Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Stop, Collaborate and Listen


Yes, I do know that I am telling on myself and maybe embarrassing myself a little by titling this blog with lyrics from Vanilla Ice's runaway hit "Ice, Ice Baby". (It was cool back in the day!)  So be it...there is some good truth in these three little words even if Robert Van Winkle a.k.a. Vanilla didn't intend to preach.

I missed posting last week because I was running crazy with a laundry list of things that kept me on the go, on the phone and out of the gym.  This week I am back in the gym, not on the phone as much but close, and still running around with a laundry list of things to do.  This is why, when I stopped to a take a deep breath this afternoon, the deep thoughts of Robert Van Winkle came to mind, but my mind didn't linger just on Robert's poetic words.  I thought about Psalm 46 especially verse 10 where the psalmist tells us to "be still and know I am God," from the New International Version.  I like my New American Standard Version which reads, "cease striving and know I am God,".

Regardless of the version the point is still clear.  We need to give up (stop) we have to willingly cooperate with God (collaborate) and we need to know Him (listen).  Not always an easy thing to accomplish, but it is oh so good for the weary soul.  This same chapter of Psalms reminds us of other great truths about God.  He is...our refuge, is available to help us when we are in trouble, is present, is our stronghold or protection, he will be praised.  Now, that is the God I want to stop, collaborate and listen to!

With Easter upon us, I have started listening to a podcast series called the Incomparable Christ by Nancy Leigh DeMoss with Revive our Hearts Ministries.  I have only listened to the first one, but it was a great beginning to help me focus on what is most important in my life.  In the podcast she played Dr. S. M. Lockridge's 6  minute sermon "My King".  If you need a reminder of who Christ is, you should follow this link.  When you get to the site click on the mp3 or ra (real audio) version.  I don't know anyone who could say it any better or with any more passion than Dr. Lockridge who was an African-American Baptist minister in California for over 50 years.  His enthusiasm is contagious. 

My goal this week and the week after and the week after is to stop, collaborate and listen, but not because Vanilla Ice says so.  I hope you will do so too.

The three things I learned or was reminded of this week:

My doctor thinks I am a idiot.  Okay, maybe I misunderstood him.  What he actually said is I have a condition called Idiopathic Urticaria.  Now, you see why I think he called me an idiot.  I felt like an idiot sitting there in his office today after he explained it.  The issue is I have developed lots of allergies in the last few years, but in the last 6 months I keep having unexplainable reactions (itching, hives, swelling).  This condition means I can have a reaction for no reason at any time without an allergy triggering it.  Solution, keep lots of Benadryl and hope I "grow" out of it. 
 
I have hit a plateau.  One definition of plateaued I read recently is "reach a state of little or no change after a time of activity or progress".  It seems after I lost over 6 lbs in one week that my body doesn't want to let go of anymore, but I have news for my body.  I am not giving up!  I have increased my strength training this week and am keeping up my cardio and am ever trying to keep down my calories.  Hopefully, in a few days I will see some progress and we can say bye bye to the plateau.

Sometimes things do not go the way you planned and there is nothing you can do about it.  That's all I have to say about that!

4 comments:

  1. i love that you used vanilla ice and the bible in one blog post-pure awesomeness

    ReplyDelete
  2. It shows you just how crazy my mind is. I am glad you liked it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I like the V'Ice application too! I knew there had to be some biblical/spiritual application to that oh-so-catchy song!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm glad you're pressing on! I know you can do it, and I'm very proud of you.

    As for the idiopathic thing, I had to look it up. It looked like doctor speak for "I have no idea what it is,but maybe these big words will sound good." However, Google recognizes the condition, so I guess it's real. It still amounts to "I have no idea."

    ReplyDelete