Today I want to talk to you about hope. I belive the single most devistating thing that can happen in your life is to loose hope. Hope is one of the most important parts of our lives but how often do we hear someone say, "Don't get your hopes up." That is one the of the dumbest things I have ever heard. I want you to get your hope sky high. OK, I can immediately hear people saying, "He has flipped out. I hoped that this would happen or that would happen and it didn't. When I hoped for that situation to work out in my life and it didn't, that hurt me deeply and I would have been better of not to have gotten my hopes up at all."
Let me say, I certainly understand your point. I have done the same thing. I got my hopes up that a certain area of my life would change and it didn't. A few months ago, I got my hopes up about a certain relationship and that didn't work. I used to get my hopes up all the time that I could go on a diet and loose weight. I used to get my hopes up that I would be in a great relationship with a woman and that didn't work. Even recently, I got my hopes up about a situation that didn't work out like I wanted. So I should have just let it go. I should have not hoped at all. Think about it. Wouldn't it have been better if I hadn't hoped. If I had just expected failure. That way I wouldn't have felt the disappointment and in some cases pain of the failure. I can see what you mean by your question above. Maybe you were even right.
Well, not so fast. The critical question about hope is in what or where do I place it? If I place my hope in you that you will do something or you place your hope in me that I will do something, at some point we will both be disappointed. Why? Because we aren't perfect. Also, sometimes we put our hope in a person who isn't capable of doing what we want anyway. Think of it this way, if you put your hope in me that I will be able to dunk a basketball. I can 100% gaurantee you that you will be disappointed. I am 5'7" tall and my verticle jump won't get me there. That's not really important in the grand scheme of life but what if you put your hope in a friend or relationship to make you happy?
What if you looked to a girl or guy as the thing that was going to make you happy in life? That other person is going to make a mistake somewhere and disappoint you. It will probably hurt when they do. See, they weren't made perfect so they are not capable of being perfect. Everyone is going to make mistakes and when the mistake involves you, it is going to hurt. "OK," you say, "if you want me to have hope and hope is so critical to my life, who or what do I put my hope in?"
Some of you who read this are ahead of me and know exactly where I am going. That makes me smile. I will tell you where I put my hope. I put my hope in God. He isn't just a train ticket to Heaven. He is what keeps me going here. I know that he cannot fail. If I put my trust in him, there is no area we cannot conquer. I desire with all my heart to have a godly mate. I want a woman I can cherish, protect, care for, and grow with. I want one that I can talk to. You know my personal feelings from reading the Box. So when I get around someone who I think is a good candidate, do I put my hope in her that she will be what I am seeking? Nope, I put my trust in God. He said He would provide all my needs so I put my hope in Him that He will provide what I need. I don't hope in the woman, I hope in God. When I do this, there is such great peace because no matter what comes up, my hope is in God. If I have a good night or bad, it doesn't matter because my hope stays where it belongs. Guess what, as I have done this, I have seen deliverance and help from God in every area where I put this to work.
Recently on Facebook there was a person who stated that they were Wiccan (sp?). My response was, Why? I certainly respect their right to be Wiccan. That wasn't really what I was asking. Then someone else posted that this person was Wiccan because they chose their religion just like I did. Well I appreciate their response as I do believe they were honestly trying to help me out but what I wanted to know is why did you chose to be Wiccan? I can tell you why I choose to be a Christian. It's because God still helps me everyday. It's because when I call on Him, He answers. It's because when things seem like they are coming apart, I can go to Him and He makes me to be at peace even though it looks like I am in deep trouble. When I place my hope in Him, it centers and grounds me. All of the sudden, my world turns right side up and things look good again.
And that's another Opinion of the Minion
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Run Minion Run
Today, I want to talk to you about running. "Well Tommy," you say, "That doesn't sound all that challenging. How are you going to have an opinion at the end of this?" Give me a little space and I will explain. I hope this challenges you.
As most of you know, I used to weigh 350 pounds. I never met a buffet I didn't like though most of the buffet type restaurants didn't like me. :-) See I took a buffet as a personal challenge. The words on the front door said, "All You Can Eat". They didn't say, "All You Want to Eat," or "All You Should Eat," or "Eat Enough to Get Full." They said, "All You Can Eat". I was never one to back down from a challenge so I went at each one with determination. I would eat so much pizza, mexican food and even chinese food that I would have a stomach ache when I left the restaurant. But I ate all I could. My friends and I even had personal records when we were young. They weren't ones to be proud of though. And when I stepped on a scale to weigh myself, it would flash the words, "One person on the scale at a time please." OK I am just kidding about the last sentence but I hope it made someone laugh.
Back then I had trouble climbing up a flight of stairs. When I got to the top of the staircase at our office building, I was winded a little. Back then, the idea of walking a mile was impossible. I just couldn't do it. But life is all about perspective.
Today, I run six miles a day, five days a week. Is that a lot? For some yes; for some no but it doesn't matter, it's good for me. But my perspective is much different today than it was seven and a half years ago. At that time, I would never have even dreamed of being able to run six miles. I wouldn't have dreamed of running six feet. It was just not something I planned to do. Today, things are much different. If you had asked me then, I would have told you that six miles was impossible. And guess what, back then it was.
But I started running. At first, I just walked on the treadmill. Then I decided I would walk for 5 or 6 minutes and trot for a minute. Pretty soon, it progressed to walking 4 minutes and jogging a minute. It just kept progressing until I was running. The next thing I knew I decided to run the Cowtown Marathon (It's In Fort Worth). Imagine that. From 350 pounds to running a marathon in a little less than two years. That's a miracle from God. God is able to do more than we can ask or think because not only did I finish my first marathon but I finished in the top 30% of all the runners. I have ran two marathons and I used the training manual from the Boston marathon to get ready for both. At the end of my training, I was running about 75 miles a week. My long run day was over 20 miles. Am I saying this to brag? Of course not. I am saying this because life is all about perspective. When I was 350 pounds, I could never have seen myself running even 6 miles at one time. Then at the end of my marathon training, six miles was only a good warm up. At that point, I thought only running six miles was like a vacation day.
Now think about your own life for a few minutes. What was the six mile situation in your life? Was it a relationship, money, grades, where to go to college, weight? Are there things that once looked impossible that are not really any big deal today? Remember what it was like when you first faced that impossible situation. Remember how you saw no way out of it and how it looked like it was going to do real damage to your life. Now look back at it after you have come through. It doesn't seem like that big a deal does it? All the worry and fear and for what? You came through! That six mile situation in your life wasn't so big after all?
By now, most of you probably know where I am headed. Let me ask you another question that is equally important. What six mile situation are you facing right now? What looks impossible? What has you laying awake at night worrying about it? OK now that you know what I am talking about, how do you handle it? The answer is one step at a time. Do what you can do and learn to let go of what you can't. I am certainly not perfect at it but I want to get better. Remember this six mile situation that you are facing can turn into just another success in your life and you will come through it!
And that's another Opinion of the Minion
As most of you know, I used to weigh 350 pounds. I never met a buffet I didn't like though most of the buffet type restaurants didn't like me. :-) See I took a buffet as a personal challenge. The words on the front door said, "All You Can Eat". They didn't say, "All You Want to Eat," or "All You Should Eat," or "Eat Enough to Get Full." They said, "All You Can Eat". I was never one to back down from a challenge so I went at each one with determination. I would eat so much pizza, mexican food and even chinese food that I would have a stomach ache when I left the restaurant. But I ate all I could. My friends and I even had personal records when we were young. They weren't ones to be proud of though. And when I stepped on a scale to weigh myself, it would flash the words, "One person on the scale at a time please." OK I am just kidding about the last sentence but I hope it made someone laugh.
Back then I had trouble climbing up a flight of stairs. When I got to the top of the staircase at our office building, I was winded a little. Back then, the idea of walking a mile was impossible. I just couldn't do it. But life is all about perspective.
Today, I run six miles a day, five days a week. Is that a lot? For some yes; for some no but it doesn't matter, it's good for me. But my perspective is much different today than it was seven and a half years ago. At that time, I would never have even dreamed of being able to run six miles. I wouldn't have dreamed of running six feet. It was just not something I planned to do. Today, things are much different. If you had asked me then, I would have told you that six miles was impossible. And guess what, back then it was.
But I started running. At first, I just walked on the treadmill. Then I decided I would walk for 5 or 6 minutes and trot for a minute. Pretty soon, it progressed to walking 4 minutes and jogging a minute. It just kept progressing until I was running. The next thing I knew I decided to run the Cowtown Marathon (It's In Fort Worth). Imagine that. From 350 pounds to running a marathon in a little less than two years. That's a miracle from God. God is able to do more than we can ask or think because not only did I finish my first marathon but I finished in the top 30% of all the runners. I have ran two marathons and I used the training manual from the Boston marathon to get ready for both. At the end of my training, I was running about 75 miles a week. My long run day was over 20 miles. Am I saying this to brag? Of course not. I am saying this because life is all about perspective. When I was 350 pounds, I could never have seen myself running even 6 miles at one time. Then at the end of my marathon training, six miles was only a good warm up. At that point, I thought only running six miles was like a vacation day.
Now think about your own life for a few minutes. What was the six mile situation in your life? Was it a relationship, money, grades, where to go to college, weight? Are there things that once looked impossible that are not really any big deal today? Remember what it was like when you first faced that impossible situation. Remember how you saw no way out of it and how it looked like it was going to do real damage to your life. Now look back at it after you have come through. It doesn't seem like that big a deal does it? All the worry and fear and for what? You came through! That six mile situation in your life wasn't so big after all?
By now, most of you probably know where I am headed. Let me ask you another question that is equally important. What six mile situation are you facing right now? What looks impossible? What has you laying awake at night worrying about it? OK now that you know what I am talking about, how do you handle it? The answer is one step at a time. Do what you can do and learn to let go of what you can't. I am certainly not perfect at it but I want to get better. Remember this six mile situation that you are facing can turn into just another success in your life and you will come through it!
And that's another Opinion of the Minion
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