The Ultimate Scenic Route: My Waikiki Beach Run

Waikiki regulars, this one's for you. 

A Word to the Married

When Bec and I moved to Basel in 1980, we found a nice 1-room apartment not far from the Rhine and the French border. 

Notice I didn't say "1-bedroom." I said "1-room." 

Our apartment at Immengasse 18. 

This is what our home away from home looked like. 

We loved it. Of course, we also had a tiny kitchenette and an even tinier bathroom (not pictured). None of that mattered to us. We may have been as poor as church mice, but we had the Lord and we had each other, and that was enough. 

The greatest riches in life aren't measured by money. 

It's the love we give and the love we leave behind. 

Never stop loving each other. 

Today's 16 Mile Run

Today I did a 16-mile training for my 50K ultra in December. 

Everything seemed to click! The weather was gorgeous, my legs felt strong, and I felt like I could have kept going beyond the 16.6 miles I ran. 

Ultra marathoning isn't just about how far you can run. It's about teaching your body to keep on going while taking care of it along the way. I'm feeling stronger, more confident, and more excited about the race on Dec. 5. 

If you've ever finished a marathon and then asked, "What's next?", trying out an ultra might be the best thing you can do! 

Who's Your Doctoral Grossvater?

Interesting chart someone put together. I'd love to see it expanded. Recognize any names? 

Keep Moving Forward

The number one rule for completing an ultra: Keep moving forward.

The number one rule for completing your first year of Greek: Keep moving forward. 

Studying Is a Humbling Experience

I told my Greek class last night that, despite the fact that I've been teaching Greek for 5 decades, I feel like a small child wading on the shore of a limitless ocean whenever I read my Greek New Testament. The greatest students in life never graduate. That's why in the ISV we rendered didaktikos in 1 Tim. 3:2 as "teachable" rather than "able to teach" (the lexicons allow both renderings). This kind of intellectual humility is valuable because it keeps you open to learning. 

The wisest people I know are the most humble. 

Quick Trip to Lynchburg

Been invited to speak at Liberty University's divinity school again this Friday. 

My topics will be: "Seven Marks of a New Testament Church," and "Why Inspiration Involves More than Just Words." 

Should be fun! 

Time for Your First 50K Race?

Anyone who reads my blog has heard me rave about the Freight Train 50K Ultramarathon in Farmville. I've done this race 4 times. It's a great course and the perfect time to up your running status from marathoner to ultramarathoner. With an extremely generous time limit, it's incredibly doable. 

Here's to the miles ahead, the lessons learned, and the moments in life that keep moving us forward! 

Yours truly during his first 50K ultra on the High Bridge Trail. 

Check Out This Shoe Store in Wake Forest

Did you know there's a running store in Wake Forest? 

I buy all of my running shoes here. 

Their customer service is amazing. (Thanks, Lee!) I bought this pair of Altras yesterday. 

Stop by Run-N-Tri Outfitters and tell them I sent you. It's an amazing store! 

Exercise -- the Best Medicine

Those who train do so for more than the physical health benefits. Exercise optimizes brain function. This is important if you, like me, are completing two book projects and then going on to revise two of your earlier books. Or if, like me, you teach for 3 hours straight and need mental acumen the whole time. Exercise literally changes the structure of your brain. This means that every workout you do doesn't just build a stronger body. 

It's building a more capable mind. That's the part many of us miss about weight training. Brain and body both need the right amount of exercise. 

In the end, lifting weights isn't just about building muscle. It's about strengthening your mind. Every drop of sweat triggers a powerful cascade of endorphins. You may walk into the gym stressed, but you leave restored, focused, alive. The endorphins released during a workout are a natural mood booster. 

Exercise is indeed the best medicine. 

The Forgotten Reformer: Reclaiming the Pastoral Legacy of Ulrich Zwingli

I'm taking a break from writing to spend a few minutes rereading portions of this magnificent work on the life of Ulrich Zwingli written by my colleague and friend Stephen Eccher. 

When I lived in Basel I spent a week one summer traveling to all the significant places in the life of that great reformer -- Wildhaus ("vild- hoos"), Basel (yay!), Glarus, Einsiedeln, and Zurich. Many people don't realize that it was Zwingli who founded the first reformed seminary in history that eventually evolved into the University of Zurich. He also pioneered expository preaching, which wasn't popular then and isn't popular today. 

Among other things, he broke with the medieval lectionary system and instead preached verse-by-verse through entire biblical books. My week-long Zwingli pilgrimage finished, of course, at the famous battlefield in Kappel where he died as both a combatant and military chaplain. My friend Steve covers all of these details in vivid fashion in his wonderful memorial to the life and work of the one of the most respected Christians of all time. Read it if you can.

What Our Grandkids Can Teach Us

Today one of my grandsons turns three. 

He's already reached his peak of activity. At three, he does life his way -- all out. He doesn't just watch life. He does. Sadly, if he's like most of us, he will grow up and substitute watching for doing. A three-year old finds the day too short. The adult finds the day boring and much too long. "Will this day ever end?"

Can we ever return to the enthusiasm and energy of a small child? Somewhere in me is the creativity I had when I was his age. Already at three, Reuben has discovered how wonderful it is to be a human being. 

How I wish I could always share this excitement. How I wish I could return back to the wonders of childhood, back to the intensity of play, back to that disorderly and disorganized pursuit of, well, living with sheer abandonment. 

I am an advocate for play as well as for work. For grown up responsibility, yes, but also for always remaining a child that disregards all appearances and laughs at the world. It won't be easy. You might end up becoming the only defender of play among your acquaintances. 

Unless, of course, they have three-year old grandkids. 

Our Greek Class's "110 Award"

Many years ago I noticed that some companies offer the "110 Award" to individuals who go above and beyond expectations, usually putting in extra effort to achieve their goals. One real estate company I read about actually offered a cash gift of $110.00 along with a nice plaque. Well, I sort of adopted this idea in my beginning Greek classes maybe 30 years ago. Every semester we have three exams. As extra credit, I give the students an English-to-Greek sentence to translate. For every correctly spelled Greek word, they receive one point of extra credit. If a student gets all 10 Greek words spelled correctly -- and has gotten a perfect 100 on the exam proper -- they receive the "110 Award." What I do is bring the books I've published to class and the student can pick out any book of their choosing for free. 

And, while there is not a cash award per se, some of these books are a little pricey. This one, for example, sells for $150.00 at Amazon as a hardback. The paperback version is "only" $50.00. 

Last Monday we had our first exam of the semester, so I'm really looking forward to passing out 110 Awards during tomorrow night's class. In essence, it's my way of saying "I just want to let you know before you leave tonight that your effort this semester has been awesome. Thank you for the hard work and care you put into this class." 

Every student is eligible to receive this award! 

Don't Miss Your Calling

If I could communicate one truth to each of my students as we meet together this week, it would be this: God has created each individual with a unique purpose in life to fulfill. Focus on discovering your calling, your God-given purpose. Don't go through seminary without coming to terms with this foundational issue. The Lord has personally prepared a plan for you. When you discover your calling, it will change everything. 

An impactful life begins with self-discovery. 

Fall Is in Full Swing in Appomattox!

Up early on a brisk, 33-degree morning to get in a quick visit to Appomattox before church and add a few pictures and videos to my collection of Civil War sites. 

How blessed I am to live in a state that is so rich in history. Fun fact: Contrary to popular belief, the surrender documents were not signed at the actual courthouse (pictured here). 

They were signed at the Wilmer McLean House. 

The name of the village was Appomattox Court House because this is how they named county government seats back in the 19th century. Hence the confusion.

Behind the McLean House -- a view not often featured in books or online. 

If these walls could talk, what stories they would tell! 

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.