Saturday, December 6 was a special day for me. I had signed up for the St Jude Half Marathon a few weeks prior and the day had arrived. I picked up running in seminary again, after taking several years off in favor of gorging myself on Chick-Fil-A and overall laziness in college and part of seminary. In April 2006 I ran my first half, and I had longed to do another one. Timing and circumstances had long prevented that, but here it was!
The weather forecast was for the low to mid 30's, which always sounds great. That morning, I learned the weatherman can be right once in a while. It was a cold morning, but the thing that worried me more was that I had not trained as hard for this as I had my first half. I hadn't done the long runs or done the hill training I had done before, and so I was very concerned that I would not be able to make the full 13.1 miles. My plan was to aim for an 8:30/mile pace, somewhat slower than my training runs but I wanted to err on the side of caution.
After some good luck hugs and kisses from Carrie, the waves starting rolling out as me and 11,000 of my new friends took off for the course. It was a pretty course, going by many of the historic landmarks of Memphis, down to the riverfront where Old Muddy was hard at work living up to the name. Then came the funny part, somewhere around mile 3 the course runs back through Beale Street and this is where the crowd is roaring. Out of nowhere on 3rd Street in front of the Peabody Place a manhole cover jumped in front of me and tripped me up, and I ate pavement in front of a few hundred people. I freaked out at first, well actually I sprang up like nothing had happened, then freaked out that I had twisted an ankle and then noticed a pain in my wrist, elbow, and my hand was bloody. Not going to lie, first thought was "I don't care if the wrist is broken, I'll dry the blood, deal with the elbow later. I signed up for this and paid for it and I'm going to finish this! Ow, Ow, Ow...."
My strategy was to coast for the first 7-8 miles and then depending on how I felt I would start to turn it on and finish strong. I clocked in at around 8:36 for the first 6 miles, and then around mile 8 I was feeling so good and barely felt like I'd expended much energy that I turned it on and began to push myself harder than I had done in a training run. Around mile 11 I talked to a guy who was starting at Southern in the fall, and that was awesome. Right before the finish at the stadium I saw Carrie and sorta posed for a picture! I knew she would be there and looked feverishly for her. Seeing her gave me the strength to push that last quarter mile in an almost sprint to the line.
When I crossed the line I looked up and saw the time, but I had no idea what my official time was (wave starts mean big delays). It turned out that I had turned in a PR, 1:49:09, a pace of about 8:20 per mile. I was so excited to have been able to complete the course, get a warm blanket, change into dry (and not smelly) clothes, get some hot food, and a big kiss from my wife!
To God be the glory though, anything I do is for Him and only because of Him. It is a gift I do not plan to waste.
On to Nashville, first full marathon. Bring on 26.2!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Sorry for the Delay!
Sorry for the long delay in postings, but the last week and a half has been very interesting. After doing St Jude I took a couple days to rest but then came down with a wicked cold and found myself working almost double the hours I normally do at Starbucks.
Have no fear! We shall pick back up again!
Have no fear! We shall pick back up again!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
What Do I Contend For?
I have often wondered about what my objective in ministry is, what sorts of things I would like to accomplish while having the ability under the grace of God to do. The countless times I have worked on, edited, and redone my resume the most difficult part of it is not the experiences or education background, but what my objective is in ministry. Those of you who know me know that I have never felt a particular calling to any one aspect of ministry. I have struggled for years with that, in the end concluding that my calling is anything from pastor, youth minister, professor, missionary, church planter, martyr, anything not music. The Lord has protected me from the embarrassment of singing by giving me absolutely no desire to ever do that, and I thank Him daily for that.
Still though, my mind is left wondering exactly what my purpose is. It has weighed so heavily on me that throughout seminary I began to wonder if I had really been called to ministry if I had such an unclear understanding of a "calling." It was hard for me to conceive being called to one particular area. Currently I serve as a youth minister, but I do not feel a driving call to youth ministry. I am on the roster as an adjunct instructor at a Christian college, but I do not feel a driving urge and desire to teach at the university. It was hard for me as a seminary student to wrap my mind and heart around what my "calling" was, and to make any sense of it.
My greatest joy is still found in what initially got me thinking about a call to ministry, the preparation and execution of teaching/preaching the Word. There is very little about ministry that excites me as much as the opportunities to preach and teach. I have never been big on meetings, nor is administration one of my strong points (though I have learned to do both and appreciate them for what they are), and in spite of my great compassion for people and love to see reconciliation I have very little patience for stupidity. But when opening the Word and diving into its meaning, application, context, significance, and power, it sounds corny but there is an elation that surges through my being that shouts out "you want your objective, here it is!"
With this glimpse into the calling God has placed on my life, I have began to understand a little more of what it is He expects from me. The study and teaching of the Scripture, being my foremost love in ministry, has also become the cornerstone of my ministry. Relationships are great and God has used many over the years for impacting the Kingdom, but I will not be judged for that. Nor will I be judged for programming or for having the cool youth events. No dear friend, I will be judged on how I have taught and presented the Scripture. What will stand for eternity is not programming or Disciple Now, but the Word of God. And so, it is with that cornerstone understanding I have been able to understand a little more of what it is that the Lord expects of me.
This brings us to the title of this post, what is it I contend for. I must say that there are many pressing needs that I desire strongly to fight against, that my heart and energy can, has, and will be poured into. I will contend for the rights of the unborn, I will contend for righteousness in living, I will contend for the personhood of all people regardless of circumstance, I will contend for the next generation that God is rising to be about His Kingdom coming. More than anything though, I will contend for the faith, I will contend for the Truth. My heart longs for the reclaiming of Truth as essential and objective, and for the Church to carry on the faith in the Jude 3 model. My assignment is to proclaim Truth to students, to engage them in the metanarrative of Scipture, and through this challenge them to live their faith daily contending also for the Truth in a culture that is increasingly anti-Christian. I want them to be dangerous arrows in the arsenal of God, and I want the legions of hell to shake in their boots when they hear of this generation of students. I want the Word of God to so permeate their lives that they sweat the very words of Christ, and for them to be aggressively dependent on the Spirit for everything in their lives. Big goals I know, and very lofty objectives, but I don't care. I have a big God who can meet those, and I pray by His grace He does. Ultimately though, it's not about me. I want them to forget me, I want to never be remembered by anyone, to have a simple grave and simple funeral, because my desire is that I become less and He become more. I close with the Southern Seminary hymn, Soldiers of Christ in Truth Arrayed. It is the Truth I contend for, not acceptance or esteem. I pray I be hated for the Truth of the Gospel than loved for tickling ears.
Still though, my mind is left wondering exactly what my purpose is. It has weighed so heavily on me that throughout seminary I began to wonder if I had really been called to ministry if I had such an unclear understanding of a "calling." It was hard for me to conceive being called to one particular area. Currently I serve as a youth minister, but I do not feel a driving call to youth ministry. I am on the roster as an adjunct instructor at a Christian college, but I do not feel a driving urge and desire to teach at the university. It was hard for me as a seminary student to wrap my mind and heart around what my "calling" was, and to make any sense of it.
My greatest joy is still found in what initially got me thinking about a call to ministry, the preparation and execution of teaching/preaching the Word. There is very little about ministry that excites me as much as the opportunities to preach and teach. I have never been big on meetings, nor is administration one of my strong points (though I have learned to do both and appreciate them for what they are), and in spite of my great compassion for people and love to see reconciliation I have very little patience for stupidity. But when opening the Word and diving into its meaning, application, context, significance, and power, it sounds corny but there is an elation that surges through my being that shouts out "you want your objective, here it is!"
With this glimpse into the calling God has placed on my life, I have began to understand a little more of what it is He expects from me. The study and teaching of the Scripture, being my foremost love in ministry, has also become the cornerstone of my ministry. Relationships are great and God has used many over the years for impacting the Kingdom, but I will not be judged for that. Nor will I be judged for programming or for having the cool youth events. No dear friend, I will be judged on how I have taught and presented the Scripture. What will stand for eternity is not programming or Disciple Now, but the Word of God. And so, it is with that cornerstone understanding I have been able to understand a little more of what it is that the Lord expects of me.
This brings us to the title of this post, what is it I contend for. I must say that there are many pressing needs that I desire strongly to fight against, that my heart and energy can, has, and will be poured into. I will contend for the rights of the unborn, I will contend for righteousness in living, I will contend for the personhood of all people regardless of circumstance, I will contend for the next generation that God is rising to be about His Kingdom coming. More than anything though, I will contend for the faith, I will contend for the Truth. My heart longs for the reclaiming of Truth as essential and objective, and for the Church to carry on the faith in the Jude 3 model. My assignment is to proclaim Truth to students, to engage them in the metanarrative of Scipture, and through this challenge them to live their faith daily contending also for the Truth in a culture that is increasingly anti-Christian. I want them to be dangerous arrows in the arsenal of God, and I want the legions of hell to shake in their boots when they hear of this generation of students. I want the Word of God to so permeate their lives that they sweat the very words of Christ, and for them to be aggressively dependent on the Spirit for everything in their lives. Big goals I know, and very lofty objectives, but I don't care. I have a big God who can meet those, and I pray by His grace He does. Ultimately though, it's not about me. I want them to forget me, I want to never be remembered by anyone, to have a simple grave and simple funeral, because my desire is that I become less and He become more. I close with the Southern Seminary hymn, Soldiers of Christ in Truth Arrayed. It is the Truth I contend for, not acceptance or esteem. I pray I be hated for the Truth of the Gospel than loved for tickling ears.
Soldiers of Christ, in truth arrayed,
A world in ruins needs your aid:
A world by sin destroyed and dead;
A world for which the Savior bled.
His Gospel to the lost proclaim,
Good news for all in Jesus’ Name;
Let light upon the darkness break
That sinners from their death may wake.
Morning and evening sow the seed,
God’s grace the effort shall succeed.
Seedtimes of tears have oft been found
With sheaves of joy and plenty crowned.
We meet to part, but part to meet
When earthly labors are complete,
To join in yet more blest employ,
In an eternal world of joy.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Black Friday
These are two stories that made me absolutely sick this weekend, and I wanted to share them with you.
Wal-Mart Employee Trampled
Shooting at Toys R Us
First off, my heart and prayers go out to the families of these people who were killed because of the rush on Black Friday. The Toys R Us story is not as tragic as the Wal-Mart, but both break my heart that the holidays will forever have a black stain on them because of this.
My thoughts on this are simple, that we as a society have gone pretty far down the toilet when bargain shopping becomes such a frenzy that lives are lost. Somehow I hope this gets our materialism under control and we see the insanity that Black Friday has become.
My prayers are with those affected by the tragedies and many others that may have been hurt during the rushes across the nations. I hope those responsible for these incidents are happy with their plasma TVs and iPods.
Wal-Mart Employee Trampled
Shooting at Toys R Us
First off, my heart and prayers go out to the families of these people who were killed because of the rush on Black Friday. The Toys R Us story is not as tragic as the Wal-Mart, but both break my heart that the holidays will forever have a black stain on them because of this.
My thoughts on this are simple, that we as a society have gone pretty far down the toilet when bargain shopping becomes such a frenzy that lives are lost. Somehow I hope this gets our materialism under control and we see the insanity that Black Friday has become.
My prayers are with those affected by the tragedies and many others that may have been hurt during the rushes across the nations. I hope those responsible for these incidents are happy with their plasma TVs and iPods.
Thanksgiving
Thursday, unless you live in a cave, was Thanksgiving. This post should have been done then but I had to be rolled from the car to the house from all the turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, etc., oh yeah and pie that I had for supper. This is a short list of some things I'm thankful for this year
1) My wife - Simply put, there is no one else on this planet I could imagine being as happy with as I am with her. She is my best friend, my confidant, my support, my fashion consultant, but more than anything else my helpmate.
2) My church - I serve on staff at a church that teaches the Scripture, and while we may not be a large church or while our youth ministry may still be small, I love that we are faithful to the teaching, exposition, authority, and sufficiency of the Scripture. So many churches chase after the flavor of the week to get people in the door, but the key mark of the church is its view on the Word.
3) My family - I miss them a ton, and I hate that we're over 300 miles apart now that I have moved to Memphis. But I am glad to be able to talk to them, and I have been so blessed that they are able to come and visit as often as they have. I look forward to them coming and my dad truly has been one of the big influences on me as a person.
4) My new family - On October 18th I officially joined the Puckett family as the #2 son in law. Carrie's parents, sister and brother-in-law and niece have been nothing short of wonderful during our dating, engagement, and in the early days of our marriage. There has been nothing but encouragement, warmth, welcome, and I have so much enjoyed having them in my life the last two years.
5) My job - I love having a steady source of income, and while Starbucks can be quite aggravating with the people and the crazy hours, God has blessed me to be able to work there and have affordable health insurance. I certainly do not agree with them on everything, but they are a company that knows how to take care of its employees.
6) My friends - It's so weird to think that some of my best friends live many hours away, but thanks to the wonders of modern technology and a central home base of Louisville, I have been able to keep up with and see many dear friends who have meant so much over the years. I thank them for keeping me sane, for listening to my crazy ideas, and for being there to share in so much.
This is but a short list, many more come to mind. Thanks most of all to my Lord and Savior, because He chose me for Himself out of His grace to have a fellowship with Him both here and for eternity, that I have no claim for or deserve, simply because He loved me and because left to myself I never would have chosen Him. From someone with a heavy heart and much that has kept him up late, thank you Lord for your mercy and grace extended to someone who did nothing to deserve anything but your wrath and condemnation.
1) My wife - Simply put, there is no one else on this planet I could imagine being as happy with as I am with her. She is my best friend, my confidant, my support, my fashion consultant, but more than anything else my helpmate.
2) My church - I serve on staff at a church that teaches the Scripture, and while we may not be a large church or while our youth ministry may still be small, I love that we are faithful to the teaching, exposition, authority, and sufficiency of the Scripture. So many churches chase after the flavor of the week to get people in the door, but the key mark of the church is its view on the Word.
3) My family - I miss them a ton, and I hate that we're over 300 miles apart now that I have moved to Memphis. But I am glad to be able to talk to them, and I have been so blessed that they are able to come and visit as often as they have. I look forward to them coming and my dad truly has been one of the big influences on me as a person.
4) My new family - On October 18th I officially joined the Puckett family as the #2 son in law. Carrie's parents, sister and brother-in-law and niece have been nothing short of wonderful during our dating, engagement, and in the early days of our marriage. There has been nothing but encouragement, warmth, welcome, and I have so much enjoyed having them in my life the last two years.
5) My job - I love having a steady source of income, and while Starbucks can be quite aggravating with the people and the crazy hours, God has blessed me to be able to work there and have affordable health insurance. I certainly do not agree with them on everything, but they are a company that knows how to take care of its employees.
6) My friends - It's so weird to think that some of my best friends live many hours away, but thanks to the wonders of modern technology and a central home base of Louisville, I have been able to keep up with and see many dear friends who have meant so much over the years. I thank them for keeping me sane, for listening to my crazy ideas, and for being there to share in so much.
This is but a short list, many more come to mind. Thanks most of all to my Lord and Savior, because He chose me for Himself out of His grace to have a fellowship with Him both here and for eternity, that I have no claim for or deserve, simply because He loved me and because left to myself I never would have chosen Him. From someone with a heavy heart and much that has kept him up late, thank you Lord for your mercy and grace extended to someone who did nothing to deserve anything but your wrath and condemnation.
Integrity Still Exists
Sorry for the delay in posts, was very busy on a short week last week trying to get things accomplished before leaving for Thanksgiving weekend.
This article caught my attention as I was reading through the top news online. It is the story of JP Hayes, a former PGA regular earning his way back to the Tour by playing at Q-School. Here is a link to the article, but the summary of it is he discovered he was using a ball that was not officially recognized as legit for play, and because of that he disqualified himself from the competition.
Golf is a funny game, if nothing else for the fact that guys in goofy pants (i.e. Payne Stewart) hit a small ball a long way on nice grass and then try to get the small ball into a small hole. It really is a fun game to play, even when you're lucky to hit it once on the fairway in an entire round (my game). It is often said golf is a good walk spoiled, but it is a very relaxing game, fun to play with a small group of friends allowing for a lot of fellowship and conversation. It is also a gentleman's game, where players are responsible for policing themselves and enforcing the rules of the game on themselves (and now you know why your uncle Larry shoots a 70 average).
What Hayes did is significant not because he recognized that he cheated, I think most cheats do and know exactly what they are doing. Hayes had the real choice of not reporting it, finishing high enough to earn his Tour card and return to a good life on the PGA, or to report it and thus disqualify himself from more prestigious events and probably cost him thousands in earnings from tournaments. What he did was in respect for the game and what it stands for.
Thank you JP, for showing us that integrity and professional sports can still be used in the same sentence. In a day of Congressional denials about steroids, Spygate, etc., it is refreshing to know that there are some out there with enough respect for the game to play by the rules, even when no one is watching. I encourage our students often to have integrity in what they do, that character is who they are when no one is watching, and that in the little things is where you are able to most glorify God.
This article caught my attention as I was reading through the top news online. It is the story of JP Hayes, a former PGA regular earning his way back to the Tour by playing at Q-School. Here is a link to the article, but the summary of it is he discovered he was using a ball that was not officially recognized as legit for play, and because of that he disqualified himself from the competition.
Golf is a funny game, if nothing else for the fact that guys in goofy pants (i.e. Payne Stewart) hit a small ball a long way on nice grass and then try to get the small ball into a small hole. It really is a fun game to play, even when you're lucky to hit it once on the fairway in an entire round (my game). It is often said golf is a good walk spoiled, but it is a very relaxing game, fun to play with a small group of friends allowing for a lot of fellowship and conversation. It is also a gentleman's game, where players are responsible for policing themselves and enforcing the rules of the game on themselves (and now you know why your uncle Larry shoots a 70 average).
What Hayes did is significant not because he recognized that he cheated, I think most cheats do and know exactly what they are doing. Hayes had the real choice of not reporting it, finishing high enough to earn his Tour card and return to a good life on the PGA, or to report it and thus disqualify himself from more prestigious events and probably cost him thousands in earnings from tournaments. What he did was in respect for the game and what it stands for.
Thank you JP, for showing us that integrity and professional sports can still be used in the same sentence. In a day of Congressional denials about steroids, Spygate, etc., it is refreshing to know that there are some out there with enough respect for the game to play by the rules, even when no one is watching. I encourage our students often to have integrity in what they do, that character is who they are when no one is watching, and that in the little things is where you are able to most glorify God.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
November Runs
OK so I want to know who came up with this whole global warming thing, because I froze my tail off running today! I mean really, if the polar bears are dying because it's hot at the North Pole, come to Memphis! It's cold here!
I also want to know what scale the Memphis weathermen use when determining temperature. They said it was 42 degrees this afternoon, but I was wondering if they were using Fahrenheit or the Kelvin scale.
Just tossing these thoughts out there?
I also want to know what scale the Memphis weathermen use when determining temperature. They said it was 42 degrees this afternoon, but I was wondering if they were using Fahrenheit or the Kelvin scale.
Just tossing these thoughts out there?
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