-01-13T10:51:00.001-05:00

This was my Christmas vacation book and I snuck it right in prior to the new year such that I think this was my favorite I read in 2011. I had never read Andy Stanley before, though I’ve heard very good things about his preaching style and leadership. Expectations were neutral as I was expecting an easy read.

In one sense, the book was easy to read; I’m also reading through Future Grace right now by John Piper and boy that one is a doozy. Enemies of the Heart was hard in a different kind of way. In it, Stanley talks about four emotions, sins really, that we are at war with (or perhaps simply surrendered to) that can make or break our Christian life. It’s one of those books that you don’t read so much as it reads you. And that’s why it can be a harder read. Stanley asks the tough questions. You will ask those questions of yourself. Perhaps questions you’ve never asked yourself or haven’t in awhile.

There is good news. Stanley finishes the book by explaining four habits of the heart we ought to implement to counteract and defeat the enemies of our hearts. These aren’t quick fixes he is recommending. These are life-long habits to work on. Doing so will give us a healthy heart, and give a richer, fuller, more joyful life to those who practice these habits.

Stanley is very organized in his presentation and writes for all ages and situations. First, he describes the four enemies, then goes on to talk about how to confront them, and finally, the new habits to form. I can see how someone twice my age with very different life experience could benefit tremendously from this book as well. At the end it also includes a 6-week discussion guide. That may be a tad quick for a small group to run through it, nonetheless, this would be very good material for a small group.

I highly recommend the book without any reservation.

(I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review)