Fruitful Discipline

A good friend and mentor sat me down some months ago and challenged me with the following phrase.

"Seek fruitfulness, and train yourself in body, mind, and spirit."

His words have caused ripples in my pursuits since then, effecting my daily disciplines, my work, my job-search, and my marriage.  You know what else has been changed?  My physical fitness.  I've taken his admonition seriously, and I thought by sharing my thoughts and actions with these things that you, our friends and family, might benefit.

Fruitfulness

In Galatians, Paul writes of the fruits of the Spirit.  These are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  In contrast to the Spiritual gifts (prophecy, teaching, tongues, healing, etc.), which are apportioned differently to each person,  believers will all be growing in each of the fruits of the Spirit if aligning themselves in their understanding of scripture, their obedience to it, and their openness to repentance and knowing God moment by moment.  What does this mean?  A person in any circumstance, if desiring to grow in these fruits and walking in accordance to God's known will, ought to be growing up "to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).

For me, this has meant taking my part-time work, my full-time job-search, my purity, my friendships, my marriage, my physical fitness, and my reading/studying of the Bible more seriously.  I think Ashley would agree with me that I have grown in these things, not without flaws of course.

Training (Discipline)
One of the greatest resources I've looked to for growth is a book called "Disciplines of a Godly Man" by R. Kent Hughes.  This book is a collection of insightful, practical, and purpose-filled words regarding growth in all kinds of ways.  From the discipline of purity to the discipline of ministry, he lays out what scripture clearly calls us to as men of God.  The verse drawn on throughout the book is Paul's straight-forward call to Timothy,

"... train (discipline) yourself to be godly." (1 Timothy 4:7)

What has been most challenging to me?  Probably physical fitness.  My friend Jason and I have been working out at the YMCA pretty consistently multiple times a week for a few months.  I'm sure my doctor would be pleased!

A Little Sweat
I encourage you to take a look at your own life and circumstances and ask the questions,

"What am I weak in?  How could I be growing?  Am I going to do it?"

I'm thankful to my friend and mentor for challenging me with these words.  Putting a little sweat into reading books intentionally for growth, seeking better relationships, and walking closer with God has eternal value.


May God bless you!

Sources of Tension and Relief

I haven't written a blog for a long time, partly due to schoolwork, partly due to rest. Certain days mean long periods of homework, labwork, and job-searching, and I like to rest with Ashley on the days when Mines lets up a little.

I'm sure everyone enjoys Ashley's blogs (as do I), but I figured I'd take a quick work break and contribute today since my name also appears as an author on this blog (--->).

The long days of work take a toll on Ashley and me. Being at Mines most days (and now at Red Rocks to take the Dietary Nutrition class on Saturdays) means that I spend that time learning hard and working feverishly to get as much time at home with Ashley as possible. A lot of days, I walk in the door just relieved to see her face. I also generally feel a sense of pride knowing that I worked long and hard. Not yet having a job lined up after my graduation this December tends to worry me more than anything else most days. There seems to be something at the core of manhood that prompts us men to have a plan of provision for our family. That's a good thing. It puts on the pressure when we're being lazy, and it gives us a great way to spend our time: working.

The other day I heard a sermon by Mark Driscoll talking about our prayers, that they arise to God like an incense, and he hears them whether or not we feel it. Some days knowing that God hears and will answer our prayers in time is the greatest encouragement of all.

I know that God will hear our prayers for:
- Ashley's neck and back pain relief
- A job so I can provide for my family
- Our friends and family to know God's heart and mind in Jesus Christ

I don't have an eloquent end for this post, but I ask for your continued prayers for Ashley and me. We trust in God for provision, not only of our basic financial needs, but in his continued presence and love for us. Jesus Christ is our bedrock, and we have a solid place to stand in the day of adversity.

Brian's Dietary Nutrition Class

This weekend was in Brian's words was "kind of a drag." He had to take up a one hour class at the local community college to graduate on time. Fortunately, the class is interesting. He's going to be taking Dietary Nutrition on Saturdays from 9-2 for three weeks. 

I have a love/hate relationship with this class. I love it because it's affirming a lot of my health-related nagging and it's allowing me to get away with more healthy lunches than ever! Brian's usual lunch bag contains:

• sandwich (PB&J or turkey and cheese)
• crackers or whole grain muffin
• apple or banana
• carrots
• raw nuts (walnuts or a mixture of pecans and almonds)

Today's lunch contained:

• 1 1/2 cup lightly crushed garbanzo beans with garlic, lemon juice, and cumin
• plain organic yogurt with a banana and honey
• apple
• carrots
• two whole grain pumpkin muffins

The beans had way more fiber and protein than any sandwich I would normally have made. Brian told me that we need more probiotics (according to his new found nutritional knowledge) so that's why I threw in the yogurt parfait. That's another reason why I love this class. Brian is starting to suggest that we are deficient in certain nutrients and observing how the foods we eat affect us.

Brian has been awesome about eating whatever I prepare without complaining, so I'm not saying he was hard to cook for before. But I am excited that we're even more on the same page about our health now that he's taking this class.

However,  I'm not such a fan that Brian has to acquire all this knowledge from 9-2 on our one free day of the week. But all in all, I think it will be good for us in the long run: Brian graduates in December and we have a healthier family.

Pumpkin Muffins

I really like allrecipes.com. I get most of my recipes from that site because each recipe is like a blog post in that people leave comments about how they liked or didn't like or changed the recipe. I read the recipe and then the comments where people made changes and make my muffins accordingly. I usually use the base recipe (flour, oil, baking powder, etc.) as the recipe prescribes and change the other ingredients like nuts, raisins, and spices to my own taste. 

That's what I did with these pumpkin muffins and they are so good!

Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup raisins

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar (you can use 1/2 cup brown sugar instead of adding raw sugar)

1/4 sugar in the raw

dash of cinnamon

dash of ginger

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 eggs

a little more than a cup canned pumpkin puree (the recipe called for 3/4 cup but I wanted to be sure they'd be moist. Using whole grain flour usually makes for dry muffins)

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup apple sauce

generous squirt honey

1/2 cup chopped walnuts and pecans

I know that looks like a lot of ingredients but I just throw in whatever I have on hand and seems to go together.

Directions:

Put raisins in a cup and cover them with hot water until they're plump (until you're done with the rest of the recipe). Stir all dry ingredients then add rest of the ingredients (including raisins) and mix until all contents are moist and well distributed. Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes.

These are the first moist muffins I've made using whole wheat flour. They aren't too sweet. If you want dessert muffins, you can add more honey. I used half of what the original recipe called for. The batter turned out to be enough for 16 muffins so I saved what was left over after a dozen and baked a small batch this morning.

In other news, Brian has an interview this morning. He just left. And he looked so handsome that it was a shame we weren't going on a date. I couldn't help snapping a photo :)

We are having our friends Drew and Keano over for dinner Saturday. I think I'm going to make a chicken curry soup that I found in a Rachel Ray magazine. It looked interesting. The broth is apple cider and the ingredients include, but are not limited to, a half a head of cauliflower and a large sweet potato. I hope our guests will be as excited about eating it as I am making it. I bought a HUGE jug of apple cider from the super Target in preparation for this meal. (It was the only size I saw and it was on sale.) I think we'll have apple cider floats for dessert since I have a lot of cider on hand.

Too-da-loo!

The Boundless Show: Episode 87

This week on the Boundless podcast the team and I chatted about the upcoming Fall TV season. Brian and I don't have a TV so we have to wait till Friday to watch The Office, which is fine because it will coincide with our weekly date night.

John Morgan, a President Bush impersonator is on the show this week as well. I was so moved by his interview. You would think that an interview with a political impersonator would be, well, political. But it wasn't. John wants to be more like Jesus than George W. that's for sure.

My friend Candice answers a listener's question about long-distance love. If you've ever pursued romance via the world wide web, you'll resonate with this inbox segment. And if you've entertained the idea of internet dating you should definitely give it a listen.

I Serve Coffee, and So Much More!

I received work study financial aid during my junior and senior years here at Mines.  Finding a good work study job on campus was easy because my friend Nathan Valentin was a barista at our library's coffee shop, and I was fond of working on homework at this locale.  After talking with Roz, one of the library administration staff (and my now boss), I signed a sheet and was officially a barista for the first time!

Training wasn't difficult.  Unlike Starbucks or Einstein Bros, we serve nothing but canned drinks, coffee, and lattes (including variations).  Once I'd worked a few shifts and gotten the drink-making down, I didn't need to stare at the espresso machine and could start making real eye-contact with customers.  The new challenge was to make their days better.

My first customer every morning is Louis (pronounce Loo-ease).  He's a perky Mexican who teaches Grad level Statistics courses at CSM.  Like clockwork, the doors to the library are unlocked and in comes Louis to get an espresso machiato (two shots of espresso with a little steamed milk).  This happens at 7:30...every single morning.  He and I have become regular pals, what with me supplying his every caffeine need.  When I was looking for an apartment, Louis gave great suggestions.  When he was going to leave for Mexico to visit family, I wished him well then asked how it went after the fact.

Nearly every work day, Diana and Debbie make the trip over to my coffee shop from nearby Guggenheim Hall, and Louis has affectionately called them "the Googies."  What makes them so fun for me is their intense interest in Ashley.  I always receive great advice, and sometimes even sermon CD's, from them which are a real blessing.  Today they made a special trip over just to meet Ashley, who brings her laptop and does her work beside me on Wednesday afternoons.  What a joy!

Probably my greatest mission at work, though, is to share the love of Christ through encouragement.  Mines is a tough school to attend, and the haggard students rushing in for a caffeine fix often need someone to offer perspective.  I try to ask them how things are going in a genuine way, remembering that I receive much-needed encouragement from Ashley every day.

Look to do the same for others today!

Suiting Up

Today I'll be going to the Career Fair.  Every semester here at the Colorado School of Mines the school brings together hundreds of companies who are interested in hiring us Mines students.  What this means for me is:  Jackpot!

I'll be dressed up nice, handing out my printed resume, and finding out more about some of the engineering companies I'm interested in.  This Fair is a win-win because it takes the guesswork out of job-searching.  No, it does not guarantee a job placement, but it certainly gives the recruiters a face to go with the resume they'll receive from me.

The next step is to setup an interview.  As the recruiters wade through the many qualified (and some not so qualified) Mines students, they will inform those in which they see potential to sign up for an interview slot on our school's career website (affectionately called "DiggerNet" because we are the CSM OreDiggers!)

Please pray for me today.  I'm hoping that God will give me grace with the recruiters, the interviewers (assuming I get into an interview), and my potential employers.  I am going to graduate this coming December, and it sure would be great if Ashley and I knew where I will be employed.

We have no fear, though.  Ours is a good God who will neet our every need!

My Mistress

This was a weekend of homework. Try as I might, I can't seem to get all of it done before the weekend hits, leaving me to work on Heat Transfer or the write-ups for my three labs.  I make an effort to work from morning until 5pm every day during the week, not because there wouldn't be time to work on homework in the evening, but I want to establish the habit now of "Leave work at work!"

So, I have been working hard, coming home tired (which is actually quite refreshing in a way) and truly enjoying my evenings with Ashley. On Thursdays, when I have no classes, I try to complete all unfinished assignments because Ashley and I want to rest and spend time doing the things we can't during the week (aka rest).  Oh, and did I mention we like to try to rest on the weekends if at all possible?

With all of the time it takes to do well at the Colorado School of Mines, however, and since it's my final semester before graduating, the homework is almost always too much to complete during the 5 weekdays.

Ashley and I joke that my homework is my mistress. Then we give each other a glance that says, "I really will miss you, and homework does seem to be robbing us of something."

I'm finding in this season of my life that God is growing me by giving me a longing to be at home.  When I'm away working as a barista in the school's library/coffee shop, or sitting in class, or getting that assignment done, my heart is elsewhere.  My heart is at home with my lovely wife.

Right now she's outside returning a phone call (we have bad phone service inside our apartment).  I miss her already!