Scripture Time, Kale Smoothies, and a 2.5 Mile Run

"And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food."  I Samuel 14:24

Most of us know the story.  Saul tried to take matters into his own hands, and instead of waiting for Samuel and trusting in God's timing, he offered a sacrifice and incurred God's anger.  Instead of Saul winning a victory that day, God used Jonathan to put the Philistines to flight.  

In selfish stupidity, Saul made all of his men swear that they wouldn't eat anything until the Philistines were beaten.  I like what one commentator said about Saul, "He was a rebellious baby."  That's probably not far from the reality.  Saul was focused on what he thought was best for him and not on what was best for his people.  His pride had robbed him of his good sense.  Who fights well on an empty stomach?  If you've ever had to exert extreme amounts of energy for a long time, you know how faint the body becomes without proper fuel.

Saul's men were completely drained that day, and they likely would have had a greater victory against the enemy had they been allowed to eat.  Jonathan said it best, "My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?"

A good leader doesn't do what he believes is best for himself.  A good leader does what he or she knows is best for others. Saul spent the rest of his life wasting away in narcissistic pride instead of humbling himself before God and doing what was best for others.

I want to be a leader who puts the needs of others first, even if my pride gets hurt.  After all, my pride is a stench to God anyway.

Breakfast today was a power smoothie of ...

1 cup almond milk

1/3 cup of plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup chopped Kale

1 cup of frozen strawberries

1/2 frozen banana

1 peeled cutie

1 Medjool date

Any taste of the Kale is completely lost in the taste of the fruit.  Give it a try!  Kale is good for your heart because it has soluble fiber (lowers LDL) and calcium, among many other things.  Strawberries and oranges provide an abundance of vitamin C, and the banana gives you more fiber and potassium.

After work today, I went for a 2.5 mile run.  The weather was Beautiful!!  It was 70F, so I couldn't pass up the chance to get a run in.

I'm grateful for a clean concrete driveway where I can enjoy a post-run stretch and cooldown session.

Tonight, Sandra made Chili Lime Maple Salmon Bowls with Forbidden Rice.  The recipe can be found at ambitiouskitchen.com.  They were fantastic!!  The recipe includes mango.  Normally, I'm not much of a mango fan, but it works with this recipe.  One serving gets you 40 grams of protein!  We aim for 25-30/meal, so this meal gets the job done.  Nice find dear wife!!!

Top it off with some avocado and you have an extra dose of healthy fats.

New Workout Mat Review

If there's one thing that I appreciate, it's a comfortable and durable workout mat.  This mat is made by Yo Gorilla Mats, and it's a worthy purchase.  This one is the stretching/yoga mat, so it isn't intended for hard workouts.  They do make a higher intensity training mat.  Eventually, I'll be adding that to the collection.

This mat is about a 1/4" thick and it's 7' x 5'.  I love the size because I can stretch out on it in any direction and not be on the floor.

My only complaint is that it's made in China.  The description of the company that makes this mat almost leads you to believe that the mat is made in the USA, but it's not.  It's ok.  As far as imported mats go, this one has impressed me so far.

Today was leg-day.  Here was the routine ...

Walking Lunges (carrying 2 25# dumbbells) - 12/side

Box Jumps - 10 

Suitcase Squats - 16

Bulgarian Split Squats - 10/leg

Goblet Squats - 16

Bird Dog - 10/side

Rest 30-45 seconds between exercises.  Perform 3 sets of the above movements.

Tomorrow will be a short routine of pushups and pullups followed by mobility.

My face when someone says, Oh! Do I have to workout?!

The Perfect Day

My idea of a perfect day involves relaxed Bible time in the morning, being with Sandra on a walk in the sunshine and finding some health-conscious eatery along the way ... this day involved all 3.

I'm grateful for the slower pace of Saturdays because it makes for a more relaxed time in the Scriptures.  I've been studying for a series on the fear of the Lord, and I came across this verse in my reading.

"Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God."  Ephesians 5:21

The fear of God motivates me to put others first.  Yes, God wants us to submit to His earthly authorities, but this verse involves more than that.  God wants me to submit myself to the needs of others - to place the wellbeing of others before my own (Phil. 2:4).  By submitting myself to others, I am saying, "You are important to me.  How can I serve you?"  This attitude is contrary to what my flesh wants because I am selfish.  That's where the fear of God steps in and motivates me to do what I should do.  I serve others and submit myself to their needs because, ultimately, I want to please my high and holy God.

The sun was out today, and the air was cool but warm when walking in the direct sunlight.  Sandra found a healthy eatery in downtown Bowling Green, so we gave it a try.  Indeed, it is a gem of a place.  I don't think they have a foul ingredient in the whole cafe.  Sandra tried the Peace smoothie which had spinach, banana, mint, cacao, seed blend, and date drizzle.  My smoothie consisted of banana, cacao powder, almond butter, cold brew, seed blend, and date drizzle.  For those of you who appreciate the good ingredients of God's creation, I recommend it - highly.

This was our breakfast, so afterwards, we took a long walk from the downtown area and circled around the WKU campus.  This is a good time of year to walk there because the student population isn't out much, so the sidewalks are clear and the scenery may be enjoyed more easily.

After some stressful weeks, we needed a recharge, and God gave that to us today through quiet study, good food, and a brisk walk that inspired some delightful conversation.

God is gracious.

Grateful for Physical Activity and Sunshine

 

The weather was 60F and sunshine, so I opened the garage door and let the sunlight poor in as I completed a strength workout.

The routine today involved squats, pushups, banded shoulder presses, lunges, rows, leg lifts, curls and skull-crushers.

After weeks of working out in the house due to the cold temps, I was very grateful for the sunshine.

I'm sure I'll be singing a different tune in July when the garage is 110F, but for now, we'll enjoy it!!

Orlando Trip: Day 5

Saturday morning, I found a Jersey Mikes.  They have gluten-free bread.  No, this isn't what you would call healthy, but I was starving.  I didn't feel like a $13 granola bar.  It hit the spot.

This was the best day of the trip.  Why?  Because I'm back with Sandra, of course!!  

After she picked me up, we swung down to CoreLife Eatery in Murfreesboro.  Now that was worth the detour.  I tried their Greek and Quinoa bowl.  It has grilled chicken, quinoa (of course), feta, tomatoes, hummus, cucumbers, and dill-cucumber dressing.  It was fantastic.  Add the ginger, honey lemonade, and you're really rolling!!

The verse for the last day is ...

"Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day."  Psalm 71:8

I can never give enough praise to God.  Praise can turn a "bad" day into a good one.  Praise takes the focus off of me and my troubles and places it directly upon God and His mercy.  This will cheer the heart and refresh the soul.

Thank you Lord for a safe trip, for food each day, for the peace of knowing Jesus as Savior, for a job that supports the family, for a home that meets the needs, and for a sweet wife who is my best friend!

Orlando Trip: Day 4

Friday was 73, muggy, and buggy.  It had rained a bit that night, so the ground was quite a mess.  This was the combine section.  You can have your very own X9 if you have 1.5 million bucks lying around 😉  The training was in 2 waves.  I was in wave 2.  The first wave started on Monday and ended on Wednesday.  The 2nd wave started on Wednesday and ended on Friday.  By Friday, the poor instructors were pretty much done.  They had been giving the same spiel for 5 days to 8 groups a day.  I would've been done too.  They did very well considering the demands.

After training, I went to the hotel gym and did a simple arms and legs routine.  It consisted of 4 primary moves.  They were curls, hip lifts, tricep extensions, and dumbbell deadlifts.  I did 40 seconds of rest and 20 seconds of rest.  I varied the style of each move, but stayed with these four basic patterns for 5 rounds.  It was a good routine.  All you need is a simple set of dumbbells.  I used 20 pounders.

Friday evening weather looked threatening, and I wasn't feeling up to a walk in the rain, so I got the grand idea to catch a shuttle to the airport and visit the Chick-Fil-A - Big Mistake!!  Airport Chick-Fil-As are not good.  Everything was in a state of confusion.  I walked up to the counter and said, "I'd like a kale salad, and a #4 grilled chicken nugget meal with unsweetened tea."  The kid looked at me so long it became awkward and then said, "Do you want grilled nuggets?"  I then said "Yes," while thinking, "Isn't that what I just said?"  He then said, "Do you want fries with that or the kale salad?"  I then repeated myself.  He then said, "You want sweet tea, right?"  I then said "No.  I want unsweet tea," but I was thinking, "Is this really happening?"  15 minutes later after much entertainment I received a bag with a half-filled fry box, kale salad, chicken nuggets, no utensils and zero sauces, and a drink that had no more ice because it had melted in the millennium leading up to receiving the food. 🥤

Every customer around me looked aggravated and confused.  I'm pretty sure no one got their food without some type of hiccup.  The lady that yelled out your name had such a thick accent, you couldn't tell what she was saying.  If your name was Sarah, it sounded like Ci, and if your name was Chris, it sounded like Ci, and if your name was John, it sounded like Ci.  Get it??

Haha!!  It was actually quite amusing.  

Poor Chick-Fil-A.  Not their finest location.

My verse for the day was ...

"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."  Romans 16:17

Don't tolerate false teachers and doctrinal trouble-makers, deal with them.  Don't ignore them and think, "It's the pastor's worry, not mine."  Don't follow them on Facebook, or give them your ear on the radio or Podcast.  Mark them, deal with them, avoid them, and don't adopt their teaching or way of thinking.

And, Yes.  They are often polite, political, and charming, so ... beware.

 

Orlando Trip: Day 3

Thursday's weather was quite nice.  I think the high was about 63.  This is a picture of a John Deere gator.  The base price is $43,000, but when you add GPS and auto-steer like this machine has, it's a mere $55,000.  Very affordable 😉  That's over 3.5 times what we paid for our car.  😕  This one will "paint lines" using the GPS receiver (the yellow dome on top), and then you can follow that "painted" line using Auto-Track.  It's pretty cool.  Farmers use them for spot-sprayer and fertilizing.

 My workout that day consisted of a simple mobility session in the morning.  

After the epic Your Pie-failure, I decided to go for a sure winner.  When Sandra and I were in Orlando last year for the same training, we found a Greek place called Little Greek.  Below is their 3-skewer dinner plate - grilled chicken, yellow rice, Greek salad, Tzatziki sauce, potato salad, beets and a pita.

This is worth a trip to Orlando!! Delicious, and relatively good for you, considering many other options.

My verse for this day was,

"Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy ... ."  Romans 15:8, 9

I love these verses.  In context, the "circumcision" is referencing the Jewish nation.  God gave Abraham the "seal" or "sign" of circumcision as a token for the faith that Abraham had toward God (Ge. 15-17, Ro. 4).  Jesus was a minister of God's promises in that He fulfilled the promise of a Messiah Who would come down from heaven, suffer for the sins of mankind, and rise from the dead.  God the Father promised the Jews a Messiah Who will expiate the sins of all who look to Him in faith.  Jesus Christ was and is the fulfillment of that divine promise.

God also promised that "in Abraham" all the families of the earth would be blessed.  Through Abraham's lineage came Jesus the Messiah Who offers salvation to all who are willing to place repentant faith in Him.  By following Abraham's example of simple faith in the promises of God, anyone, Jew and non-Jew, may find eternal redemption.  Truly, through Abraham, all the families of earth have been blessed, even though not all have or will take advantage of that blessing.

Praise God for offering salvation to everyone, both Jew and non-Jew!  Praise God for His sinless Minister of the Circumcision!

Orlando Trip: Day 2

 

It was 65 that day and partial sun, so I found an outdoor area to stretch and do some mobility work.  The area was relatively people-free, so I had it to myself.

The place where I stayed had plenty of nice sidewalks, so getting around wasn't an issue.

                                                             

I've said this before, but it is worth repeating, I love loop resistance bands.  They are lightweight, super easy to pack, and offer a means of doing strength training without all the hassle of weights.  Wednesday training ran long.  I didn't get back from the field until 5:30, so I did a shorter, focused strength training session in my room.  Pushups, banded squats, banded rows, and banded Bulgarian split squats made up the main moves of my routine.  I did 30 seconds of work followed by 30 seconds of rest for 5 rounds of 4 exercises.  The ottoman that you see served to assist me in my split squats.

The racket ball is an easy way to looses up muscles and give yourself a focused massage without packing a large foam roller.

                                      

                                              

Ok, this was a major disappointment!!  I found a place called Your Pie.  I'm pretty sure it should be called Poor Pie or Nobody's Pie.  The crust was burnt and watery at the same time.  Sandra thinks that they may have steamed it to thaw it out.  I don't know, but it was really bad.  The sauce was watery, and the Italian sausage resembled puppy treats.  The salad that you see was a $10 pile of Romain lettuce with a few slices of tomato thrown at it from a distance.  Total waste of money.  If you see a Your Pie, keep driving, or, in my case, keep walking.

"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another."  Romans 14:19

This was my verse for that day.  It reminded me to be a man who encourages peace.  It reminded me to be an influence for good toward others, not bad.  It's easy to share things with people that don't help them, but it takes submission to Christ's Spirit to share things with others that will encourage them toward God.

Orlando Trip: Day 1

This past week was my yearly training with John Deere in Orlando, FL.  Deere has a huge outdoor training space in the middle of the swamp where they conduct various training exercises.

Tuesday morning, my dear wife dropped me off at the airport.  We left early, so I looked for something in the airport at Nashville.  Sandra had found a place called The Urban Juicer.  The food is natural, whole, and healthy.  I tried the acai bowl with banana, almond butter, granola, Greek yogurt and honey.  Wow!  To wash it down, I got a beet, lemon, apple, ginger juice.  This is definitely a place to try if you are looking for healthy away from home.

Once in Orlando, I fell back on my go to Chipotle.  For fast food, it's a great choice.  Brown rice, black beans, grilled chicken, stir-fried veggies, and avocado.  For me, this is a go-to away from home.

The Orlando airport has four satellite terminals, and you must take a tram to the main terminal.

It's January, so the pool area and fitness room were EMPTY.  I enjoyed a 30 minute, 12% incline, 3 mph walk.  I got the idea from a co-worker who is trying to lose weight.  I definitely broke a sweat!

 

Keeping It Simple during Recovery

 

I'm still getting over some sickness, so I chose a simple workout that gets the job done.

I love 2-dumbbell workouts, because I like simple things.  

Two 15-pound weights, a mat and you're good to go.  This was the routine ...

30 seconds of work followed by 30 seconds of rest

5 minute warmup (don't skip getting the muscles warm and ready)

Dumbbell Squats

Pushups

Bulgarian Split Squat-Left

Bulgarian Split Squat-Right

Plank Rows

Jump Squats

Decline Pushups

Dumbbell Reverse Lunges

Dumbbell Fly

High-Knees

Repeat this circuit twice.

Cooldown/stretch for 5 minutes

Workout Length = 30 minutes

You can use any size weight that fits your level.  A pair of 12 or 10-pounders would be great also.  This routine will raise your heart rate while improving strength.

Sickness and a Change of Pace

The yearly cold virus has taken up residence in my head and prevented me from doing my usual workout routine ... no running, no lifting, no high-intensity cardio.

Since last Saturday, daily stretching and mobility work have been the norm.  It's ok to back off and let your body recover.

The mobility/stretching mat has been my main workout companion this week.  Try this routine for a chance to work out the kinks in your muscles.

Use the foam roller first to hit the back, chest, legs and arms, then do the following mobility moves...

World's Greatest Stretch

90/90 Leg Drops with knees bent

Pigeon Lunge

Low Lunge

Thread the Needle

Half Angels with back on the floor

Scorpions

Down Dog Pose (releases the upper back and shoulders)