332 days till Ironman

Day 1. I am 38 years old..My official home scale starting weight is 287 I did 2.4 miles on my bike at lunch took 15 min. walked another 30 minutes briskly through out the rest of the day. Had to teach tonight, so i will have to make up more of the time this week. Thank you Amber A. for coaching me about time management and help me set goals.. I will post Amber's info latter this week for anyone looking for a trainer.. thankfully she is a good friend and has been willing to guide me to get a good foundation and a plan in place prayerfully we will be finished with that by this week to lay it out.

Day 2. I got up latter then i wanted to, but at 6:45 i still kicked in to do this.. My 2nd oldest son Robert was up already Cheering me on... Go dad you can do it... So i did a little bit more today... i did the 2.4 miles on the bike then I did .8 at a fast walk.... yeah i know run... ha ha.. i started with Jogging but lets just say i felt that maybe my knee caps were going to drop down to my feet... yeah i think i need to do some more tightening of the old muscle mass to keep things where there suppose to be.. with that being said.. the brisk walk is great. my wife is out of town this week so prayerfully the boys will get there work done and we can had down to the city soccer filed and have some fun (cross training) ahh yeahhhh.. it's easier to run if i have a ball to chase. ha ha...

Ok part of my starting this is to be consistent & not give up. The theory I am going on is to slowly build at first instead of rapid... because i do not want to quit. I could go all out, but i think i would be burned out by day 2 and then i would have to recover from doing all that... i think it's a common mistake we all make sometimes.. so my approach to pain is to over come it in small quantities at a time. Consistent gradual pain i can learn to ignore or work past, but sever on set of crippling pain... well that says it all... i don't want to quit I don't think i can say that enough. From what i read it really gets into the mental battle when it gets into the pain. next aspect which is the most important part of my workout with this morning for me was Repentance... i was not able to get into that zone yesterday. Music... ***** ((((Just a by word... Music helps me to move into this from quickly.... today's song of choice... "Look Yourself" from the group Apologetix & the Cd is Apologetix Classics....)))) as country as I am, as a pastor at a Cowboy Church... i love rap maybe it was the arra that i grew up in i don't know.. but it moves me....****** i don't know what it has to do with me or ADD.. but nothing like a great beat to help me focus in... move past the cares of this world.. but it has to be beats with words that really make me focus on what is the most important... and that is the spiritual aspect...

               God started ripping that wide open today, and I promise you Satan was at work to keep me from getting on that bike this morning..... as I started in i just felt terrible for allowing my self to get to a complacent part of my life physically, spiritually, & emotionally God Forgive me for waiting this long to be moved by your spirit, for not setting a goal, for being apathetic to my life, spiritually, physically, for waiting for so long to push my self, to train, and move past being a light weight to moving to being a heavy weight spiritually and physically... it's hard to hold weeping in as you ride or run..
          i don't what it takes for you my friends but what it ever takes move into weeping over the sin that we struggle with.. and as i moved into weeping and asking for forgiveness i moved into an anger.. not a uncontrollable anger but and empowering anger int he midst of prayer. My mind move past my sin and into praying for my friends and recently a family as come to me asking to pray for there house because they felt a spirit was in the house there haunting them.. I went into prayer over that family and that house, and then my mind moved to another aspects of the lives of those who are around me.. I want to encourage all of you who do no know, or who have not experienced prayer in the midst of working out.. i find it even more exhilarating that i can comprehend or explain.. i know it's not the same for everyone, but for me it's moving.

     Two things I felt was affirmation on this journey. one is that i have started. one of our member brought me an article yesterday about a evangelist who has been battling cancer and started running marathons and his journey in doing that. and in this next year we have been praying that maybe God would open a door for one of as a staff to go to India and see the work that we have been supporting as a church, and possible better understand it. low in behold this evangelist on his front page of the his newsletter had just gotten back from India. Since then a friend of my from college that is from India has been in touch with me over the past couple of months. So who know what God might would have in store...

         This is hard for me, because i have just always felt that i just want what God wants me to do, and i have tried to live a life with no dreams, no ambition then to only sever our God with where He would send me, or with what He would want me to do. i don't want my agenda to get in the way with what He desires for my life. so I prayerfully stumble into the time in my life.. invigorated by the challenge, even though it is personal, but it seams that spiritually it has helped me to feel even more alive... maybe it's because i am headed in a direction. I prayerfully seek a balance through this.. I look forward tomorrows prayer time (yes i pray through out the day for people who request, who come into the office, but that is my start of the day prayer time)... Today I could not help but imagine after my time of repentance that had huge angle wings driving me forward.... I know now you get to hear the weird side of Scotty... ha ha but I love all of you... i look forward to living this life to the fullest beside all of you... May we no longer settle for complacency, me wall all work better together for our God, and may our choices impact the world, and leave a foot print for those behind to follow, and my that foot print scream out loud in compassion and love..... "Jesus....... Lovessssssssssss........ youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu" I will live... i will not quit.... I pray your journey has, is, and will be alive and compelling..

From Fat-Man to Ironman!

Today I am 6'2" and I weight 287lbs. Thanks to one of my Best friends (Sam), a little old school rivalry between the two of us, his sister Hannah and her running the Cozumel ironman this weekend..... we have taken off the gloves and thrown down to run a ironman in a year, and if God willing the Cozumel Ironman this time next year. this is where i plan on sharing how God uses this to impact me with this burning desire to do this, and my physical desire to rebel against this. I have some Good friends that will encourage me along the way i am sure, but most of all i have a Great wife who believes in me. I know that an ironman can be consuming, but i am going to strive to balance my work, family life, and preparation for this the best i can while including my family into it as well... I am hyper and a ball of energy and really looking forward to this.. Scotty

soooo

Man energy comes and goes through out the days. My focus as of lately, and probably the next bible study/sermon i will try to write will be on diligence. I really think that to many leaders/pastors focus on the effect of diligence (prosperity) and neglect the key behind diligence (consistent work ethic). To many people would rather pray for the prayer of instant gratification (oooopss) I mean instant blessings. I mean then you don't have to do the work, you got God to do his part and your part. I perceive the bible speaks to us being diligent with what we have been given up to the point God can do the things that only God can do in our lives. now yes there are something that diligence just will not pay off for and only God can step through and provide especially the spiritual sides of things like healings, loneliness, demon possession, the traps of sin we have fallen into. Yes only God's grace can truly intervene when it comes to that. An to an extent maybe some of what we try to strive to achieve spiritually can help to impact those out comes, & even greatly sometimes.

Now when it comes to the physical world of monetarily items, things we want, grades in school, the new car, a house to live in, the extras that make it easier, for the most part those come through diligence if that is your focus in life. Then somewhat in what you pray for. For the most part though if you turn you heart towards the forgiveness you have received, and realize you potential in being a catalyst in sharing that forgiveness with others, or minister along side of or two other brothers & sisters in Christ or minister to those who are lost.

I truly believe when Jesus said,"you do not have because you do not ask, and you have not asked in the right heart of a matter if you have" you have to believe what he says. Take time to pray, be diligent, and ask God to move in the ways that only he can and even more as you are persistent to complete the task he has laid out before you.
just something to think about today.

ahhh

"Hey it has been" always seems to be the how i start of my own personal blog. crazy... I am not for sure what to write today. this is just a couple of day's after our fall Festival. it's a great cool Day. had some good hospice visits today. I know you are thinking how do you have a good Hospice visit.. you do. any time you go to visit with them and see how alive they still are and can speak words of comfort, words of excitement, & share words of hope with them. that is a meaningful time for them, and for you. i think i have FB something every Thursday for the past couple of Thursday's about keeping up with you loved ones or friends that find them up in that situation. still be there loved one, still be there friend and do the best that you can to go and see them. even five minutes can turn there day around. it makes everything a little more brighter and hopeful for them before they go to be with our Lord. Be sensitive to there schedule if you can. find out when they feel the strongest, and when they feel there weakest. and if you have to like me, get into a habit of when you are going to go see them. as unordinary as that is, or unspontanious as that makes you feel. it guarantees a time that you get to spend with them, and that start to look forward to that, because they know you are coming at set day, or at a set time. i don't know what works best for you but this has worked best for me, because then i make sure i get to see them. as for the family, doing great, growing like weeds you can check out most of the wild goings on of the Smith clan by keeping up with our facebook. i try to post video from time to time. i will have been 4 years AT CF coming Feb 19th. it seems longer then that, but it doesn't seem that long at all as well. Crazy knowing i made the transition here from being youth to being an associate pastor. I have done so many funerals & wedding in the past 3 years, you just can't imagine. An all kinds as well. it's amazing to see people try to handle Joy & Sorrow. Speechlessness of comes to mind in a good way. Most all people are cared for deeply and are missed by someone. the extent of grief & remorse runs deep in the lives of many, just the same as happiness, and Peace. no matter where you are in your walk, i pray that you know you can turn to God in the mist of you hurt, your pain, your joy, and your sorrow, and find Peace in God through his Son Jesus. He cares for you so greatly. Doesn't mean you problems get fixed. Lord knows i got problems that are no where fixed from personal, to financial, to spelling.. ha ha.. that is not include how mentally incompetent that i am... ha ha... But He does say He is there for us through the Holy spirit. and I believe that is the peace we can find in the mist of our storms. it dose not make sense any of the time, most of the time. But it's there when we need it as long as we are willing to repent and turn back towards him. He is there, Eagerly.... waiting..... to complete the good work He began in us.... May today, you find hope & peace in God's word. Know that this the one thing that will be able bring you peace when nothing else can. and if that is one of the few and only things i can ever share with anyone i pray that it is this Saving Grace that you have stumbled on today. John 3:16-17 For God sent his one and only son so that who ever would believe in him would not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send Jesus into the world to condemn it, but to Save it. something to make you smile Jax laugh.

long time

It has been along time since i have posted last. alot going on in the life of our church family. always is, life never slows down, it just keeps moving forward. i am amazed some times at the amount of people who try to stop it though, some people are caught up in it, and some people are riding the wave, and some people feel they can barley even keep there head above water..
i starting to run into more and more people who are afraid to hope.
that would rather submit there life to cope with the worst, then try to hope, believe or even want what is right.
they Give up. Father, how do i help them to understand not to give up. Please guide me in my studies of your word, in prayer for your people, Lord please show them how alive you really are & to have hope again.
please do this in the name of your Son Jesus..
Amen.

Hi From My Corner

Hey just wanted to say hi to everyone who is not reading this. it's been a crazy year.. crazy to think it's been another year. I remember not long ago it seemed like time just stood still and was never going to pass, and now like all the older people who went before me my comments have become, "wow how quick time flies by". Jax will be 1 year old this month, Isom is half way done with first grade, Robert will be going into kindergarten, and Kadin, & Jax will still be at home another year.
Faith and I will be coming up on our 12 year anniversary. I could go into alot of Detail about what has gone on this past year, but it's best to know that God is at work and has done alot of Great things through us, that we do not deserve for him to have done through us. God is still giving me great opportunities to serve here at CF and i really enjoy it.
Have a great Christmas, and I pray you are excited that you have another day of breath another opportunity to get it right today. An that you relish the opportunity that you get to do it.
We love you Guys, take care, and when you get a chance, get a hold of us.
Scotty

behind & Catch up

ever feel like you are so far behind you can't catch up, ever feel like you have a million unfinshed projects and you just want to finish one?

welcome to today