Digame!

Not sure I agree with this map. 

During a weeklong visit to Spain one year, everyone I called answered their phone with "Digame" (literally, "Speak to me"). This may sound very aggressive or demeaning, but in Spain it doesn't carry that tone at all. 

A Simple Observation

Every park in Hawaii is a fitness park. From pullup bars to resistance training stations, it's a fitness paradise just waiting to be explored. Sadly, where I live in Virginia, the only public places you can go to do pullups is a playground with a jungle gym. Come on, people! Give us what we need -- a full-fledged, free fitness area with pullup bars, parallel bars, and other equipment for adults. 

At Kapiolani Park in August. 

Finishing the Week with a Bang

50K training for the week is done!!!! 

12 and a half miles today. 

Weekly total? 70 miles.

What a week!

So much to be grateful for!

I can hardly believe I'm only 6 weeks away from the race!

Praying I stay healthy and injury-free as I move toward the starting line.

God is good. I'm grateful to him for the strength and opportunity to keep chasing this dream. Especially at my age. 

One run, one workout, one mile at a time.

Training my body.

Strengthening my faith. 

P.S. A couple of vids from my earlier strength training session today before I got in my miles. Remember: These arms and this back will have to get me up the Mettelhorn next summer in Zermatt! 

You Only Get One Shot at Life

Don't just exercise to add years to your life. Exercise to add life to your years. Fitness isn't just about physique. It's about building a body that is strong enough to take you places most people can only dream of. I'm told that only 1 percent of people will ever run a marathon. I'm grateful to be among those who have. I'm told that even fewer people will ever climb a mountain in the Swiss alps. 

I have, and I've never felt more alive. Or more challenged. The rock hazards. The high altitude exhaustion. The mental fatigue. Nothing matters but your next foothold. But that's when you will never feel more alive. 

You only get one shot at life. Make the most of it. 

A Heart Shaped by the Ocean: Reflections on a Childhood in Paradise

As you all know, I was born in Honolulu but raised in Kailua on the Windward side of Oahu. I walked this beach almost every day with family or friends. I surfed in its turquoise waters. 

Most of my early memories of Hawaii were formed at this beach. Here I learned how to swim. I learned how to ride the waves. I bought my first surfboard for $5.00. Its nose was nothing but shattered fiberglass but I didn't care. I spent countless days in the surf, certain the beach would always be waiting. Since then, every visit has been special. 

I returned with my wife and then with my children. I walked beneath the same moon and stars I had known in my childhood. The beach remained unchanged -- the sand, the salt air, the waves, the sky, the islands offshore. Nothing I once loved here is entirely gone. The years pass, but Kailua will always be part of earth's landscape that I carry within me. I walk on -- grateful for what lies ahead, and for the enduring sense that what once defined me is still with me. 

Running the Tobacco Heritage Trail

I took a moment to appreciate the simple things today -- fresh air, open trail, and nature all around me.

 Today I ran the Tobacco Heritage Trail in La Crosse, VA. 

Reminded that the best thing you can do sometimes is just get outdoors and move! Here's the trailhead: 

Today's Steps

Can you believe we're already halfway through October? Let's finish strong! Tomorrow depends on today's effort. 

Looking Forward to the Spring of Springs

This June I completed my 74th trip around the sun. I've seen it all. I've seen death. I've seen pain. I've seen loss. I've also seen the sunrise over the Mokulua Islands in Kailua. I've seen the sunset at Waikiki. I've seen the glory of the Grand Canyon and the beauty of the Galilean hillside and the magnificence of the Parthenon. And, a long time ago, I saw a spark in the eyes of an ethereal young woman who is still with me after all these years. She was young, full of dreams, yet she died in a very tragic way, and yet very common way. Her passing captures how unpredictable, uncertain, and strange life can be. What to do now? Live. Just live. Live in the present. Stop. Reflect. And appreciate what you have, like the roses she planted 25 years ago ...

... or the donkeys I bought to remind her of her Ethiopian homeland after she became too sick to travel. 

She was my best friend. Every time I came home she would hug me. She was my first and only wife and I miss her so much. Sometimes I weep with gratitude and complete adulation of this gift that was so graciously bestowed on me by her Maker. 

After every winter comes spring. Spring brings a miracle to my favorite trees. Barren for months, they suddenly burst forth with tiny green emblems of life. It's an annual reminder that a similar miracle awaits those who know Jesus as Lord. Suffering and disease will be no more, all our tears will be dried up, and for the first time we'll experience life as it was really and truly meant to be. His coming will be the spring of springs, and on that day we'll be face to face with our Lord and Savior, the King of kings.

Inside Stephen Lang's Mind-Blowing Fitness Routine

Who are some of your favorite actors in Ron Maxwell's classic movie Gettysburg? One of mine has to be Avatar star Stephen Lang, who played General George Pickett. Gettysburg was a great movie and Lang is a great actor all around. I'd love to meet him someday. The guy played Pickett perfectly. I always think of Lang when I think of George Pickett. Since for 20 years I was an avid horseman (I owned both a Thoroughbred racehorse and a purebred Arabian), I was amazed at Lang's riding skills in the movie. Lang admitted he had absolutely no horseback riding experience prior to the making of Gettysburg. He prepared by working intensively with a McClellan saddle (the standard U.S. army saddle during the Civil War and one I too had to get use to when I rode with the First Maine Cavalry as a trooper in a California reenacting unit) and bonding with his horse Stormy. Interesting enough, in the famous scene where Pickett gives his pre-charge speech, historians insist that the real Pickett walked on foot during the actual historical event. Lang insisted on riding a horse in the scene.

Lang was featured in a recent issue of Men's Health. The actor maintains his fitness by focusing on stretching, stamina, and joint-friendly strength training rather than heavy powerlifting. He targets individual muscle groups with lower weights and higher reps, much as I do. His regimen also includes karate, walking, and swimming on recovery days. 

Whatever he does, it's obviously working. His physique is lean, sinuous, and agile. Lang is 74 years old. He was born on July 11, 1952. I am just 34 days older than he is. Nice to see another septuagenarian in such good shape. He's yet another reminder that men in their 70s can build significant muscle, improve balance, and enhance cardiovascular fitness through an approach that focuses on consistency and functional movement rather than high-intensity strain. This is exactly why I eat right and exercise regularly. It's clear, by the way, that Lang works on his core. 

Nobody loves ab exercises, but it improves your appearance, digestion, metabolism, and posture. Here's an ab exercise I worked on today. I call it a "horizontal lat pulldown." 

And here's a dumbbell bench press I did today with very light weights and high reps. 

I agree so much with what Lang says is his philosophy of training. Lang obviously pays close attention to his diet, sleep, physical activity, and stress. If you nail all those things, even just do them pretty well, odds are you'll be able to remain active and fit in your 70s and even into your 80s. 

Yes, exercise is THAT important.  

Waves of Grace: Praying for Revival in Hawaii

In 1938, long before the high-rise boom that turned Oahu into a concrete jungle, Waikiki had only a couple of major hotels, including the Moana, the Royal Hawaiian, and the Halekulani. 

In 1938, Oahu was an isolated U.S. territory dominated by sprawling plantations and military outposts. Life moved at a snail's pace. My father, born there in 1918, knew a Hawaii that was a rich melting pot and had an economy that revolved around sugar and pineapple production. This was the era that gave birth to "Pidgin" and local comfort foods. Electric street cars clanged down King Street, and U.S. servicemen frequently commuted to downtown Honolulu for its nightlife.   

Three years later, the attack on Pearl Harbor would rewrite the island's landscape forever. By the time I was born there in 1952, Oahu had undergone a massive transformation that dismantled the old plantation society and birthed modern Hawaii. Today, Oahu is a study in contrasts. On the one hand, you still have the "aloha spirit," unrivaled natural beauty, and a slower (and healthier) pace of life. On the other hand, Oahu features the highest cost of living in the nation, real estate prices that are staggering, and traffic that is notoriously bad. 46 percent of the residents are seriously considering moving to the mainland due to costs. (Not long ago my cousin sold his house in Kailua for 1.5 million and moved to Oregon.) Frequent severe storms and high inflation are driving down visitor numbers. And the spiritual needs are just as obvious. According to a Pew study, 30-50% of Hawaii's population identifies as "religiously unaffiliated." There's also a great need for theological education. As always, God's word provides his people with divine insight as we contend with the changes of this new world in which we live. On Oahu you'll find a whole new generation of young people eager to discover the joy of digging into the Bible for themselves. I suppose that's one reason I taught a Greek class for lay people there a few years ago. 

Whether here or there, the legacy I want to leave behind more than anything is a generation of Bible students who are armed with the ability to correctly handle the word of truth. I know there's a great spiritual hunger on Oahu. But that only heightens the need for guidance in Bible study methods. 

My Greek class on Oahu. 

My appeal to everyone who visits the islands on vacation is this: Pray that the believers there will not only own, read on occasion, and take the Bible to church, but study the Scriptures to understand it and see it make a difference in their lives. 

Medals and Mettle

Everybody knows I've got a 32-mile ultramarathon coming up on Dec. 5. I already know that the race will be a grind to be taken one mile at a time. When you run a race of any distance, there are two kinds of rewards offered. One goes to winners. These runners have either won the race or won their age group. Then there are medals that are awarded to everyone who finishes the race, people whose best efforts were just that -- best efforts. For them, a medal is a symbol of accomplishment. Medals often become prized possessions. Mine hang on a banister.  

I don't use the glass-covered cases that some runners have. I admire those displays, but my medals just sort of exist there. Nevertheless, they serve to remind me of the many dozens of races that have brought great inspiration to my life and the thousands of steps taken toward countless finish lines. One medal hanging here is from my first marathon. I can tell you without hesitation that the winner of the race that day couldn't have felt any better receiving his gold medal than I did finishing the Flying Pig Marathon for the first time. 

Here's where I'm going with this. Whenever you enter a competition, you will either run it or you will race it. You will either run to enjoy the experience, or you will race it to win it or get a PR. The glamor of the sport belongs to the winner. But the glory belongs to any one of us. I've only truly "raced" one of the 20 marathons I've been in. It was the St. George Marathon in Utah. It was a point to point race from high elevation down to the city of St. George. The course was, in other words, basically all downhill except for Veyo Mountain. 

That day I set a marathon PR. I've never broken it since. 

On the other hand, last May I ran the Freight Train Ultramarathon in Farmville. I came in 79th out of 88 finishers. I was 4 and a half hours slower than the first place finisher and 2 hours faster than the last place finisher. That day the only person I was running against was myself. It was my greatest effort on one of the greatest days of my life. At about mile 25 my brain said I didn't have anything left. My will said there is always something left. Everytime you cross a fish line you are both exhausted and satisfied. You'd done it. You'd finished. You went the distance. You faced the obstacles, overcame your fears, pushed yourself to the limit, and emerged victorious. My medals hang on my bannister not to be shown to anyone else but to remind me of my own journey not only as a runner but as a person. I prize them, not for what they are, but for what they mean.

Everyone in a race is a winner. Thus, everyone who finishes a race deserves their medal, especially those farthest back who had to fight the agony for an additional period of time. The time on the clock is not a reflection of the kind of runner you are. It's merely the time you took to cover the distance that day. No more, no less. Whether you set out to compete or simply to run, be proud of your race. 

P.S. Today's miles and steps. One day closer toward testing my mettle. 

Corrals Belong in Races, Not Classrooms

(WARNING: Longish yet informative post ahead. And kind of scientific if you're into that sort of thing.) 

Did you know that most marathons have a staggered start? Your race bib is color coded according to the "corral" (or wave) you're placed in. Each corral contains perhaps several hundred runners waiting for the gun to go off.

Arranging runners according to ability solves a number of problems for racers. Several things are avoided. The pushing at the start of the race. The claustrophobic feeling of being crushed by your fellow runners, all of whom are jostling for a better position. The inability to settle into your individual pace. Slow runners (like me) up front are a disaster. The amount of elbowing before you even reach the starting line can be unbelievable. 

Sometimes it takes 40 minutes for all the corrals to be released, but it's the fairest way of doing things. Up ahead are runners who are faster than you. Those behind you are presumably slower. You rarely pass (or are passed) when races have staggered starts. After a mile or two you are usually with people you'll be near right up to the finish. 

You achieve the benefit of participating in a big race and yet retaining the wonderful feeling of staying relatively small. For example, the Marine Corps Marathon in DC is the third largest marathon in the U.S. (behind the New York City and Chicago Marathons). Approximately 40,000 runners finish the race each year. However, the staggered wave system successfully breaks the massive crowd down into manageable, less intimidating groups. 

I sometimes think we need ability grouping in education. This would enable teachers to focus on specific needs of students with the same ability level. Instruction would be tailored to match the students' learning pace and style. Clearly, gifted students would progress more quickly through the curriculum. They would likely be less bored or disengaged alongside peers of similar ability.

The cons are just as obvious, however. Students in the lower group face stigma. They may receive a less challenging curriculum. This in turn could lead to low expectations and reduced motivation. In 5 decades of teaching, all of my classes have been mixed-ability. Students aren't grouped based on their academic performance. Instead, classes combine students of varying skill levels. 

I prefer this approach over ability grouping as it promotes collaboration and inclusivity. For me as a teacher, this means, in essence, that I have to roll the ball down the middle and hit as many pins as I can. Students who are lagging behind are encouraged to "move up," while high-achieving students are warned against a sense of superiority. 

I guard myself very carefully against the unequal distribution of resources and attention. I am to narrow, not widen, the achievement gap. This approach allows students to understand both their strengths and the areas up for improvement, hopefully equipping them with skills that are invaluable beyond the classroom. 

Bottom line? Everyone is welcome in my classes. 

How Balanced Is Your Training?

Raise your hand if you're enjoying the current weather as much as I am. That said, I spent much of the morning indoors at the gym because today is my strength training day. 

Been to the gym today? Remember: exercise is not meant to torture you or make your life miserable. 

You're not a professional athlete (and if you are, why in the world are you reading my blog?), so lighten up. We do this for fun, remember? 

A great way to get through a workout is to take videos of your exercises and then post them on your social media. 

People will ignore them, but you're not publishing your workouts for the sake of the general public but for your grandkids, who will one day watch your vids with single-minded attention and go "ho-hum" and resume their video-gaming. 

Be honest. Are you training hard enough? Not enough. Or just right? 

Sometimes I am my own worst enemy. Sometimes I train too hard when I shouldn't and push myself into a state of fatigue when I should be listening to my body. Right now it's a fine line between training too much and training too little. Balanced training sounds simple, but when you're locked into a race goal it's not that easy. So if you're finding it hard to find that balance, remember that it takes time to figure out what your body can and cannot do. 

Have a wonderful day! 

Keep on Running!

I've waited a full day to resume my ultra training LOL. I'm sure that's all you've been thinking about.

I had the best time today. Which makes me wonder why this dude is frowning. 

Why so serious, Dave? Actually, I loved every minute of my training today. The simple sensation of running. The sound of my feet on the ground. The sunshine on my back. The subtle taste of another ultramarathon on the horizon. I loved this day. Seems we are emerging out of the heat of summer and into the cool of autumn. Our days become shorter, our nights longer. 

Another reason to be happy? Tonight we get to take our first review exam in Greek class. If you've never taken one of my exams, you have never truly lived. We're already six chapters through our textbook! As in a marathon, you're beginning to feel really good at this point. The sun is in your face, and you're running with your whole heart. Gotta keep feeling strong till the end. You can't see the finish yet, but you know it's there. In 20 more chapters you'll cross the finish line, throw your arms in the air, and yell "YES!" with tears of gratitude in your eyes. It will truly feel like a celebration.

Till then, you've got to keep on running, AND leaning hard on the Lord. 

Roots That Run Deep: The Surprising Power of Family History

I'm just coming out of Erik Erikson's seventh stage of life. He called it generativity. Generativity brings with it a renewed concern about the welfare of not only your current family but all the generations to come. For most of our adult lives, we men tend to devote a minimum amount of time to our family. We become more-or-less self-absorbed. The focus is on our creativity and productivity, on our own needs and satisfaction. Thus generativity does not come easily for many of us. It certainly won't come automatically. Your personal interests and goals still matter, but are now seen in the light of eternity. The word "family" takes on a whole new meaning.

I recently hired a professional genealogist to research my family tree back to John Miller of Sharpsburg and even further back to his ancestors who immigrated to the United States from the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany. My own belief is that it's helpful to know where one comes from and what shaped one's forebears. I can't wait for the day when I can take my grandkids to see John Miller's 1840s farmhouse on the Antietam Creek.

From there we would visit his brother David's farm, in whose famous "Cornfield" the great Battle of Antietam began in September of 1862. 

All too often the elderly spend little time in reflection. We fail to meditate on the meaning of our experiences. Failing in that, we fail to see the people involved as well. I don't want to be guilty of that. People are more important than accomplishments. Relationships matter more than rituals. So much so that sometimes my eyes fill with tears. 

Age Is Just a Number (and So Is Your Finishing Time)

See this man?

He finished the Rome Marathon in 6:44. That's a 15:26 per mile pace. It took him 7 hours. Oh, did I mention he's 92 years old?

Remember that the next time your legs go heavy at mile 20 and you want to quit. 

The Blessing of Brokenness

In July of 2016, I flew to Switzerland to climb 4 peaks in the alps. I did this for two reasons. First, it was a way for me to regain my footing after Becky passed away 3 years earlier. I climbed with a Bible verse in my pack with the reminder that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. The healing process was underway. My second reason for climbing these peaks was to raise funds for UNC cancer hospital where for 4 years Becky had been treated for endometrial cancer. My goal was to try and raise $25,000 for cancer research there. Everywhere I went I took my banner with me. 

Here's the first mountain I wanted to summit. 

It's called the Breithorn. It was to be my first ever 4,000 meter peak. I don't know how many steps it took me, but I eventually made it to the top. There I started to cry, right in front of my mountain guide to whom I was roped. 

It was as though the full weight of God's declaration hit me when he said to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you." In my mind, "sufficient" meant just barely enough. Is "sufficient" really sufficient? On the summit of the Breithorn, I realized that sufficient is indeed enough -- for God and for me. 

Upon my return to the states, we had a celebration at UNC, where on behalf of my family I was able to say thank you to Becky's doctor as well as the experts doing cancer research there. I am standing next to Becky's oncologist, Dr. Gehrig. She is simply the best. 

Owing to the kindness and generosity of those who contributed to the memorial fund, it was my great joy to present this check to the research team. 

Jesus was serious about caring for the sick and so should we. I don't know a single person who hasn't been affected by cancer. I would not want to wish it on my worst enemy. I still struggle with it today. If, my friend, you are struggling to make some sense out of the sudden, inevitable, and senseless loss you've experienced, I can assure you God is ready to help you make a new beginning in your own personal healing journey. When Becky died, I never felt more fragile or inadequate. But my brokenness drove me to look up, where I found a source of peace and hope I could not find in myself. I found it in a God who delights in caring for broken people like me -- and you. 

Keep moving forward, regardless. 

This Book We Call the Bible

I just gave four of my grandsons their first Bible. As a boy I got my first Bible when I was 8 -- a brand new convert to Christ. 

It was a KJV, of course. I'm sorry to say I read it much too infrequently. But gradually my love for the Scriptures increased until one day, at 16 years of age, it happened. I fell in love with God's word. I haven't been able to put it down since. 

The world tells us this book is outdated and full of mistakes. I have found it to be just the opposite. I am not the man I want to be. But I am a better man today than I was yesterday and much of this is due to the way God has spoken to me through his Book. I imagine your experience is not much different. 

What a priceless possession, this book we call the Bible. 

The Week in Review (Steps-Wise)

The big race is only 8 weeks from today! With so much riding on my race preparation, I approach the problem the way I do any big life decision. I exclude anything involving a high heart rate. That would make my cardiologist very unhappy with me. Next, eliminate anything dangerous, like running in extreme temperatures or on the roads. That leaves me with just the boring, day in and day out, well, STEPS. Here are my totals from the past 7 days (I always take Sundays off and, no, I am not a sabbatarian, so don't bother asking). 

Who knows but that this ultra might be my last one (they are soooo hard), so I want it to be iconic, like Albert Einstein's tongue-out birthday photo or Steve Jobs 2007 iPhone reveal panic.

 I know it will work because I promised myself Mexican food in Farmville ONLY if I finish the race. 

We Need More "Doubting" Thomases

Poor old Thomas. He gets a bum rap. He has been broad-brushed as your chronic skeptic, eternal pessimist, and habitual doubter. I'm not so sure. I think he was just his own man. He's the kind of man who refuses to be influenced by those around him. He's an independent thinker. I admire Thomas for that.

I've been blessed to have had several Thomases in my classes over the years. They're not unduly influenced by what others say or believe. They think for themselves. They speak for themselves. That's a good way to be. That's an admirable trait. Thomas said, in effect, "I refuse to act like I understand when I don't." The Thomases in my classes always seem to be asking questions. Good questions. I love that about them. You've got a question? Ask it. You've got a reservation about something I said? Say so. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that and everything right with that. What's wrong is going along to get along. 

When I was a student, I wasn't always as quick as I should have been to question the status quo or the scholarly "consensus." Then I met men like William Leonard and William Farmer and Bernard Orchard and Harry Sturz. They didn't buy into the consensus just because their New Testament buddies were saying it. William Leonard was one of the first modern scholars to challenge in writing the almost universal rejection of the Pauline authorship of Hebrews. William Farmer and Bernard Orchard mounted a formidable challenge to Markan Priority. Harry Sturz put forth convincing reasons to reject both Alexandrian Priority and Byzantine Exclusivism.  I loved them for that. 

I'm never going to tell my students to believe something just because I believe it. On the contrary. You've got to be sure in your own mind that it is so. As a matter of fact, if there was ever a moment for Thomases, it's today. Students who are not overly influenced by the majority of scholars are always welcome in my classes. I want you to stay at it. Be your own person. Continue to think independently. Never be ashamed of how you process information. Don't accept something and believe it just because everyone around you does.

Today we need more "Doubting" Thomases, not fewer.

Arm Day

I am 6 feet 4 inches tall and I weigh 185 pounds. I have been weight training for several years. I almost always work my arms along with all of my other muscle groups. Today, however, I decided to have a dedicated arm day. An isolated arm day allows you to train your biceps when they are completely fresh. This allows for maximum intensity and deep muscle fiber recruitment. That said, you have to be careful. There are pros and cons to having a dedicated arm day. The main pro is that you prevent undertraining your arms. The main con is that you risk overtraining your arms. Your arms already get plenty of work from bench presses, so please don't feel like you have to get in an "arm day" very often. 

For those who don't have anything better to do, here are some vids from today's workout. Thanks for visiting! 

Today's Steps

Training for an ultra is only as complicated as you make it. Choose a daily step count that suits your needs. 

The right intensity will yield the right results. Don't choose a program that is beyond you. 

The Summer the Rains Stopped (But the Blessings Didn't)

The yellow fields were parched and dry,

The cracked and dusty earth cried out;

Three generations wondered why

The summer brought a cruel drought.

But grandfather took up the key,

And father hooked the baler tight,

While grandson stacked the wagon free,

To haul the golden crop by night.

Though weather dry had tried the land,

The heavy bales now fill the floor,

Preserved by God's sustaining hand,

We praise him for his endless store. 

Chicago Marathon Weekend Is Here!

The Chicago Marathon is this weekend. Seems like only yesterday that I was standing at the starting line. 

Runners love this marathon. The course is famously flat. The race starts and finishes in Grant Park, relieving runners of bus rides to the start. 

Almost 2 million spectators line the streets. You never feel alone. It's one of the elite Abbott World Marathon Majors. But for me the best part about the course is that you get to run through 29 of Chicago's diverse neighborhoods, giving you a spectacular cross-section of the city. 

These include the East Side, the North Side, Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lake View East, Old Town Triangle, Greektown, Chinatown, Bridgeport, Motor Town, and South Loop. You don't merely pass through different streets. You pass through entirely different worlds, languages, and histories. At mile 21.5 you are greeted by colorful lion dancers performing at the iconic Chinatown Gate. Heading into Bronzeville, gospel choirs line the steps of historic churches. The race reflects the beautiful tapestry of an American city. As someone with German roots on my father's side and Romanian roots on my mother's, I love how our nation is built on the foundation of "E pluribus, unum" -- "Out of many, one." We demonstrate to the world that a nation does not have to be homogeneous to be strong, united, or patriotic. The Chicago Marathon wonderfully illustrates that. 

Run this race if you can! 

The Temple and the Track: Paul's Theology of Physical Exercise

Have you ever wondered why the apostle Paul is the only New Testament author to use sports analogies in his writings to illustrate the discipline and perseverance required in the Christian life? The classic example, of course, is Heb. 12:1-2, which is closely followed by Phil. 3:13-14, 1 Cor. 9:24-26, and 2 Tim. 4:17. 

This athletic imagery may well reflect the influence of the Greek games in Paul's life. Paul's cultural world was vastly different from that of Peter, James, and John. He was, after all, Paul of Tarsus. He understood Hellenistic culture perfectly. He was familiar with the Greek games. Paul's sports analogies demonstrated his ability to connect biblical truth to human experience. Of course, for the Christian, bodily training has limited value. Paul himself taught as much (1 Tim. 4:8). Training can't forgive sins or produce godliness or secure eternal life. Still, Paul never despised disciplined living. 

In Paul's world of Hellenism, athletic experience consisted of three parts:

1. The training.

2. The race.

3. The virtue resulting from the training and the race.

The Greeks called the training askesis. They called the race the agon. And they called the ensuing virtue arete. This education, according to Plato, was what developed virtue from childhood. The goal was to create the ideal citizen-soldier who was able to rule the state or defend it. The ultimate aim of all this was very simple: self-mastery. (Paul calls this "self-control" in Gal. 5:23). No one can dominate events who hasn't already dominated himself. Self-mastery comes naturally to the athlete.

It is in the agon where the self is developed. For the Greeks, there is a race to be won, a defeat to be risked. Your main opponent is you -- the true self who is willing to compete. Above all, the agon is freely accepted. It is never forced on anyone. But nothing teaches virtue quite like it, including virtues like dedication, courage, sacrifice, self-mastery, loyalty, cooperation, leadership, and respect for authority. For the Greeks, as for Paul, the agon is a daily experience. The game cannot be deferred.

All of this is intriguing, isn't it? Today, exercise is greatly admired but very rarely experienced. All of us would consider it important. We watch it on TV but don't go there ourselves. We love the benefits of it, but we can't quite get our arms around it. Strangely, unless we are forced by the Lord himself -- often through an illness or a cardiologist's warning -- we neglect the place of exercise in our lives. How well we Baptists know this. Baptists are the most likely religious group in the United States to be obese. Studies show that our lifestyle and cultural practices -- including our social gatherings centered around food -- contribute to higher obesity rates. How odd, considering how we generally eschew other vices like alcohol and tobacco. Some argue that this focus inadvertently encourages overeating as a substitute for these avoided behaviors. I need not point out that obesity is linked to serious health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and sleep apnea. Yet as a lifetime Baptist I have never once heard a single sermon promoting physical activity that can help mitigate the obesity epidemic among us. Sadly, we seem to take better care of our cars than we do our bodies. It is up to us to avoid unnecessary illness and premature death, to be active instead of sedentary, to age fast or age slowly. Instead, we are dying from affluence and sedentary lifestyles.

Now, I'm not talking about everyone running a marathon -- what Roger Bannister called "the acme of athletic heroism." I know (and I suspect you do, too) that the solution is a far simpler one: to get the great mass of immobile Americans moving again. For a fitness program to succeed, you have to enjoy it. To select the right activity for you, simply follow the Delphic advice, "Know yourself." If you can do this, I guarantee that exercise will become a self-repeating compulsion. And you won't believe the effect exercise will have on your mental health. If it fulfills your needs, you'll end up loving it for the rest of your life. Athletes need no prodding or planning. They do what they love. Before you know it, exercise will become an accepted method of taking charge of your life and becoming the person God meant for you to be. 

I recognize that nothing I've said is probably new to you. But Christians must act on what they know. Knowledge alone is not sufficient. It should lead to actions that reflect our beliefs. When we know the right thing to do, let's stop putting it off. Remember: the more you know, the more is expected of you. Chances are you've gotten a little soft in the past few years with this matter of exercise. I can't say with dogmatism because I don't know you, but I do know human nature. So let me close with two brief words of exhortation. First, your time in the word of God is the most important part of your day. Don't omit it. I don't care if you work 12 hours a day. You can still find a few free moments before your work starts, even if it's for only 10 or 15 minutes. Every child of God must be reading the Scriptures daily. Secondly, become more physically active than you are today. Some of you are thinking, "Man, I don't have time for exercise." Of course you don't. So you have to make the time. You already have everything you need to become an athlete. It's the mindset -- not the miles -- that separates those who do from those who dream.

Have a wonderful day!  

Today's Steps

Grateful.

Getting up bales tomorrow, Lord willing. 👌

The Crawdad Chronicles

The boys trapped this guy today at the pond. 

Wonderful to spend time with them -- and the crawdad. 

The Accidental Running Back

Ya gotta love this! 

Brandon, you're not alone, brother. If ever there was an accidental athlete, it's yours truly. Being an athlete doesn't necessarily mean you're athletic. Or even that you're good at what you do. That I became an athlete has got to be a joke. And not just any athlete but a runner (from 5Ks to 50Ks). Fact is, what makes you an athlete isn't how fast you go or how far you go. It's knowing that you will take on whatever the world throws at you (including a football) that day. 

Bravo, big fella, bravo! 

Finishing His Race

Very saddened to read that an apparently healthy 24-year old youth pastor died after collapsing at mile 20 of a marathon on Sunday. Everyone knows that mile 20 is the hardest one on the course. Even well-trained athletes struggle with it. My deepest sympathies to his loved ones. What should have been a great achievement for him turned into a great tragedy. You were almost there, man. Praying for your family. 

Banding Together against Gravity

Can't do a bodyweight pullup yet? Start with support that actually helps. Using a pullup band makes every rep feel more controlled, so you can train with confidence and see real progress. Here's an example from today's workout. 

Pullup bands are basically training wheels until you can work your way up to bodyweight pullups. The pullup band is not a gimmick. It's a fantastic piece of equipment. As in all resistance training, it's about posture, form, and technique, not how many reps you can do. 

P.S. Carrying excess body fat will make the pullup incredibly more difficult as you are pulling more weight. At 185 pounds I've found a pullup much easier to perform than when I was 240.