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My buddy Bryan over at PursuingYahweh has resumed his posts on “Fitness Fridays” … so I’m joining back in.  Today … just returned from Gnat’s Landing where I consumed an incredible bacon cheddar burger and fries.  Fitness Fridays?

Seriously, all is going well for me.  For those who are regular readers here (I love ya!), you know I committed to an outdoor regimen training program about 10 weeks ago.  I’ve lost around 15 pounds, but more importantly, I’ve lost several inches and gotten stronger.  I’m more motivated than EVER now that my lovely wife started saying “I can REALLY see your muscles and that you’re toning up” … Oh Yeah, Baby.

I have a recurring, chronic back injury where my lower, lumbar area just goes out from time to time.  I pray that God just heals that thing completely … that would be awesome, but it came back Tuesday.  We were doing something called “plyometric jumps” … you basically squat down very low, and then swing your arms and jump as high into the air as you can, and just a little forward.  We go 25-30 yards, turn around, and bring it back.  It’s hilarious - looks like a man-made, adult-frogger game.

These usually aren’t the best thing for my lower back - I totally forgot that, was feeling good, a bit competitive (my co-worker, Steve, was right beside me, jumping faster and higher than I), so I let it rip with only a few yards to go and BOOM - there she went.  I managed to finish the routine and even went back yesterday.  I have been icing it and stretching a lot.  It hurts, but it’s kinda like living by faith - you gotta press through, regardless of what you think, feel, or hear.  I managed to job about a mile this morning, then mow the lawn … that didn’t do wonders for the ole’ back, but I’m not just laying around on it, that’s for sure.

Today, I’m wearing shorts that a few months ago, were uncomfortable to button.  Now, they will fall right down without a belt.  Belt is on 2nd notch, almost the 3rd.  That’s results.  So yeah, I’m bragging here.  Who really cares?  I doubt anyone, but I’m shouting it.  I’m excited, proud, and most of all, pleased that I’m finally in obedience to God in this serious issue of my life.

God has been wrestling with me for a couple of years about my lifestyle and my health.  I’ve ignored the voice of the Holy Spirit over and over.  Finally, I said “OK”.  You could say I was a bit forced - I’d come to the place where I felt like my Spiritual walk was on a stand-still until I was obedient.  I’m thankful for a relentless God.  There’s nothing like the peace of knowing you are in obedience.  Granted, I’ve got plenty of areas where the struggle lives on daily.

How about you?  How’s your fitness?  Where are you closing your ear to that still, small voice?

Take the weekend and discuss!  See you on Sunday!

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I just read an incredible article by Tim Stevens about the culture needed in churches for volunteers.  This quote rocked my world:

It takes a volunteer-centric culture in the entire church, from top to bottom, to build a ministry that is truly focused on plugging people in positions where they are wired by God. Without that, a scarcity mindset takes over and we shift to turf-guarding and silo-building. And that produces frustration, bitterness and cynicism on a church staff–which no one likes to be around.

WOW - how true is that.  Checkout the rest of the article at LeadingSmart.Com.

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Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go round?

Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down
Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won’t last.

Do you run through each day
On the fly?

When you ask:  How are you?
Do you hear the reply?

When the day is gone,
do you lie in your bed

With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?

You’d better slow down.
Don’t go so fast.
Time is short.
The music won’t last.

Ever told your child,
We’ll do it tomorrow?

And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die

Cause you never had time
To call and say “Hi”?

You’d better slow down.
Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won’t last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift thrown away.

Life is not a race
Do take it slower.

Hear the music.
Before the song is over.

(a poem written by child psychologist David L. Weatherford, as quoted in “4-Hour Work Week”, Timothy Ferriss)

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This Sunday is July 5.  As Worship Leaders, we often struggle with how to manage this holiday in our corporate worship services.

Do you sing a patriotic song?  What’s the balance between recognizing the birthday of our nation’s independence, yet at the same time, maximizing the limited amount of time we have in our corporate gatherings to sing praises to Christ?

How about you?
Do you sing patriotic songs in church - especially on the weekend around July 4?
Why or Why Not?
If you do, how do they fit into the flow of your service?  Which songs do you use?

Let the discussion begin.

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Hey Gang,

Today’s “Monday Muse” has to do with “Twitter”.  At this point, I don’t feel like I need to explain what Twitter.Com is all about - you’ve already heard it everywhere.  (By the way, if you aren’t following my tweets, now is a good time to start!  @fmckinnon from me, @theworshipcomm for TheWorshipCommunity.Com and @ebusinessonline for the E-BusinessOnline.Com forum)

My question is this:

“What is your Twitter Follow Strategy”?

Do you follow everyone who follows you?
Do you only follow a select few people?
If you don’t follow everyone, how do you determine who you DO follow?

I’ve been on the “auto-follow” everyone but I have to confess, I’m seriously reconsidering this strategy.  Although I’ve found some cool people in my timeline talking about worship and leadership, I’ve also found “followers” who had obsene profiles, pornographic material, and other junk that I could care less about.  Not to mention I don’t like getting their “thanks for following me, check my site for the best deals on mortgage loans” direct messages.

So, what’s your strategy?

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