Discipline...

...myself for the purpose of Godliness. I currently struggle with discipline is all aspects of my life. But Lord, I entrust my life into your hands. Fill me, mold me, use me... for Your glory.

Amen.

Post Tough Mudder number 5.

It is currently 3:18 AM. To say I am sore is an understatement. I got aches and pains in places I didn't think I could have. But now, where do I start?

Yesterday was my first Tough Mudder of the 2015 season and of all places, it was at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernadino--infamous for being the calf buster special.
The family and I awoke at about 430 AM. Unfortunately for me, I never went to bed. My mind was racing all night and I both ervous and excited. By 530 we were on the road and my 630 we made it to the venue.
Our run time was slated to be at 730, but my sister Janelle and I were waiting for our cousin to come. It cool to wait cause while waiting I ran into many friends I had made through Instagram via the Tough Mudder hashtag. It's always awesome to put an actual face to the pictures haha.

We finally started at 930, and although it was already blazing hot at the time, it was such a perfect time. While at the warm up area, Janelle and I quickly made a team of 4 which consisted of our new friend Bill, a former track coach and two date a five time Tough Mudder finisher (did I mention he was like 55 and diabetic... more on that later) and also a friend (whom I had no idea was going to be there) I had met through instagram, Jésus.

Remember when I said the course neing a calf buster? Well, at the first mile was an "obstacle" called the death march which had us bear crawling and hiking up at a 60° angle for about 150-200 yards. Bu that time we already saw 3 people bow out. It was nuts!

When we finally reached the top, I turned around and shouted to everyone on course, "They're trying try break us, Mudders! But we're not going to let them, right?" I got a loud "hoo-rah" and "No, we wont let them" from my fellow mudders on course.
From there, the course was a series pf intense ups and rocky, muddy downs. Coming to various obstacles was thriling and many required teamwork to get done. For example, the infamous Funky Monkey which they upgraded from a "simple" monkey bar climb at a 30° angle and back down again, to one that had a swing contraption at the peak of the climb onto a pole to climb back down. I swung too early, and reached out too soon which resulted in my fall into cold water. Totally worth it on that hot day.

As always, I made friends easily by sharing energy chews with people.  One such group was a team of Mudders who pinned up their hair and wore bright red lip stick.  I believed they were called Team Hot Mudders and they were all a group of moms.  Hot moms in fact haha.  They were cool ladies and we ran with them for a couple of miles helping each other during the rope rappelling and and the 12 foot wall.  I accidently kicked one of them in the chest coming down the wall and she said, "no, it's okay, I'm just lactating now.  Do you want a sip?  It's all natural and had vitamins and minerals!" Tempted as I was, I declined. I'm sure her husband wouldn't be pleased with that. 

To keep ourselves occupied and not think of the pain and cramping in our legs, my team chatted it up, joked around and told each other our stories.  From what I can recall, Bill was a former track coach who was about to join the Olympics when he had to join the military.  Jesus was running the course by himself (before he met us that is) and he came with his girlfriend.  We also gave each other nicknames.  Janelle was The Nurse, Bill was The Runner Specialist, Jesus we named The Happy, Smiley Strongman, and everyone agreed that I should be named The Boy Scout.

At mile 5, Bill had to take his insulin. When Janelle measured his level, it read 525!  By mile 6, Bill had to bite the bullet and graciously bowed out. Before we left him with the medical crew at Tough Mudder we told Bill, "We're doing this for you now, Bill.  We're going to finished strong so you finish strong too!" 

At mile 7, Janelle, Jesus and I had to do a fireman carry, but with us being down to a three man team we instead did a princess carry with Jesus and I carrying "princess" Janelle. At mile 7.5 I was cramping so bad that Janelle and I told Jesus to go on ahead and that we would catch up if possible, unfortunately we never did, but 8 Bill returned in full force!  When asked why he decided to come back he said, "I need to finish!  I can't leave my team!"  That was so encouraging for Janelle and I.

Also at mile 8 we two obstacles, Cry Baby and Swingers Club.

Cry Baby had us crawling into one end of a tarp covered wooden frame while being "tear gassed". It was actually quite pleasant. The gas was less than mild and had a feel of a misty Vick Vapor Rub or Ben-gay.  For the Swingers Club, we had to climb up this about 30 foot structure, jump and grasp a contraption that swung us across the water, and if we timed it right we would let go and ring a bell hanging at the end of a rope.  Bill had told me I was a foot short from the bell and Janelle totally swung and face-planted into the water.

At mile 9 we roped climb a 15 foot wall and at mile 10 were the final 3 obstacles Arctic Enema 2.0, Mount Everest 2.0 and Electroshock Therapy.

The upgrade to Arctic Enema, 2.0 had us sliding down into a container full of icy water (it was at 37.4 degrees when we took the plunge), go up and over a wall, and climb out on the other side.  When Bill and I hit the water we rushed out with the quickness as did Janelle.  She literally hurdled that wall in the middle!  The feeling of the water hurt like a shock to the senses and WOW did it feel so refreshing!  I told my teammates, "I think my man parts are stuck in my throat! How about you guys?" Bill replied, "Yeah me too! Jump up and down so your nuts will drop!" I think Janelle had the best response: "I didn't know I could scream at that octive!"

The upgrade to Mount Everest consisted of a curved lip at the top instead of the regular edge where normally you would reach for.  This time you were forced to run up the warped wall and grab hands, any hands that reach out for you. I was the first to go and when I went I was suppose to through my legs over to the side, but instead I found myself in a sort of upside down sit up position.  It was hilarious! I while holding on to some hands I had to do 2 sit ups before finally getting up and when I did, the crowd went wild with my success and I gave a loud roar or satisfaction.  With Bill being so tall, his run up the wall was effortless.  Janelle tried twice, and she was so close! Both times she was able to reach out and touch and hand, but wasn't able to fully make a grasp.  She was mad at her self but she said, "I'm going to do that again in the future! Next time I'll make it!"

Finally was Electroshock Therapy.  All I remember from that was the rushing through the wires, getting shocked, and diving over the two hay stacks and some kind of action hero. Bill powered through it, no problem and Janelle said she got shocked three times as was so disoriented that she kept running and covering her face when she was already passed the obstacle. 

Talk about satisfaction.  The headband at the end, the free beer (liquid carbs at it's finest) and the finishers shirt! We were sore, hungry, tired, but I tell you... the joy on all our faces and the send of satisfaction from finishing something so crazy and grueling at Tough Mudder.... wow.

I can't help but be thankful to God.  He held us through that course, gave us strength, and for Janelle and I provided us with two new friends. During the course I found myself singing praise songs and quoting Scripture and for the times I did it, the pain in my legs seemed to go away. Once again I'm reminded of the verses God gave me a day before Tough Mudder and it is here with the words of God I will end this post:

"Let your eyes look directly forward and your gaze be straight before you." ~Prov 4:25

"Do you not know that in a race all runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it." ~1 Corinthians 9:24

"He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up on wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

The Writers Heart

"In my mind," he began, searching his head and heart for each careful word "I did it because I liked you."
"Then why didn't you just tell me, you fool!" She said in disgust."I'm not dumb, I already knew! So why couldn't you just tell me?"
"Because, I..."
"Because?"
"I was scared. Afraid you'd reject me. So I... I let my pen do the talking. But what does it matter? If I told you then what I've told you now, what would your answer have been?"

God speaks in Song

Just some of the songs God used to speak to me on my Friday night while at work

Cause Im already Married

Below is some wisdom I heard last night about married. It came by way of my cousin Mark.

Being a single man, I flutter between wanting to stay single and being married. Both are good and both have their drawbacks. Although, I'll admit, I believe married life is a different beast. And the examples from which I draw upon aren't that great.

My parents divorced when I was in middle school. Its hard living in two houses. And being so young, I thought "they shouldnt have divorced, thats against God!" Well, talk about being naive. But I tell you, them divorcing totally messed with my psyche.

But I am steeled in my conviction that I will not go that route. God help me. Amen.

As for the title of this post, well... isn't the church often referred to as the bride of Christ? So in that aspect, I'm already married.

Discipleship and Prayer Always Matter

Just unloading some thoughts this morning.  Been having discipleship meetings with Pastor Ramiah for about 3 weeks now.  Learning a lot about myself and about my faith.  Kind of re-learning actually.

I recently asked God, "why am I learning about discipleship and why am I teaching Sunday School about elementary principles that I should already know?"

God's answer?  "Because you DON'T know them."

"Concerning him we have much to say, and it is  hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.  For through by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary princciples of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.  For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.  But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil." (Hebrews 5:11-14)

Ouch.  Yet I've been learning that milk isn't necessarily a bad thing.  God has been reminding me as of late that I MUST be steeped in milk---the Gospel of Christ.  It is the foundation by which everything else stands.  Plus, if I do not know the foundation stuff, how then could I teach it?

God also has me in constant prayer.  Like yesterday, I found myself praying for a friend that he wouldn't burn out from work and from the ministry.  I don't know how I knew to pray for him, but I did.  I told him about it and it was spot on!  He was indeed close to burning out and appreciated the prayers.  Even now as I type, God is bringing to mind all kinds of people, co workers, friends, and family.  For God's favor to them, for strength and endurance, for an outpouring of grace to some, and a reminder again of who He is in their lives.

Finally, God has been putting songs in my head and heart and I cannot help but worship him.  One song is Starfield's "Cry in My Heart" and the other is Brian Doerksen's "Light the Fire Again."

These are definitely cry's of my heart.

For the ladies...

"God delights in me. He delights in you. He is a good Dad who loves you and blesses you no matter what you did or didn’t do. Not an obligatory love, but a love that delights in who you are."

Quoted from "When God Gives Her a Husband and You're Still Single" by Ruthie Dean.

The article can be found here.

Sin Destroys Human Fellowship...

...according to Matthew 6:14-15.

"For if you forgive others for their transgressions (sin), your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions."

But what if I am the one who sinned against someone?

I know I did you wrong. You and so many others. And I know because of it, I turned away from the Lord. I knew my sinned cause harm, embarrasment, and bitterness.

Lord, do I then live with this guilt of my wrongdoing forever?