Stuff I Like

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Otium Sanctum

“If we are constantly being swept off our feet with frantic activity, we will be unable to be attentive at the moment of inward silence. A mind that is harassed and fragmented by external affairs is hardly prepared for meditation. The church Fathers often spoke of Otium Sanctum: “holy leisure.” It refers to a sense of balance in the life, an ability to be at peace through the activities of the day, an ability to rest and take time to enjoy beauty, an ability to pace ourselves.”

This is an excerpt from an amazing book from Richard Foster, “The Celebration of Discipline”. This is a must read for anyone who wants to get closer to God. This book for me has completely kicked my butt. It’s not a deep read, but there is just so much great stuff in there. It is a great refresher on the Spiritual Disciplines.

That one phrase has bothered me so much… actually it has impacted me and bothered me. OTIUM SANCTUM… holy leisure… balance, be at peace, rest, enjoy beauty, pace ourselves. My life has been out of balance for so long, always running, doing, attempting, creating… instead of being. Today I actually just sat outside and watched a bee gather pollen from flowers… and it made me realize that life is happening and I’ve missed a lot of it. This isn’t supposed to be a downer but hopefully will inspire you, me, us to make changes for us to just enjoy the seemingly mundane, “everyday”. Everyday is a day that was created for us to enjoy. So let’s take some holy leisure and build some balance in our lives.

BTW, there will be a sweet tatt to come in the very near future referring to Otium Sanctum… lookout for pics!

Kings of the Cage

Check out “Kings of the Cage – Becoming a Real Ultimate Fighter” below. I hope you get some great stuff out of it… enjoy!

 

 

The Bull: Grown Men Don’t Need to Fight.

The Truth: There’s Always a Battle for Me to Win.

I love the UFC. I love mixed martial arts, combat sports, extreme sports, adrenaline sports. I always wondered why. Is it the violence? Is it just watching a good fight? Maybe it’s deeper. Maybe it’s because I’m an Indian and I have a long lost warrior spirit that is wanting to break out.

But I think I have figured it out. It is similar to my spiritual walk. My spiritual walk is not easy. It’s actually pretty hard. I’m glad nobody said that living for Christ is going to be easy… because I would have probably would go find them and punch them in the face! It’s a fight, there’s always a battle to win.

Being a man and living for Christ is not an easy thing to do. It’s not a burden or an obligation but at the same time it’s a battle. Externally and Internally. So how do you win the fight?

3 Things You Need to Do to Win a Fight

1.   Train Hard.

1 Corinthians 9:25-27 NIV

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Developing a Solid Training Regimen

  • Pray Daily – this will keep you strong in the heat of the battle
  • Study the Scriptures – this is how Jesus fought the battle… knowing the written word
  • Worship Privately not just Corporately – worship is the key to great warriors
  • Have a Good Coach – surround yourself with the right people
  • Exercise… literally! – your body is the vehicle of your destiny

 

2.   Don’t Give Up Your Back.

When an opponent gets your back, you are at one of the most vulnerable positions. It exposes your weaknesses…. punch you in the head, choke you out, etc.

One of your greatest assets is not just knowing where you are strong, but knowing where you are weak.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NIV

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

We don’t like talking about our weaknesses because we think we are supposed to be tough.

Staff your weaknesses and focus on strengths.

3.   Keep Your Guard Up.

1 Peter 5:8 NIV

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

There will always be an enemy that will always bring a fight. The best MMA fighters go in with a strategy. They know their opponents moves and their opponent knows theirs.

The devil is stupid and smart and has a strategy. He will always tempt you in the area of your weakness. He won’t tempt you in the area of someone else’s weakness!

He’s stupid because he uses the same temptation. He’s smart because he uses the same temptation!

Every good fighter knows when you walk into the fight, you have to keep your guard up and look for when the temptation is coming.

Proverbs 4:23 AMP

Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.