“Does this make you sad?” I asked my son. … “No, It’s not about our family.” Said my 7 year old son.

Tags

christianity, reflection questions

While watching the movie tonight “Facing the Giants” during a sad scene when the coach is told it’s his issue that he can’t have kids (or has about a 10% chance with in vitro fertilization or adoption), his house stinks, his finances are tight, his stove doesn’t work and his car is a clunker.  His wife is sad and so is he, I looked up at my kids and asked them “Does this scene make you sad?”, Rapidly my 7 year old said, “No, because it’s not about our family”.

Tears welled up in my eyes as he said that, as I recall the first time I watched this movie, it almost seemed like the scenario the movie was acting out was like my life.  Little does he know that the movie actors portrayed 4 years of trying to have children, and before he was born his mom and dad tried 7 years to conceive him, it took over 6 inseminations and was successful @ the in vitro, Praise God.

I grinned as those tears welled up in my eyes as I then said to him.  “My sweet, sweet son everybody had issues like these that they only can work with only with the Lord’s blessing and guidance.”

I don’t think he understood what I meant, but give it some time, and I pray that he will learn wisdom and not have to experience all the trials his father and mother has, and that he will know the Lord in his life at a much younger age and let that wisdom guide his steps towards success in the Lord!

Everybody has unfulfilled hopes, dreams, needs:

Reading Proverbs 3:5-6, where are you putting your trust?  Where is he trying to make your paths go straight?

Blessings

 

The Vine and the Branches

Tags

bible study, christianity, faith, reflection questions

Read John15 and answer these questions

Who is the vine?

How can you bear fruit in your life?

Who should you remain in?

Who is appointed and chosen to go and bear fruit?

What visible fruit do you see in your life?

Where do you feel God leading you to invest more of your time to bear more fruit?

What can you start today that will bear much more fruit?

I’m tired of losing; When can I start winning?

Tags

christianity, faith, reflection questions

What is winning?  Why do I feel like I am a loser in so many ways…

Especially when I compare myself to somebody else I find, my career isn’t as lucrative, my finances aren’t as sound, my figure isn’t as stunning, my house isn’t decorated as nice, somebody else has a better car, more influence, better connections, nicer clothes, a better education, better kids, a better lawn, a better job title, etc   Add your comparative detractor here:   ___________________________________    .

Isn’t it funny and somehow tragic how it always seems like the grass is always greener and that no matter where we are, what we are doing, our success is always judged by someone else’s doing better.  In some cases we aren’t doing as good as we should, and by no means should we take it lightly, however in some cases we are beating ourselves up about something that is irrelevant.  How do you discern this and apply it to your life in order to see the winning life God created you for?

When you read Philippians 3:14 where do you think you are losing, and where does God want you to start winning?

After reading Hebrews 13:5, what in your life are you coveting?  How can you stop coveting and focus on what treasures the Lord has blessed you with  (relationships, real important things, and reality today)

In light of Colossians 3:23-24, where is your heart regarding your work?  Where might you be able to focus on truly serving the Lord even greater?  What is truly keeping you from winning?

God bless your day and your journey!

Delicacy of the natural sort : Pecan Kiwi Choco Berry Love

Tags

faith, fitness, food packaged by god, good food, health

A simple combination that words can’t describe.

I make this the night before and throw in the fridge for my 10 am snack.  See ingredients that you can add in the full picture, and see up close to what this rendition became like:

Pecans, almonds, kiwi, strawberry, honey, ground flax seed, cinnamon sugar + raw cocoa = sometimes I add soaked oats and yogurt to this with the some whey protein if I want to get really tuned up.

I call these my power bar boxes.  They are so simple and good tasting at a fraction of the cost to what a normal type energy bar would be.

Keep creative and try something new today!

Read Genesis 1:1 and 1:31

What didn’t he create that was good?

Prepping for lunches and snacks = I know I will eat throughout the day

Tags

christianity, faith, good food, simple recipes, summer healthy food, trust in the Lord

 

Less than about $2 for a daily serving of the items shown = they taste so good to me! (from right to left)  spinach, sweet peppers, cabbage, salsa corn bean dip, bison steaks grilled on top of brussels sprouts and bananas, with broccoli and sweet pepper bags as the backdrop.

The night before work I usually prepare 3 different food items with out recipes, just grab some spices and staples and mix them up:

Some meat, some vegetables and a healthy whole grain/fruit/yogurt snack.

Prepping the night before is the secret I think to consistent success.  Not only do I feel better and weigh less than I did @ age 21, I also am saving a lot of money and able to do so much more happily.

I love the quote from Thomas Edison : “The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.” -Thomas Edison

Read Proverbs 6:6-8

Ask yourself these questions:

Where can I be more planned out?

Where in my life to I feel like I’m reacting?

What is the purpose for my activities?  Do I need to realign my activities?

How are you treating your preparation for other activities that honor God?

May God bless you and strengthen you in your daily walk.  May he help you be prepared and planned for success.

If I were to die today, what would my last message be?

Tags

christianity, faith, health, last message, life, listening, peace, reflection questions, trust in the Lord

What would you write on the back of a business to your loved ones, if it were the last message you could write to them?

 

 

 

**This question is in honor of the late Robert Sparboe who would ask this question to the many men he met.  Oh how I’d love to see his journal of responses.  I will add my response in a future post.

Plan and prepare for the day before you begin it : wild rice and omelette

Tags

being prepared, christianity, faith, food packaged by god, good food, nutrition, planning, preparation, summer healthy food, trust in the Lord

On the left you see a mixture of wild rice, lentils, peas, mushrooms steamed with cracked pepper and truffle salt.  Oh it tastes elegant.  I boiled everything in water for about 2 minutes and then turned the stove off the night before, and about 10-11 hours later sitting on the stove covered it comes out better than a rice cooker and fresh as can be.

On the right you see a 6 egg omelette with cheese and mushrooms on the side.  (both are to taste without recipes = that’s just how I roll.

I prepared and chopped everything so that at 430 am pre-workout I could wake up and just 8-10 minutes cook it up.  My wife is appreciative for the reason that she and the kids get 2/3s of it, and I take the rest to work for after my workout to enjoy.

A solid example of prepping before.  Hey, you know you are going to eat tomorrow, why not plan today.

Praise God for the wonders of and remember proverbs 6:6-8 = be prepared!

Worry about tomorrow? You can’t control it! Let it go.

Tags

christianity, faith, fear, harmony, reflection questions, trust in the Lord, unjust circumstances

Read Matthew 6:34

What in your life have you had to worry about?

What good has come from your worry?  What wasted time has come from your worry?

God gives us enough for the next step, where does he want you to step?

from this link below you can see where the root word of worry comes from:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/worry

[Old English wyrgan;  related to Old Frisian wergia  to kill, OldHigh German wurgen  (German ( er ) würgen  to strangle), OldNorse virgill, urga  rope]  Looking at the root word makes it clearer to what worry actually is = it strangles you in your life and actually kills your life.

Would you strangle yourself about something you can’t control?  Seriously, would you walk up to a friend and say “I’m so strangled about this topic…”

Breath the fresh air and jot down at least 10 things right now that you are thankful for:

Next time a storm in your life comes at you, remember those 10 and write 10 more, you’ll be amazed at the clarity it will bring.

Alles Mit Mass und Ziel

Tags

christianity, faith, fear, fitness, life, listening, peace, reflection questions, trust in the Lord

Alles Mit Mass und Ziel

German for “everything with measurement and goals” or “everything with measurement and objectives”.  Is it a goal to live by?

An easy phrase to consider for many of our professions, however as the dynamic of our world changes and the amazing ability for creativity to be mass produced from all sides, it must be taken into account with the utmost prioritization.

The bible verse Proverbs 4:26 summarized is something like ponder the path of of your feet, make solid your direction.  That is at least how I read it which to me emphasizes the ability to choose your direction.  In my life the areas that I measured while working towards a goal were undoubtedly more successful.  So on to your areas…

Really looking at the deeper questions to reflect on:

How many parts of your life did you actually choose and intentionally ponder the goal, steps to take and how you’d measure your progress?

How many areas of your life just seemed to happen to you despite yourself?

Are there common trends looking back where you succeeded more and where you didn’t achieve what you intended?

What other verses have left you striving for more meaning in your life?

FEAR = False Evidence Appearing Real or is it?

Tags

christianity, communication, faith, fear, harmony, reflection questions, trust in the Lord

False Evidence Appearing Real

There is someone however you should really fear and that is the one who will judge your life someday.  While it is true, Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, and by grace we are saved, the other main emphasis is that Jesus loves us, and loves us so much he will judge us.

This is often the most undercooked area of scripture.  Let’s see what the Bible says about fear:

Topic 1)  “Fear no evil” Psalm 23

Topic 2)  “Fear Him” Psalm 115:11

Topic 3) “Be afraid of the One” Matthew 10:28

Topic 4)“No fear in love, who do you love?” 1 John 4:18

Topic 5) “Do not fear what they fear” 1 Peter 3:13-14

Topic 6) “I Am the Lord Your God” Isaiah 41:13

Topic 7) “When I am afraid” Psalm 56:3-4

Topic 8) “Fear the Lord” Psalm 112:1

Topic 9) “Love is” Psalm 103:17

and so much more

Reflection questions

Questions 1) Where can I grow more healthy in my life relating to these verses?  Where do I see myself faltering when it comes to this?  What stands out to me through these verse?

Questions 2) What application can I apply in my life today?  What can I start doing?  What should I stop doing? 

Question 3) What should I request God to change in me related to this area of growth? Pray about it now or ask someone that can pray for you to change this too.

Question 4) What other questions should I ask myself relating to these verses?  

May God bless you and grant you a reverent fear of the one who made you, loves you and will someday judge you that shines a loving and contagious faith to others.