Change Us, Day by Day

Our Father, you called us and saved us in order to make us like your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Change us, day by day, by the work of your Holy Spirit so that we may grow more like him in all that we think and say and do, to his glory. Amen.

Prayer for the Homeless

O God, as Naomi and Ruth journeyed from one land to another seeking a home, we ask your blessing upon all who are homeless in this world. You promised to your chosen people a land flowing with milk and honey; so inspire us to desire the accomplishment of your will that we may work for the settlement of those who are homeless in a place of peace, protection, and nurture, flowing with opportunity, blessing, and hope. Amen.

The "Ah Hah!" Moment

Have you ever been working on a technique over and over again but for some reason you just can't quite get it? Then your instructor walks up to you and says, "Do you have a question?" or "Is there something I can help you with in your technique". Then you explain that you've been working on a technique and you know it works because you've seen many people use it effectively but for some reason you just can't seem to get it right.

After you show him what you've been doing. He grabs your training partner and then show's you the littlest and simplest detail you could have ever imagined but that "little" detail just made you go "Ah hah!!, Why didn't I think of that?". The simplest thing that he just showed you, now made your technique go from not being as effective to being extremely effective.

This is a scenario that is very common and it's what I call "Invisible Grappling". It's the details and movements that take your techniques to the next level but for some reason they aren't very obvious. How about I give you some examples:

Shoulder Walking - The movement where you move your shoulders backwards one shoulder at a time is what I call "shoulder walking". A very common scenario where you will see shoulder walking used effectively is when you are being stacked in your guard. When your opponent starts to stack you before he gets your legs over your face, quickly walk your shoulders backwards as you make your hips heavy. This will make it much harder for them to stack you because you are basically going in the same direction your opponent is taking you. You can also place your hands on your thighs and push on your legs as you shoulder walk backwards to increase the pressure against your opponent. Some scenarios where you can effectively use "shoulder walking" are:
When you are getting stacked when attempting an armbar from the guard.
When you are getting stacked when attempting a triangle choke from the guard.
You are getting stacked when your opponent attempts a double under the leg pass.
Face Control - If your opponent can not move his/her face then they will not be able to move their body. If their head is stuck looking in a particular direction and they can't move it, you will have a lot of control over them. Let's give some examples.
Lets say you have your opponent in side control with your arm under their head and your shoulder pressuring into their face (Shoulder of Justice) forcing them to look away from you. When you do this, they lose the ability to turn their head. They will not be able to turn into you because they can't turn their face.
If you have the mount with your arm under their head while applying shoulder pressure forcing their head to turn to one direction preventing them from turning it, they will have a hard time bucking and turning to escape.
Next time you get the north south position place a lot of pressure down on your opponent's head with your body pinning it to look sideways and not only will it become very uncomfortable for them but they will have a much harder time escaping.
Head Control - When you think of head control, what do you think of? You probably just think about grabbing your opponents head or neck and pulling it down so you can get control of it. What details do you think of to make it better? How can you increase the control of your opponent's head? First you don't want to grab your opponent's neck. That's not head control. That's "neck" control. When you control closer to your opponent's neck they will have more of an ability produce force against you and possibly still be able to posture up. The neck has a large amount of muscles in that area. The more muscles in the area you grab the more force your opponent can produce.

So what do I want you to do? I want you to control right on the back of your opponent's head where there isn't hardly any muscle. When you control by this area you'll will make it much harder for them to posture up. Here are some examples of how you can use this concept effectively.
When you're in the clinch with your opponent from standing. Don't grab the back of their neck, grab the back of their head. Take notice the extra amount of leverage you will gain.
When you are going for an armbar on the bottom, take the leg that is across your opponent's neck and angle it out towards the back of your opponent's head while you place pressure down. Take notice of how it's much harder for you opponent to posture up and even try to stack you. To compare, you can also place your leg across the back of their neck so you can see how they can posture better and possibly also stack you. This is also one of the reason why you "should not" cross your ankles when going for an armbar from the guard. They isn't any head control.
When you work to establish head control of your opponent in an attempt to break your opponent's posture when their in your guard don't grab the back of their neck. Grab behind their head where there isn't much muscle. You'll pull their head down much easier.
This are just a few concepts of "Invisible Grappling". As you gain more experience you may notice little details that you can use to improve upon what you already know. Always be aware that because you "think" you know something well it doesn't necessarily mean that you can't make it better. There's a reason why you hear others say that it's usually the "little details" that make the biggest difference.

Everything I need to know about life, I learned from Noah's Ark ..

One : Don't miss the boat.

Two : Remember that we are all in the same boat.

Three : Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.

Four : Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.

Five : Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.

Six : Build your future on high ground.

Seven : For safety sake, travel in pairs.

Eight : Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with t he cheetahs.

Nine : When you're stressed, float a while.

Ten : Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.

NOW, wasn't that nice? Pass it along and make someone else smile, too

Effectively Taking Notes to Improve Your Training Part 1:

Effectively Taking Notes to Improve Your Training Part 1:
Author: Jason Scully

People take notes for many different reasons. You take notes in school so you can study, you jot down notes when you need to remember what to pick up at the store, and you may take notes when you have an idea that you want to try out or check on. I know I do in these situations, so I have some questions for you.

Do you bring a notebook into class with you when you train? If so, what do you do with it in class?
Do you have a notebook that you write in at home after training? If so, what kind of notes do you write down when you get home?
Do you have a specific way you take notes? Is there a system?
Do you review your notes that you take? Does it help you remember techniques or make you better? Do you even do anything with them?
For the first 2 years of my training I wrote down every single technique that I learned. I would go home and then type out every single detail that I could remember. I would categorize the movements, date them, and I even made a color key so I knew right away what type of category each technique fell under. Around the 2 year mark I compiled about 400 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques that I learned in class. I was a true collector of techniques. I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything.

Now am I saying you should do what I did? Definitely not! Why? Because I took all of that time to write down all of these techniques and I must have only reviewed them only 10 times max. I realized that just because I wrote down everything I learned didn't mean that I was going to remember everything. Another thing I realized was that the task was very monotonous and didn't have any real significance in regards to what I needed to get better at in my grappling.

It turned into the equivalence of collecting baseball cards but instead I was just collecting techniques. Once I realized that this approach wasn't really benefiting me, I didn't stop taking notes but I decided to change my approach so that if I was going to take notes it was going to be in a way that would actually help me get better.

Here is what I did:

I stopped writing down every technique that I learned
I only focused on things I was having trouble with. If you focus on actual problems you are facing then it will be more likely that you'll remember what you learned and it will help you improve your actual game right away.
Everything I wrote down in training was in the form of a question or I would have a question at least related to everything I wrote down. Why? Because if I wrote it down in question form, then I would be well prepared to ask that question to someone who may know the answer and it will help them relay the information easier back to me.
I realized that the one important aspect of my training that I wasn't taking notes on was my rolling. So after each training session I would go home and I would write down questions that related to that nights rolling. The reason I started doing this was because during rolling you experience issues that you really are having trouble with. These are areas that affect what you are actually trying to do, so these are the things you should focus on more then anything. Examples of the types of things I would write down after rolling would be.
How can I stop my opponent from turning their hip down on me in half guard?
What can I do to open my opponent's closed guard if I'm having trouble?
When I'm in the guard I keep getting caught in a triangle choke. How can I prevent this?
How can I stop my partner from getting the guard back when I have them in side control position?
I went for a hug choke but for some reason I couldn't get it. What was I doing wrong?
How can I stop from getting mounted?
After I would write down the question, I would reflect on what happened in regards to that question I asked. The reason I would do this is for a couple of reasons actually. It will help me try to figure out what I might have been doing wrong myself and it will also help me tell my instructor what I felt happening during the situation so he can better assist me in fixing the problem.
For example if I had the question "What can I do to open my opponent's closed guard?" I would write down what I remembered happening such as:

He kept pulling down on my head.
I couldn't open my training partners guard by using my elbows.
When I tried to put my knee under my partner's butt I would lose my balance.
Additional Tips

To make this even better you should take advantage of your breaks between rolling. When you are done rolling each time go straight to your notebook and jot down one issue you want to address that happened during that rolling session. Whether it was a problem you had that your opponent was causing or a problem you had that you couldn't quite figure out to do yourself. If you roll four times during one training session then you should have four different issues to address. Or you can mark off a particular issue if it happens again in a different rolling session with an asterisk, which is noting that particular issue as a primary focus that you need to address. You don't have to think of a question to write during this time. Just write down something to help you remember the issue.

Then when you go home take each issue that you wrote down and create a question for each one. You now should have four questions related to your training in regards to what happened during your live rolling sessions. These questions will be more important then any technique that you decide to write down because they are issues that you really had trouble with. They happened while you were going against a resisting opponent.

The goal is to improve upon your current game as much as possible. Expand it and make it better.

As you train more and more you should have a list of questions in your notebook related to your current issues. Some questions may come up frequently and those particular questions you should mark down as "very important". Those should be the areas you address more then others because you want to prevent yourself from experiencing the same problems over and over again.

Remember also to note your experiences in regards to the situation you created the question about so you have some information to feed to your instructor when you approach him. If you have readily prepared questions and experiences corresponding to that question you will help your instructor a lot in regards to them being able to help you even more.

Now that you are building a list of questions in regards to your game, what can you do with those questions?

After class pull out your notebook then look at the your questions (along with your experiences related to the questions) and ask your instructor at least one question. This question is very important because it's a real problem you had. Usually one or two questions max is good because other students usually have questions also.
Use these question so you can be prepared if you decide to take a private lesson with someone. To have a set list of questions when you attend a private lesson is a great courtesy to both you and your instructor you're meeting with. It will make the lesson much more productive, it will run smoother, and you'll get a lot more out of it.
You can even use these questions to ask fellow grapplers on the internet and see what they can come up with or what experiences they have in relation to your issue.
The main point is to have actual questions that related to real problems you're having in your training. Don't waste your rolling time. That is the time where you should actually be taking notes. After each training session you should have a minimum of two questions created related to what happened when you were rolling with your partners. You may not get a chance to address each question right away and your list of questions my build up faster then they are checked off as "addressed" but at least you know exactly what it is that you need to work on and what it is you should ask for help on.

Joy in Giving

Lord, I thank You for Your blessings. Whether in plenty or with little, I want to be a cheerful giver. I desire to give from a full heart that serves, no reluctantly or with complaining. I long to see Your money used in ways that will bless others—through my tithing at church, giving to mission organizations, or helping the needy. I choose to give at whatever level I can—and I ask You to bless it.

On this day, God wants you to know...

... that faith is exactly what it takes to get through uncertainty. Faith is not necessary when you know how things are going to work out, - that's knowledge. It's in the time of unknowing that having faith is what sees you through to the other side. Faith is what gives... you strength. Faith is that light in your heart that keeps on shining even when it's all darkness outside. Now is the time to keep that faith alive!

One More.. by Joshua D.M. Johnson

I sit by myself and reflect on the past,
I know that with time that this too shall pass.
There is a whole in my heart I fear will never be filled,
My life plays out in my mind and I am riddled with guilt.
Why do we make the decisions we make?
Does anyone realize what is really at stake?
One bad choice and the world can turn inside out,
How do you live with yourself and not have any doubt?
It's a question I ask, but I never hear a reply,
In the end we all go and we all soon will die,
Ashes to Ashes and Dust to Dust,
We must learn to adapt, we must learn to adjust,
Cause when you down deep we are all really the same,
And those fingers you point there is really no one to blame,
Peek in the mirror and take a glance at yourself,
Do you really think this life is all about wealth?
Things of this earth don't mean spit in the end,
At the end of the day do you have any friends?
Will emotions of joy follow your name?
Or will your life be just one in the same?
Now is the time to really stand out,
Get rid of the fear, Banish the Doubt,
For when things go awry you can only recall,
How short this life is and indeed you will fall.
You are foolish to think anything else,
And you must do what I say and take a look at yourself,
The strength that you have it must come from within,
Believe in yourself and indeed you will win!

Rat-a-tat..... by my brother Joshua D.M. Johnson

In the blink of an eye all I had once was gone,
I took a deep breathe cause I knew I was wrong,
No one is perfect and I should have known better,
10 years from now will this kid really rememeber?
The three little seconds that changed my entire life,
The anguish and pain, the emotional strife,
I changed the lives of so many and they changed mine as well,
But because I acted without thinking condemned I was to hell,
A slap on the hand, A pat on the wrist,
I can still get myself out of this twist,
"Never Stop Believing," was my battle cry,
Yet I do not sit with my class and no one really understands why....
They said I did this, they said I did that,
Accusations they sounded like rat-a-tat-tat.
Shots fired in every direction,
No care for the youth, they don't see our connection,
Friends are hard to find,
And happy days seem like they are lost forever,
But I will overcome and set out on a brand new endeavor.
You see this circle of life it's bigger than me,
it's really too big for any of us to see,
We all must give back and learn to love one another,
I will survive, grab my hand, join together, call me Brother!

KAMELA ROCKS MY SOCKS

old convo with the one and only kamela! probaly xmas 2008

---------------------- 5:09 am ----------------------
ceptxj: Omg
ceptxj: Wtf
ceptxj: Lol
Kamela: huh?
Kamela: wtf whattttt??
Kamela: what uppp shithead
Kamela: dammmit i had to get up extra earlier
Kamela: fucking snow
ceptxj: Lol just here n u?
Kamela: imp issed
ceptxj: Really?
ceptxj: Nice
ceptxj: Haha
Kamela: just watiting on truck to warm up then gottta go to work
ceptxj: Come back to ep
Kamela: yea right
Kamela: im sooo sick of snow
ceptxj: No snow
ceptxj: Here I mean
Kamela: wish it would snow in el paso
Kamela: lol
ceptxj: Blah
Kamela: i wish
ceptxj: Lol
ceptxj: Never!
Kamela: i know ...and hmmmmm i love it here except winters
ceptxj: Yeah
Kamela: blah blah
ceptxj: Haha
Kamela: so who u going out with now? congrats on being drug free
ceptxj: Nobody
ceptxj: Thanks
Kamela: ure smart
ceptxj: I dunno about women
Kamela: i miss single life lol
ceptxj: They suck now
Kamela: now u know why i dont have alot of girlfriends...
ceptxj: I have a new friend now
Kamela: most of my friends are males
Kamela: oh yea?
ceptxj: The right hand
Kamela: LMAO
ceptxj: Haha
Kamela: her name Rosey Palm?
Kamela: lol
ceptxj: That and the watermelon
ceptxj: Haha
Kamela: u are hanging out with Rosey and her 5 sisters
Kamela: lol
ceptxj: Haha
Kamela: (5 sisters mean the fingers)
ceptxj: Duh
Kamela: im sure u got it
Kamela: lol
ceptxj: Lol
Kamela: i know ure the smart one
Kamela: i shouldnt have to explain
Kamela: lol
ceptxj: Haha
ceptxj: Yeah well
Kamela: u hang out with deafies?
ceptxj: Lol
Kamela: so
ceptxj: Not really
ceptxj: Just christian alot
ceptxj: Sometimes the others for football games and poker
Kamela: hows he doing???
Kamela: thats cool
ceptxj: He's good
ceptxj: Just being a lil brat
Kamela: lol
ceptxj: Haha
Kamela: i hear ya lol
ceptxj: Haha
Kamela: well tell him i said HIIIIIIIIII especailly Amy
ceptxj: Haha
ceptxj: Yeah
Kamela: hows ur mom?
ceptxj: She's good
Kamela: did they really get a divorce? u r parents?
ceptxj: My parents r back together
ceptxj: Yeah they did
ceptxj: Now they're back together
ceptxj: Haha
Kamela: wow cant get over that...
Kamela: ohhhhh awesome!!
ceptxj: Yeah
Kamela: damn it borke my heart when u told me the news
ceptxj: Its crazy
Kamela: everyoen has problems
ceptxj: Yeah
Kamela: but im glad they r back 2gether
Kamela: they couldnt resist each other huh lol
ceptxj: Another reason why women suck
ceptxj: Lol
ceptxj: Lol probaly
Kamela: okkkk go easy on women
Kamela: im a woman soooooo not all women suck
ceptxj: Lol
Kamela: only 95 percent do
Kamela: heheh
ceptxj: Ur not a woman
ceptxj: Ur a sister
Kamela: oh im not?
Kamela: awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
Kamela: u made my day then....
ceptxj: Heh
Kamela: well i betetr get outta here
Kamela: ill be in touch
ceptxj: Aight
ceptxj: Love you
Kamela: LOVE U LOTS!!
Kamela: B GOOD.....
ceptxj: Never
ceptxj: Haha
Kamela: MERRY CHRISTMASSSSSSSSSS
ceptxj: Merry xmas!
Kamela: lol
Kamela: Bah Humbug

The Father of All

Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers? -- Malachi 2:10

The message of Malachi, the last of the Old Testament prophets, was primarily directed to the Jews of the restoration, who already were backsliding after being restored from their Babylonian captivity, and God's rebuke of their sinful behavior focused on the key to its correction. They needed to remember, first of all, that they were all brothers, because they all had the same Father. This was not a reference to their becoming spiritual children of God by the new birth, but a reminder of the even more basic fact that they had all been specially created by God in the first place. They should therefore be united in God's great calling of the Jews as God's chosen people, bearing His message to the whole world.

Although Malachi's message was primarily for the Jews, it also has all men in view. "For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; . . . saith the LORD of hosts" (Malachi 1:11). There was an earlier covenant than the Mosaic and Levitical covenants—one which God made with all men after the great Flood, which has never been withdrawn.

This Noahic covenant, continuing for perpetual generations, does indeed remind us that all men everywhere are brothers, created by the selfsame Creator, and responsible to Him for their behavior toward one another, and for their stewardship of the earth under His ownership. Thus, Malachi's rhetorical questions remind us that the only way to resolve problems among the nations of the world is, first of all, to remind and try to convince them that they all were created by the one true "Lord of hosts," that they must someday answer to Him, and that He still loves them as a father loves his children. HMM

A Flasher’s New Year’s Resolutions…

Spend more time flashing my friends and family.
Expose myself to the less fortunate.
Meet new people and dangle my junk in front of them.
Join gym to fit into smaller trench coat.
Learn to say, “Look at my sack!” in the Romance languages.
Try exposing taint for a change.
Be more fashionable by matching socks with pubic hair.
Stop and smell the roses. Then flash them.

Lust in Translation

For his birthday a boy asks for a bicycle.

His father says, “Son, we would give you one, but the mortgage on this house is $280,000. There is no way we can afford it.”

The next day the father sees the boy heading out the front door carrying a suitcase. So he asks, “Son where are you going?”

The boy says, “I was walking past your room last night and heard you telling Mommy you were pulling out. Then I heard her tell you to wait because she was coming, too. And I’ll be damned if I’m staying here by myself with a $280,000 mortgage and no bike!”

Cock Tease

A man asks his friend, “How many legs are there altogether on three roosters?”
“Uh, six!” the friend replies.
“How many beaks are there on four roosters?”
“Er, four!”
“Well smart guy, how many wings are there on 12 roosters?”
“Ah, jeez… 24!”
“OK, so how many teeth are in a cat’s mouth?”
“C’mon, guy-I have no idea.”
“Well, damn, you sure seem to know a lot more about cock than pussy!”

Final Will and DNA Test

An 85-year-old man on his deathbed looks up at his 81-year-old wife. They have been married for more than 50 years and have four sons. Three of the sons have red hair and light skin. The fourth son, the youngest, has black hair and dark eyes.
The old man asks his wife, "Tell me, before I die, is our youngest son my child?"
His wife says, "I swear to you on all that is holy: He is your son."
The man smiles, closes his eyes, and dies.
The wife turns to the nurse next to her and says, "Thank God he did not ask me about the first three."

American, Japanese, and Canadian....

An American, a Japanese man, and a Canadian are hanging out when suddenly there is a beeping sound.
The American says, "That is my pager. I have a microchip under the skin of my arm."
A few minutes later, the Japanese fellow lifts his palm to his ear and says, "It is my mobile phone. I have a microchip in my hand."
The Canadian decides he has to do something just as impressive. He goes to the bathroom and returns with a piece of toilet paper hanging from his butt, he says, "Well, look at that! I am getting a fax."

Hit the weight loss right way.

Do not skip breakfast, bad move. The meal keeps your body’s metabolism stoked.
Do not load up on “diet” snacks. Baked chips and fat-free candy are still junk food.
Do not eat post workout snack, too many calories can undo your hard work.
Drink more water. It will help flush away sodium, which bloats you. You will be also less likely to down high calorie beverages.
Fill up on fiber; it keeps you full longer than any other food.
Do interval training; there is no better way to burn off fat.
Do more than just train, not just in the gym, go for walks, run with dogs, consider getting a bike for weekends, etc.
Cut calories, you have to take in fewer calories than you are burning each day. Period.
Do more than pop a multivitamin, they may work but don’t work miracles.
Do not swear off favorite foods, you will eventually cave, and it will not be pretty.
Mix cardio and strength, it is more effective.
Do not slash carbs, your body needs at least 100 grams a day for energy.

Q: I have been getting stronger, but my joints hurt and I am feeling lethargic in the gym. I do not want to stop training. What do you suggest I do?

A: When you are making progress, it is natural to want to keep training hard, but multiple injuries or a general run-down feeling are signs that you may be starting to over train. By taking a “deloading” period, you can continue to train and make progress without making things worse. Cut the load you are lifting by at least 10% and do not take your sets anywhere near failure. Slowly work your way back up.

Q: I am pretty skinny and just started lifting to increase my size. Any suggestions?

A: There are four rules that thin guys should follow in the gym. One, do fewer exercises (a basic upper-body pushing exercise, a pulling one, and a lower-body lift are enough to start). Two, do more sets. Since you are starting with light weights, it is safe to do more sets and learn the exercises. Three, train each body part more frequently, so hitting your whole body thr3ee times a week is ideal. Finally, keep your reps low, around five to eight per set. Most trainers prescribe higher-rep workouts, but a beginner does not have the coordination and strength yet to lift for longer sets, so there would be little benefit and a much higher risk of injury if you took that route.

Get Pumped! Strategies to Maximize Your Fitness Regimen

By Charles Mallory

Here it is! The perfect program! Just kidding. But it caught your attention, didn’t it? The fact is, too many people spend their time searching for “the perfect program.” You might hear about it from a beefy guy at the gym. You might see it on an infomercial. Perhaps you will get it from a product label or nutrition store.

Your best beet in finding the “perfect” exercise program is to understand the nature of the word. “It is a process rather than something that falls out of the sky,” says Chip Harrison, C.S.C.S., head strength and conditioning coach at Penn State University, University Park, PA.

Even the university’s top athletes come to Harrison asking for the perfect program. “I run into that all the time where an athlete has heard gym hearsay, some guy saying, ‘Here’s how I got that way.’ A lot of times the biggest or strongest guy at the gym has gotten there because of genetic predisposition. But because of their looks, they are sort of automatically given credibility. Someone else might not be able to do the same routine – or if they do, they likely will not look the same. The way someone looks does not necessarily mean they know what they are talking about.”

Does this mean to stop looking for the right workout methods? By no means. As Harrison says, “There are common elements of well-designed programs that are consistent, regardless of the age, ability and training status of an individual. These elements are:

1. The Repetition. “The best repetition includes a raising and lowering of a resistance,” says Harrison. Long –term training, he says, should include both. You can focus on one or the other for specific reasons from time to time, though. Isometric training, which is tension development without joint movement, can give you strength improvements, but “is not the time-efficient training choice in most circumstances,” he says.

2. The Resistance. Which is better – dumbbells or barbells? Do any infomercial products have validity? Should I ditch my partner training and simply stick with pumping iron? All such concerns are too much to worry about, says Harrison: “Any resistance of sufficient magnitude can represent a training stimulus. The key is to use a resistance that demands tension with a muscle, or group of muscles, that is greater than typical demands.” In other words, you need a bit of overload to get where you are going. You can learn which path is best for you, and it is not rocket science. If you have a better workout when you use machines, use them. If you need weight lifting that demands you pay close attention to form, use dumbbells. These preferences might change from time to time, thus none are ‘perfect.’ If you tire of using machines, go back to free weights. You get the idea.

3. Total-Body Training. All the major muscle groups should be trained, says Harrison, of course taking into account any orthopedic or medical concerns. If you have decided to get a big chest, flatten those abs, or work on beefing up your thighs, remember that you cannot forget the other bodyparts.

4. Balance. Pay attention to achieving balance between your upper and lower body, and also your right and left sides. “Most people are dominant on one side of their body,” says Harrison. “This generally means that a greater number of physical tasks are performed with one arm or leg.” But this can lead to postural problems, and favoring one element over the other can lead to irregular body appearance as you build muscle. Paying attention to his helps prevent injury, too. “Each joint generally has least two muscles or muscle groups that help movement around that joint,” says Harrison. “These muscles, along with the connective tissue surrounding the joint, maintain the stability of the joint.” Properly warming up, stretching, and paying attention to form at all times can help you be a success at balance.
“Even in this day and age of increased awareness, participation and research, many people—including fitness professionals—continue to hang on to preconceived notions of what is appropriate and necessary,” says Harrison
“The bottom line is that any program that combines appropriate loading and dynamic training can potentially deliver the desired effect. The real art is combining the other elements in a way that can help you reach your goals and deliver results as rapidly as possible.”
Harrison recommends five checkpoints that will ensure your workout is as ‘perfect’ as it can be. You do not have to memorize a particular pattern, figure a complicated rep numbering-system or follow a hard-and-fast routine. Just incorporate these checkpoints into your program:

a. Use a full range of motion. “For the competitive athlete, improving strength throughout a muscle’s range of motion is a wise choice in terms of injury prevention and performance enhancement,” says Harrison. “The same hold true for the fitness enthusiast who is interested in improving overall strength for daily activity.”

b. Eliminate fast, jerky movements while raising the weight. Some weightlifters think they if they pack on the iron, the weight itself will automatically prevent fast or jerky movements—and build muscle faster. But the opposite can be true. “Too much momentum will actually cause the weight to be ‘thrown’ instead of lifted,” says Harrison. “This virtually ensures that muscular tension will not be maximized.”

c. Emphasize the lowering of the weight. “The same muscles used to lift the weight are also used to lower the weight,” says Harrison. “Many who train with weights are specifically concerned with the raising part of the exercise. Often, they give little consideration to the lowering phase of the exercise.” We can lower more weight than we can raise, he points out, and thus miss a crucial part of the exercise when all we are focused on is raising the weight.

d. Reach momentary muscular failure in the prescribed number of repetitions. “This simply represents an objective concluding point of an exercise with a given resistance,” says Harrison. “It does not mean that the entire muscle has been completely fatigued and is no longer able to contract.” TO make progress, he adds, the principle of progressive overload must be followed. SO no specific numbers can be recommended for a person. “The only way to know for sure how many repetitions can be done with a given weight is to do as many as possible,” Harrison says.

e. Train under supervision or with a partner. ‘Supervision’ does not mean you have to hire a personal trainer. Harrison is a big believer in keeping track of your workouts with details. It is not just for hard-core bodybuilders or show-offs. “The best way to for anyone to make an informed choice as to whether something is working for them, when it is time to progress to a new weight, or other decisions, the only way to do that is to have accurate records,” Harrison asserts. “You can remember what you did from Monday to Friday, but what happened two weeks ago? Or a year ago this time? Keeping a notebook will tell you what works for you.” In other words, real men workout. Real intelligent men work out and write it down.
A key reason that more weight lifters do not keep written records is that they have, according to Harrison, “a feeling that they are using the same machines, doing the same exercise or lifting the same amount of weight.
They are kind of going through the motions. The way to progress through that is not to be satisfied with going through the motions. Variety helps a lot, too—try to do something different each time you workout.”
Hopefully, it is a relief to know that there is not really a perfect program out there—just what is best for you. “Take advantage of the available resources,” advises Harrison. “Train hard, keep good records, and listen to your body.”

January 5, 2010 Sharing God’s Word

TODAY'S ENCOURAGING WORD

Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.

-- Proverbs 9:9

THE AGES TO COME

That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

-- Ephesians 2:7

People may ridicule Christians for believing in "pie in the sky bye and bye," but the sober truth is that "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).

Why should we get enamored with the philosophies and projects of this present world when the Scriptures tell us that "the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God," and that both the wisdom and "the princes of this world" are going to "come to nought" (1 Corinthians 3:19; 2:6).

Anyway, should we not "lay up for selves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal" (Matthew 6:20), instead of foolishly "supposing that gain is godliness" (1 Timothy 6:5)? Christ "gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world" (Galatians 1:4), not to make us more comfortable living in it. In fact, "all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life . . . passeth away . . . but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever" (1 John 2:16-17).

God has not promised us pie in the sky, but He has promised to show us "the exceeding riches of his grace." He has assured us that there will be "glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end" (Ephesians 3:21). "And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (Revelation 21:4).

Therefore, like Moses, we choose "rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season," for we have "respect unto the recompense of the reward" (Hebrews 11:25-26).

PRAYER FOR KINDNESS

Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. Be fair in thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech. Be a lamp unto those who walk in darkness, and a home to the stranger. Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring. Be a breath of life to the body of humankind, a dew to the soil of the human heart, and a fruit upon the tree of humility.

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Physique... By Charles Mallory

Wayne had hit plateaus before. But this was the longest ever-he felt stuck in weight training hell, not able to find his way. He did not have the energy to lengthen his aerobic workout, he could not successfully add more weight or reps in strength training, and his favorite ‘weekend warrior’ sport felt like actual war.

Many people fall into this situation, and the usual methods to get out of the rut don’t work. The answer lies beyond the gym-at your dining table, your work cubicle, and in your bed.

These other factors affect the foundation of fitness. Your building blocks for exercise are built with proper rest, life balance, good nutrition, and stress control.

Take steps now to give your body and mind what it needs so that you can have success in looking and feeling your best. First step, remember that it is not a huge race, with no failure permitted.

“For healthier habits to work with you and for you rather than against you, you must become flexible enough to allow it to be a comfortable, enjoyable way of life,” says Chad Tackett, ACE-certified personal trainer and president of Global Health and Fitness, Portland, Or. “If you happen to overeat, or eat a high-fat meal, or skip a workout, enjoy it. Do not worry about it ruining your program or your future. Shift instead to living low fat and healthy rest of the day. By taking it one day at a time, you can do a better job of concentrating on what is working for you and what is not, how you are feeling and what you are thinking.”

So remember that building your basic foundation is not a new goal or a new task to add to your already-busy life. Consider it ‘correction.’ You are getting back on track so that you will look and feel your best. First, run through this checklist to identify problem areas:

· Are you skipping workouts because you feel pressed for time or exhausted when its time to workout.

· Do you eat more fat because you feel stressed?

· Have your job demands sapped so much energy you feel like your job is taking over your life?

· Have you noticed a correlation between problems with your mate and staying in shape? People often find their workout weakening when there is trouble at home.

· Are you trying to get by on less sleep?

· If you do not work out when you should, do you skimp on food so that your waistline will not grow?

· Have you had difficulty sleeping?

· Do you put off regular exercise with future promises, such as you will get back on track when the season changes, when you get through a certain time at work, etc.?

· When other life goals are not met, do you find yourself becoming discouraged with exercise?

· Do you drink more when you are stressed?

Besides these questions, think of others that apply to your situation. Too often, we let a few small setbacks knock down all our good efforts like a house of cards. Examine how your life has changed recently, outside of the reps and routine, and determine which factors have negatively impacted your fitness goals.

You might need to reconsider how you have framed your fitness goals. “Every goal should be one that you are in charge of,” says Tackett. “Setting a short-term goal where you are in charge, such as exercising four times a week, will help you achieve your long-term goal. Remember, and remind yourself, each time you reach a short-term goal, you are one step closer to achieving what you really want-a healthier, more attractive body.”

Here are shortcuts to easily get you back on track, solidifying your foundation for fitness.

REST

· Make sure you get enough sleep. Do not feel guilty about getting eight or even nine hours a night.

· Reduce or eliminate alcohol in the evening. You will get better rest.

· If you have to get up in the middle of the night to the bathroom, reduce your overall evening fluid intake.

· Do not do rigorous exercise within three hours of bedtime. An even longer wait between exercise and bedtime is better.

· Get products that will help you sleep, if they are needed: a sleep mask, earplugs, a ‘white noise’ or a soothing-sounds machine.

NUTRITION

· Keep healthy snacks in your desk at work.

· Do not use work stress as an excuse to eat junk food. Fatty food only makes you feel worse.

· Eat more carbs in the evening, if you want a little help getting good nights sleep but do not over do it.

· Reduce spicy and fatty foods in your diet. This will also help you sleep better.

· If you tend to binge-eat when you are happy, develop a new habit to handle those times.

· Drink more water during the day instead of coffee, tea or sodas.

· Begin eating more fresh fruit as ‘dessert’ to reduce the amount of refined sugar in your diet.

· If you want to measure how you eat each day, but do not want a lot of record-keeping hassle, just remember the ‘fruits and vegetables’ portion of the pyramid. If you eat your allotted amount each day (most people do not), you will not have much room for fatty-laden foods.

· Make eating right like a hunt or adventure. If you like to cook, experiment with recipes from a healthy cookbook. For eating out, try new low-fat and vegetarian restaurants.

WORK

· If you work out at lunch, schedule it like a meeting with an important client. Do not let last-minute demands or drinking buddies talk you out of it.

· If you work out after work, view it as an ‘oases rather than more work.

· Remember how good your body will feel as you are working out. Give yourself extra time to relax in the sauna, steam room, or shower at the health club.

· Contrast your work with your workout. If you feel isolated at work, temporarily abandon your home gym and find a club that has lots of people, action and music. If your work is people-packed and you want a break, consider setting a nice, quiet home gym.

· If work is so demanding that it is eating away at your life without a break, consider counseling for the stress or even seeing your medical doctor for a prescription medicine that will help you. Consider if you should change jobs.

FITNESS

· Make your workouts totally yours. Do not let others nag you to spend less time at the gym or tell you that “at your age, people do not try so hard,” and other comments. Do not apologize to anyone for wanting to look and feel good.

· Do not make the stakes so high that workouts become a pressure. Set your own reachable goals, rather than bet buddies which one of you will have the smallest waist or biggest chest by Christmas.

· Pay less attention to the scale. “When you step on the scale,” says Tackett, “your weight reflects the combined total of both your lean body weight-muscle, bone, organs, fluids-and body fat weight.”

· Do not rely solely on height/weight charts such as BMI (Body Mass Index). These formulas do not take into account body composition and fat distribution, says Tackett. And since you cannot increase your height, such an index relies solely on weight loss to improve health.

· Invest in having your body fat measured by hydrostatic weighing, electrical impedance, or simply by skin-fold calipers. The calipers method is by far the cheapest. Health clubs, university and college health centers, and even some personal trainers’ business offer these services.

· On days when you do not see improvements in the mirror as quickly as you would like, remember the benefits of you exercise you do not see. “Long-term decreases in medical problems, injury and other health risks and an improved quality of life,” says Tackett.

January 4, 2010 Sharing God’s Word

January 4, 2010 Sharing God’s Word

TODAY'S ENCOURAGING WORD

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

-- 1 John 1:9

YOU ALL

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy.

-- Philippians 1:3-4

One would suspect from his frequent use of the phrase "you all" that the apostle Paul had come from Alabama or Georgia! But, in his writings, "you all" is not a southern idiom, but a warm expression of Christian fellowship. His heart was burdened, not just for a few close friends and loved ones (as in most of our own prayers), but for "all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:2).

He assured the Philippian church that he was, in every one of his prayers, praying for "you all." He told them of his confidence in their continued growth in Christ, that it was altogether fitting for him to believe this of "you all," thankful that "in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace" (Philippians 1:7).

He wrote in a similar vein to the Thessalonians at the start of his (chronologically) first epistle: "We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers" (1 Thessalonians 1:2). Paul had a long prayer list.

To the Roman Christians he wrote: "I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world" (Romans 1:8). Then he wrote his benediction: "Now the God of peace be with you all" (Romans 15:33). He concluded his message to the Christians at Corinth: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all" (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Peter and John used the same expression in their writings, for they also were large of heart and concern. Finally, these are the very last words of the Bible: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen" (Revelation 22:21).

PRAYER FOR THOSE LIVING IN FEAR OF TERRORISM

O God of mercy, bless all who live in the face of acts of terrorism. Grant them courage to go about their daily living. Give them hope that one day the hostility will cease. Guard the defenseless, especially the children and the elderly, the infirm and the weak. Bring peace to their homes and faith in their hearts. Amen.

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God Bless You!

January 3, 2010 Sharing God’s Word

TODAY'S ENCOURAGING WORD

Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father—will continue to be with us who live in truth and love.

-- 2 John 1:3

JUSTICE, MERCY, AND GRACE

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;).

-- Ephesians 2:4-5

The first word of our text sets up a great contrast between what we were and deserved as dead sinners, and what we are, due to God’s mercy and grace. In the preceding verses, the picture of man’s state is very dark; we "were dead in trespasses and sins" (v. 1). We were cut off from the things of light and "walked . . . according to the prince of the power of the air" (v. 2), controlled by Satan. Our lives were characterized by the "lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind" (v. 3). Everything about us was abhorrent to God, not only our sinful, fleshly actions, but the perversion of our minds, and we deserved His "wrath" (v. 3).

It is not likely that mere man could have conceived the concepts expressed in the following verses. Scarcely would a human mind have proposed that the very God, whose justice demanded punishment, would take that punishment upon Himself in order to lavish upon us His incomparable grace. "But God . . . is rich in mercy" (v. 4). He had compassion on us, which with "his great love" compelled Him to act strongly on our behalf. He devised a masterful plan to "quicken," or make alive, those who were dead "together with Christ," for "by grace ye are literally completely saved." Just as certainly as Christ is alive, we are "made alive" through His grace.

This plan of grace defies understanding and description. Through it, we have been "saved" (vv. 5, 8), we have a present home "in heavenly places" (v. 6), and we will experience its "exceeding riches" throughout the ages (v. 7). Even the faith to accept it is "the gift of God" (v. 8). God’s gracious plan fully overwhelms our wickedness and worthlessness; it exceeds all our desperate need.

PRAYER FOR FRIENDSHIP

You have blessed us, O God,
with the gift of friendship,
the bonding of persons
in a circle of love.
We thank you for such a blessing:
for friends who love us,
who share our sorrows,
who laugh with us in celebration,
who bear our pain,
who need us as we need them,
who weep as we weep,
who hold us when words fail,
and who give us the freedom
to be ourselves.
Bless our friends with health,
wholeness, life, and love.
Amen.

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January 2, 2010 Sharing God’s Word

TODAY'S ENCOURAGING WORD

Let them praise your great and awesome name. Your name is holy!

-- Psalm 99:3

FOOLISH CHARACTERISTICS

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

-- Proverbs 12:15

The book of Proverbs has much to say about those whom the writer calls fools. Actually, about ten different Hebrew words are used in Proverbs that translate as "fools," "foolishness," etc., and such words occur almost 100 times in that one book. Assuming the human writer was Solomon (the ultimate writer was, of course, the Holy Spirit), it is noteworthy that the reputedly wisest man of all time had more to say about fools than did anyone else. At the same time, he used the words "wise," "wisdom," etc., at least 125 times!

Our text uses both, contrasting the self-satisfied fool with the wise who listen to good advice. Such contrasts are abundant in Solomon’s proverbs, and we would do well to take them to heart. Note a few of these "pithy maxims," as men have called them.

"The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall" (Proverbs 10:8).

"It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom" (Proverbs 10:23).

"A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident" (Proverbs 14:16).

"Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise" (Proverbs 17:28).

"A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards" (Proverbs 29:11).

"The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools" (Proverbs 3:35).

There are many more, of course, but the wise reader will profit even from these. Indeed a wise person will "hearkeneth" unto good counsel and thus some day "inherit glory."

PRAYER; SHOW ME THE PATH TO HEALTH

Dear God,
I admit that I have come to both love
and hate the word "diet."
On the one hand, it represents hope for change.
On the other, it's like a sign flashing "Failure ahead!"
I don't want to embark on another faulty plan, Lord.
I want to embark on a journey with You
that is led by You and depends on Your power.
I can do nothing on my own!
Show me the path that will enable me to change.
Show me, as only You can,
what works for me, what is healthy for me.
I want to think of this venture in positive terms, Lord --
not that I am signing up to be miserable or in want.
I want to learn to feed my body what it truly needs when it truly needs it.
And to feed my soul with the Bread of Life -- You!
Today I place my future, my failures, my setbacks,
all of my hopes and plans into Your hands.
There alone will I find meaning
and true success in my life.
Amen.

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January 1, 2010 Sharing God’s Word

Happy New Year! Sharing God’s Word is back. Let us reflect back on 2009 and make the best of 2010!!!

January 1, 2010 Sharing God’s Word

TODAY'S ENCOURAGING WORD

For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see.

-- Psalm 36:9

THE NEW MAN

Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

-- Ephesians 4:24

When Jesus spoke with Nicodemus, He insisted that no one would ever see the Kingdom of God unless he was "born again" (John 3:3). The Greek phrase used by the Lord, gennethe anothen, literally is "born from above."

Peter used a different word, anagennao, which stressed the need for a second birth: "Not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever" (1 Peter 1:23). This "new creature" (2 Corinthians 5:17) requires a supernatural work that changes death to life (John 5:24)--literally, "having departed out of death into life."

Although that supernatural change does not produce a new body now, it does contain a pledge of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 5:5) that our mortality will be "swallowed up in life" (2 Corinthians 5:4). It is promised that "we shall all be changed . . . . For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality" (1 Corinthians 15:51-53). That event is yet future. What about now?

Now, we can "reign in life" (Romans 5:17). Now, we are empowered to participate in the "divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world" (2 Peter 1:4). Now, today in this life, "we are more than conquerors through him that loved us" (Romans 8:37). Our heavenly Father, having determined that we are "to be conformed to the image of his Son" (Romans 8:29), has made our bodies the "temple" of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), and had granted us access to the same power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead (Ephesians 1:20).

Rejoice! Our New Man has been given sufficient supernatural resources for "all things that pertain unto life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3).

PRAYER; FOR THE BLESSINGS OF THE PAST YEAR

O God, the beginning and the end of all things, Who art always the same, and Whose years fail not, we now, at the close of another year, kneel in adoration before Thee, and offer Thee our deepest thanks for the fatherly care with which Thou has watched over us during the past, for the many times Thou hast protected us from evils of soul and body, and for the numberless blessings, both temporal and spiritual, which Thou hast showered upon us. May it please Thee to accept the homage of our grateful hearts which we offer Thee in union with the infinite thanksgiving of Thy divine Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who with Thee liveth and reigneth forever and ever. Amen.

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God Bless You!