Daily Buffet

…but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage;

Posts Tagged ‘running’

I Run…

June 1st, 2011

yeah, what a great holiday this is – National Running Day! Of course I had planned on a nice easy run this morning when the temperature was in the normal range, but I overslept a few minutes too long, which messed up my schedule, so I will have to go out tonight in the record heat. That’s correct, why not make it a challenge.

And of course a day and a post about running sends me directly to one of my favorite verses in the whole entire bible. Yes, the one over in 2 Corinthians that I used to have on my wall in my bedroom when I was a young boy right next to my running goals.

²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. ²⁶ Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. ²⁷ No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, New International Version)

And as most of you know this is the cornerstone verse for this blog, when it is take from the American Standard Version:

²⁴ Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.

²⁵ And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

²⁶ I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air:

²⁷ but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, American Standard Version)

On the National Running Day web site, they have various statements that fill in the I Run… badge that you see at the top of this post. I think this verse is a pretty good way to fill in that statement – “I Run.. with certainty, making my body my slave, and winning the prize!’

Get out and run a little today, even if it is from the front porch to the mailbox and back. And more importantly, run the race of life in a way as to get the prize and keep on buffeting your spiritual body each and every day!

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Small Moments of Encourgament

March 22nd, 2011

Last week, I was finally able to catch up with a good friend at lunchtime. While we were walking down the street to the cafe, coming the other direction was one of my teammates from last year’s Ragnar Tennessee Relay, just getting started on his noontime workout. As I watched him speed past, I thought about my own running schedule. Oddly enough as we returned to work and approached the doors to the office, there speeding past us just finishing his noon workout was the man we call Grape Nuts – who also was on my Ragnar Relay team!

It seemed that maybe I was being sent a message? I took these two chance encounters as encouragement to keep on my own training program, and last night I banged out a nice eight miler.

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25 (New International Version, ©2011)

Sometimes it’s just a simple thing can bring huge amounts of motivation and encouragement. As you approach the day today, look for ways that you can encourage those around you. It may be just by doing what you need to be doing as my two running partners where, or it may mean going out of you way just a little to keep others uplifted!

13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:13 (New International Version, ©2011)

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Back to Work!

January 4th, 2011

Today is my first day back to work since… well sometime last year, no sometime last decade? Anyway it’s time to get the body up and and going and get working on the new year. And I am ready for it!

Over the break, Amy pointed out a story to me about a suicidal heroin addict named Shane Niemeyer, who turned himself into an Iron-man Triathlete. When Shane was asked about his change he said that the triathlons gave him what he needed – a purpose. Man, isn’t that great!

But here is what is greater. Check this out from Ephesians 2.

3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

God has given us not only a purpose – to do good, but he also has provided us with forgiveness, and a reward. If Shane can go from the depths of despair to becoming a triathlete, just think what you can do!

I can now leave behind what was in 2010 and start fresh and new as I approach the problems and situations at work with a new view and a renewed vigor that only comes from some time away and with a newly rediscovered purpose!

Let the year begin!

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Run Run Run

November 15th, 2010

When I was a younger man boy, I had several of my running goals and this verse of my wall in my bedroom.

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (New International Version)

It was a reminder to me to physically train and to run everyday. It is still one of my favorite verses and it continues to remind me to train physically and spiritually everyday, not like someone out of a nice little jog, or someone with no purpose, but to win the prize.

While I was doing some research yesterday for another subject I stumbled upon this video by Biblical Historian and Holy Lands Tour Guide Ray Vander Laan. You may have seen some of his on location bible studies, which are usually quite informative and inspirational. In this clip he references this verse while standing in an ancient Olympic stadium. Take a listen to this ‘locker room speech’:

I remember my father talking about Cross Country runners who would give so much to the race that they would be on hands and knees barfing after the race. They gave it all ( or they ate the wrong thing before the race). Regardless, they push themselves has hard as they could to win.

Give it your all for your Lord today. Don’t crawl, don’t walk, Run. Don’t hold back, don’t leave it out there, run for the King!

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Midnight Runner

September 2nd, 2010

Last night at 10:15 I decided that it was time for me to go on a 3 mile run. I was not able to ‘get my run in’ earlier in the day and it was still over 80 degrees outside. So while the eldest was finished up Algebra homework and the other two were reading themselves to sleep in bed off I went into the black night. (From a training perspective this was a big move for me – having to get the mileage in, as just a month ago I would have just grabbed a bowl of ice cream and plopped in front of the good old tele!”)

So off I went into the night down the street. It’s been a long time since I had run in the dark and it always seems that the darkness at 11pm is darker then the darkness at 6am. Not sure why, but it seemed a whole lot darker and more ominous then when I run in the mornings. Anyway, on with the story and away from boring not needed details like this sentence. I noticed that I really could not see the road in front of me, outside of the few times I crossed the path of a street light or a porch light. The rest of the time, I was just running in the general direction of the road towards the lights I could see in the distance.

It struck me how much this is like life. We spend so many parts of our life not really sure of the road we are on, not able to clearly see what lies right in front of us, but we continue pushing onward, towards the light, towards the hope that lies out there, trusting that the road will be there.

I have recently added a few Fireflight songs to my playlist and this reminds me of the lyrics of their song Unbreakable

Sometimes it’s hard to just keep going
But faith is moving without knowing
Can I trust what I can’t see to reach my destiny?

and later in the song

Forget the fear it’s just a crutch
That tries to hold you back
And turn your dreams to dust
All you need to do is just trust

Even as I approached my house I could see the faint outline of the porch light reflecting off my mailbox, but I could not make out the house, or bushes around it. I was hoping there was not a huge coyote or man eating night stalking creature in the shadows.

But that’s us. Pushing forward, trusting, moving with faith, uncertain of the road, but certain of the destination.

¹³May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 (New International Version)

Keep your focus today! Stay strong, and keep running!