Focus of a Champion

This past Tuesday, I was watching The Biggest Loser. The contestants were taken to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado to train and eat and live with the Olympic athletes. They were taken to the dining area where very specific meals were prepared for each athlete based on the event they were training in. Some needed high calories, some needed low calories. Some needed more carbs than protein; some more protein than carbs. The training center is where the athletes spent most of their time (Duh!!). Their focus and determination without distraction was inspiring.

On a seemingly different story (they'll work together. Just stay with me) this past Wednesday I had a paper due in my Christologies of the New Testament class. I had to be at school by 2:15 and I was still writing it at 12:45 because I had wasted a lot of time over the weekend and early part of the week watching TV, sleeping, trying to read the assignment I was writing about while watching TV...you get the idea. This was not the first paper I left til the very last minute this semester. Thankfully I got an A on the first one but this one Wednesday....not so sure. I'll find out next week.

The point I'm getting at is this...I believe I've been called to be in seminary at this time in my life to train for the call God has put on my heart. Why do I take it so lightly?? This call is eternally important. To treat it with such laxidazy and disrespect is shameful. Ok...I know I'm human but so are the Olympic athletes.

II Timothy 1:7 says, "For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of self-control." Some translations say self-discipline. I pray that God will help me to draw on that Spirit of self-discipline to get my focus where it needs to be.

God has entrusted all of us with our various gifts and abilities and we need to take it seriously. If we get lazy and distracted, I'm sure He can find what He needs somewhere else. We won't make the Olympics, we'll just sit at home and watch them on TV wondering what might have been.

Freedom

It's been a little over a week since I wrote about the issue of my weight. I am very grateful to all of you who commented and shared your stories and encouragement. I was amazed at how many of us have been "cell mates" in this prison of perfection.

Since I last wrote a lot has happened...First, I have opted to stay off the scale. I can honestly tell you, I have no idea how much I weigh and I don't want to know. I am very tired of bowing down to a number. No more.

Second, I went out and purchased clothes that I really like and bought them in my size. It was quite an adventure. I really thoroughly enjoyed myself. I tried on the clothes in the dressing room and even though they were a size bigger the walls didn't come crashing down, life didn't stop, and, I have to say, I looked good in them. I don't know if there was a two way mirror or any form of security watching me but if there was, they saw me lift my hands and praise and thank God. When I took my treasures to check out, the cashier was a very friendly older lady. I told her, "You have no idea what a major thing this is." I began to share with her my story of gaining weight while laid up and buying a bigger size and how all is still well with the world. She completely understood...as did the woman behind me. Before I knew it, we were all talking and laughing. God provided angels.

Finally, I still am going to physical therapy for my knee. Part of the workout is riding a bike for 8 minutes. On the little screen that keeps the time is also a number that you can set to show RPMs or calories burned....it's always on Calories burned when I get on it so I immediately turn it to RPMs. I don't want to feed the beast.

I feel like God has opened the door of the prison and every one of these steps I've taken are steps out the door. God doesn't want us bowing to the demands of this world. He wants us bowing only to Him and focusing on the things of Him and His Kingdom.

No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs--he wants to please his commanding officer.

II Timothy 2:4    

I'm So Torn

I am an avid football fan. I love the Denver Broncos (as you may know, their season is over) and I enjoy watching Notre Dame games. I'm very much looking forward to the Super Bowl this Sunday, especially since my fair city of Indianapolis is being represented. Back in the day, I used to like watching Golf when Tiger Woods was playing. His focus, discipline and skill were intriguing to me. (Can't tell you how disappointed I am in the latest developments in his life)

With all this said, I have to get something off my chest. Last night, I was watching the news and a sports story came on concerning Payton Mannings (quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts) upcoming contract negotiations. The Colts want him to stay in Indy real bad, so the talk at this point is that he will be offered a $20 million/year contract PLUS a $50 million sign on bonus. This will make him the highest played player in the NFL....EVER!! People!! The man plays a game!!! He strategically throws passes, or hands off a ball to someone to get it through men who are trying to stop him past a line at the end of a field. IT'S A GAME!!!

Tiger Woods is the only billion dollar athlete and he hits a ball with a stick into a hole better than anyone else. He was lifted up as a hero...dare I say, a god...but the hero fell. Why?? Because he is a human being with imperfections, flaws and weaknesses. He is not without fault, he is not supernatural. He is a man.

I can't help but think of my friend in Fort Wayne who is a police officer. I remember her telling me of an incident on the job that could have so easily taken her life. And yet, she continued to put on that uniform and get in her squad car to protect the citizens of Fort Wayne. "No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) It kills me that this woman who risks her life every day she works and even on days when she's off duty has to work part time jobs to make ends meet.

I also think about my step-daughter who is a teacher in public schools. She chose one of the tougher school systems in our area because she wanted to touch the lives of kids who may not have as good a chance as those in other schools. She works long hours, then she comes home and has to work grading papers, preparing lesson plans. She just recently earned her masters degree. She is teaching young minds and preparing them for their future. Yet she and her husband often struggle financially. The public schools were making cuts when the Colts were getting a new stadium and we in Indy were given a tax increase to support it.

The priorities in this country are majorly screwed up!! The highest paid people are not the firefighters, teachers, police officers, even the president. Our military families are often on food stamps and welfare and they are defending our country!! The highest paid people entertain us!! Granted there are the corporate folks who are making good money as well but I'm talking about the people who entertain us and how they not only live like kings but are exalted as gods and godesses. There is only one God. "You shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3) Think about it.

As you can probably tell, this one bothers me a bit. What do you all think??