“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” ~Confucius

How can a mountain better prepare us for life? At over 14,000 feet, there’s more to learn than I would have thought.

Last week I sat on top of Mt. Shasta, a 14,179 foot mountain in Northern California. It was my first real summit and I was proud. Getting there took me through two days of snow, ice and below-freezing camping conditions, using crampons, an ice axe, and more layers than I thought I owned.

As I climbed, and especially on my way down, I began to realize the lessons required to reach the top and make it back down safely. As it turns out, the most important rules are just as relevant in the snow as they are in conquering our everyday challenges.

When was the last time you reached a mountain summit, whether outdoors or in life?

We face our own mountains everyday. Some small. Some big. There’s always a summit we want to reach. Maybe it’s running those few miles before work, making that intimidating sales call, or running your business. Goals, no matter the size, require a strategy for success.

A cold tall mountain reinforced an approach that can convert life’s everyday challenges into gratifying accomplishments.

A Guide to Reaching Life’s Summits

Pack light. I wish I took this more seriously. Every unnecessary piece of gear complicates things and detracts from the experience. Aside from the bare necessities, things do not make life better. They often cause more stress and keep you from what’s most important. The lighter your pack the better. Life is too short to be burdened with excessive possessions, emotional baggage or regrets. Positive thoughts, relationships and experiences weigh nothing at all. Pile them on and leave the rest behind. They’ll lift you to the top.

Take one step at a time. Any major accomplishment can be broken down into a series of single steps. My pattern for the mountain was 15 steps up, 15 breaths of rest. I did that for 7 hours. If I would have only focused on the very top, frustration would have overcome me. If your summit is too intimidating, break it into smaller steps. Focus on those one by one. Eventually one step will be the one that puts you on top.

Don’t go at it alone. When climbing, a partner is a must. For safety, support, camaraderie, motivation and simply to share the journey. You’d be silly (and putting yourself in great danger) to go up alone. Life is meant to be experienced with others. It makes the valleys shallower and the peaks higher. Relationships magnify experiences and help you do things that prove impossible alone. Don’t leave home without your support team.

Listen to the experts. Halfway up, a passing guide told us if we couldn’t get to the top by 12:30 at the latest, then to turn back. Chances of late day thunderstorms were too great. As amateurs we would have had no idea. While we all ought to experience our own paths, it’s foolish not to learn from and observe the guidance of experts. Choose your life models wisely and keep them close by on your journey.

Slow down. As Yvon Chouinard of Patagonia says, “It’s about how you got there. Not what you’ve accomplished.” Despite what colleagues and competitors may tell you, there is no rush. Rushing on the mountain risks slipping, not acclimating to thinning air, exhaustion and possibly death. In life the biggest risk is that you miss the wonders of everyday experiences in your pursuit to the top. The top is secondary to the process.

Look back and take in the view. There’s never any guarantee that you’ll get to the top, but you always have the ability to stop, take in a deep breath, smile and enjoy the view-whether it’s miles of wilderness or two feet of fog. It’s all wonderful. Every moment of life is a new view to appreciate.

Save some energy for the trip down. We thought the summit was “just over that peak” half a dozen times before it actually was. Conserve energy. Things will inevitably take longer than expected. Don’t be discouraged. Budget your capital, energy and drive appropriately. Rarely is anything in life an all out sprint. Treat it like a marathon. You may need your reserves when you least expect it.

Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory. These are Ed Viesturs’ famous words; the first U.S. man to summit all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters with no bottled oxygen. The summit will be there tomorrow and likely so will yours. If more planning, a stronger team or more support is required, then save the summit for a time when the payout is safer and more probable. If you are outmatched, know when to turn back, only to return stronger and more savvy tomorrow. Stay objective and don’t let short-term excitement get in the way of long-term fulfillment.

Failure is a part of the process. If we would have started our climb the week before, conditions would have been too grave to make it. Be ok with not reaching the summit every time. Falling short is inevitable. You will never learn more than from your failures…at anything. Embrace them.

A daunting summit is nothing more than a challenge. A challenge is simply an opportunity in disguise. You won’t summit every one you come across, but you will become a better person with each attempt.

There will always be another mountain. You are not meant to conquer them all. Past summits are simply preparing you for the next. With the right strategy, you’ll put the top within reach. When your summit arrives, you will be ready.

“It is not the mountains we conquer but ourselves.” ~Sir Edmund Hillary

As we investigate further into the nature of God, we see His omnipotence in this name He gives Himself.   ”I AM THAT I AM” reflects God’s eternalness.  He has always been and will always be.  As we spend time in prayer this week, let’s think about God’s eternalness and how we share this as adopted children.

This week we studied Elohim. ELOHIM: God (a plural noun, more than two, used with singular verbs); God as Creator, Preserver, Transcendent, Mighty and Strong.    Eccl., Dan. Jonah use Elohim almost exclusively. See Gen. 17:7, 6:18, 9:15, 50:24; I Kings 8:23; Jer. 31:33; Isa. 40:1.  All in all, Elohim occurs 2,570 times in the OT, 32 times in Gen. 1 alone.

This week when you pray think about Elohim and all that He has created.  Give thanks to the Creator for we are His creations.

Join us on Wednesday Nights to study about overcoming challenges all men face

One day one of our members visited with them in their house and saw the catastrophe that was occuring.  Soon after he contacted another member with some contracting skill, whom in turned contacted some others. Shortly thereafter, a plan was in place, cleaning was done, and now the remodeling is in the final touch-ups.  All this because one man saw an opportunity, took initiative, and made a phone call.

How many other of our members are in the same shape? How many have we (I) visited? Do we (I) even have a relationship with them to know what is going on in their lives?

I believe there are two lessons here: First, there is a hugh spirit of service that exists here at Tusculum. We should not become so overwhelmed with embarrassment, pride, stress, etc., that we become too ashamed to ask for help from our church family. Second, we need to seek for opportunities to serve by viewing life through God’s eyes.  Too many times we (I) get so wrapped up in our (my) own life that we miss opportunities for service. God gives us these opportunites so that we can grow in Him.

“Thank you” to all of the men and women who helped with this project. Please pray that God will open our eyes so that we won’t miss these opportunities as they briefly appear.

Each Day . . .

It’s quiet. It’s early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black. The world is still asleep. The day is coming.

In a few moments the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.

For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day’s demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I’m free to choose. And so I choose.

I CHOOSE LOVE . . .

No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.

I CHOOSE JOY . . .

I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical … the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I CHOOSE PEACE . . .

I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I CHOOSE PATIENCE . . .

I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at a new assignment, I will face them with joy and courage.

I CHOOSE KINDNESS . . .

I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I CHOOSE GOODNESS . . .

I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.

I CHOOSE FAITHFULNESS . . .

Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.

I CHOOSE GENTLENESS . . .

Nothing is son by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I CHOOSE SELF-CONTROL . . .

I am a spiritual being . . .

After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek his grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.

When it comes to porn, the question facing many men is simple: is it really wrong?  Is it really that big of a deal?  I mean, it’s just an image on a screen.  It’s not someone I know (so it’s not lust, right?), or someone I’m having an actual affair with, so I’m still faithful to my wife. It’s just sexual release, like masturbation, and we all know that masturbation is not condemned in the Bible.  It’s not even mentioned.  And isn’t sex a good thing, so what’s wrong in watching it happen?  I’m just admiring beauty.  And besides, I’m single, so what do you expect me to do with all this pent-up sexual energy?  It seems like a safe release until I am married.

I’ve heard all of this, and more, from men.

So is it really that big of a deal?

Yes, and here’s why:

It is sexual sin. Jesus made it clear that when we give in to lust, it is akin the act itself. It makes no difference whether you know the person or not; lust is not tied to relationship.

It is addictive. The ubiquitous nature of porn is new to our culture, and to human sexuality, but it is becoming increasingly clear that it is highly addictive in nature. As a result, it can not only begin to dominate a life, but can demand ever-increasing levels of exposure and ever-increasing degrees of experience to continue to stimulate.

It is degrading to women. In pornography, women are treated as objects. They are not fulfilling God’s dream for their life as His precious daughter, nor are they fulfilling His design for sexual expression and fulfillment. You are watching a woman who is being sinned against, treated in a way that is contemptible to her heavenly father (whether she sees it or not – and the fact that many may not only adds to its tragic nature).

It leads to other sins. Studies are beginning to show that the effects of porn on men is more than temporary sexual stimulation: as they see women treated as objects, they begin to treat women that way. They become more sexually aggressive, leading to date rapes and expected “hook-ups.”

It harms your relationship with your current, or future, spouse. It is absolutely bogus to say that watching porn enhances a sexual life. Instead, it cheapens it. Porn quickly becomes a substitute for sexual intimacy with your spouse.

It desensitizes your soul. Sin of any kind desensitizes your spiritual life. Continued exposure to a sin such as pornography is like shooting novocaine into your soul. It deadens you and grieves the Holy Spirit in your life, forcing Him to withdraw His utmost filling in a way that diminishes His power and presence in your life. (Eph 4:17-19)

It distorts sex. “You can get a large audience together for a strip-tease act,” wrote C.S. Lewis, “that is, to watch a girl undress on the stage. Now suppose you came to a country where you could fill a theatre by simply bringing a covered plate on to the stage and then slowly lifting the cover so as to let every one see, just before the lights went out, that it contained a mutton chop or a bit of bacon, would you not think that in that country something had gone wrong with the appetite for food? And would not anyone who had grown up in a different world think there was some equally queer about the state of the sex instinct among us?”

I’m a pastor. I talk with men who are dealing with the spiritual torment and guilt of engaging in a sin while trying to rationalize it away; I talk with men who are having to fight it as an addiction; I talk with men who are finding it is leading them to a warped view of women; I talk with men who are experiencing it’s direct path to other sins; I talk with men who are seeing its assault on their marriage; I talk with men who are trying to awaken their souls from its deadening grip; I talk with men who have distorted views of what sex is about.

I have a front-row seat to how it’s impacting their lives. I don’t need to wait for a host of studies. I’m in a living laboratory. So don’t tell me it’s no big deal.

I know the men who can prove you wrong.

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This article was posted in conjuntion with Steve’s email on Purity.  Hope it helps.

We hurry along and make fast the blessing
Thanks, amen. Now please pass the dressing

We’re slaves to the olfactory overload
We must rush our prayer before the food gets cold

But Lord, I’d like to take a few minute more
To really give thanks to what I’m thankful for

For my family, my health, a nice soft bed
My friends, my freedom, a roof over my head

I’m thankful right now to be surrounded by those
Whose lives touch me more than they’ll ever possibly know

Thankful Lord, that You’ve blessed me beyond measure
Thankful that in my heart lives life’s greatest treasure

That You, dear Jesus, reside in that place
And I’m ever so grateful for Your unending grace

So please, heavenly Father, bless this food You’ve provided
And bless each and every person invited

Amen!

–Scott Wesemann

Parenting is an art, not a science.? Successful parents understand that, like themselves, their children aren’t perfect either.? This frees them to love their children unreservedly.

2) Successful parents don’t fear occasional failures.

They understand that mistakes are a normal, even healthy, part of parenting.? They make the best decisions they can and when they’re wrong, they learn from their mistakes and try to do better the next time.

3) Successful parents don’t expect to have smooth sailing.

Children have their own opinions, personalities and preferences. Inevitably, they cause us to say "Where did THAT come from" or "What WERE you thinking" Our responsibility to provide them with limits and guidance will sometimes clash with their growing desire for independence. Successful parents aren’t surprised by them; they expect them. But successful parents understand that their responsibility to their children is not to always please them or make them happy – it’s to make the hard decisions that will be for their best in the long run.

4) Successful parents don’t go it alone.

Successful parenting means trusting yourself, but not being a Lone Ranger. No one has the experience or answers to every parenting challenge. But each of us has some of the answers and, together, we’ve got them all. So successful parents aren’t reluctant to seek out the wisdom of others. They know that, at the end of the day, the decision is theirs, but before they get there, there is plenty of wisdom along the way waiting to help them.

5) Successful parents try harder.

They face the same pressures we all do – demanding jobs, spouses and children who need them. But they live by this rule: "You get back what you put in." They have a clear sense of priority for their family and are willing to put in the time to achieve it. They give more than the "average parent" so their children will be more than just "average children." These parents work at nurturing and developing themselves to be the best parents they can be.

6) Successful parents enjoy being parents.

They enjoy parenting not because it’s easy or instantly rewarding, but because of the sheer joy and privilege of cooperating with God in shaping another unique and precious life. Any parent of grown children will tell you "they grow up so quickly." Successful parents remind themselves of that and try to savor every day with their children. They immerse themselves in their children as much as possible and just enjoy them – even the days of dirty diapers, illness and disappointments. They don’t just LOVE their children, they LIKE them and look forward to spending time with them.

7) Successful parents strive to be the person they want their children to become.

There are no formulas for parents. You can’t just "program" children like a computer and be guaranteed of the result. But children are great observers and imitators. They watch, listen and absorb values and habits from the people who have the greatest influence on them – their parents. So successful parents resolve that they will set the best example they can for their children.

I am a horrible typist. Most people would never know how badly I type. I type about as many characters per minute as people type words per minute. Spellchecker is my best computer friend. He catches so many of my mistakes. He makes me look smarter than I really am. He diplomatically asks me questions like, “Are you sure you would like to say that, or type that word that way?” I tend to yield to his wisdom, to his infinite knowledge. What I especially like is his ability to catch my mistakes, and correct them, before I even know that I had made a mistake in the first place. He quietly just fixes so many of the mistakes.

He has a little color coded way of letting me know that something is amiss. Green says- “Mike you are almost right, but not exactly there yet.” Red however says- “Mike you might know what you wanted to type or say, but the rest of the world is going to scratch their head and wonder what you just typed.”

I have painfully found out that my dear friend Spellchecker is not perfect. He is not infallible; he doesn’t always have my back. He makes mistakes and doesn’t read my mind. He allows me to type things without raising either a green or red flag.

I have a couple of my favorites that I would like to share. As a religious Bible writing kind of a person, I type some words frequently like pray. I have discovered that Spellchecker doesn’t distinguish pray from pry If I don’t type the letter A, he doesn’t say a word. Another time, I was typing from a passage from Galatians and I wanted to type “to be made right with God” instead, I typed, “to be made tight with God” Spellchecker was silent once again.

I began thinking; is there not an element in my prayers where I wish to pry? Pry is not one of those words that you or I are going to use a lot in our daily vocabulary. Webster, a very literate friend of Spellchecker, says pry is a tool to move or raise something by leverage. Are not my prayers a leverage tool?  Doesn’t God say something about moving mountains through our prayers of faith? 

When I typed to be tight with God, isn’t that what we need, what we are truly after. To have such a tight relationship with God that it feels right to be tight with him. If I am right with him, will I not be tight with Him?

Maybe Spellchecker was right all along, and I just didn’t see it.