The Cave

Well we have made it to the last day of September and the final results are in for my 30/3000 challenge. I know all of you have been waiting on pins and needles to hear the results. I challenged myself to jog 30 miles and do 3000 push-ups and crunches by the end of September.  Well 1 out of 2 ain’t too bad.  I finished the month with 33.5 miles jogged, but I fell a little short on the push-ups and crunches. Honestly, I just got tired of doing them.  Oh well, see all the cave dwellers on the track!

James 4:14 “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes”

The older I get the more I understand the words of James. Life is truly just a mist that appears for a very brief moment and then poof is gone. As I look back over my 32 years of life (yes, yes I know, I am getting old) I realize just how fast life is passing by. It seems just like yesterday that I was 5 years old and playing in my first T-ball game. It seems like that I should still be in high school looking forward to the next basketball game. Then almost overnight you wake up and college is over, marriage has started and you have kids tugging at your pant legs wanting attention.

As I contemplate all of this I am very aware of the regrets and missed opportunities of this life. As the old saying goes, “If I knew then what I know now how different this life would be.” Those words ring in my ears continually. Choices made that should not have been made. People with whom I should have talked to and told a variety of things. Things that I did and knew better.  This list could go on and on. But most importantly , I would have taken better advantage of every moment of life.

There are so many things I would do differently if I could go back in time. Yet that is impossible. So I would encourage anyone who reads these words to start right now and take advantage of every moment God gives to you. Do not have regrets. Do not have missed opportunities. Do realize you are just a mist that will very quickly be gone.

Is there a decision you need to make? Do it now. Is there a person you need to talk to? Do it now. Is there an opportunity you to take advantage of? Do it now.

I will leave you with two more passages of Scripture to consider:

Ephesians 5:15-16 “Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

Psalm 90:12 “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

Do not settle for regrets, missed opportunities, and less than the best of what God would have for you!

Dr. Al Mohler writes a good article on what is taking place financially in our nation right now.  Check it out.

A Christian View of the Economic Crisis

As of today 17 miles jogged and 1500 pushups and crunches!

Tonight we were invited over to some friends in our church to have supper and let our kids play together.  During our conversation the husband of this family found out that I had never fired a gun before.  Well, he would not let that stand, so he wanted to go shoot.  So we went out into an open field on his property and he taught me how to shoot a M-4 that was very similar to the one in the picture here.  We also shot a hand gun that he owned as well.  I had a good time and now can say that it only took me 32 years to fire my first gun.

Tonight our church begins an 8 week study on The Way of the Master Basic Training for Evangelism. As I was preparing for the first week’s lesson I found this quote by Charles Spurgeon and wanted to share it here:

“The saving of souls, if a man has once gained love to perishing sinners and his blessed master, will be an all-absorbing passion to him. It will so carry him away, that he will almost forget himself in the saving of others. He will be like the brave fireman, who cares not for the scorch or the heat, so that he may rescue the poor creature on whom true humanity has set its heart. If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled win the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.”

In an effort to get in better shape, I have decided to issue myself a challenge.  During the month of September I will attempt to jog 30 miles, do 3000 push-ups and 3000 crunches.  I will try to check in here during the month and update my progress.  I started out well today jogging 2 miles and doing 100 push-ups and 100 crunches.

I hope all the Cave dwellers had a great Labor Day!