What is my motivation?

So - I just got a huge lesson in how utterly out of shape I am. I would like to say I can't believe it, but that would be stretching the truth. So, I'd also like to say that it is just the result of working too hard on my Master's and sitting out for a season or two but in reality, I've been working for quite a while at getting so flabby. Yep, you heard me - I've really worked at it! It doesn't come easily - you really have to try hard to get this out of shape. Which leads me to my next point - I'm going to have to work hard to get back into shape. My main problem these days is endurance. I get winded quickly, so I'm going to have to work into it. I am also going to have to stick to some kind of plan. We've been eating better for a few weeks now - and YES, I've been cutting back on my portions - even while on vacation I didn't go back for seconds quite as often (accept for when we had the bacon wrapped filets and salmon - couldn't help it!). So - it's a process.
In reality, this is kind of a picture of how things look for me spiritually too - I'm a bit flabby from neglect lately. It's not that I don't have fervor. I pray often, spend time in the word. We serve regularly, we give a healthy portion of our income (beyond 10% usually) - but I lack the discipline that I should have in terms of REGULAR "exercise" that I should have in my devotional life. In some ways, it has been for the same reasons - I've worked hard at NOT doing it on a regular basis like I should. As a matter of confession - I have ALWAYS struggled in this area of discipline. It seems that especially during those times when I should have been the most disciplined I have fallen short in my personal discipleship - namely when I was in Bible college, Seminary and serving full-time on staff are the times when I struggled the most with developing a consistent devotional life, whereas during other periods I found myself longing for more quiet time and regular time in the word. I confess, lately I have felt stirred more to pray, and I long for more time in the word - but I've let myself get a bit flabby and haven't really gotten to it like I should.
Proverbs 26:15 says, "The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth."

So here's to getting off my flabby bones and getting some excercise - both physically and spiritually. For those who know me - pray for me and help me to stay accountable.

Here's to keeping a promise...

So, my wife and I made a solemn promise to ourselves regarding our Saturday off together. As I mentioned in an earlier post - I only get every other Saturday off. These Saturdays are a valuable commodity - and as such, shouldn't be wasted. I should also mention that for some strange reason - it got cold again. So, we made ourselves a promise.

We promised ourselves that we would sleep in and not feel guilty about it! So, that's what we did.