Brethren

Believers are children of God, and so brethren of Christ. 

It is good, very good indeed, to think. Thinking on deep and mysterious things, are pause worthy, and when reading Matthew Henry's commentary on verses in scripture, I cannot skim the surface of understanding, and glaze over the wisdom richly flourishing there, rather, I must mull the ideas over in my mind, have them percolate in my soul, so that they make sense to me; this happens some times days later, when I feel compelled to reread what had me stop in my tracks and ask: What kind of wonder is this? How do I capture the essence of the concept and have it soak into my being? 

I have sisters and brothers in Christ. I call them this without hesitation, because when we are in each other's company, it feels like a reunion of family members. There is this rare and wonderful feeling that warms my spirit when I am with them, and each time I am with them, the bonds strengthen and solidify. When I am in God's brilliant presence, while reading his Word, I am overcome with a sense of blessed bliss - Can you relate, dear one? 

Now here is what caught my attention recently. This is an excerpt from Matthew Henry Commentary on The Bible, Acts to Revelation, Volume 6, page 724. 

The devil was the first sinner, and the first tempter to sin. and sin was the procuring cause of death; and he may be said to have the power of death; as he draws men into sin, the ways whereof are death, as he is often permitted to terrify the consciences of men with the fear of death, and as he is the executioner of divine justice, haling their souls from their bodies to the tribunal of God, there to receive their doom, and then being their tormentor, as he was before their tempter. In these respects he may be said to have had the power of death. But now Christ has so far destroyed him who had the power of spiritual death; nor can he draw any into sin (the procuring cause of death), nor require the soul of any from the body, nor execute the sentence upon any but those who choose and continue to be his willing slaves, and persist in their enmity to God. 

Let us break this paragraph into bite sized morsels: 

The devil is described thusly:

The first sinner

The first tempter

Draws men into sin

Terrifies the consciences of men with the fear of death

The executioner of divine justice

Hales souls to the tribunal of God where they receive their doom

A tormentor

May be said to have the power of death

The sentence portion that states, sin was the procuring cause of death, reverberates in my thoughts, bouncing off my skull walls. 

To procure means to obtain or acquire something, especially through special means, extra effort, or when it is difficult to get...

Imagine with me, how sin procures death. Sin acquires, with extra effort and special means, death. Could it be that death is difficult to procure, because dear one, the grace of God, his long-suffering, and his merciful and majestic omnipotence, give us ample latitude, permitting us time and space to come to our senses, and choose not to sin? The God of glory came in the flesh to save us from slavish sin that leads to eternal death: Jesus conquered death and the grave, because we simply, cannot. 

The covid craze revealed and accentuated how terrified the masses are of death. I asked one of my best friends back in 2020, that tried insisting I follow protocols, If it isn't fear, what is it? If, dear one, it isn't fear, that drives people to think and behave in frightened ways, what, pray tell, is it? 

FOMO was a trendy thing to talk about starting in 2004. Fear Of Missing Out can be the undertow undertone, that has people saying and doing things that help them procure death via their sinful choices. It was a grave error in judgment, and a fatal blow sin, for thousands and thousands of people, that wore masks, kept their distance, obsessively wiped down everything they touched with chemically soaked towels, used hand sanitizer, and lastly, got injected with substances that the human body understands naturally, is toxic and deadly. Their behaviour was evidence of their enmity with God, because deep down, and then fully revealed, they did not trust in the Sovereigns providential care, but rather, decided to make their own way in the world... this has proven to be fatal in countless ways. 

The massive sin of self-possession and pride, in believing that we are in charge of our own health and can secure, or procure it, in unnatural and chemical ways, is the sin that procures death. 

Christians, perhaps you have noticed, think and behaved in unique ways; they are: 

Tempted, but ask for God's strength to resist sin

Do not fear death

Welcome the Just Judge

Willing receive correction and rebuke from the Lord

Feel the peace, joy, and love of God, even when facing trials and tribulations

Let us return to Matthew Henry's commentary, referring to Jesus, the Conqueror:

That he might deliver his own people from the slavish fear of death to which they are often subject. This may refer to the Old-Testament saints, who were more under a spirit of bondage, because life and immortality were not so fully brought to light as now they are by the gospel. Or it may refer to all the people of God, whether under the Old Testament or the New, whose minds are often in perplexing fears about death and eternity. Christ became man, and died, to deliver them from those perplexities of soul, by letting them know that death is not only a conquered enemy, but a reconciled friend, not sent to hurt the soul, or separate it from the love of God, but to put an end to all their grievances and complaints, and to give them a passage to eternal life and blessedness; so that to them death is not now in the hand of Satan, but in the hand of Christ - not Satans's servant, but Christ's servant - has not hell following it, but heaven to all who are in Christ. 

The above paragraph is the one that had me awestruck in wonder. When you and I see Jesus as the Lord of glory, as the Soother of souls, the One that sets us free from our slavish sin, and the perplexities that trouble our spirit, we cannot help but look forward to an eternity in his perfect presence. 

How can I possibly see other humans as ruling over me, demanding my compliance and acceptance of a fate that they want to impose based on the Devil's demonic demands, when I have the Saviour speaking powerfully to my mind, to my heart, to my soul, to my eternal spirit? 

Sin procures death, because it is egregious to deny God's right to reign and rule in the minds and hearts and lives of mere men, his created creatures. We do not bite or slap away the hand the feeds us, or attempt to steal from the one that provides and say, I do not need you... to do so is perilous. Covid taught us all a huge lesson, and it has been a vulgar one indeed: the suffering, the quick and sudden deaths, the agony of watching people we love maimed and stumbling, shows us just how dependant upon God we are; now is a very good time to admit that we are at all times, reliant upon him. Men cause harm and injury to other men, but God, never ever, for the fun of it, or for any other reason, hurts his creatures. 

While there is breath, there is healing hope. The body may be breaking down and beyond repair, but the soul is made of a sturdier substance, and with the grace of God, is resilient. God reconciles with sinners when they repent, and it is Christ the Mediator that prays for his brethren before his Father at all times. Go to Jesus for the comfort that only he can supply, and procure for yourself salvation: do and say all you can to secure this, dear one, and God will hear, and answer, your fervent prayers. 

Psalm 107: 1-14

O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; and gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. O that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisifieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. They cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. 

Managing Expectations

Managing expectations is an interesting concept, and I wonder if it means:

1. Not expecting anything at all

2. Hoping for the best while expecting the worst

3. Desire dashed with bruised feelings and a hurt heart

4. Accepting that what a person wants and what comes their way, may not be the very same thing; which leaves one disappointed and disillusioned 

5. Knowing that a wish list is probably out of sync with real time possibilities

It took me to write out 5. to get to the starting point. of where we are headed in this piece of writing. 

As a Christian, reading The Bible has always filled me with awestruck wonder. Christ is magnificent and when I read of him, how merciful, kind, and powerful he was in human form, representing his kingdom, while walking the earth, I have been filled with longing. To meet a man like Jesus, would take my breath away, and yet, they are few and far between. I met one elderly gentleman long ago, that seemed to touch heaven with his words, and the thought of him makes me teary every time I revisit the brief encounter. The only other times I have had the astounding pleasure of meeting godly men, is in the pages of books, written by the likes of Spurgeon, Matthew Henry, C. S Lewis, and of course, the Holy Spirit filled men that were divinely inspired to write scripture, apostles and disciples, like Paul, John, and one of my favourites, the half brother of Jesus in the flesh, James.  

I haven't any expectations now, when I meet other humans: I do not anticipate people loving the truth, openly and joyfully proclaiming their love for God, nor do I think them likely, to live in a manner that shouts, I am wholly dependent upon God, for all of his blessings and benevolence. I don't believe that when someone calls themselves a Christian, that they actually are Bible reading, follow in Christ's footsteps, lovers of the Almighty... real Christians are few and far between, and each one, must do the work, of reconciling self, with the Lord of glory on a daily basis, since we all fall short of said glory, more often then not. 

All this to say, that to attribute Christ like character traits to other humans, is an err in judgment at this point, because there truly are, expectations hitched to our beliefs, that can lead us down a weedy garden path, to misery and perpetual unrest. Christ is the ideal, not only because he was perfect while in human form, but because he was God incarnate while in the body, and it is virtually impossible to be created in his image, and not feel as though we are far from the archetype, and yet...

And yet... there is hope, always hope, dear one! The expression, When you know better, you do better, is such a sweet source of encouragement. Humanity is indelibly stamped with the Makers water mark, and we are capable, we are capable I say, of living like Jesus! Being like Jesus! Loving like Jesus! Men and women of God have dotted history, that lived and loved like Jesus to the point of being persecuted and having their blood shed for their faith, and this is happening still, and will of course, continue until this world is rolled up like a scroll and all stand before The Lord of glory, on judgment day. 

I know I will be found wanting. I am confident many will find themselves condemnable. I also know that God is longsuffering and merciful toward the repentant, and there isn't a soul living or dead, that will be spared his righteous judgment. 

You know yourself, dear one. You know all about your own twisted, wicked, nasty character traits and flaws. You know when you are being kind and generous, thoughtful and honest. You are capable of being a horrible person, and you are more than capable, of being loving and sweet. You choose the demonic or choose the saintly side, and it is up to you, to be honest with yourself:

Are you, or are you not, like Jesus?

If you are like him, how will any of us know this to be true?

Do you expect to be like Jesus anytime soon?

How will you ensure that your life, looks like his did, while he walked the earth?

I don't expect much anymore, when I meet a new person. I am not attached to them behaving a certain way, or believing certain things, but I will tell you this: I am delighted each time I meet a sweet and sincere human, that says what they mean, means what they say, and follows through each time they make a promise. This type of person can be counted on, and when I meet someone of this calibre, I get a glimpse of God's glory, and a little taste of heaven on earth. 

Soul brushing and embracing, enriches both parties. Expectations do not have to be managed, when we meet our others, because love closed and fills in the gaps that separate. Your others, dear one, are few and far between, and when you meet a kindred, you will know it, because your spirit will sore heavenward, and your heart will fill with gladness. 

Listen now, to the godly wisdom, of Paul the apostle to the gentiles: 

Romans 12:10-18

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulations; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you; bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 

Crooked Root

Infection had set in, and an extraction was the only solution. The dentist explained what she planned to do, to remove a molar that was compromised, with sick tissue surrounding it, causing pain. Three roots imbedded the tooth, and one root in particular, was curved - the hooked root may pose a problem, she explained, but her hope was that the tooth would come out whole, with each root, intact. 

With finessed strength, the good doc managed to draw out the tooth. That tooth did not want to leave the mouth it had known for almost eight decades, but with concerted effort, the dentist managed to coax it to leave its post; that hook though, in its twisted state, resisted, and broke off from the rest of the structure. The curve, the part that ensured remaining in place for year after chewing year, was useful for a very long time, and I cannot help but go into the metaphor that came to mind as I watched the procedure, that crooked roots are difficult to extract, and resistant to letting go, because they serve a purpose in manifold and often duplicitous ways. 

Hidden from sight, buried in gum tissue and founded in jaw bone, a crooked root is beyond detection, until x-rays reveal its nature. So too, dear one, with the twisted of heart, that present as pleasantly appealing, whilst infection has taken root in their thinking, in their heart, in their being. I find it fascinating how dangerous an infected mouth can be to a human when untreated. I summarize here what I learned from a quick internet search: bacteria that infects gums, cause gingivitis and periodontitis, and the very same bacteria also travel to blood vessels elsewhere in the body... blood vessel damage, tiny blood clots, heart attack and stroke may follow. 

Think with me, what a twisted and perverse heart that has been infected with the roots of jealousy, avarice, covetousness, deception, self-aggrandizement, selfishness, looks like to an all seeing, all knowing, benevolent God. When deeply rooted and untreated, these soul rotters, damage the entirety of the person, and show up as character flaws that infect relationships, and destroy entire families, and communities. Can God uproot these infectious bacteria, and remove them from a person and family? Yes, he can, but a person must be willing to be subject to the remedy he proposes: a person must go to the Great Physician for what may be, a rather painful extraction, that takes time and effort, in the submitting to the cure. 

Resistant hooks, persistent clinging to our own ways, deeply rooted beliefs and ways of life, can keep us stubbornly imbedded in our own badness. Perhaps a major part of you would like to be reformed, but there remains a tiny bit, that prefers your perverted, and crookedly rooted ways. God sees this, and he doesn't need to take x-rays - he gave you a conscience so that you would tell on yourself, come clean, and give way to the Sovereign hand that removes what injures, and heals what causes infection. 

Jesus, dear one, is the Cure, and he straightens what is twisted, and makes honest people of those that previously, were crooked. All we need do, is hear truth, love truth, speak and live, truth, and trust in him to heal what ails us, in a soulful and satisfying way. 

The root of bitterness, the very one that resists God's goodness, must be extracted, dear one, to save not only the body, but the soul, housed therein. It is corruption that temporarily serves in what I hinted, were manifold and duplicitous ways, but this is precisely what damages rapport, trust, and intimate sharing with those we profess to love. 

You and I both know when we are being crooked and self-serving. We also know precisely, the where and the why of what we do, even if we try to pretend that we are being thoughtful, generous, or altruistic. We know the difference between serving others and thinking of them first, over putting ourselves first in line, at life's pleasure store. It is humility and being willing to be vulnerable, that soften us from the inside out, and man alive, it is a great wonder, to see how quickly relief comes, when soul infection is treated, and crooked roots are removed. 

Ezekiel 36:26

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 

Enemies of Christ

It is insane really, to be counted as an enemy of God Almighty. It is ludicrous, truly, to turn heel and walk away from the One that made you. It is beyond the pale, meaning: a person's behaviour is completely unacceptable, improper, or outside the bounds of good judgment and morality, to present a back, when face to the ground bowing, is apropos.  

Enemies of Christ among men, include: enemies to his sovereignty, to his cause, to his people; such as will not have him to reign over him, Matthew Henry, Acts to Revelation, Volume 6, page 719. 

Maugre is a word I picked up while reading Matthew Henry's Commentary on The Bible: here is the word used in context:

... God declares the eternal duration of the dominion and divinity of his person: Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever, from everlasting to everlasting, through all the ages of time, maugre all the attempts of earth and hell to undermine and overthrow it, and through all the endless ages of eternity, when time shall be no more. This distinguishes Christ's throne from all earthly thrones, which are tottering, and will at length tumble down; but the throne of Christ shall be as the days of heaven, Matthew Henry, Acts to Revelation, Volume 6, page 718. 

Maugre means in spite of, notwithstanding. Dear one, the enemies of Christ can try with what little might they have, to spitefully shake their tiny fists at the living God, and trick themselves into believing that their efforts matter, make a difference, or will some how thwart God in all his majesty - but they are shamelessly mistaken, and this grand delusion is what keeps them obstinately ignorant, and willfully disobedient too. 

And what of you and I, dear one? Do we, as subjects of The King, actually believe we can run counter to his claims on us, and get away with our prideful self-indulgences? I know how things turn out for me, when I do not heed biblical warnings and wisdom. I know the price I have paid in the flesh, for doing as I will, and not as he commands. What about you? What price have you paid for being an enemy of God, and are you paying it still?

Maugre is in spite of. The enemies of God are spiteful toward him, and their evil ways influence and impact others, destroying lives. Quote: Christ never did any thing to make men his enemies; he has done a great deal to make them all his friends and his Father's friends, and yet he has his enemies, Matthew Henry. 

We can point fingers in multiple directions and say, Him/Her, over there, they act like enemies of God, but this is counterproductive, when what each person must needs do, is look at themselves, assess their own heart and fleshly inclinations, and ask, Where do I need cleansing, and God, please purify me, a lowly servant, subject to your will. 

Christ's throne is distinguished from all earthly thrones. All the would-be kings and queens of this world are facing their demise, date stamped with inevitable decay and death, but God is the forever and ever, Amen. 

There are enemies in the flesh, and there are enemies in the spiritual realm, and maugre their attempts, they will one day, be footstools of Christ. 

Isaiah 54:17

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

Faith is built on a foundation God provides, and is beyond reasonable argument or controversy, meaning: anyone arguing against God is unreasonable, since proof of him is everywhere. Christ in the flesh performed signs, wonders, and miracles, and it is by his power, his authority, his might, that his disciples and apostles were enabled to do the very same. It matters not to followers of Christ, what comes their way in the form of persecution: their indestructible faith in him as their King holds them stedfast, not because the path of suffering is an easy one, and the faithful feel no physical, emotional, or spiritual pain, but rather, it is in the knowing of the Saviour as the Redeemer of souls, that forsaking him would feel like a persistent and wanton soul sickness, that can not be escaped, and is without remedy or cure. 

Look with me again to the top of this page...

Enemies of Christ, deny, ignore, disregard, his Sovereignty

Enemies of Christ, denigrate his cause, by living as heathens and haters

Enemies of Christ, mistreat, maliciously attack, and kill his people

Enemies of Christ, will not have him reign over them

Dear one, we have a simple picture painted for everyone to understand, when they find themselves confronted by an enemy of Christ. We also have a quick view, of the horns down ramming of the wicked, that dare to attempt to take out God (this is a laughable concept to indulge), or his people. The great divide is evident and obvious, and the gap between God's people, and Christ's enemies, is widening daily: perhaps you see this too? 

Your faith must not be built on stilts that are easily snapped when a gentle breeze or hard wind blows. You need not suffer the insecurity of lack of confidence in Christ, as you walk this world. You can fortify your faith daily, with daily doses of the Word of God, where he is revealed, and undeniably so. We cannot know God without knowing his Son first, and it is off to The Bible we must go, to learn of the Sovereign, that rules and reigns in the hearts of his heirs, and in the running of the entire world, on which we depend currently, for our aliveness. 

Be not an enemy of God, dear one. See him for who he is, and you will start to see, what he has done for you, that no other, can or has done before. The Author of life will one day demand what so many were unwilling to give: he will have them bow down, and it is perilous to wait until judgment day, to do so.  

True Love Resurrects

There, in the middle of the pot, sat a clump of tiny bulbs, sprouting white tips of newness. Beneath the surface, life was resurrecting, and to me, a miracle that had previously been hidden out of sight, was taking place.

I am an ignorant suburban, city dweller. I was never taught the ways of the earth, and if I was, perhaps in grade and high school, it meant nothing to me, because food wasn't something my family grew in the garden, food was something served up to me on a plate, that I didn't have to think about, or contribute to in any way. Plate, knife, fork, food in mouth - what a sad state of affairs, when I think about it now. 

I am a budding human being, learning to grow. I am an accidental gardener, schooled as I go. Some people grasp concepts by reading about a subject, I understand experientially, and as I stated a sentence ago, accidentally. Those lily bulbs sprouting threw me for a happy loop, when I discovered them protruding, and readying themselves for their next gorgeous, winter display of purple splendour.

The bulbs were dormant for a time, and I know I risk sounding like a citiot (this word is a combination of city and idiot: put the two together and you get what country folk, call citiots - people that haven't a clue about nature) when I type this way, but hear me out, dear one. Lately, I feel like I am autumn dormant; lately, I feel as though the quiet of nature outside my kitchen sliding doors, wants me to comprehend, that when the cold infiltrates the house, it doesn't mean all growing stops, it means I get to embrace a different pace with less urgency: in other words, dominant doesn't mean dead. 

It is a strange thing that with the fall, we feel more sleepy, and lazy like the dying bees that land listlessly, losing their flight strength, and children are made to get up early without the presence of the sun, to go off to school and sit still, or listen attentively, for hours on end. September is a time of cooling, and our bodies respond in kind, but we go against nature in so many ways, that we feel utterly guilty for not being "productive" continually. 

What about being fallow? Here is the biblical meaning of the word fallow:

Fallow refers to unplowed, uncultivated, or idle land that has become hard and overgrown, yet holds the potential for a rich harvest once it is broken up and prepared. 

The formula can look like this:

1 Rest

2 Break up dry ground that can become hard and packed tightly with weeds

3 Prepare the earth by ploughing

The Bible talks about having childlike faith, and as an adult, I feel as though all that I am learning, is delightfully happening via discovery of the natural world. No one could have prepared me for the ugly truth, that iridescent, stunningly beautiful Japanese beetles, were the life force sucking enemy, for a variety of my precious trees, plants, and garden flowers. Ahhh, the Devil in disguise, showing up as a creature of de-light, makes sense to me in so many ways! I drown hundreds of those beetles this year, seeing them as a detestable, useless nuisance. and annoyance. Die buggy die, is something an old friend said once, when she killed a creepy crawler with a shoe slam, on a hotel wall in Mexico... but I digress. 

All of the above, is to say this: true love, always resurrects. The calla lily that was given to me by my childhood best friend at Valentine's last year, went limp and lifeless, and I thought I had somehow killed it with my ignorance. The pot I had replanted it in remained as I had left it, outside, without water, without care. When I decided to plant something new in the very same pot, imagine my surprise to see the sprouting. It makes me weepy to write the metaphor, that while my friendship with my childhood bestie had remained dormant for over a decade, it was resurrected a couple of years ago - it hadn't died, it was just sleeping. 

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light (Ephesians 5:14).  

Awake, thou that sleepest

Arise from the dead

Christ shall give thee light

Dormant isn't dead... sleepy isn't half gone... love, dear one, always resurrects, with the newness of life everlasting.

May the light that is Christ, awaken your sleepy soul. 

Too Healthy for Onion Rings

The onion rings got me. I bit, I chewed, I swallowed, and I felt the oil slick at the back of my throat, sliding its way into my stomach, where it decided to make me nauseous the next day. It only took one onion ring to have that grossed out greasy feeling, but just to make sure I should never eat them again, I ate another offender to confirm my suspicions, that it was a sickening culprit. Yes indeed, that second deep fried onion ring coated in batter and fried in canola oil (I just looked up what kind of oil Harvey's uses to fry - no wonder my stomach started a revolt!), was just as naughty as its previously consumed circular friend, and the tandem pair of trouble makers helped me understand, that I am just too healthy to eat fried pretend foods - my tastebuds, the back of my throat, my stomach, my sensibilities for goodness sakes, are refined at this point, and it is sheer stupidity to force the issue with franken-foods, that act like invested promoters for antacids. 

Oversized meals make for oversized children and adults, and fast food is oversized everything; too much of this, and all too much of that ... it isn't food you are buying when you saunter into a fast food joint to make a purchase, or hand over cash through your drivers window in exchange for a suspicious looking bag... you are spending on slop no where near good enough for you, and you may resemble what you eat, if you have been eating fast food consistently, for any length of time. 

Lean fit bodies are no accident. Form follows function, meaning what you do to and with your body, affects how you look and feel in it. You know you are reading truth right now, and perhaps you have been considering taking your health into your own hands, and reigning in some of your not so helpful activities and indulgences. 

When once in a while becomes frequent and then a habit, good, and alternatively  bad, things happen: 

When once in a while workouts become three days a week scheduled events, you will change your body composition and mind set over time.

When once in a while trips through the drive through become three days a week events, you will change your body composition and mind set over time. 

Frequency increases the likelihood of a behaviour becoming habitual, and dear one, the evidence of clean eating and active living, is undeniable; then again, the evidence accumulates rapidly as body fat and sluggishness, with extra calories and inactivity. You may think me cruel speaking this way, judgmental even, as a fit person, but I tell you this, I have had to work really hard to change my eating and exercise habits, and I tell you this too, that it is easier to open a bag of chips and mindlessly munch through the lot, or devour a chocolate bar, then it is to plan, prepare, and cook meals, that my body craves and appreciates. The chips and the chocolate taste great, but make me look bad... and feel worse: options are endless for wholesome foods, and you and I can happily forgo fast food for the rest of our lives, if we so choose. 

I have a client that is transforming her body with every work out and with every meal she eats. While tracking calories, this client was astounded when she realized just how many were in a Tim Horton's bagel breakfast sandwich, and ice cappuccino. Shocked, she made a decision to not purchase and eat so many calories in one sitting. If you consume fast food, and have yet to look at how many calories are in some of your favourite and frequently eaten items, perhaps now is the time to start doing some math, and figuring out just how many pounds your calories will add up to by the end of 2026. 

Let us do a little math together, shall we?

One pound equals 3500 calories.

A breakfast bagel with bacon, egg, and cheese = 450 calories

A medium ice cappuccino = 330-360 calories

That's 780-810, just for breakfast; and if you are like most people, you have three meals a day. An average female that is moderately active does not need more than 1600 calories daily, and it is really easy to overeat, especially when calories are not counted, and especially when drive throughs are used as a quick way to get a meal prepared for you. 

Most people that hire a personal trainer mean business: they want results, with proof that their hard work, their sweaty efforts, are paying off. My client got a scale that measures BMI, and as she continues to train and count her calories while staying within her weight loss range, she is enjoying the progress she is making, and the charts that measure her muscle gain, and fat losses, are very satisfying for both of us to review. O, and she is steadily losing weight, and her clothes aren't hugging her body the way they did not that long ago - how exciting!

You can do this too dear one! You can take your health seriously, and start the process of transforming, one meal, one workout, one app entry at a time. You can choose to change for your own good, and wouldn't it be fun to see the fast food restaurants replaced with health food stores that compete with one another to entice customers to eat their wholesome, earthy, health enriching produce and products? 

We have a vast variety of fast food restaurants for a reason: they are making money in exchange for consumers health, wealth, and well-being - the cost is exorbitant for eaters, and big business owners know that if they can get people hooked on their pretender foods, they may have an over-consuming cash cow customer for life. 

When once in a while becomes frequent and then a habit, good, and alternatively  bad, things happen. Choose the good, dear one. Work out, count calories, choose real food that fuels your body, and in no time, you will feel fantastic, and confident in your abilities to do yourself a good turn, by taking control, and getting healthy. 

You can, do this. 

Challenge:

1. Weigh yourself. Using a scale increases accountability and is an honesty check - you can accuse your scale of lying to you, but the darned things are only capable of truth telling. Record your weight using a tracking application. I recommend MyNetDiary - the free version is fantastic, and for detail fanatics, I am confident the premium version will satisfy their cravings for trackable stats. 

2. For one week, eat food that you have prepared. Buy fresh produce, meat that does not have additives or preservatives, and other items with short ingredient lists, that haven't been tampered with, and look like they did when they were growing into their edible state. 

3. Refrain from purchasing packaged "snack" foods, like chips, chocolate, cookies, candy, ice cream etc. We are talking one week - you can live without these items for one week, isn't that right? O... and forgo pop and alcohol - they do nothing for you but rather, impede progress. 

4. Do the math. Count calories eaten and calories burned by tracking them. Check in on yourself and see how you are feeling and what changes you are noticing with your tastebuds, your satiate, your energy levels, and moods too. The shifts may be subtle at first, but by the end of the week, it is possible that you will notice great and measurable changes, that let you know that your efforts are worth while. 

5. Do the other math: you will spend less money when grocery shopping, and when you are out and about during the day. Put aside the money you normally would spend on fast food, or drinks made at a restaurant, and see the dollars piling up. You can save for a tropical vacation, and some gorgeous swim wear that you feel great in, with all the cash you are saving yourself! 

6. Consider hiring a personal trainer that is an expert with weight training, and understands how to navigate your current and perhaps de-conditioned physical state: an expert trainer will establish a progression plan, as you become stronger, and more co-ordinated. Three months worth of training is bench mark, with  changes being noticeably obvious - just image the six month, the nine month, the twelve month benchmark moments, dear one!

One meal, one workout at a time. 

You can, do this. 

Post Script: If you are considering hiring a trainer, look for one that actually looks like they lift weights. The best trainers live a fitness philosophy, and model a lifestyle conducive to good health. 

Sidewalk Statues

He caught my eye with his stock-still frozen in time, locked into place, positioning. I took my eyes off of the road several times, to look at the man, all the while, willing him to move, hoping against hope to see an arm lower, his head swivel, or perhaps, witness a foot taking a step forward. I left him behind last night, but this morning, I think of him with deep sorrow, a man relieved of living, publicly beyond reach and help, because whatever he injected or inhaled, made him a prisoner in his own body. 

Hate, hate has humans wanting to maim and kill and murder alive. Xylazine - from what I have read - is a powerful veterinary sedative that is often mixed with opiates: men and women can be seen dotting sidewalks after taking these, or similar chemical combinations, in what is referred to as a fentanyl fold, hovering in space while somehow existing, without twitching or showing signs of life. When the alive but dying death grip is released as the drugs wear off, these broken souls re-animate with one goal in mind: they want to relieve themselves of actually living, and over and over again, they misuse their bodies via a drug induced coma of sorts, so that they do not have to think, feel, or suffer their physical existence. 

Seeing a human statue, or many of them, littering the streets with the visible demeaning of their natural state, is disconcerting, and devastatingly sad. A demonic grip on the soul has these lost ones temporarily frozen in time for bouts of nothingness, and nowhere to be found emptiness - shells of themselves, they see not, hear not, know not, and are susceptible to the elements, while making everyone around them extremely alarmed and uncomfortable.

Hate is the fuel that spills from drug dealers: it just so happens that the government of Canada sponsors with taxpayer money, the killing of the living dead, Avarice coupled with malicious intent, turns humans into monsters, and monsters devour prey minus conscience. 

The drug induced stock still statues play a massive role in their own demise, and they care not the burden they put on citizens that soulfully suffer on their behalf, or pay for them at the hospital til: but they had help along the way, each time they had easy access to the substances that numbs and dumbs them out of actually living. The druggies are walking talking evidence of things gone horribly wrong in society, and when the streets become dangerous with homeless people wandering in and out of moving traffic, hoping to get a handout for their next fix, we are headed in a direction that does not bode well for future generations. The median beggars, with their cardboard signs asking for help, get money from passers-by, and this is a form of aiding and abetting a criminal act against the soul of the beggar that wants to yet again, fry his brain with ingestible's that ought never to enter in. 

I think of the man, frozen for a time, in time and space, on a busy downtown street, and I cannot help but weep anew. There is a God crafted soul in that body of his, and I wonder, will he ever know how precious he is to the one that made him? Will he ever be set free from the demons that have him locked in a sick holding pattern of dying while never really living? Will he die this day, because his heart could not take one more dose of poison? Will this be the day that he leaves the earth to go into permanent torment, without one more chance to be redeemed by the Saviour? 

What help can there be for these poor beggars, dear one, except from God? 

God saves. God is merciful and kind. We are required, it is our duty, to pray, and pray often, for the salvation of souls. I don't know who the man was that I saw last night, but I do know he was created in the image of God, and that somewhere along the way, he swapped out his purpose for nothingness: God can redeem him, and rescue him from the dark dungeon in which he currently resides, and it is my job to think of him as a lost lamb, and to pray for his return to the fold. 

Luke15:3-7

And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing, And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

NOTE: The fentanyl fold is telltale. I am not at all well versed in the drug ingesting world, all I know is that people are on substances that demean and dehumanize them, and they need prayer.