Hay There

Worked until well after dark this evening. The Lord has blessed us this summer with some of the best hay we've ever grown. All glory and praise to him! 

Off to bed, tired but happy.

Sleep well! 

The Baby That Grew Up

I suppose people thought Jesus lying in a feeding trough holding onto his baby blanket looked kinda cute. Let's not forget the smell of cow dung that filled the air. Life is like that. You take the good with the bad, the sweet smell of baby shampoo with the pungent odor of manure. 

On bright and cloudy days, that baby who grew up is with his people. Because Jesus is human, he understands you. Because he is divine, he can help you. As the Way to God, he is uniquely able to carry us home. 

A Simple Education Hack

I have nothing against online classes. But isolation is anathema to Christianity. The body of Christ is built on relationships. That's why Paul spoke so often about "body life." 

If you haven't taken an in-person class yet, try it. You might find it enriching in ways you can't even imagine. 

Greek, Though Fun, Is Also Hard Work

Yesterday I said studying Greek is fun. The flipside? It's also a sweaty struggle. It may be the hardest thing you'll ever do. But huge -- I mean huge -- rewards await those who face the struggle, work diligently, and don't give up. 

Be Yourself

"We forfeit three-fourths of ourselves in order to be like other people." -- Arthur Schopenhauer. 

Always Be Thankful

Before asking God for anything first thank him for everything. 

Language Study Is Fun

My Greek students have just begun their study of the verb. It will be a long and rewarding journey. Just think: in 9 months they will be able to read their New Testament in Greek. 

Friend, always study something. 

Keep your momentum up. 

If you can hold a basic conversation in Spanish, do it. Eventually you'll improve your language skills. 

Enjoy the process even if it's just a hobby. 

Learning grammar is super fun. So is acquiring a new skill. 

It's intellectually stimulating, requires mental discipline, and opens up entire worlds of literature and history. 

Language study is like opening the doorway in one's mind. 

It's so satisfying seeing progress. 

Sometimes it doesn't even feel like work. 

Health Care: Treatment AND Prevention

Why isn't a discussion of exercise a standard part of our annual physicals? It should be.

Unfortunately, medical training is focused more on treatment and medication than on prevention and lifestyle. 

Most physicians aren't getting any training on the preventative aspects of health, and that includes exercise and nutrition. 

Health care in general is a drug-oriented thing. Patients think it's easier to take a couple of pills every morning than to put in the effort to be active. 

I'm not against medication or prescriptions. But no pharmaceutical drug can do what exercise does. 

I've told my doctors, "I don't want to take a pill for something I can change." To me, exercise and nutrition should be the first line of defense. 

But this won't happen without effort and commitment. 

Three Generations

So proud of my grandson. Like his dad he's a hard worker and a natural farmer. 

Love you both! 

If You Are Over 50 ...

Don't overlook the importance of strength training.

Strength training has results far beyond the effects on muscle. It is extremely important for overall health. 

There is a direct correlation between muscle and strength. When you lose strength, you lose functional independence. And that's a pretty big deal from a quality of life standpoint.

Once you lose functional independence, you become more sedentary which leads to other health related complications. 

There is often a depression that sets in. You now have to rely on others to do things. Lack of strength leads directly to falls. 50 percent of people over 65 who fracture their hip never fully recover. They often end up either in nursing homes or in dependent care. This precipitates mortality.

Some people say they don't have time for strength training. But two 30-minute sessions per week can go a long way to reversing the effects of aging. You will not only build some muscle and gain strength, there are various other health-related benefits as well. You reap rewards for the rest of your life.

If you are over 50, would you please pray about improving your strength and other functional-related capacities through strength training? It's never too early to start, and it's never too late to start. There is ample evidence that those who undertake a strength training program, even well into their 70s, can undo a good deal of damage that has been done. 

Thanks for listening. 

Today's workout: 

Interview with Paul Weaver of DTS

This morning I got to campus early for an interview with Dallas Seminary's Paul Weaver. 

His Youtube channel is called Bible and Theology Matters. Our topic was the authorship of Hebrews. It should be available online in a week or so. In the meantime, why not take a gander at Paul's channel. Lots of good stuff there. 

First Cutting Is Done; Second Cutting to Start

Don't you love farming? I think the Bible does. Genesis states that God put mankind in the Garden to work it. The book of Proverbs contrasts the diligent farmer with the sluggard. James compares the farmer's patience to our waiting for the coming of the Lord. And Jesus used farming parables to teach us about the growth of the kingdom of God. I love Deut. 28:12: "The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands." And boy, has he blessed. Tonight we worked on baling the last of our 12 major fields. 

The bales then had to be put up in the barns. 

But while we are the laborers, the Bible emphasizes that blessings and harvests ultimately come from God. It all belongs to him. We are merely the stewards of his bounty. 

Tomorrow, Lord willing, begins our second cutting of the season. Tomorrow also begins a new day of opportunity for you. May God help all of us to be diligent and faithful in our service and ministry for Christ! 

Pull Ups Alone -- A Good Idea?

Are pull ups alone good enough for developing your biceps? There's a lot of evidence out there to suggest that the answer is yes. Pull ups alone -- yes alone -- can be good enough for your biceps. This doesn't mean you shouldn't do curls. By all means, do them. But from my experience, getting an optimal biceps workout can be accomplished with pull ups alone. 

My biceps have exploded ever since I began doing pull ups and chin ups consistently. Pull ups, chin ups. close grip chin ups -- and you're done. But don't get carried away. Pull ups put a lot of stress on your central nervous system. Doing them more than twice a week is probably a bad idea!

You MUST Visit the Gornergrat

If you ever get to Zermatt, you simply must take the train to the Gornergrat. It's a place everyone should visit in their lifetime. The mountain panorama and the view of the Matterhorn are unforgettable. You take the train up to the Gornergrat and then you're able to see several 4,000 meter meter peaks including the ones I climbed 9 years ago, the Breithorn and the Matterhorn, as this amazing video shows. 

How great is our Creator God!

The Day Is Done

My view tonight as I returned to my car after work. 

I like the old saying, "Keep spittin' in the bucket." It's for tasks that seem overwhelming. But if you keep doing a little bit at a time, eventually it'll get done. 

That's hay season. 

Slow but steady wins every time. 

Good night! 

Getting My Running Mojo Back

I can't thank you enough for reading my post-climb reports and for travelling my alpine journey with me through (literally) the peaks and the valleys, the ups and downs, the emotions, and the distance. See? I really can talk about things other than Greek verbs and nouns. I am still basking in the afterglow of my summiting of the Riffelhorn. Such a great buildup, such a great day, then status quo again. All of my momentum was towards the climb and after that, it's pretty much back to normal. 

Except that I've been running again. Not just going to the gym. Not just getting my daily steps. But running. There are some constants in my life, and running seems to be one of them. Some people have the idea that running is all about weight loss and cardiovascular health. But for a runner, that's only a very small part of why we run. We run because we can. It's always there, a lifeline in the storm, a way to regain perspective when things go awry in our lives. 

Running is difficult. But in a good sense. My belief is that running keeps thing moving -- your blood, your oxygen, your muscles. It promotes energy and confidence. For some of us, it's a surefire way to combat the anxiety that sometimes accompanies aging and life transitions. No matter what I'm going through, I am forever grateful for running. The more I do it, the more I enjoy it. And, now that I'm running again, I feel as if I'm getting my running legs back. I used to hate running more than you do. But after Becky's death the Lord used running to help me embrace the suck and push through. 

Like life, you expect running to be hard. But the irony is, you love the hard. I got in 10 miles of "hard" today at the High Bridge Trail and it was a breeze. Sure, I was able to get in some steps. 

But more importantly, running actually gives me energy, which I will need when we get up hay this evening. In addition, I feel like I sleep better after I've run. Running is much more about mental strength than physical strength. You will NEVER forget the joy of crossing your first marathon finish line. Or your first ultra finish line for that matter. It was on this very trail that I completed three 50K ultras. 

It was hard but I loved every minute of it. 

Even when I don't feel like running (which is rare), every time I get out there I'm glad I did. So I'm grateful to God that my running is going so well. Maybe I'll be able to chase down another 26.2 mile race this fall or winter. I hope so. 

If you ever do a race, you will hate moments of it, but you will love most of it. Trust me. That's the lure of running. 

WOW

A Perfect Evening -- for Farming

I mean:

• 75 degrees.
• 0% chance of rain.
• Light breeze.
• Slightly humid.
• 31% cloud cover.
• Excellent air quality.

This is my life. And I love it. 

Grieving the Heart of God

I first memorized Psalm 139:23-24 in the King James Version (my first Bible). In verse 24 there's a Hebrew word that can be rendered in several different ways:

• KJV/ASV: "any wicked way in me"
• NIV/CSB: "any offensive way in me"
• ESV: "any grievous way in me"
• NASB: "any hurtful way in me"

The Living Bible has, "Point out anything you find in me that makes you sad." 

The Hebrew says "a way of pain." But just who is experiencing the pain? 

David could be referring to pain that he himself was experiencing. Or he could be referring to pain that he caused others to experience. But he could also have been referring to pain that he caused God, as it says in the Living Bible. I think David had in mind anything in his heart or life that grieves the heart of God. A similar idea is found in Eph. 4:30, where Paul warns us not to "bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit" (NIV). We are guilty of this whenever we do something that wounds God's holiness. Think of Noah's drunkenness. Or Moses' anger. Or David's affair. Or Jeremiah's self-pity. Or Abraham risking his wife's chastity for his own safety. The fact is, even those who are most used of God fall short of his holy expectations. They frequently miss them by a mile. 

I am ashamed to say it, but the wrongs these people did aren't that different from the ones I ignore or rationalize away. I sometimes wish God would shrug off these things and not be so sensitive about right and wrong. But his holy standards are serious business with him. He proved it by sacrificing his only Son on my behalf. When I realize that my sin prompted such a sacrifice and that God feels pain when I hurt others -- or gloat, or bear grudges, or seek revenge, or fail to live up to his standards as a father or as a teacher -- I become weary of the daily battle of the Christian life. I'm tired of Satan's whispers. I'm tired of making excuses. Most of all, I'm tired of asking for forgiveness from the One I love the most. 

It makes me want to cry out -- and really mean it --  "Come soon, Lord Jesus." I live in anticipation that it could happen tomorrow. Or, for that matter, today. 

Even so, come Lord Jesus! 

Proper Grip Position During Pull Ups

Today I managed to get in 7 miles of walking at the gym along with a killer arm and back workout, which included 20 sets of neutral grip pull ups. One of the things I've been working on is hand position while doing a pull up. 

Please note: When you do a pull up, you're not going to hang from your fingers. You're going to put your hand completely around the bar and then rotate the hand down slightly. Now the bar is in that area of your hand that allows the greatest amount of surface contact with the bar. Keep your wrist slightly upwards rotated in order to keep your skin less pinched on the bar. Always try to use a bar that's not too thick or you won't be able to properly grab around the bar. The thicker the bar, the more demanding the pull up. The same is true if the bar is too thin. A thin bar gives you very little contact surface. So if you have several options, try the bar that offers you the best grip and the best ratio for your hand so that you can grab around it with a good surface contact. 

Have a wonderful day! 

Bravo!!

Finally, someone plays this piece at the right tempo. Magnificent! 

Today's Exercise

As you know, I'm thinking about signing up for the Honolulu Marathon on Dec. 13. Coming back from climbing the Alps, I am only up to running about 10 miles at about 20,000 steps at a time. I figure if I can slowly up my mileage without upping my speed or frequency, I would be okay. You know me. I'm all about the 10 percent rule these days. I have 120 days to train. Today I got in only 7 miles before it began to rain. 

Prior to that I did some scapular pull ups to work on my upper body strength. 

It was an amazing day. And I hope it was for you too. Tomorrow I hope to get in 10 miles. 

We will see! 

Fewer Experts, Please

The world needs fewer experts and more teachers. The difference? Experts traffic in ivory towers and theory, and teachers are grounded in the real world and application. 

The Best Greek Students

The best Greek students aren't consistently great, but they are great at being consistent. 

New Exercise: Biceps Chin Ups

Hey guys!

Today the Lord gave me 9 wonderful miles at the high school track. 

Gotta get in those daily steps, right? 

Afterwards I tried out a new exercise called biceps chin ups. If you want to emphasize your biceps a little more during chin ups, you have to use a super narrow grip. The result is an excellent squeeze on the biceps. For biceps gains, be sure to keep your elbows in nice and tight. And when you lower back down, try to keep those elbows in. In addition, if you want your biceps to give out faster, just pause at the top as I did here. 

The burn will be insane. By the time you get to the bottom you'll be wasted, not because your back has given out but because your biceps are burning. 

Tip: When you get to the top position, be sure to squeeze the life out of your biceps! 

Have a wonderful day! 

Faith: The Gift of God! (Eph. 2:8-9)

Wonderful sermon on Sunday on Eph. 2:8-9. Here Paul speaks of (1) grace, (2) salvation, and (3) faith. He adds, "And that not of yourselves." What does "that" refer to -- grace, salvation, or faith? Well, no Christian would try to take credit for grace or salvation. But some might claim faith in that way. You see, God saved us by his grace. But it's we who believe. We were saved when we trusted in Christ. Yet Paul's point is that even faith is the gift of God. This is brought out beautifully in the Living Bible:

"Because of his kindness you have been saved through trusting in Christ. And even trusting is not of yourselves; it too is a gift from God." 

I love that! Phil. 1:29 puts it this way: "God has granted you the gift of believing." Hence my definition of eternal security: "Eternal security is the work of God that guarantees that the gift of salvation, once received by faith, cannot be lost."

Faith is a gift from God!!! 

Why Worry?

Never let your worry list be longer than your prayer list. 

How to Stay Lean While Traveling

You don't need to lose your gains while on the road. Long flights, random hotels, no routine -- all these make it tough. But when discipline is in place, you can actually maintain your weight while you're gone. 

God Is Good!

Today's steps. 

Can't believe it was only a month and a half ago that I was running 9 miles on Oahu. 

God is good!

Greek Starts Tonight!

At my Wake Forest office, loving me some A. T. before class tonight. 

Brushing up on the history of the Greek language. 

Life don't get any better than this.