The Pain of Loss

I need to be honest and let you know these thoughts are not my thoughts.  I got the from Life Church as as was doing some research and study on pain and loss.  I am studying this because I lost a friend this week.  He was young and it seemed to early, but as I study this stuff God is helping me.  Please read and allow this to help you too.

For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me. Psalm 38:17

COMMON RESPONSES TO LOSS

1)    SOME IGNORE THE PAIN.

2)    SOME BLAME OTHERS.

3)    SOME WITHDRAW.

HEALING FROM LOSS

1) INSTEAD OF IGNORING, I WILL FACE IT HONESTLY.

David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. ‘Is the child dead?’ he asked. ‘Yes,’ they replied, ‘he is dead.’  2 Samuel 12:19

NAME THE LOSS: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2) INSTEAD OF BLAMING, I WILL TRUST GOD.

Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. 2 Samuel 12:20

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

3) INSTEAD OF WITHDRAWING, I WILL SHARE MY PAIN.

Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba… 2 Samuel 12:24

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3:7-8

Pain is inevitable.  We will always have to deal with pain, or at least we should.  Please do not choose to just suppress and ignore because that only leaves to more pain.

Update

Well I havent given a numbers update in a while.  Wanted to just give a quick update.

Weight
January: 240 lbs
Today: 221 lbs

Blood Pressure
January: Slightly high
Today: Normal

Running
January: Never
Today: I try to run 3-5 days a week

Energy
January: None
Today: A lot more

The point:  Doing nothing got me the same results I had always had.  Doing something is what made the change.  I know it sounds elementary.....but DO SOMETHING!  We can't complain about our health if we just sit down and do nothing.

Derailed

I think every little boy has a small fascination with trains.  it is wired in us.  More than playing with trains though, we like to make trains crash.  We all play out that age old scenarion where a train is coming and some how it derails and wipes out every thing in its path.  The problem is a lot of us keep this mentality into adulthood.  Most train derailments are caused by going to fast.  They know they are not supposed to go that fast in certain areas and they push it as much as they can until they push it a little to hard and they get off the tracks and wreck everything in their path.  As adults, we do the same thing.  We work (or whatever it is you do) at breakneck speeds and then we wonder why we wreck.  We get depressed, have poor attitudes, get physically sick, and even hurt the people we love the most at times.  The problem is we are in a culture where this is worn as a badge of honor.  I hear people all the time say, "O, worked 90 hours this week, etc" and they say that like I should give them a standing ovation.  To be honest I have done the exact same thing.  The rub is, society is not always right.  Will it mean less money, possibly.  Could it mean you don't "advance" as fast as you hoped?  What good is advancing if you are sick and your family can't stand you?  My caution, for you and myself, is slow down.  Don't get me wrong, there are times where you can open up the throttle and go fast.  In my job there are certain seasons where I am way busier.  The trick is during the seasons where you aren't as busy, don't make yourself go faster just for the sake of going faster.  Find something you enjoy doing.  Walking, golfing, painting, music, watching movies and do them.  Spend extra time with your family during these times.  Don't derail.  SLOW DOWN!

A Loving Father, A Faithful Husband, and a Servant of All

I stumbled across this video if Jason Castro (A contestant on American Idol a few years ago) and thought he said a lot of things better than I could so I thought I would just share this video.  Enjoy.

And the numbers are.......

I was lucky enough to be able to have all my body "numbers" taken.  Meaning, I had my cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose levels, my oxygen uptake, body fat %, etc, all checked.  To be honest I was kinda nervous about it but it was not as bad as I had thought.  It also helped that I had been working out for a little over a month and already had lost like 12 lbs before this test was done.  With that being said I want to be transparent and held accountable so I thought I would publicly display all my numbers (No laughing please or you will be dismissed from this blog.)






OXYGEN UPTAKE:  37  (average)


PULSE:  71


BODY FAT %:  26 (below average)


BMI:  30


WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE(around belly button):  40


WEIGHT:  225


BLOOD PRESSURE:  107/65 (good)


BAD CHOLESTEROL: 210 (borderline)


GOOD CHOLESTEROL:  37 (a little low)


MY RATIO:  5.7  (slightly high)


GLUCOSE LEVEL:  123 (average)


After we got all of our data next we came up with a game plan to start making some of the numbers that are a little high or low get to the right places.  The thing about this process is it is a measuring tool.  If we never measure anything how do we know how we are doing.  And that goes for mental, spiritual, and physical health.  If you have the opportunity, please get something like this done.  Then, you will know where you stand and how you can improve your physical health.  

Week #5 in Review

Week #5 in Review

Well I had a solid week this week.  I logged 24 miles total and each week I run it gets a little less tiring and painful.  I actually enjoy running and when I have a day when I can't go I kinda miss it.  My eating was good this week as well.  I dropped a couple more pounds so I am still heading in the right directions.  So who ate 20lbs of food on Super bowl Sunday????  THIS GUY.  To be honest I felt so sick.  My stomach hurt, my sleeping wasn't as good, and I felt so tired.  It was a good reminder that eating good (healthier) foods allows you to feel better as well.  

Spiritually was a solid week as well.  I listened to a lot of music this week that was really uplifting and really reflective.  There would be times when I would relisten to a song just to really hear the words and what they mean to me.  I think a cool thing is that God can communicate with us in many different ways, we just need to be open to allowing him.  

Mentally things have changed since I have really been adding get more physically fit to the equation.  I seem to have a better all around attitude and seem to have more mental energy.  I am more attentive and more alert.  There are so many mental benefits to being more physically fit and I am loving it.  

Enjoy your week!

Wekk #4 in Review

Week #3 in Review

Well this wasn't my best week.  I was so tired from ice camp and had an all-night event this weekend and it really threw my schedule off.  I ran about 20 miles and my longest run was 8.5 miles.  I definitely did not do the reading I was supposed to do..at all.  So I need to hop back on it this week.  Mentally was also a rough week.  I was sooooo tired last week and it really gets ya down mentally when you are tired.  I am taking this next month and slowing my pace down as far as my scheduling goes.  I need to recuperate..end of story.  The length of this post compared to other reviews posts is an indicator of how I need rest.  i am keeping this short and brief.  Let me know how your week went?  What went well and what went bad?

Here is a video I keep watching over and over:  Check it out!!!