Day 22 ~ Lymphatically Inclined

Caution: This blog has a very dirty word in it and you will have to read it more than a few times. Please read at your own discretion!

"Purifying the lymphatic system is vital for ridding your body of cellulite ... since [the body] doesn't have a pump, like the heart, it must be exercised ... the best way to do this--to give those fatty deposits the old heave-ho--is by cleansing your lymphatic system either with a bouncing action or by moving your arms while walking briskly ... use of mini trampoline has proven to be an efficient form of exercise with virtually no harmful side effects ... in approximately two weeks, you should notice that your legs, buttocks and ankles are becoming toned and those orange peel-like cellulite deposits are smoothing out." _{Anne Louise Gittleman}

Exercise, exercise, exercise, exercise...there I said (wrote) it!!! Now the real issue is, how did your conscious and subconscious mind take it? If you truly desire REAL results while playing 'the game', then you cannot get around this word and not only that, you must find something you can do physically. Exercise is one of the vital keys to truly stimulating your metabolism and changing your lifestyle for the good.

I emphatically believe we were not built to live the way we have been living in these 'modern' times. These sedentary lives of non-moving, computer oriented, desk top jobs may be the permissive will of God, but not the perfect will of God. In Genesis 3:19 God told Adam, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." We were built to sweat and when we don't sweat our bodies slowly deteriorate into a cesspool of waste products. Our bodies were made to move and bend...walk and run...jump and climb.

When we exercise so many wonderful and dynamic events begin to occur in these fearfully and wonderfully made bodies of ours. The first and most important thing exercise does is it affects our lymphatic system. Our lymphatic system has a few similarities when it is held in comparison with the circulatory system. All of our blood is supplied via the arteries, veins, and capillaries through a special pump called the heart. As our heart pumps, we receive our nutrients through the life giving flow of our blood with each powerful push of the heart. The lymphatic system is tubular (vein like) and expands throughout our entire body. It also has its own fluid that flows through these tubes. Yet there are a few very important facts we need to understand when it comes to the lymphatic system. First...although the lymphatic system has fluid, it does NOT have a heart like pump like the circulatory system. Second...the lymphatic fluid is very thick and gooey. It does not flow with the ease our blood does throughout the body. Third... and probably one of the most vital points to understand, the lymphatic system is woven through the muscles of our bodies. The most efficient and  BEST WAY the fluid of the lymphatic system can flow throughout our bodies is through exercise! The contraction of our muscles when we use them pushes the thick gooey fluid of the lymphatic system through our bodies. Sedentary lives of little or no exercise leads to a stagnant lymphatic system.

You may be wondering how a stagnant lymphatic system affects the body. Your lymphatic system performs the vital function of cleansing the fluid that surrounds the cells in your body by removing impurities and waste products. This process not only protects your body from toxins, but also allows cells in the body to function at their best. When the lymphatic system breaks down, dramatic health imbalances can begin to impact the body. Poor lymph function is associated with fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, aches and pains, bloating and poor digestion. And to all those who are trying to lose weight, studies show an unhealthy lymph system can contribute to cellulite, fat deposits and obesity.

So, there you have it! The lymphatic system basically operates as a filter or a cleanser in the body. Hence a swollen lymph node is a sign of the lymphatic system trying to ride your body of an infection. If it is not functioning properly then many other vital functions begin to break down. As a matter of fact, the whole system begins to back up and become congested.

Here are a few things you can do for your very own lymphatic system. Drink plenty of water. Choose healthy foods. Eat your fruits and veggies. Get your essential fatty acids. Stay active. Practice deep breathing because like exercise, deep breathing promotes the movement of fluid through the lymphatic system while providing it with fresh oxygen.

Though I have tried, there seems to be a barrier between my words and your brain on how much exercise has done so much good for me. Though it was a dirty word, it is now a wonderful word. I once despised the thought of 'having to exercise' but now I look forward to exercise. I am lymphatically inclined to believe the plethora of benefits exercise brings to my life is too much for words to truly describe. Today you need to find something...anything to do that will get your lymphatic juices flowing again throughout your body. Whether its a brisk walk, running, or riding a bike...find something an exercise you can do, and you will also become emphatically lymphatically inclined!

Day 19 ~ Creatures of Habit

"The chains of habit are generally too small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken." ~ Samuel Johnson

I would say right about now, as we head into week three of 'the game', all of us are beginning to feel the weight of our habits. All of us have habits, both good and bad. A habit is a noun which means; a pattern of behavior acquired through frequent repetition. Obtaining and maintaining habits in our lives is, well, just a part of life. Yet, once again, a habit is one of those two edged swords that can make you or break you. A habit can be one of your greatest servants or one of your worst task masters. "Nothing is stronger than habit." (Ovid) As Samuel Johnson said in the quote above, the smallest of repeated behaviors we do can and will eventually turn into a way of life. Though seemingly minuscule in its beginnings, the behavior grows into a stronghold that is not easily broken. Once a habit is entrenched within our psyche's, our life is framed by those things we habitually do. The famous author, Stephen Covey said, "Our character is basically a composite of our habits. Because they are consistent, often unconscious patterns, they constantly, daily, express our character." The fact of the matter is our habits are a reflection of who we are and the thoughts we have held dear to our souls. When we do something, for the most part, it is not some spontaneous effort or idea, but the way we do react is nothing more than a composite of our habits. As creatures of habits, we can only act according to the those patterns we have consistently adhered to from our youth into adulthood.

Yes, we are but a walking harvest of our habits! Think of the myriad of behaviors we do on a daily basis. How did you first begin this behavior? Why did you begin to do this behavior? Those behaviors just didn't happen. As Aristotle said, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit." Somewhere long ago, in response to a situation in life, we began to will ourselves to act in a certain way, and now those acts are entrenched themselves into our way of living. "Habits are at first cobwebs, then cables." (Spanish Proverb) You see, we first make our habits, then in the end our habits make us. Its not that we consciously wish to have bad habits but they sneak up on us, until we become their slaves.

Lets get one thing clear. Most of the time, when habits are discussed, its always discussed within the context of being a bad thing. Habits are a necessary way of getting things done in life. Habits make us predictable and allow a certain stability to operate in our lives. But habits are not neutral, and can only take on the persona we give them within the context of our life's daily routines. Vincent Lombardi said, "Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing."

Let me give you a personal for instance of a habit in my life. For years, I was an advocate of eating healthier, and taking supplements to help with our health, but there was a a thing I avoided at all costs when it came to health. This thing is called EXERCISE! Though every time I read books and articles about healthy living, the word, exercise, was a key component to bringing healing to the body. I always had an excuse to why I couldn't exercise. One day, at about the age of 37, I was laying sick in bed. I realized just eating a decent diet and taking supplements, obviously wasn't enough. So began a journey to change a bad habit...no exercising to exercising. From being repulsed and finding every reason in the book to not exercise to changing my life into a habit of routinely exercising was not an easy task. I have always told people they can't just stop a bad habit by doing nothing. There must be a good habit ready to replace a bad habit or at least a desire to acquire a new habit to take the place of the bad one. Desiderius Erasmus said, "A nail is driven out by another nail. Habit is overcome by habit." Deep down, I truly disliked how I felt about myself and where I was going. I did not like my bad habit of non-exercise. (Who really likes their bad habits?) So, I stepped into the odyssey of overcoming the bad with the good. I bought a treadmill! But guess what? Purchasing a treadmill did not break my bad habit of no exercise! Soon my inspired purchase was a very nice coat rack rather than a bad habit buster I had bought it do for me! Yep, that's right, the treadmill didn't do a thing for me... except drain my wallet of a monthly payment. Oh yeah...and every time I walked past my high tech coat rack, I could swear it laughed and taunted me with snide remarks!

Let me just lay it on the line here! The only way to overcome a bad habit is to replace the bad habit with something good, and this takes EFFORT and WORK. I try to tell people if they can do the good for at least three consecutive weeks, then you have a great possibility of breaking the chains of the bad habit. You can pull down the strongholds that keep you from obtaining the desires of your heart. It was a bumpy road to victory for me, but here I sit, writing this article (eight marathons later) trying to inspire you to believe it can be accomplished, IF you put your mind to it! It took me awhile to finally die to live, but when I did die out to my lazy ways, and began exercise on a consistent basis, something great happened. I realized how great I felt. I realized it wasn't as difficult as my imaginations had made exercise out to be. I came to many realizations concerning the power of habits and their control over our lives. I won't lie to you, do I struggle from time to time with my exercise...sure, but it doesn't take me long to remind myself of all the good it does for me and how I feel when I conquer the myriad of voices that call me back to my cave of apathy.

An ancient proverb says, "Good habits are formed from resisting temptation." You must begin to resist the temptation to stay in the bed of ease LONG ENOUGH to run into through the finish line of successful doing! Quit thinking you can't break the bad habit and step into the power of today! TODAY is the day of salvation! Today is the day you begin to break that bad habit one chain link at a time!

Day 17 ~ The Course of this World

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. -  James 1:13-15

If there is one thing in this game you have begun to learn, it should be this...without disciplining yourself, you are not going to do yourself any good in anything. Calorie counting, watching the kinds of calories, exercising more than once a week, not overeating, etc...are just a few areas we must maintain in the form of discipline or we will find ourselves spinning our wheels in the race to health.

If the truth be known, life is about discipline and true living is about restricting your appetites. Many think restriction is bondage. They equate not having the 'freedom' to do what they want, is slavery or a loss of power. But in reality, true freedom come with discipline. Ask the heroin addict, the crack head, the cocaine fiend, the alcoholic, the smoker, the porn addict...ask them who is more free...the one who has disciplined themselves and restricted themselves from partaking in such excesses or the one who can't break the chains of addiction that now envelopes every fiber of their lives. The scripture doesn't lie! It says in James, that every man is drawn away and enticed of his own lusts. All of us have our own bodily appetites within us that draw us to do evil or obtain something for a sense of momentary satisfaction. Just as much as we 'feel' hunger or pains of thirst, there are other urges and appetites of the flesh. Our carnal nature desires many things...sex, power, greed, material things, and such like. As James goes on to say the basic course of this world is fairly simple...lust, sin, and then death. 

Look around you, the course of this world is set to a race to fulfill its lusts. We see something and it provokes something within us. James says, when our lusts hath conceived, it brings forth sin. So our lusts/appetites are those inner desires to have or obtain something. At that point, we have a choice, we can either kick the thought out because we know in the 'long run' it will destroy us or we will play with the thought. We will let it lay there and germinate and the next thing we know, like the moment two seeds collide in the womb, it begins to grow. We begin to move ourselves into a mode of obtaining the appetites of our desires. Sin is nothing more than our actions being moved by what was already conceived in our minds. 

Now the sad thing is...the end of this course is 'death'. Although sometimes the end result of a lust is literal death, the reality of an unchecked lust is usually felt somewhere down the road. It is the harvest of a seed sown years ago. Many alcoholics are wounded people who used the alcohol to soothe over their deeply embedded anger. The scripture says that 'anger rests in the bosom of a fool' and most people who are 'addicts' have allowed anger, from a very early time in their lives, to rests within them. Which in turn set forth the course of the world which we are discussing in today's blog. Adam and Eve were told not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden or they would surely die. When they disobeyed God, they didn't die a literal death, but their 'death' was a multi-fold death. They were cursed with manifold curses of trials and tribulations of the living within their own mortal bodies. They were expelled from the garden, which means they lost direct communication with the God of their salvation. So many things were lost when they went to fulfill their won lusts and desires. Though they didn't die a literal death, they died a spiritual death. So it is with us, when we refuse to restrict the appetites of our natures, we become wrapped within chains of darkness. Our minds become so obsessed in pursuit of fulfilling our lusts that somewhere down the road, we lose the 'light' of the way.

If all that is in the world is the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, then the world is a manifestation of the fulfillment of these categories in people's lives. In a world lost without any restrictions and living in the idea that freedom is doing whatever feels good and fulfilling the lusts of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, then what we see around us today is nothing but a result of the 'course of this world'.

Once again, you may be saying, 'What in the world does this have to do with this blog and playing the game?' Well, I would have to say...EVERYTHING! If you will be honest with yourself (and honesty is the only way you can truly move forward). How did you get here? Why are you over weight? Why are you bound to food? Somewhere you followed the course of this world. You gave in to your pain. You justified your hurts. You followed your appetites and now you find yourself walking the tight rope of 'death'. An undisciplined life has not lead to freedom but it has brought you to this place and now the most difficult thing you will ever do is break the chains of bad habits and wrong thinking in your life! There are basically two paths you can follow: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment. Right now...you have a pure and true revelation of the lack of discipline. Don't be fooled again, the pain you feel right now is because you thought true freedom came from following your own will.

Today its time to step off the course of this world and follow a new path into the light of true freedom.

The Road not Taken
Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
and sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
and looked down one as far as I could
to where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
and having perhaps the better claim
because it was grassy and wanted wear;
though as for that, the passing there
had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
in leaves no feet had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less travelled by,
and that has made all the difference

Day 15 ~ Ignorance is NOT Bliss

Hosea 4:6 - My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

The word ignorance is a noun which means; the lack of knowledge or education. Although most people would never truly admit they are ignorant, yet their actions speak louder than words. Just as Jesus said you can tell a tree by the fruit it bears, so can you tell a human by the actions they live their life by. It is a life lived according to the mantra, "Out of sight, out of mind". There are many who actually believe ignorance is a blissful place to live. To them, ignorance IS bliss. To not know something gives them a way out or a sense of not being responsible concerning life, both naturally and spiritually.

I can remember growing up and hearing the phrase, "Ignorance is not above the law!" Which, when explained, was the idea a person was responsible (which is a bad word used nowadays) for knowing the law. For example, when a police officer pulls you over for a traffic violation, you couldn't use, "I didn't know that was the law?" as an excuse. As a citizen, you are responsible to know and learn the laws and then abide by the laws, hence the term...'Ignorance is not above the law!' Yet today, it seems more people are satisfied with remaining ignorant concerning, not just the civil laws, but the laws of health concerning their minds and bodies.

Though I don't know everything, nor claim to know everything, I am continually amazed at how dumb downed our society has become and is becoming. Our Founding Fathers were emphatic about the idea of having an educated population. Why? Because only an educated population can maintain a vigilance against tyranny. A people who are educated and well read, will more likely remain involved in the issues of society. Today, there seems to be a prevalent push to keep people ignorant and in the dark concerning the truth. Government is now our friend and ally. Where it was once believed that 'father knows best', it is now believed that daddy is dumb and your friendly government knows best.

On one hand, there seems to be a purposeful agenda to keep people unaware of the true state of affairs concerning the workings of our government and the many agencies that are financed via our tax dollars. Then on the other hand, there is an abundance of information available to truly learn and grow, naturally and spiritually. If a person truly wants to know, the information is available to the diligent seeker. Yet this seems to be a two edged sword. Information overload seems to be overtaking our country. One minute this junk food is no good for you, the next minute a 'new' study comes out that says there are qualities of the junk food that are good for you. Over the last twenty years, especially with the advent of the internet, our society has become saturated and bombarded with a myriad of facts, figures, and findings. Discernment of the truth is difficult and can only come to the most studious of studiers and not only can it be obtained by this type of person, but it seems the truth comes to the one who is sincere in their pursuit of the truth.

So you say, "What does this have to do with the game?" It has everything to do with the game. With all of us being two weeks into the game, there is one thing you should have learned by now...and that is how difficult it is to discern between what is the truth concerning your health and what is a lie! There is no doubt you have already wadded through the cornucopia of advertising and slick marketing propaganda that promises magic pill solutions to your health dilemmas. I am amazed when people drive through a McDonald's and order a 1200 calorie meal but make sure they drink a excito-toxined, aspartame, nutra-sweet diet Coke with their meal. I don't know about you, but it makes me wonder what they are thinking or have been persuaded to believe! The glittering advertising campaigns with all their jingles and use of words such as natural, all natural, non-fat, no carbs, no transfats, fat free, etc...ad nauseam. We are always pulled to the path of least resistance. Its the way of the flesh. The lazy man's guide to enlightenment, it seems, is to believe that ignorance IS bliss.

So, in the spirit of the game, I ask you today to be careful of what you believe and how you receive the information around you. Remember, it is unprofitable for you to be healthy. Pretty packaging of our food products doesn't make it healthy. The slick use of words doesn't make the food digestible. Don't believe everything you read and walk down the path of least resistance. Remember! Ignorance is NOT bliss. The more you remain unlearned and your senses are hypnotized by the smoke and mirrors of a society gone wild, the more the scales will tip against you in your pursuit of health and healing!

Day 13 ~ Make A Note of It

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways..." Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)

Even though I am not playing the game, there is one thing I have learned while watching and helping my wife 'play the game', and that is the importance of counting your calories. Not only have I learned the importance of counting your calories, but it has been somewhat mind blowing to 'see' how much calories some foods contain.

First, in order to understand the importance of counting or watching your daily caloric intake, one must first understand what a calorie is! Remember, this is a definition of a calorie in a nutshell and it seems one would have to turn into a 'rocket scientist' if I got into the complexities and depth of a calorie. So, for now, just take this as a working idea of what a calorie is and how it works.

A calorie is a unit of energy. We tend to associate calories with food, but they apply to anything containing energy. Specifically, a calorie is the amount of energy, or heat, it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit). One calorie is equal to 4.184 joules, a common unit of energy used in the physical sciences. We as human beings need energy to survive -- to breathe, move, pump blood -- and they acquire this energy from food. The number of calories in a food is a measure of how much potential energy that food possesses. Its similar to the idea of putting fuel in your car. A car needs fuel (energy) to burn for its 'life' and we need fuel (food) to burn for our own engine to run properly. Everything has a certain amount of burning capacity to it for creating heat or fire (energy) for fueling the body. A calorie is one unit of energy and each food has a certain amount of calories or burn potential for helping the body to create energy. As burning coal is to creating steam which in turn is used to channel power for different entities, so are food calories from carbohydrates, fat and proteins. Well...enough with that... I hope you get the gist of what a calorie is...

Every living person depends on a certain amount of fuel to make it through the day. The daily requirements of calories is different for individuals, depending on their gender and their body size. Obviously, the bigger the person, the more calories you need for energy and vice versa, the smaller the person, the less calories needed to get you through the day. If you are more active, then you need more energy. Sport's stars like Lance Armstrong, when they are racing take in about 6,000 calories a day. For us, taking in this amount of fuel, would be like trying to put the amount of gas it would take to run a school bus and put it into my Honda Element. My Honda's engine does not require nor need an amount of fuel, nor does the engine's burning capacity require it. Hence, bigger vehicles have bigger gas tanks and are labeled 'gas hogs'! Which makes one wonder if some us could be strapped with label of glutton or pig because we consume far beyond our bodies capacities and needs?

When you begin to delve into the subject of calories and the amounts needed for your own bodies daily needs, it is easier to see the importance of counting your calories! Typically, Americans are over eaters and not only are we over eaters, we live a very sedentary life style, which in turn creates a myriad of problems for our bodies...naturally, spiritually, and everything-ally (that's a new word I just made up!). Here are the formulas used to help determine what your daily calorie intake should be... (I am copying and pasting this from the web site healthbulletin.org)

First, you need to determine your basal metabolic rate or BMR. BMR can be calculated by using your age, height, and weight. Separate formulas are used for men and women (1) since BMR is strongly determined by gender:

Women: 655 + (4.35 x weight, pounds) + (4.7 x height, inches) - (4.7 x age, years)
Men: 66 + (6.23 x weight, pounds) + (12.7 x height, inches) - (6.8 x age, years)

For example, for a 20-year-old woman that is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 160 pounds, her BMR would be calculated as follows:
655 + (4.35 × 160) + (4.7 × 68) - (4.7 × 20) =
655 + 696 + 320 - 94 = 1577 calories per day

In this example, BMR is 1577 calories per daythe number of calories that she burns each day just to support vital functions such as brain function and respiration, and not including the calories burned from activities of daily living like walking, vacuuming, cleaning, driving, or exercising. Therefore, BMR is an impractical estimate to use for weight management since it does not take into account calories burned via bodily movement. In order to determine the total number of calories burned per day, a second calculation needs to be performed; active metabolic rate, or AMR.

After you have determined your BMR, you will multiply BMR by the following number, depending on your typical daily activity level, to calculate your AMR:
Sedentary (little or no exercise) = 1.2
Light activity (light exercise or sports 1-3 days per week) = 1.375
Moderate activity (moderate exercise or sports 3-5 days per week) = 1.55
Very active (hard exercise or sports 6-7 days per week) = 1.725
Extra active (very hard exercise or sports & physical job or twice daily training) = 1.9
To use the woman in our previous example, if her BMR was 1577 calories per day and she is sedentary, her AMR is 1577 × 1.2, or 1892 calories per day.

Calculation of the AMR is valuable when it comes to weight management since strategies for weight loss or gain can be constructed using this number. You must eat 3500 calories less than you burn in order to lose 1 pound of fat.

• If she eats 1400 calories a day, she will lose 1 pound of fat each week (a 500 calorie deficit per day over 1 week equals 3500 calories, or 1 pound of fat)

• If she eats 1900 calories a day, her body weight will remain constant.

• If she eats 2400 calories per day, she will gain 1 pound of fat each week (a 500 calorie excess per day over 1 week equals 3500 calories, or 1 pound of fat)

A 500-1000 calorie deficit each day is considered by most experts to be the most effective for weight loss, which translates to a 1-2 pound fat loss per week. However, under no circumstances should women eat less than 1200 calories per day and men less than 1500 calories per day. Eating a diet with too few calories can result in malnutrition and lean tissue mass losses, thereby causing metabolism to slow and sabotaging weight loss efforts.

Whew...there you have it... at least, that is, in a nutshell! There is much ado to the counting of calories and the importance they hold in our health, and our desire to either lose weight or gain weight. One thing for sure...if you are not taking note of your caloric intake and watching the amount of calories you are eating, there is a good possibility you are not going to 'win' the game. You must become more conscious of your calories and how they affect your metabolism, because if you don't, that one sandwich you just wolfed down, could be the caloric equivalent to your TOTAL calories needed for two days, let alone one meal!

Day 12 ~ Flush Your Troubles Down the Drain

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. - Ephesians 5:25-27

No, I am not turning this into a marriage blog and neither am I advocating you to flush your spouse down the drain! I used this passage of scripture in Ephesians to narrow in the verse that says, ' That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word' to bring out a natural understanding of the importance of WATER. In the first chapter of Romans, it says the invisible things of God are clearly understood by the things which are made. Jesus also talked in parables, using natural 'object lessons' to bring about understanding of spiritual principles. When used properly, these natural objects help to reveal hidden spiritual principles and can be used to unlock the mysteries of the scriptures. In Hebrews we read how Paul says the Old Testament is a shadow. A shadow is not the true image of something, but a vague copy of something. The Old Testament is the shadow of things to come and every natural thing in the Old Testament points to the New Testament. Let me give it to you in a nutshell. The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed!

The Word of God is our 'water'! It is our cleanser and detoxifier! Anointed preaching is like taking a shower after three days of wallowing in a mud hole. When we step under the cleansing spray of a purging shower head, it brings instant relief to our bodies. There is nothing like a cleansing shower to the body, and there is nothing like a message preached that washes the soul! No wonder the Lord said, "Give us our daily bread." A day without the word allows the soul to collect dust, grime, filth, and dirt, but when we read it on a daily basis and allow the preacher to preach to our souls, the spigot of blessings pours out a renewed vigor of hope upon our lives. In the thirteen chapter of John, the Lord begins to wash the disciples feet..."Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." We need to have the same attitude Peter had...don't just wash with here and there...let the Word of God wash me completely clean of my dirt and filth!

Now I said all of that to say this...if we look at the natural uses of water, we can literally tap into some great understanding concerning 'the game'...both naturally and spiritually. We know that our bodies are made up of over 70 percent of water. Our brains are made up of over 80 percent of water. We can live a whole lot longer without food than we can without water. We can make it many days without food, but without water, it has been said, we may make it ten or eleven days and then we will die. It is a true saying, without water there would be no life!

Water is a vital component for removing toxins from the human body. The body has four major ways of removing toxins which are: Urination, Bowels, Perspiration, and Processing of toxins by the liver. The first three of these four methods directly excrete water from the body. When we become dehydrated, our body will try to save water by minimizing the use of the first three functions and will force our liver to assume as much of the extra workload as possible. This extra work will place a heavy burden on the liver which still has other functions in addition to detoxification. Even then, the liver by itself will not be able to do all that work very efficiently and toxins will build up rapidly.

On average we lose ten cups of water a day through just our daily living routines. This means whatever we lose we must somehow replace. I am always amazed at how many people either don't drink water or refuse to drink water at all. Many people believe they rehydrate their bodies by drinking coffee and soda pop. This is not only untrue but these kinds of drinks cause us to dehydrate even more! If the truth be known, many 'sicknesses' are misdiagnosed Because people are simply lacking water. Dehydration causes the blood to turn thick and the heart must pump extra hard to move this fluid through the veins. Hence the high blood pressure and other similar maladies. The scripture says in Leviticus 17:14 For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off. Dehydrated blood can't be good for the life of the body! Fatigue, lack of mental focus, lethargy, headaches, etc, are all symptoms of dehydration.

So what does this have to do with 'the game'? If you are truly desiring to lose weight, and not just lose weight, but make an impacting change in your life, then a simple thing as drinking good clean (non-tap) water is a great place to start. As the Word is a cleanser of the soul, so water is the cleanser of the body! In order to truly flush your body clean of its wastes and refuse, you must provide your body with more water! When you do this your body will sing a new song...similar to the old Roto-Rooter jingle I heard as a boy. "Roto-rooter! That's the name. Just flush your troubles down the drain!" Today you need to drink your water/Word and let it be the roto-rooter in your life!

The Kervorkian Diet Plan

"One-quarter of what you eat keeps you alive. The other three-quarters keeps your doctor alive."   (Hieroglyph found in an ancient Egyptian tomb.) 

  "One should eat to live, not live to eat." (Moliere) If you want to avoid pain and regret, its been said there are two subjects you cannot talk about with people...religion and politics. But I have learned there are actually three subjects...religion, politics, and FOOD. It's very difficult to talk to people about THEIR food! "There is no sincerer love than the love of food." (George Bernard Shaw) People love food and love eating their food and something always happens when I begin to talk about people's food. Benjamin Franklin said, "Beware the hobby that eats." If there is going to be real change in our lives, we must gain control over what and how we eat. In this day and age, where everything is centered around making things easy and convenient, we must become aware of what this convenience is doing to our food. We cannot be so addicted to our foods that our belly blinds us and we cannot see beyond our forks. As a Spanish Proverb says, "The belly rules the mind." 

They call it the SAD or the Standard American Diet and when one really takes an in depth look at the standard American diet, it truly is 'SAD'! I have come to call the American way of eating, The Kervorkian Diet Plan. You may say, 'What is the Kervorkian Diet Plan?' Well first you must understand who Kervorkian is and then you will understand what I am saying. Dr. Kervorkian is / was called the assisted suicide doctor. He championed the cause of helping people to commit suicide or kill themselves. In a nutshell, without opening Pandora's Box concerning the social/political/spiritual ramifications of his cause, he created a machine that would make snuffing out your life easier. Dr. Kervorkian felt he would be doing people a favor by 'assisting' them to kill themselves since they already terminally ill and dying a slow painful death anyway. His cause has garnered him the nickname, Dr. Death. So, there you have a small understanding of who this doctor is and how he views his purpose.

Now with this understanding I can launch out into the deep! Recently a journalist by the name of Michael Pollen wrote a book called, "Food Rules". It is a off shoot of a few other books he had written, kind of like a summary of the things he has learned concerning food or what we have come to learn and consider what is food in these modern times. Mr. Pollen doesn't claim to be nutritionists or food specialist, like many journalist who write investigative reports, he somewhat stumbled his way into researching food in our society. I like this kind of investigative journalism, because when they investigate they don't have any predetermining ideas or biases concerning their research. They are reporting from outside the box of the mainstream influence and understanding. In "Food Rules", Mr. Pollen comes to two conclusions concerning what he learned.

First, the Western diet leads to Western diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. "Four of the top ten killers in America are chronic diseases that can be linked to this diet," Pollan claims. 

Second, people throughout the world who eat a range of traditional diets, even those heavy in fats, carbohydrates, or protein, don't suffer from these diseases. Thankfully, Pollan offers a third fact derived from these two: If we get away from the Western diet, we can see dramatic improvements in our health and reduce the risk of chronic diet-related diseases.

Amazingly, these facts are not necessarily new, but have been reported by many outside the box for many years now. Men and women from Dr. Loraine Day, Paul Bragg, Norman Walker, Joseph Mercola, and on, have all been screaming from their rooftops for years concerning these two facts. Eat the standard American diet full of processed dead adulterated foods and die a very youthful painful death. Depart from the SAD way of life and your body will give you back your life!

It has been said and the saying is true, 'You cannot out train a bad diet'.

When one decides to leave 'normal' behind, it is paramount to your understanding, in order to truly leave 'normal' behind one must abandon the Kervokian Diet Plan. Live and learn...or should I say...learn and LIVE. Don't get too caught up in the lamestream media's word plays and advertising. Don't be reeled in by the propaganda packaging glitter of the food industry that creates in their science labs, Frankenstein foods that are not foods, and then sells these excito toxic chemically ladden meals that in long run are only assisting us to slow long painful death. And this is why I call it The Kervorkian Diet Plan, because the SAD, based upon these over processed foods are assisting us to commit suicide and not only are they killing us from the inside out, those behind the scenes are making 'killer' money on our ignorance and gluttony! 

Ignorance is NOT bliss. Work to free yourself from the bondage of the Standard American (western) Diet which you have been 'dying' to eat all these years! As Sally Edwards said, "If we’re not willing to settle for junk living, we certainly shouldn’t settle for junk food." 

Day 9 ~ Diary of A Mad Scientist

But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. - Matthew 16:23-25

Well the second weigh in has come and gone. The scales were pressured and the numbers were tallied. Some of the losers left excited and some left discouraged. I have to say, as an outsider, its been a pretty interesting week of watching 'the game'. I have had opportunity to hear what people say and how they were approaching the contest. To me, I found many to like mad scientist as they work hard to create a 'diet' plan or an approach to losing weight. Many remind me of the old Frankenstein movies where the crazy scientist runs around in the laboratory like a crazed mad man as he works to create his masterpiece. To hear the words of people as they craft a plan has been interesting, because most plans, though not all, seem to work specifically with this principle in mind..."What can I do to lose the most amount of weight with the least amount of effort!" Like mad scientists, they roam throughout the lab, looking for ways to procure their delusion of winning $500 by doing as little work as possible. In their crazed glassy eyed dash, the first big avoidance in the creation of their 'diet' plan is to avoid exercise at all costs! Exercise to most people these days is death knell of a happy life. To exercise would be tantamount to the torturing of a POW! The vision of not only making the time for exercise but putting one's body through such a rigorous course is too painful to even contemplate. It is far easier to take the path of least resistance to the platform of victory. I will spend a hundred dollars on the no workout magic pill diet plan before I spend one drop of sweat from my brow!

Yes, my friends, this is the cry I have witnessed with my own ears and have seen with my own eyes. As it is in the natural so it is with the spiritual! Most of the losers want to keep as much of their old lifestyle and believe they will lose the necessary weight to win the prize. Is this not the same game the serpent plays with people in church? We work hard at learning what is the minimal God wants us to offer and then, within this context, try to stay within the category of 'saved'. Like mad scientist we hear the expectation of the Word and then craftily begin to create our own spiritual diet to salvation. Its the same old story, rather than our lifestyle being adjusted to fit God's salvation plan, we work diligently to fit God's salvation plan to our lifestyle. Is this not the nature of the flesh? To find out what the minimum requirements are and then straddle that fence like a high wire dare devil! We do this naturally and we do this spiritually! Its the way and approach of the flesh. We work hard at putting our faith in man made idols and habits that have done us no good throughout the years. We just believe somewhere, someday down the road it will pay off. Like the cancer industry taunts us with the idea a cure is just around the corner and we continue to give more and more money to a lost cause, we wade out deeper and into the depths of despair truly believing our ship will come one day! Call it pride or stupidity or both, the serpent has us believing, in the end, our way will pay off!

Yesterday, there were some that received the immediate effects of serpent's laziness, because that's what it all really boils down to...just plain laziness. Some weighed in and had gained weight, which in the long run is good. Why? Well, there's no fooling them. The gig is up! Its very clear they must change or nothing good will happen. But for those who lost weight, doing as they have said, 'absolutely nothing', the deception can be devastating in the long run. The serpent has beguiled them into believing they can remained doing things the same way and still lose weight. Is this not the definition of insanity? Doing the same behavior over and over and expecting different results! In the long run...or should I say, at least over the next eighteen weeks...the truth about no behavior change will become more and more evident as the days pass by. If you truly want to 'win' the contest, it will come at a cost. There will be a cross carried and price will be paid!

Day 8 ~ A Sobering Reality

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." - Mahatma Gandhi

As I walked into the hospital room and toward her bed I could feel the sobering reality of all things meaningful and true. There was our precious sister laying miraculously alive. Yes, she carried, in body and mind, the memories of the terror's moment, but she was alive! Why does it take tragedy to open our eyes to the true value of life? What is it about this carnal nature that assumes the position of 'death at a distance', as though death and tragedy only happens to other people? How often does misfortune or calamity have to occur before we truly wake up and 'see' beyond the appetites of our fleshly tabernacle? In the big picture of living, if life is but vapor, then why do we so often waste our steam on things of little or no value? So quickly we forget we are more than just earthen vessels of flesh and blood. "We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey." (Stephen Covey)

Art Buchwald said, "The best things in life aren't things." The sobering reality is life is NOT about houses, lands, and material possessions. Life is not about all gaining, getting, and gathering, but life is about relationships. For what is a moment in life if that moment cannot be shared? The true value of living our life comes in the quality of our relationship with God, family, and friends. Though we seemingly know this, it also seems, from time to time, we must be reminded by the reality of life's fragility. One moment you are caught up in the whirling seduction of the flesh and in the next moment you are twirling through the air watching your life pass before your eyes. "We cannot truly face life until we face the fact that it will be taken away from us." (Billy Graham) None of us, no, not one of us has the promise of tomorrow. As a matter of fact, none of us has the promise of the next breath. And if this is true then there is no such thing in anyone's life as an unimportant day. Every breath and every moment has value for these are the deep things that make up the day. I have heard it said that life is not about quantity but more about quality and many times I have witnessed how much quantity always seems to suffocate the quality.

Yes, today is the second weigh in and the scale will reveal the truth about how we lived this last week. But today, I want us to take a moment and meditate on the true meaning of this game. Is it to win the pot of gold at the end of rainbow? Is the game just being used to slim down and get 'sexy' so we can gain the attention of flesh? OR is there something bigger at stake...something that far outweighs the measurable pounds lost and the visual manifestation of a smaller version of you? The truth about the contest can only be found within the hidden motives of the contestant. I can tell you and encourage you to 'see' beyond the scale and into a reality that hides behind the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, but only you, the contestant can search your own heart. So it is true we will step on the scale today, and the numbers will tell a tale, but don't forget we are also being weighed in the balances of a sobering reality...life is far more than anything we can see, touch, feel, hear, or taste. Job saw it and said this way, "Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity." (Job 31:6)

When we get on the scale today, I want everyone to take a moment of time and think of our precious Sister Wendy Sowards, who lays in a hospital bed...broken and yet alive! Last week she weighed in and entered the contest and today her life has brought us back to the only scale that matters in this life and beyond. From this day on, we are going to dedicate this contest to her. Why? Because only a life lived for others is the life worthwhile. Although we are losing weight and learning to live a healthier lifestyle, if it is only being done for me, myself and I, then we have lost the point and true meaning of the game. We are doing this because if we better ourselves, we then can become a betterment to the Kingdom of God, our families, and the world around us. “There is nothing we like to see so much as the gleam of pleasure in a person's eye when he feels that we have sympathized with him, understood him. At these moments something fine and spiritual passes between two friends. These are the moments worth living.” (Don Marquis)

Day 7 ~ The Strength of Your Weakness

"Growth begins when we begin to accept our own weakness." -Jean Vanier


In 2 Corinthians chapter 12, the Apostle Paul says, "For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." Though he was continually buffeted by his 'weakness', he understood the power of this weakness in his life. When we get too haughty, which is easy for this nature to rise up and do, we are more apt to forget God, or worse yet, we begin to think we are God and act in the stead of God. We can raise ourselves up above God, make ourselves God, and think what we think and do, IS the will of God. Is this not what the Apostle Paul did with his knowledge concerning the law? He used it to kill One God Apostolics and consented unto their deaths! This picture of the Apostle Paul represents a clear picture of all of us. Proud, haughty, and arrogant at times, and when we get this way, we are sure to raise ourselves up higher than needed and beyond the truth of our abilities.

You may be wondering...'what does this have to do with the contest and changing our lifestyle?' Well, I think it has everything to do with it. We are coming to the end of the first week. There is no doubt, some of us may have already experienced 'weakness' of the flesh. The past has definitely come back in all it's glory to haunt you and intimidate you! But herein lies the victory, if you will be willing to recognize it! The more we understand our weaknesses, the more we will understand our need for God! We are in desperate need of a Savior! If we will truly come clean, not one of us can make the changes necessary in this contest without the anointing power of an Almighty God. I am not talking about momentary changes here. I am talking about a change of LIFE that can only transpire when God touches the human heart and the only way such a change can happen is when we humble ourselves and admit we are weak without Him. King David said, "Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified. But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God." (Psalm 40:16-17) What? Poor and needy? If King David were rich in material wealth, how could he be poor and needy? It is because he wasn't talking about material possessions, he was talking about his spirit and understanding. Maybe this is why God loved David so much. Though he was wealthy and held the position of an earthly king, David knew who was the real King! He knew his weaknesses and understood the fallibility of his thinking. "The strength of a person is often weighed by how they deal with their weaknesses." ~ Nathaniel Summers

Now there may be some who read this blog today and have not felt any assault on their bodies or any mental weakness to compromise. So maybe its just a heads up for future reference when the assault does come your way. As I have said before, eighteen weeks is a long time, and to maintain any strength of character in this contest, you will be confronted by your weaknesses! And if you do not deal with any of this, well, you just are not human. Either you are not human or you are just too proud to admit you have any weaknesses. Robert Louis Stevenson said, "You cannot run away from weakness; you must some time fight it out or perish; and if that be so, why not now, and where you stand?" And so with Mr. Stevenson's words in mind, lets not avoid our weakness. Let us together use these eighteen weeks to tap into our weaknesses. Lets come clean before God, drop our images, let down our guards, and let God arise in our lives. When our pride falls to ground, our load will be lighter and the Lord will lift us up on His scales of Life. Together we can step into the victory that our weaknesses hold...a closer walk with the Lord.

Day 6 ~ An 'Extreme' Dilemma

"Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's when you've had everything to do, and you've done it." - Margaret Thatcher

The quote above by Margaret Thatcher is very true. Fulfillment doesn't come when we are lazy, but when we spend the day doing something with purpose. But herein lies an interesting dilemma. It is what I call an 'extreme' dilemma because there is a place where the exact opposite can occur. Here we are in day six and many of us have quickly moved into a 'new' way of doing things. It is in us to change things and move into doing things anew. Changing everything from the foods we eat to the activities we do. We are grocery shopping and purchasing exercise equipment. ALL of this is GOOD, but in doing this we must be careful to NOT overdue it! It seems there is a certain characteristic in the flesh that has this 'all or nothing' attitude. So we move quickly into a raw food, eat nothing but salad, rabbit mentality diet. We begin to implement exercising plans, dusting off the treadmill and lacing up the old garden sneakers for our walks. The first day or two we raise our fists in a triumphant shout about how easy it all seems only to find ourselves a few days later wondering how long we can maintain this pace and way of life! We are already of the boring salads and we have quickly learned our 'eighteen year old minds' are not matching up with our forty year old bodies. THIS is the dilemma I am talking about...we move without abandonment to such the extreme end of doing things that we crash and burn before we even get started! The next thing you know the game is not fun anymore and you are fighting an even greater measure of emotions and feelings than when you first started the game with!

Today I want to remind everyone of a few things. First...SLOW DOWN! This is an eighteen week process of learning and retraining your body. The adage learned in the Aesop fable of 'The Tortoise and the Hare' rings true. "Slow and steady wins the race!" Secondly...this is NOT A DIET! No matter how you look at it, the goal is not to diet for eighteen weeks and then go back to your old ways of eating and living an unhealthy lifestyle, but this is an ATTITUDE. It is my hope this 'game' will impact you for a life time. This a pulling down of strongholds and a transformation into a complete makeover into a new you. Yes, there is a cash prize for the winner, but if that's your ONLY goal, you have missed the whole point of this contest. Thirdly...look for and get HELP if you need it. Don't be so proud as to think you don't or won't need any help during this contest. Look to each other. Encourage each other. Help each other learn and grow. Teach and share new recipes, exercises, and ideas you have gained insight into as we move along. Then on the other hand, don't be so proud that you can't receive anything from anybody. Have a spirit teachable spirit that is apt to learn. Fourth...KEEP THIS FUN! If you are not having fun in everything you are doing, then I would say you are probably on the extreme side of things. When this contest becomes so intense you cannot enjoy what you are eating or going out for a walk, then you are too fanatical or at least from my perspective, you have missed the point! Relax and enjoy the trip. Smile and give your face a rest. Finally... don't forget God in all of this! The victory comes, the true victory only comes when God is involved in your decision making. Don't forget the bottom line in this contest is to glorify God in our bodies and in our spirits! We are the temple of the Holy Ghost and we are remaking this temple into a place of habitation for the Almighty God! How's that for a WOW factor? Don't lose the true reason for this contest!

There is an old cliche, "Practice makes perfect!" but my wrestling coach used to say, "Perfect practice makes perfect!" In wrestling practice we would continually be learning new moves and how to hit those moves. Many of the moves, if practiced incorrectly could end up hurting us in a real match. Therefore, however we practiced the move in practice is how we would hit the move in a match. Doing the move wrong in practice did not translate into doing it right in a match! We can practice something but if we are practicing it wrong, then it will be done perfectly wrong! But if we take our time and practice it the way it needs to be accomplished, then when the pressure is on, we will do the way we 'perfectly' learned it! "To succeed you must first improve, to improve you must first practice, to practice you must first learn, and to learn you must first fail." - (Wesley Woo) Today...if you find yourself in this extreme dilemma, I want you to step back, take a breath, and relax. Review and renew your pace with an attitude of gratitude. Let the contest unfold in an aura of learning and fun. Life IS good and God is great...and that is something you can be extreme in!!!

Day 5 ~ Stepping Out of Our Caves and Into the Light!

"Accountability breeds response-ability." ~ Stephen R. Covey

There is one thing for certain concerning the traits and characteristics of the flesh...we do NOT want nor desire any accountability! We are proud, haughty, and are quick to repel any authority over our lives. Yet, if the truth be known, it is only in becoming accountable to one another, and even more so to God Almighty, do we really gain the necessary means for true freedom. We live within this earthy vessel called the human body. Trapped by its passions, feelings, hurts, pains, fears, hopes and dreams and many times, the only way to see outside this box is to have someone outside the box to point out things we cannot see! Elbert Hubbard said, "Responsibility is the price of freedom." It is the alcoholic, when he finally takes responsibility and says, "I am an alcoholic", does he then gain a measure of freedom. When he makes this statement, he can no longer fix the blame on someone or something else. He says, "I made the choices. I am the one who is to blame for where I am right now in life!" Then and only then can a person begin to be loosened from the chains that have fettered him during his life. Freedom, true freedom, can now be had because this person, rather than finding excuses, can now begin to look within himself and change those things which caused the wrong choices in the first place.

The scripture clearly points toward personal accountability. Although many don't feel a need to repent, repentance is the first step toward reconciliation with God and oneself. God has always reserved a place for the man who repents. For the man who will say..."Yes Lord! I am the one who made the dumb decision." There are many stories in the scripture concerning those who refused to claim responsibility for their actions. Starting with Cain, who when God came to him concerning his brother Abel, refused to confess his sin and God then judged Cain by allowing him to live on in his delusion of self-pity. "A sign of wisdom and maturity is when you come to terms with the realization that your decisions cause your rewards and consequences. You are responsible for your life, and your ultimate success depends on the choices you make." (Denis Waitley) What about Esau, who sold his birthright for a bowl of lentils and couldn't find a place of repentance though he sought it carefully with tears. Then there is King Saul, who refused to admit the preacher he did not do the will of God and blamed the people for his choices. The scripture shows and declares that all of us have fallen short of the glory of God. All of us must become accountable in order to become free!

Erica Jong said, "Take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame." The scriptures are not slack concerning examples of those who chose to repent and become responsible for their own actions. In every walk of life, God is no respecter of persons, when a man or woman repents, God will show himself strong on their behalf. "A man, as a general rule, owes very little to what he is born with - a man is what he makes of himself." (Alexander Graham Bell) You cannot 'make yourself' anything until you see yourself in all your faults, idiosyncrasies, and misconceptions. There has to be SOMEONE outside the box of this flesh that can open our eyes to a better reality than what our feelings are exposing us too. Maybe this is why the Lord said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear, and eyes to see, let him see!" I mean, look around you, most all of us have eyes and ears, yet not many truly see or hear. Why? Because in our pride and the illusion of our feelings we refuse to admit there is or can be anything wrong with us. Our emotions are delusional and block us from seeing or hearing the truth! Many of us feel we have had a right to feel the way we do! We have been hurt by our dysfunctional homes. We have been slighted by society! We have been abused by a deranged parent. We have a right to live in a self pity party of victim hood and retaliation. And as the years flow by, these feelings entrap us behind prison walls of shame. Our life becomes cocooned within a hermit life of predictable patterns of living. We eat, drink, and live our hurts and pains until we end up on societies statistical heap of 'should have, would have, and could have'.

Those who have ears to hear, and eyes to see will be sparked to accept accountability for their actions. When the prophet comes to your door and says, "Thou art the man!", you will lift your hands and say, "I have sinned before the Lord!" It is here and only here, can the fetters of darkness fall off and the prison doors break open to a new light of day. Josiah Gilbert Holland said, "Responsibility walks hand in hand with capacity and power." Once responsibility is taken, then you can tap into your true potential and God given power! Sure you will still have to deal with the harvest of bad choices, but from that moment on, the course of your life is set anew. How? You say? Let me put it this way. It is a saying I have told my students throughout my years of teaching. Watch your thoughts; they become your words. Watch your words; they become your actions. Watch your actions; they become your habits. Watch your habits; they become your character. And your character becomes your destiny! So where did your destiny begin. Yes...it began with a thought. You are here, in this place today, because of the thoughts you have allowed to nest in your heart and mind. The harvest of the self pity party blame game has come to past and only YOU can change the harvest by changing the 'seed' thoughts of your life! "Put yourself in a state of mind where you say to yourself, "Here is an opportunity for me to celebrate like never before, my own power, my own ability to get myself to do whatever is necessary." (Tony Robbins)

So here we are in Day FIVE of the Biggest Loser Contest and no doubt the old man is rising and has risen to try and pull you back behind the prison bars of doubt, fear, and the unknown. I am reminded of an allegory Socrates wrote many years ago about a man who had lived in the darkness of a cave. In this story, Socrates is talking to a young follower of his named Glaucon, and is telling him this fable to illustrate what it's like to be a philosopher -- a lover of wisdom: Most people, including ourselves, live in a world of relative ignorance. We are even comfortable with that ignorance, because it is all we know. When we first start facing truth, the process may be frightening, and many people run back to their old lives (caves). But if you continue to seek truth, you will eventually be able to handle it better. In fact, you want more! It's true that many people around you now may think you are weird or even a danger to society, but you don't care. Once you've tasted the truth, you won't ever want to go back to being ignorant!

Stay strong brothers and sisters in your pursuit of your goals! Do not run back into your cave of darkness, but continue on long enough to get a taste of the truth and you will never return!

Day 4 - In Your Patience Lose Ye Your Weight!

"Respect the distance or the distance won't respect you! It will eat you up, spit you out and make you beg for mercy" - Unknown

I like the opening quote because this is the key to 'winning' this contest. As a runner, the distance in determined in the distance or the miles of a race, but for you, the distance is measured in time. Eighteen weeks of a disciplining yourself and bringing this flesh under subjection. These next eighteen weeks are the same length of time that I use to train for a marathon. I have trained for eight marathons and if there is one thing that could cause you to quit is the length of time it takes to train. The beginning is always exciting and full of renewed hope and idealism, but somewhere in the middle, when the pressure is really on, things begin to wane and it takes a sheer determination to remain focused and persist toward the mark you first set out to achieve. To remain disciplined to a structured schedule over the next eighteen weeks is not as easy as it may seem. Like I said, the beginning is always 'easy' because of the newness of the venture, but time, and time alone, will reveal what substance you are made of and eighteen weeks is a LONG time. There will be some who will fall by the wayside. There will be some who will make it half way before finally giving in to the demands of the schedule. But there will be a handful of people who will make it to the end. James Whitcomb Riley said, “The most essential factor is persistence - the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come.”

You may say within yourself right now, "Well now, that's discouraging. Why are you writing about people quitting and not being able to make it?" I am writing this blog today, early in the contest, to help you in the future. You need to 'respect the distance'! The time will come when discouragement will hit. You will not always be on a high level of excitement. There will be times when you will feel all alone and the best option will seem to be opting out! I know. I have been there! You will come to a place, and it may be more than once, where you will face a wall and there will be two choices...quit or go on! B.G. Jett said it this way, "If the word quit is part of your vocabulary, then the word finish is likely not." Jesus said in Luke 21:19 "In your patience possess ye your souls." If there is one characteristic of this flesh that is certain, its very impatient. It wants everything NOW and its own way. Many times we make hasty decisions because we are impatient. “Endurance is patience concentrated.” (Thomas Carlyle) As you battle old habits, wrong thinking, and time...I am here to remind you, this contest will take patience! In your patience lose ye your weight!

“Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory.” (William Barclay) The Lord Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of our Faith, refuse to quit and endured the cross. When He came up out of the grave it was evident He wasn't the same! Yes eighteen weeks is a fairly long length of time, but think about the power and the victory you will have at the end of it all. YOU will not be the same. YOU will have overcome obstacles that you once deemed impossible. YOU will have achieved milestones you assumed only others could have. YOU will truly be a new YOU!

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” - Calvin Coolidge

Day 2 ~ Head Games

Head games, it's you and me baby
Head games, and I can't take it anymore
Head games, I don't wanna play the...
Head games

Years ago, a rock group named Foreigner came out with a song called, "Head Games". Obviously it was about the head games that go on in a relationship between a guy and a girl, but today I want to talk about the Head Games we play with ourselves. Yes, you know the games your mind plays and the justifications it uses to stop you from doing what is not only right but good for your body, mind, and soul. The moment you open your eyes in the morning your brain tries to seduce you into backing off or better yet, your mind has inundated you with every reason why you WON'T make it, do well, or even lose weight, so what's the use. You know the Word of the Lord has already warned us of satan's devices and his subtle means and ways. The Lord told us, the moment we try to do good, will be the moment we feel the pressure to stay put or pursue evil. Galatians 5:17 very clearly states, "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." The flesh basically has its own will and appetite. Just like we feel hunger or thirst, the flesh produces a myriad of appetites and it by no means wants anything to do with being under subjection or ordered around. The flesh is CONTRARY to doing right. Lets take a few minutes to define and discern the true meaning of the word contrary. As a noun the word contrary means - exact opposition of a relation of direct opposition. As an adjective the word contrary means - resistant to guidance or discipline or very opposed in nature or character or purpose. Now read the list of synonyms or words that have similar meaning to the word, contrary...adverse, antonymous, different, disobedient, obstinate, opposite, perverse, reverse, unfavorable, unfavourable, wayward. We need to set the facts straight and lay it all down on the line. All the flesh knows how to do is play HEAD GAMES! The flesh is CONTRARY (adverse, antonymous, different, disobedient, obstinate, opposite, perverse, reverse, unfavorable, unfavourable, wayward) to eating right, both naturally and spiritually. The flesh is CONTRARY (adverse, antonymous, different, disobedient, obstinate, opposite, perverse, reverse, unfavorable, unfavourable, wayward) to exercising. The flesh is CONTRARY (adverse, antonymous, different, disobedient, obstinate, opposite, perverse, reverse, unfavorable, unfavourable, wayward)to living holy. The flesh doesn't want you to be healthy! If that were true, you wouldn't be where you are right now. The flesh doesn't want you to live right, eat right, talk right! This old carnal nature wants a handout. It wants to live in the world of self pity. The carnal nature enjoys basking in the idea of martyrdom...'oh look at poor pitiful me and my situation'. The carnal mind, which is say your flesh, is a grand stander who is truly a miserable comforter. If your carnal nature were your friend, then why are you even in this contest? If your carnal nature was your friend, then why did he allow you to eat all those donuts, fried foods, fast foods, and tubs of ice cream?

We must quit thinking our carnal mind is our friend. "Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." (James 4:5-6) Think about he head games that were played on the Lord Jesus Christ in the wilderness! Luke 4:1-14 "And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about." No wonder the word devil has the word 'evil' in it, because this ole nature is enmity, evil, and contrary! He is subtle and plays with words and uses semantics to 'trick' us and/or justify doing wrong. The devil twists scripture to justify to do evil or stay uncommitted! Come on...you know exactly what I am talking about it! The devil has already duped a few people who said they would play the game and now they have 'decided' to not play the game. Why? Because their carnal nature has subtly duped them into quitting before they even began. The flesh wants NO ACCOUNTABILITY whatsoever! It would rather kill you first than have to submit itself to any authority. For those of you that made it through the weigh in, the carnal nature is working 24/7 to get you to quit. His tactics are subtle. "I won't ever win anyway. How embarrassing that was to let someone see how 'fat' I am. Why start something you know you won't finish. You'll never make the entire eighteen weeks. You know...this is ridiculous...the scripture SAYS...bodily exercise profiteth little, so what's the sense?" When one commits to change, and especially change which means dying out to one's flesh, then the flesh removes all barriers and unleashes a barrage of imaginative forces you never thought you had in you! I can imagine what some of you could write in this blog concerning the subtle measures the carnal nature has used against you. And just think about it, we aren't even a full week into this thing yet!

Today, it is time to resist his taunts like never before. Look closely at the scripture in Luke chapter 4. When he first started he was full of the Holy Ghost, but when he resisted the haughty proud and subtle serpent, Jesus returned in the POWER of the Spirit! Something happens when you resist the temptations of the flesh. When you say "NO" to all the voices of rebellion against going right. When you perceive and refuse the head games of the old man, a transformation...like an earthly caterpillar turning into a butterfly, a metamorphosis of epic proportion takes place within you! Paul said it this way in 1 Corinthians 9:25-27 "And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." So herein lies the victory. Stand against the contrariness of the flesh and the appetites that have so long had you bound. Resist his subtle head games, because that's the ONLY game the serpent knows how to play! If you do this...for eighteen weeks...I really don't think you will care if you win or not, because you will be returning in the POWER of the SPIRIT and life will no longer be viewed from an earthly perspective but you will be sitting in heavenly places, walking in the power of His MIGHT!

Day 2 - Let the 'Game' Begin

"You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great." ~ Zig Ziglar

Except for a few stragglers the weigh in is over! The beginning weights have been logged down and now the game begins. One could feel the excitement in the air as everybody was getting ready to weigh in. A somewhat nervous expectation was present as each BTT contestant took their first step in this eighteen week journey of changing bad habits into good! The Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said, “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” Yesterday evening you, when you stepped up onto the scale, it was a two-fold step. It was the first step out of darkness and at the same time, a step toward toward the light. Last night's first step was a powerful step in your life because more powerful than the will to win is the courage to begin, and you will never 'win' or have a chance of winning if you never begin. W. Clement Stone said it this way, "So many fail because they don't get started - they don't go. They don't overcome inertia. They don't begin.” Therefore, do not count that first step lightly and do not let your mind lightly esteem the power of new beginnings. "Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start now and make a brand new ending." ~ Carl Bard With yesterday's weigh in, you are starting a brand new ending. Yes, the road is long! Yes, there will be 'speed bumps' along the way, but the first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are. And you have decided or should I say, your first step has made a statement that says you refuse to stay where you are! Now THAT is powerful!

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." You did not take that first step onto the scale for selfish reasons. You took that step toward the glory of God! If we are to be what God needs us to be, then we know we must bring our bodies back into obedience of the Word of the Lord. If the Word of God commands us to glorify the Lord in our body and in our spirit, then we know (and have known) we must once again dismantle those strongholds that have defiled the temple of God. Living a lethargic sedentary lifestyle does not glorify God. Being overweight to the point where it is difficult to walk up some stairs, let alone lift your hands and praise the Lord, is not conducive to being what God needs you to be. When our minds are filled with processed foods, artificial colors, and additives which pollute our abilities to think clearly, how can God receive the glory for this? Yesterday's first step was not just some meek statement, but it was a powerful sound that rung heaven's bells! That step sprang forth from a longing heart desperate for change, and looking for help to become a vessel of honor in the hands of the Lord. It was the rope of hope that has lassoed the strongholds of defeat, and now you are ready to pull down those imaginations that have kept you bound all these years!

Life is good, but life is going to get better! Why? Because Jesus Christ did not say you could have a good life, but Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) Ayn Rand said, "Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps down new roads armed with nothing but their own vision." Yet, you are not armed with your own vision but your vision has been hewned out by the Word of God. It is clear your first step was not taken alone, and it is also clear, the steps you continue to take through this eighteen week journey will be ordered of the Lord. It is His will for you to prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers! It is God's will for you to pull down strongholds, wreak havoc on the carnal mind, and to grow in grace and not in weight. Now with the first step out of the way, and armed with the knowledge that heaven is on your side...it is time to run that you may obtain!

Day One ~ The Journey Begins!

So here we are...day one of an eighteen week journey of challenges, awakenings, and at times, obstacles! But in the end, its all for good. The Lord said to “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matt 7:13-14) It is easy to see the way to destruction is through the wide and broad way of living life. Just living life with no scrutiny or check on the appetites of your heart can be relegated as living your life in the broad way. This is the place of the multitudes where the Lord commanded us not to follow the multitudes to do evil. This is the place where MANY there be which go in thereat...why? Why do MANY go this way? Why are so many found walking through the wide gate and broad way of living? There is a very simple answer and its found right in the same passage of scripture. BECAUSE ‘strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth to life and few there be that FIND it.’ Wow! Let me paraphrase this passage in my own words in what I think it says. The reason people enter in at the wide and broad way is it is far easier and requires little or no discipline. Like cattle on their way to the slaughter, they follow the multitudes down the path of least resistance to a place of destruction. Willingly they just glide along, yet not knowing their demise is just around the corner and by the time they realize their doom is at hand, it is too late. It is sad to say that most people want a life that requires no discipline. It is evident in the way our government is forming more and more programs that are not designed to motivate people out of their doldrums, but seem fully intent on creating a welfare system of free loaders. Many ‘find’ and attend a church that fits their lifestyle of easy living. By following a wide gate, broad way gospel that says Jesus paid it all, most seem content to do their weekly religious duty and leave the cross carrying stuff up to the Lord. In a similar way, most people vote for the politician who promises them the most in government handouts, thinking that freedom comes in a handout, when in reality, it is slavery draped within a cloak of freedom. A wild ravenous wolves disguised as humble little sheep. Most people have become so emerged and dependent upon the system to do what they should be doing for themselves, it seems they have forgotten how to do for themselves anymore and to tell them or point to a more narrow approach to living, only brings fear, resentment, and even anger. To ask someone to give up their precious easy path of least resistance lifestyle is like declaring war on a world super power. God forbid if they are asked to give up something and follow a more strict plan of doing something for themselves rather than depending on some nameless faceless robot filling a government position who doesn’t know about them or even really care about them. They have their right to enter the wide gate and destroy themselves! But as I have told my students, yes you do have a right to make any decision you like, BUT you do not have the right to choose the consequences. Which consequences will come soon enough, somewhere down the road, in what is called THE HARVEST.  For God is not mocked and EVERY man shall be a recipient of reaping the decisions they have sown.

Now...one may be saying...’what in the world does this have to do with the BTT Biggest Loser Contest?’ Well, it is quite clear and evident that you are here and entering this contest because the harvest has come to pass. Following the diet of the multitudes has finally come home to roost and now its either go headlong into the slaughter or hop the fence and make a run for your life! Living an undisciplined life of eating anything you want within the confines of a sedentary lifestyle has now become a stronghold and only YOU can change the course or direction you are heading. By joining this contest, you are making a powerful statement! In the midst of the multitudes streaming through the gate of easy living and cross-less lifestyles, you are turning into the tide and walking against the stream! YOU are finally realizing the error of your ways and taking responsibility for the past choices only you and you alone have made. Yes, it will take some time to FIND that narrow way back to life, but be not dismayed nor discouraged, because as the prodigal, in the pig pen, came to his senses, and found his way back home to the father’s house, so can YOU! Yes, there will be obstacles that will hinder your journey, but do not let them STOP you! Yes, the cross of pulling down strongholds will not be easy, but the rewards will far outweigh the momentary pain! Did not Paul say, “For I reckon the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us!”

So today, as you begin this eighteen week journey, I want you to hold fast to the zeal and determination you have and the courage it took to even take the first step. Get a vision. See yourself already where you want to be eighteen weeks from now, and begin to arm yourself with the knowledge necessary to obtain your goals. The transformation you are endeavoring to procure, if you make it, will literally blow you away! And one day you will look back and say, “All the suffering and discipline was worth it all!” because the ‘new’ you will revel in wonderment of how you had even let yourself to be compelled to follow after the multitudes in the first place!