Firday 9/9/11

Physical:

1. Pin DeadLift (Mid-Thigh to Lock Out) 10-8-6-4-2-2-2-2-2/AHAP
2. Back Squats w/ Chains @ (M=160lbs, W=120lbs) 10×3/60% of 1RM Back Squat, rest 20 sec between sets.

-3 Sets
3. Lateral Squat 12ea
4. Swiss Ball Leg Curls 12
5. Reverse Leg Swings w/ Band 12

-3 Sets
6. Single Leg Box Squat 10ea
7. Single Leg RDL’s 10ea
8. Swings 10

Mental:

20 min. Seated meditation

-I've been doing these "unguided," but if there is anyone that might be reading this that wants to start a little slower, here is a link to the UC San Diego center for Mindfulness. These are free downloads. 

Spiritual:

Today being the 9th, I read through Proverbs Ch.9, the micro section that stuck out to me was 7-10. Here is a copy from the Amplified version of the bible in Biblesoft.

Prov 9:7-10
7 He who rebukes a scorner heaps upon himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man gets for himself bruises.
8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. [Ps 141:5.]
9 Give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser; teach a righteous man (one upright and in right standing with God) and he will increase in learning.
10 The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning (the chief and choice part) of Wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy one is insight and understanding.
AMP

Couple things come to mind when I read this. First, I was asked recently how this impacts me in a real and daily basis. It's actually a wise question to ask ironically. It is hard for me to explain, but for me it comes down to a couple things really. There are a few key assumptions that I try to live by, often fall very short, but I try to live by them as often as I can align my intentions and attention on them in the moment. 1. The God of the bible is the Creator. This implies that, there is a reality outside ourselves. Reality is real. Reality also has patterns to it, patterns that we can discover. 2. The God of the bible is Holy and Sovereign. He rewards righteousness and punishes sin. His sovereignty means that He is in absolute control of the universe and all that occurs in it. I'm not totally sure how this works together with human responsibility but I do know that both exist; the bible is clear on that, we make real, genuine, personal choices, but those choices fit ultimately into the outworking of His control (Eph 1:11; Pro 16:4). This assumptions means that the God how created the universe will lead it in a way directed by His holiness. The God who is decidedly against wickedness and decidedly for good, will have His fingerprints on the patterns and how the cause and effect is going to go down. Simple put, morality is going to have a big impact on our long-term continued success in this world. 3. The God of the Bible is not far off, but close at hand. He is aware of what we do and can/will intervene in detail in our lives. He intervenes through large scale events like weather events which affect crops, or direct action. This means our morality will have a direct impact on our well-being in life. 

Deut 7:9-12
9 Know, recognize, and understand therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, Who keeps covenant and steadfast love and mercy with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations,
10 And repays those who hate Him to their face, by destroying them; He will not be slack to him who hates Him, but will requite him to his face.
11 You shall therefore keep and do the instruction, laws, and precepts which I command you this day.
12 And if you hearken to these precepts and keep and do them, the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant and the steadfast love which He swore to your fathers.
AMP

4. The right, moral relationship to God involves love. This is the foundation of Christianity. We hear it a lot too. It's the aim of all the laws, commandments, instruction; "1 Tim 1:5, 5 Whereas the object and purpose of our instruction and charge is love, which springs from a pure heart and a good (clear) conscience and sincere (unfeigned) faith. AMP" This is the core of it all. Faith in God, that expresses itself through love to God and people. (Gal 5:6)

6 For [if we are] in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through love.
AMP

These assumptions can not be proven. They are assumptions that I simply choose to accept as real and true.

So in summary; yes, the words impact me in a real and daily way. I assume that He is close, aware of what I'm doing and he is leading the universe in a way that is in line with His holiness, which means that if I start doing things that are not in line with that, I will get slapped. In my experience that slap is hard and painful too. Because there are patterns and He reigns king of His kingdom, it would be smart of me (us) to learn who He is, how He does things so I can get on board with it. Literally go with the flow of the river. 

A lot of this is paraphrased and copied from a book Sharper Stokes by Harold Bullock (click here to order one - highly, highly recommend you do.)