Biggest Loser: Unpriority Priorities

We're all probably guilty of allowing something small become big enough to get in our way by ruining our mood/day or causing us to put other things to the back burner.  Waking up late isn't that big of a deal but we may allow it to have some major impacts on the day.  We could deal with it and understand that this is the situation and not allow things to be affected by it.  I could write several examples of areas where we allow the little things to grow to sizes they shouldn't become close to growing.

Life tends to be filled up with lots of little things: daily duties, new duties, unexpected twists.  With those little things that fill us up we may lose focus on the "one thing" that Jesus spoke of when He was in a teachable moment with Martha and Mary.

As life hands us things that "pack on the weight", we need to think about how we can shed some of that extra poundage so that we will live a healthier life for Him.  One way to think about that is to understand that we tend to prioritize things that are not much of a priority.  Therefore, we need to unprioritize the priorities.  Yesterday, we discussed that, leaping off from Habakkuk 3:17-18.  Here are some applications you can choose to use this week...

1. Make a List (literally or figuratively) ~ Over the next week you may want to make a list of the different areas in which you tend to give your attention to.  Think about those areas and see if they are important - really important.  Are some of them taking you or your attention away from the things that are actual priorities?  If so, put your priorities first and the one of less priority after.
2. Accountability ~ Grab someone to be your partner to make sure that you are following up on your newly found habit.
3. Rejoice in the Lord ~ Take time to count your blessings.  This is helpful all the time, but when life doesn't seem to be going well for you, realizing your blessings can make a big difference.
4. Praise God ~ Thank Him for the things you like in your life.  However, do not limit it to that.  You may want to praise Him for the areas you don't realize are worth praising about.  Praise Him for all the little things - name some of them.  Praise Him for bigger things by naming some of them, too.  Praising Him humbles us and encourages us.
5. Don't Worry...Be Happy ~ Easier said than done, that's for sure. If you're like me you worry or analyze things that shouldn't.  Those habits weigh you down.  I can't even think to imagine how many things I have forgotten to do because I was worrying about something else.  It is really frustrating, which doesn't make one happy.  So, try to reduce your "caloric intake" of worry, so that you will have room to concentrate.

As the week progresses keep in mind the little things that are collecting on your plate.  Are they beginning to weigh you down?  There may be nothing wrong with these things.  You don't necessarily have to avoid them, just be disciplined enough to put them to the bottom of your list, so they do not cloud with the most important.  Some of these "least important" may be what you are carrying around with you continually, just like fat on a body.  Do you put more emphasis on your job or your friends than you do your family?  Do you rush to the phone the moment a text message comes in, even if it is conflicting with other events going on at that time (time with family, school, job, etc.), not realizing that the message isn't that urgent, generally.

Have a great week shedding the calories of "unpriority priorities" and "ME" (from last week).

 

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Pulling Your Foot Off of First Base

At a previous ministry position there was a couple who had been the "gate" for ideas, prior to me coming.  People had brought up ideas to them and many were met with something like "That won't work here".  It had come to the point that people's fires were quenched.  They no longer had drive they lived under duress.  They stopped having any ideas.  I like to be the "cheerleader" the "let's see if that will work" kind of person.  So, when I arrived, people came to me with ideas, and I opened the gate to the new ideas.  Some people reopened their mind and started having a vision.  They started seeing their faith play out on more than one day (or two) a week.  Some, who had lived under that for so long had, unfortunately, lost their vision or still lived in fear of being told "no" as those people still lived there.


There are too numerous of events in the past that have occurred because of someone going out of a limb and trying something.  Those types of situations can be risky, but you never know what the outcome will be if you don't try.  That brings us to this week's quote...

Progress always involves risks. You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first.  ~ Frederick Wilcox

This quote really rings true in many areas.  By now, most of you have seen "The Blind Side".  Imagine where Michael Oher would be if Mrs. Tuohy wouldn't have had her husband stop to pick him up that winter night.  She went through risks. 

In the movie "Rudy" what would have been the outcome if Rudy wouldn't have tried to sneak in to the custodian room to sleep?  Or if he wouldn't have just kept going?

Are you preventing yourself from taking yourself off of "first base"?  Are you thinking 90 feet (distance between bases) is too far to run?  Are you thinking "What if I get tagged out?"  If so, maybe you could be thinking, "How fast can I get there?" 

Try turning the negative questions into positive ones.  Try taking the step off of first..see what happens.  Maybe you'll make it to second...maybe even third, or home.  Or maybe you'll get out.  The great thing is, you took the risk.  The risk may pay off to teach you how to "steal" better the next time. 

Take the risk...take your foot off of first...make that attempt...try something new...talk to someone...launch an idea...the risks are there, but you may never know what the reality is till you pull your foot off.  Otherwise, you'll just remain "on first".





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Biggest Loser: Losing "ME"

We live in a world full of "ME"s.  I was looking at someone's Facebook page yesterday and they had a cartoon on their "links" page that was supposed to say "America" at the top, but all the letters were on the bottom of the cartoon except for M & E.  I thought that it hit the nail about yesterday's message regarding the need to lose the "ME" weight.

As this series is about "losing 'weight' for a better life", to lose the "ME" weight is vital to having a healthier life.  "ME" tends to get in our way or weigh us down in several areas.  Some of these areas will be expanded on in later sermons.  However, if "ME" is in your way, you are probably being prevented from doing some really amazing things!

As we used Matthew 19:16-24, about the Rich Young Ruler, as a springboard, here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

1. Examine where the "ME"s are the biggest ~ You are going to have areas in your life that "ME" will be more prominent.  What may be in the way for you, may not be for someone else.  So, don't compare your life to someone else.  See where the "ME"s are in your life that you must work on getting rid of them to have a better life.
2. Refrain from "I can't" ~ Obviously the negative points back to the subject.  One author once said that he never wrote a book, he just wrote chapters.  Looking at something that is "mountain" in comparison, can be overwhelming and cause us to quit.  However, achieving small goals will help us attain the larger goals.
3. Take a step ~ Staying put gets us nowhere.  Taking a step allows us to move forward.  Is someone asking to do something that may seem uncomfortable?  Take a step and go forward - you may find it fulfilling.  Is there something that you could use your talents in, but aren't sure how?  Take a step and see how God uses the opportunity.  Have you been wanting to meet that neighbor that you continually drive by?  Take a step and go out the door to shake hands and simply say "Welcome to the neighborhood!"
4. Look Up/Forward ~ Studies say that a person who consistently looks downward when they walk shows a lack of self-esteem.  If you are looking up and forward, you may see the potentials that are around you and you may develop a greater self-esteem in the process.

Your "ME" may not be allowing you to see what you can do with life or it may be weighing on you, preventing you from making the progress you could be making.  It won't be an easy process, but what "weight" loss ever is?

Life has too much baggage...let's get rid of the "ME" so we can be more healthy!




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Using What's Available to Make 2010 a 'Masterpiece'

Many areas in life are made up of people using creativity to make something out of very little.  We tend to be a "meat and potato" country.  You can go to restaurant after restaurant and see some variation of the "meat and potato".  These variations make it seem like there are much more options, but you narrow it down to about 3-4 meats and one potato, just with different variances between each one.  

You are just you.  What you do with that you is up to you.  You can say "I'm bored" or you can say, "What can I use today for to make a difference in someone's life?"  Both are really a choice based on the state of mind you are in at the time. How you use the things we have brings us to this week's quote...

There are only 3 colors, 10 digits, and 7 notes; its what we do with them that's important.  ~Jim Rohn

Three colors that make up everything you see in color form.  As a husband who has a wife that likes OPI Nail Polish, have you ever noticed how many colors there are in nail polish?  There isn't just one red...probably hundreds of them!  Ten digits that compose numbers that are infinite, literally.  Seven notes that have helped compose songs that draw people close, pump people up, or even bring people down.  Notes have an unlimited amount of places and arrangements throughout a song.

In the coming year, how will you use colors, digits, and notes to make 2010 a fun year for you? What will you "paint" in 2010?  What "song" will you compose in 2010?

May God bless the upcoming year!

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Biggest Loser: Losing "Weight" for a Better Life

It is the end of 2009 and even if you haven't thought about a "resolution", per se, you have probably thought about things you'd like to do differently or goals you'd like to accomplish.  You may be one of millions that is going to work on your diet.  Another season of "The Biggest Loser" is coming out very soon.  It has transformed many lives, even if some have reverted back to their old way of life.  One thing that is vital in weight loss is to create a different lifestyle.  Enjoy some of the same foods, just in moderation.  Depending on the calorie content, it may be a once-a-week moderation.  Those that are trying to survive on carrots, who used to have a Value Meal are not going to be able to keep the weight off.  Plus, if you reduce your caloric intake too much you will reduce your metabolism so much that as soon as you eat items high in calories, you won't burn it off very quickly, thus resulting in added adipose tissue (fat).

In the religious world we are oftentimes lugging around a lot of weight that we don't need.  We lug around weight of the past, weight of fear, weight of legalism, weight of family issues, etc.  The more weight you carry around, the slower you are.  You cannot make the advancements if you are so loaded down with "weight".

As we begin 2010, I began a sermon series based off the TV show, The Biggest Loser.  However, in the series, we are going to focus on spiritual "weight" we may need to lose to make us a better, lighter person.  Here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

1. Make a List ~ Ponder what things in your life are weighing you down, then prioritize them from greatest weight to least weight.
   
2. Pray about the List ~ After you have made the list, then offer it to God to help you to see how you can start losing that weight.  Then, adjust the list accordingly.
   
3. Trim Down on "World" Things ~ Taking the "L" out of world creates WORD.  Taking yourself out of a few "world" things can help you get into the "word" more (God's Word).
4. Be Honest With Yourself ~ As you go through this process, be honest to see what areas you need to eliminate in your life that is weighing you down.
5. Get a Partner ~ As the process is not easy, and there will be some challenging times, get someone who you can lean on during those tough times so that you will not quit or give up.
   

At the end of the season of The Biggest Loser there are some amazing changes that take place.  Over the course of the next several weeks, we'll see if you are able to have any of these amazing changes that take place in your life as you seek to eliminate a few things in your life that are weighing you down.

No pain, no gain!

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