11:45 AM
I’m starting this blog mid-day because I have to break the pull that is in me right now. Taking action to make sure I redeem the time rather than let myself slip into an hour or two of unfocused activity.
The day started great, went to a morning bible study and breakfast with my dad and a couple dozen other men. Great discussions on the sufficiency of Christ.
I got home, kissed my wife and kids as they headed to the school room. I have this open day and then I find myself checking and worrying about being productive rather than simply being still. It’s then I receive an email from a friend with these verses:
“Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.”—Zechariah 2:13This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.”—Isaiah 30:15But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!—2 Corinthians 12:9 amp
Isaiah spoke to me directly — in repentance and rest is my salvation, in quietness and trust is my strength. The idols of “Productivity” and “Accomplishment” cry in my ear to be hurried and busy asking me “But what if you don’t get anything done today?”, yet Ps 127:2 says that if it’s not of the Lord it is vain. If vain than it won’t matter how productive I am or how much money I make as a result of my efforts. Like a leaf thrown into a mountain creek, it will float away as if it were never there.
Isaiah says “Dan, my way is right before you but you would have none of it.” Well, I’m intentionally choosing to have all of Him right now and yet those loud voices of the idols I unwittingly used to serve want me back, but I will have none of them. Thank you Jesus for being my all and wanting all of me. I rest again in You, as my Provider, my Shepherd, my all.
Typing this out right now has refocused me. It was my way of escape. Getting up to go run an errand (change of scenery) and get back to redeeming this time.
9:00 PM
Just returned from dinner following my daughters basketball game and finishing this entry.
I did Nicky Hollander’s workout today – it was called Ignition. Full on plyometrics (which I actually don’t know a lot about except that it totally worked me over, I was totally exhausted). Nick – it’s so hard yet so good! Working out that hard makes me very aware of my diet. I definitely want to see some lost weight as a result! Since mid-January I’ve been going to the gym pretty regularly but these last 3 days doing these workouts have been the best thing. I’d like this to remain as a pillar in my day after these two weeks. It won’t happen by accident, it needs to be a daily choice and priority. It gets to the question of “can I be healthier?” the answer is yes, but what does it take? Beyond just eating well, I think I’m seeing something in me that was missing: loving others enough to say yes to working out regularly with a trainer.
Today, I spent time doing the following:
- Men’s bible study and breakfast
- Getting sidetracked in social media and frivolous activities
- Doing a few errands to change scenery and get away from the screen
- 35 mins of intense plyo
- 25 mins of sauna
- daughters bball game and dinner
- end of day recap
What I liked about today:
- That I caught myself getting off track and took action to escape and redeem the time
- I pushed myself really hard with the workout and my body is thanking me tonight
- Watching my daughter absolutely love playing a team sport and running up and down the court. And seeing how even after one week she’s already figuring things out.
- It’s Friday, and it wasn’t a long, stressful week.
