One Strong Belief

Day 3 Prompt from over at Ralph Waldo Emerson and other authors. 

It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude. - Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance 

The world is powered by passionate people, powerful ideas, and fearless action. What’s one strong belief you possess that isn’t shared by your closest friends or family? What inspires this belief, and what have you done to actively live it?

This has been difficult to process. I guess my beliefs are similar to my friends and family and possibly need to explore this question more, but for the sake of not getting behind on these prompts here goes. 

One of the strongest beliefs I have that many friends and family share, but few live out, is to live an active lifestyle. Meaning get up early or stay up late and do what it takes to be active and live a healthy lifestyle. I believe taking care of the one body God gave me can be the greatest gift to those around me, including my family (Jessica and Kennedie), my co workers, and the youth that I work with. About 3 years ago I realized I was getting older, which led me to consider what actions I can take to get in shape and live an active lifestyle. At that point I started doing P90X with Jessica and preparing for my first triathlon. Many people believe this, but few live it out. Living an active lifestyle is contagious and I desire to encourage and inspire others to take care of the one body God gave them. Therefore, in about 16 weeks I will participate in my third triathlon and extending the distance to an Olympic event. 

Barriers to Leaving

Today I cancelled our membership to LA Fitness. The main reason we cancelled our membership was because of the financial cost. At $54 a month this is hard to justify when you are working on a budget and particularly one salary. The main reason I used LA Fitness was for the swimming pool and the C2 concept rower. Jessica used the gym primarily for running on the treadmill. There are alternatives to the gym for us and we will be able to save $54 a month. The primary alternative is our P90X that we do together each morning, which is far better than a workout at a gym and the time spent commuting. The second alternative for the pool is using the local swimming pool at McKinney High School for less than $2 per visit. This will come in handy when I start training for my third triathlon in September. I say all that to let you know my plan for continuing to exercise and not give up my daily discipline of taking car of my body.

We have been talking about cancelling our membership for at least a month possibly two and today we finally made the jump to cancel our membership. The process to cancel our membership was very frustrating and time consuming. When I called LA Fitness they told me my options of cancelling consisted of mailing in a piece of paper stating that we desired to cancel our membership. Are you serious? I can join a gym and you can take my credit card and charge me monthly, but you cannot easily push a button to cancel our membership, that is crazy. I know the whole idea is to make money by creating barriers for you to cancel a membership, but this is ridiculous. Obviously they do not value customer service. In a culture and a marketplace that values relationships over money, realize the great potential you have to create an experience that allows your customers to leave without frustration or barriers.

When you are faced with barriers to exit something or get out of something, do you easily give up or do you face the barriers and knock them down? Do you face the resistance head on and overcome the resistance in front of you? The reality is that often times you have to overcome various barriers, you can easily give in or you can push through. What barriers are in front of you today? Go and push them down.

Sharing Your Goals or Not?

Last year I got intense about making goals and new years resolution. In fact there were 7 general categories with 3 defined goals under each category. I accomplished many of those goals and failed on many more. I shared them with a close group of friends and asked for accountability. I had big dreams for 2010 and don't misunderstand; 2010 was a big year and I am truly thankful and blessed. However, one of my biggest mistakes might have been sharing my goals with others. Or at least that is what some people think. Watch the talk from Derek Sivers at TED below. Essentially once you share or state your goal or resolution you brain can sometimes function as if you actually have completed the goal.


What are your thoughts; to share your goals or not? I think there is a balance. However, I did not share my goals this year or make any detailed plan of major improvements.

March Madness and God's Glory in Sports

March Madness is officially underway. Not only is this the best time to watch college basketball but it is also a symbol of our love, passion, and devotion to sports in general. People truly do go "mad" filling out brackets and enjoying some friendly competition to see who can have the "best" bracket at the end of the tournament. So in light of the current madness I thought this would spark some conversation.

Do you ever feel as if our sports have become our idols? Or is it ridiculous when some one praises God at the end of the game? Does God really care about sports? Being an avid sports fan this video highlights a small segment of the sermon from C.J.

Watch this brief video from one of my favorite bloggers, theologians, and ministers C.J. Mahaney.




You can listen to the entire sermon from C.J. at Sovereign Grace.



What are you thoughts about sports and the glory of God?

Pushing One Another

On Saturday I went out with Scott Archibald from Multi Sport Ministry and we rode from Summerlin out to Blue Diamond and enjoyed the blue majestic skies, the snow covered mountain tops, all under the fellowship of brotherhood and I would like to say competition, but there was a lack of competition.

However, I did receive support and encouragement realizing my cycling abilities need to get stronger. Scott is a very strong rider and triathlete and will be competing in some major events in 2010. On Saturday let's just say I recieved a great deal of humility, not directly, but indirectly. Thanks Scott for pushing me. This is a week of getting stronger on the bike...well...as soon as I recover from some major back pain. (That's another story.)

Who is pushing you?

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On a side note read Jessica's hilarious post about Saturday night.

Obseity not Drugs will Kill Your Kids

Here is an excerpt from Stanton Peele's work on addiction in his book "7 Tools to Beat an Addiction." He does a great job outlining in on one of the chapters about having higher goals and the value of family. This is for any family not "just" for those who has a family member with an addiction.

(Image: The Nite Tripper)

He writes:

"In order to buck the childhood obesity trend, we need to create new outlets for children to interact with their peers. But no recreation program can replace what was once the most effective form of weight control ever discovered, one that is unfortunately disappearing from our world--the natural exuberance of childhood. Nonetheless, there are ways to support these experiences of childhood friendship and fun. Following are steps to help foster a safe and joyful community for your children.

1. Expose your children early on to close contact with relatives and friends.
2. Play outside with your children and invite other children to join.
3. Encourage your children to spend time with other children in different settings.
4. As they age, encourage your children to play with other children on their own.
5. Emphasize that your children take their commitments to peers serisously.
6. Do not engender fear in your children by venting exaggerated fears of your own."

Football and Life: He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother

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Getting My Frustrations Out via The Gym

"Man I had to come here today to get my frustration out."

This is a noble and praiseworthy statement of effort by many men and women who go to the gym. For many reasons we all have those days and sometimes weeks when we are frustrated, angry, or depressed.

What I have noticed and observed is that many men love to lift weights, few like to spend time on cardio.

(Image: symehawk)

Cardio or sustained heart rate at least above 70% of maximum for 20-30 minutes is possibly where the secret is to working out frustrations, not under the dumbbell.

There is a balance between being frustrated and working those emotions out. I think there is a middle ground between lifting weights every time at the gym and combining time in aerobic cardio conditioning.

Weightlifting will get your heart rate up, but not for a sustained period of time unless you are doing some intervals or Crossfit.

Focus on spending some time on aerobic conditioning for your frustrations and then pump some iron. Not going to bore you with the facts at this point, but there is plenty of research that shows the improvement of mental health when aerobic exercise is involved.

If you want to do some reading on this subject look at the book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science and the Brain.

The Art of Cycling and Depression

There is a free spirit that comes out in most of us as we hop on a bike. We may not even be cyclist, triathlete, or one who even enjoys exercise, but a bike gives a sense of freedom to the one who is in control.

This summer during our European vacation in various cities and overall European bike culture I became obsessed with taking pictures of bikes in every town. The picture here is from Amsterdam.

(Image: Lantz Howard)

This small obsession has been one aspect of a dream that has been cultivating in my head and heart. Recently I have been riding this wave of ups and downs for various reason. I can either let my mood get the best of me or I can try to process my inner feelings.

For me hoping on my bike allows me to experience a brief sense of freedom, but it also allows me to process my emotions. There is research that states that 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise can lead to numerous aspect for one's mental health, including depression. Most of us know that working out makes us feel better, but many of us struggle with a consistent routine.

Find the joy and freedom of getting on a bike and make this time intentional with processing your emotions. You may find the bike to beneficial like many Europeans have done for years.

It's "Just" a Vacuum Cleaner...Right?

Recently I have noticed that our vacuum cleaner has not be working properly or at least satisfactory. A few months ago there was a clog in the vacuum that needed to be cleaned out, so I cleaned it out. We continued to vacuum our house attempting to keep Cooper's hair and dirt off the carpet. I have had intentions off taking the vacuum apart and cleaning out the caked on dust and other various particles around the brush and air intake. Why would I really want to take time to clean and maintain a simple piece of equipment, it is "just" a vacuum cleaner.

Let's just say I finally got around to it and realized our vacuum needed a major cleaning and tune up. The belt was wore out, the roller brush was nasty, and the inner compartment of the vacuum cleaner was a nightmare. (Thanks to the simplicity and durability of having a Oreck vacuum this process went relatively smooth.) I went to the local Oreck store and got a new belt and roller brush finished cleaning the vacuum and reassembled the parts. For a few bucks and a little time my ROI or return on investment is outstanding. The vacuum cleaner appears to be working as it should.

So what's the big deal? It's "just" a vacuum cleaner.

Well, this is much like our life, marriage, family and other relationships. We keep the vacuum running smooth our house stays clean. The vacuum breaks our house gets dirty.

• We notice there may be a problem. At this point we often ignore the problem or wait until a crisis happens to dig deeper into the problem.
• We procrastinate at "house cleaning" our souls and relationships.
  
• We have noble intentions. Intentions are not the same as action.
• We finally awake to the problem and disassemble ourselves for further cleaning our investigation.
• We realize there are a few components that are wore out and need replaced.
• We take action on the replacement parts.
• We then feel the satisfaction about our ROI because things are back to normal.
  

What parts of your life are you ignoring? It's "just" your life.

Don't wait until you have to buy a new vacuum cleaner start today maintaining and tuning up your life.

3 Steps to Your First Triathlon

In 2006 when I started my counseling degree and we were sharing personal dreams I had the teacher reply to me about the idea of doing a triathlon with this question. (Of course it was a question this was a counseling class.)

She said, "You may like the idea of doing a triathlon, but do you really have the desire?"

Are not most desires born out of an idea?

So you have an idea to do a triathlon. Maybe you even have a desire. Here are three easy steps to get that first triathlon under your belt. And yes, I said first because you will want more after you have tasted the water, sweat, and pain of completing.

1. Find a triathlon and commit. The season is essentially over so you can relax because you do not have to do one tomorrow. The season will start back in the spring so you have time to start building up your core muscles. Use Active.com to find your first one.
   
2. Gather a small team. Find a few close friends and dare them to a challenge of completing their first one with you. Once they say yes, you are stuck and now there is no looking back for the fear of quitting on your friends.
   
3. Training happens one day at a time. Keep the end in mind, but focus on today. You may need to make a small baby step today and simply go on a 30 minute walk. Whatever your first step may be, keep the momentum going one day at a time. (I think this is where I am suppose to tell you to consult your doctor before you start any physical activity.)

There you have it. It really is almost that easy! Leave me a comment with the date of your first triathlon. That will be your first step.


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Triathlon is great, friends are better!

"But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance* and gentleness." I Tim. 6:11

The past weekend was a memorable weekend in several ways.

The triathlon has been a goal in waiting for almost three years, possibly more. Now that goal is complete. However, I have caught the triathlon bug and cannot wait until the next one.

There was an extreme amount of joy and satisfaction that came for all of us as we completed the Pumpkinman Triathlon in Bouulder City on Saturday. Words cannot express how one feels after completing his or her first triathlon.

This weekend has created momentum for all us to do another triathlon and at least try to get together and do one a year. In the big picture of our walk with God there are countless parallels* to make about a triathlon. I pray that this past weekend will lead us closer to gather as men on a journey to be Christ like and lead us closer to Him as we reflect the fullness of God and endure* until the end comes.


*This is the first of several mentions about our journey with Christ as it relates to a triathlon.

My Superhero Suit

What makes you come alive? You know that feeling like you can take on the world and pursue your passion no matter the cost.

Maybe its not taking on the world, but confronting a fear and realizing you are one step closer to overcoming that fear.

Or are you really even living and are totally confused already?

Have you stopped living and are now content behind a TV screen watching the world pass by? Many people have and you would not be alone.

However, deep down within all us we desire to live. Not this pretend wake up and go to work and come home and do it all over the next day. No, that is insanity, that is not living.

I have been striving to live and just realized something that made me come alive. Not that I have not be living, but sometimes you have one of those moments that helps you realize that you are playing a character in a story and the story has meaning and it is tangiable.

Well, that tangible realization was when I came home for lunch and realized my Hammer Nutrition Tri suit had arrived. I immediately walked in the living room and did what I need to do to put the suit on. WOW!

I felt like one of those super heros, you know like when Clark Kent takes off his clothes and he beholds the magical Superman suit.

For a brief instance I felt like I should attempt an Ironman, not a Sprint Triathlon. And I realized that a dream for several years is unfolding and I am alive.

Are you alive? What are your dreams? What fear is holding you back? Maybe you should order a Hammer Tri suit and you might come alive, if not keep trying!

Order your endurance nutrition needs from Hammer and receive 15% when you order from the referral link.

Referral friend: Lantz Howard and Customer #1619 for %15 off.

Swimming Is a Battlefield of the Mind

As I prepare for the triathlon in October I have come to realize that some people are swimmers and others are not and this can create major mental barriers to overcome.

If you learned how to swim competitively like Jessica, then jumping in the pool and doing a few laps is no big deal. I on the other hand, have been struggling to swim properly without exerting tons of energy. Jessica is like a fish, she can jump in and keep swimming without exerting tons of energy.

This comes with learning to do anything properly that you will struggle as you develop new muscle memory. Many times we cheat ourselves by not doing our new activity the right way. We often give up and say, "Well, I am just not a swimmer." If we don't give up, we mentally beat ourselves up. When this starts to occur you are no longer focused on learning, but you have entered a battle field of the mind. The battlefield of the mind will now be the hardest thing to overcome, not learning a proper swim technique will take a backseat to the wars in your head.

If your trying something new in your life continue to keep pushing through the mental barriers and overcome the self defeating thoughts. Yeah, you may not have developed an early muscle memory for proper swimming technique, but with patience, time, and discipline you will overcome the negative, self defeating thoughts that will allow you to be a swimmer.

Focus and Discipline

The thing about training for a triathlon is that it takes focus and discipline.

Endurance training is not about waking up one morning and telling yourself today I will run, tomorrow I will swim and then the next day I will do doubles of bike and run.

This is why so many people fail miserably at signing up for a gym membership because they lack a focused and disciplined workout regime and then wonder why they are not getting tone and losing weight.

I do not have this triathlon training down to a science, but I am planning my workouts in advance (not the morning of) so I will have a clear purpose for training.

If you are not having results with your workout try narrowing your focus and finding discipline to a specific workout regime.

Oh yeah, if you workout at a gym don't be like the 90% of the people their who are aimless. Take focus and discipline with you to the gym for the next 6 weeks and you are guaranteed better results.

Got an Idea for Health Care Reform

Get moving and take care of the one body you have!

No really, you feel much better about yourself if you will quit watching as much TV and get out the front door and start walking, running, cycling, just do something. What most Americans are doing right now is nothing which is leading to numerous health issues. Not all issues are covered by simply taking care of oneself, but I would bet that 80% of our health concerns could be solved if we lived a moderately healthy lifestyle.

Are you going to do a Tri?

So my sister asked the other day, "So are you really going to do a triathlon?

I responded, "I had a hard time finding one that was on a Saturday and one that would allow me enough time after the crazy summer to prepare. I have found one in late October that I am planning on doing."

So on October 17th I plan on participating in the the Pumpkin Sprint Tri in Las Vegas.

I will continue to do my current workout regimen this summer; P90X, running, then get back on the bike and in the pool when I can this summer.

There will be adequate time from out last youth activity in August (Honduras Mission Trip) that will allow me consistency to get prepared.

If you never set personal goals you will stop growing as an individual. This is one of my current attempts to push myself to do something I have not attempted.

If you have any recommendations or encouragement please drop me a line.

Extra Pill...?

This morning we took an extra "pill." No not some kind of happy pill, but a immune support vitamin.

Why?

I guess because we had them in the cabinet and have been swayed to think that we are all going to die because of the pig thing.

I am reminded of the passage in I Peter 3:14...not the same context as today, because the context is dealing more specifically suffering for Christ name.

However, this should give us hope and remind us...

"Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened."

You may feel led to take precaution steps about this pig thing, fine. We are not called to be ignorant, but remember keep looking up, even if you do take an extra pill. ;)



(PS...This product is amazing during the cold season!)

Working Out Generates Life

Do you ever have a day where nothing is really wrong, but you seem to be going through the motions.

Today was one of those days.

Today I have been feeling fairly "blah." My body is aching and I am sore for some crazy reason.

I really wanted to come home and sleep my poor attitude off, but instead opted for working out.

Jessica and I have been consistently working out since October and I promise that working out consistently will help you generate life into your body.

If you are depressed, workout.

If you have anxiety, workout.

If you are overweight, workout.

Working out is a discipline I think we all need to add into our everyday life.

What is the cure for diabetes?

Yesterday I was bombarded with a billboard about the Tour De Cure this weekend in Las Vegas benefiting the American Diabetes Association.

I am all about finding cures and overcoming physical ailments. And I am not a medical a doctor but this is from Web MD about diabetes. The most common form type 2 is related to being overweight which accounts for 80% of those with type 2 diabetes.

With that said does it not seem ironic that cyclist will ride their bike and raise money for diabetes which is commonly linked with obesity.

Call me crazy, but it sounds like the cure may be getting the people with diabetes (at least type 2) moving physically and managing their food intake.

With everything in life there are circumstances that are beyond our control and I am sure some people have diabetes because of a medical condition other than obesity or their diet and therefore I am all about prevention and further medical studies to help reduce this physical ailment.

However, finding a cure for many conditions will not come in the form of a pill. It may actually come in the form of discipline and hard work, what a novel concept.