From the Inside Out

Recently, I was reading in Romans and a verse just stuck out at me. Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Now I have heard that verse many times over throughout my life, but I'll plainly admit it: this was the first time I had really focused on it and allowed it to take hold of me the way it should have long ago.

Okay, that was God's first nudge. And you oughta know, He never stops there.

This past weekend, a group of us leaders took 39 middle schoolers from our youth group to Winter Blast retreat. It's sort of a mini-camp in winter where kids from all around the area can come together and conversationalize, play indoor/outdoor games, pray and learn, and allow us leaders to just love on them. In short, it rocked. Our teaching series centered on the theme of connections; about how we connect with God and others. It was also about how easy it is for us to focus on the stuff of this world, and lose focus on what's most important...connecting with a God who really truly loves and cares for us.

Now I am wondering if I might have gotten more out of it than the kids did. Okay, I'm not saying they didn't soak it up or feel God's conviction in their lives, because so many of them obviously did. But it was amazing just how much the theme really hit it for me, more than I realized it would.

God began convicting me of my own connections. Like what was most important to me, what really stood out to others about me, and where He stood in all of it. And it was sobering.

Just how often do I try to cram myself into the mold this world has to offer—to be someone I'm not, or to have something I obviously do not need—only to realize that no matter how hard I try, it still leaves me feeling wanting, or worse, unwanted. By filling myself, my mind, with all the things that shouldn't be important, all I'm doing is conforming to this world. And I am pushing away God.

Basically, I've come to realize that everything I am shows to those 6th grade guys I lead. I mean co'mon, it's hard to hide who you are when you're teaching this stuff. But can a leader effectively lead if they're not fully connecting the way they should be themselves? That by conforming to the world around us, don't we know that we slowly degrade ourselves, and bring down those around us who might actually look up to us? How can we stand before God knowing we aren't really in the game?

Reality check. These guys look up to us (me) for...a comforting shoulder to lean on when things get them down, a positive word of encouragement when everything or everyone seems to fail them, answers they don't or won't have to the questions about God and life.

They are seeking someone, anyone, to connect with. They look for leadership. And not just the friendship that we sometimes tend to give them instead; they desire to be mentored. To be taught that there is a God who cares about them, desires to know them personally, and wants to show us His will. They want to know He is real.

Now, truthfully, how can I lead effectually if my will is not God's?

Romans 12:2 simply says to let go of the things this world tends to get us caught up in: Be it gossip, slander, arrogance, selfishness, or possibly your computer, game system, television, cellphone...whatever holds us and our minds down and inhibits us from creating and maintaining that true connection with God.

And that by letting all of those inhibitors go, only then can we honestly surround ourselves from the inside out with that which God intended...His will for our lives.

Here is video from a favorite Hillsong United song of mine. Listen to the words to catch a little of what I am saying here:

A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
My heart and my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Your will above all else, my purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise

God, I ask you to renew my mind. Help me not become so caught up in the things of this world, but instead let me lose myself in You. Allow me to lead effectively and faithfully, and not be a distraction from You or Your will. Help me to continue to apply Your will to my life, and in turn, to those lives around me.

Choosing Happy Feet

During lunch with my wife and a couple of her coworkers today, the topic of foot pain came up and I was asked the question of how can one know what type of running shoe is best? Honestly, that was a good question I'd never been asked before. Now you have to realize, I'm the type of guy with the constant motto of "put one foot in front of the other" in whatever situation he's being faced with. And I am the kind of runner - a veteran of dozens of races and countless marathons - who tends to buy whatever shoe he likes. In fact, the shoe to the left (the Asics GEL-1110) has been my shoe of choice for many years now. Yeah, so I purchase more with the simple choices of style and price in mind, rather than biomechanical protection and advantage. But, I mean why would I begin to change something that clearly works for me? Well, and here's where the swallowing of my pride begins...I'm beginning to learn the simple fact of what "works" for me may not actually be what's "best" for me.

Lately, I've begun noticing that my arches have been aching more and more after workouts. It's not an outright pain in my feet, but it has been relatively consistent over the 6-8 months. I had attributed it earlier to worn out shoes, so I bought another pair late last fall. But the ache still occurs. Today's conversation actually led me to ponder in all honesty...could this be a sign that I might be running in the wrong shoes myself?

Alright, I had to find out. Not having much of any knowledge on the subject to make a reasonable conclusion myself, I opened my laptop and took my research online. And in the process, I learned that you can go a long way toward discovering what you need in a running shoe just by looking at your feet. Here is a summarized version of my findings.

Basically, there are three foot types, each based on the height of your arches. For the quickest and easiest way to determine your foot type, a runner should first take what's called the "wet test" by performing the following:

Step #1 - Pour a thin layer of water into a shallow pan
Step #2 - Wet the sole of your foot
Step #3 - Step onto a blank piece of heavy paper
Step #4 - Step off and observe the shape of your foot

Now, let's match up our imprint with one of the foot types found below:

Normal (medium) arch

• Description - Normal feet have a normal-sized arch and leave an imprint that has a flare but shows the forefoot and heel connected by a wide band.
  
• Foot characteristics - A normal foot lands on the outside of the heel, then rolls inward (pronates) slightly to absorb shock. Runners with a normal foot and normal weight are usually considered biomechanically efficient and don't require motion-control shoes. They will do best in a stability shoe that offers moderate pronation control.

Flat (low) arch

• Description - Flat feet have a low arch and leave a nearly complete imprint; there's little inward curve where the arch should be.
  
• Foot characteristics - This imprint usually indicates an overpronated foot that strikes on the outside of the heel and rolls inward excessively. Over time, this can cause many different kinds of overuse injuries. Runners with flat feet often do well in a stability (mild to moderate overpronation) or motion-control (severe overpronation) shoe.

High arch

• Description - High-arched feet leave an imprint showing a very narrow band connecting the forefoot and heel.
  
• Foot characteristics - A curved, high-arched foot is generally termed a supinated or underpronated foot. This type of foot usually doesn't pronate enough, so it's not an effective shock absorber. Runners with high-arched feet often do best in a neutral-cushioned shoe (one without added stability devices to reduce or control pronationi) that encourages a more natural foot motion.

By making a comparison to the diagrams above, we can fairly accurately determine what type of foot type we have on our own. Based on the resulting print on my piece of paper, I guess I would classify my foot type as normal to slightly flat-arched. Not a huge concern, but a noticable one for someone who runs (or aspires to run) as much as I do. The reality: an observation like this will ultimately change the way I choose running shoes in the future. A good shoe choice will likely result in long mileage and happy feet; a bad choice could mean additional pain and increased injury. Yeah, I'm all about happy too.

Now, the shoe I currently wear has mild shock absorbsion and some cushioning, but honestly that's what you get for the price. It doesn't provide much stability and, overall, possibly isn't the best fit for me. It's time to begin looking for a blended shoe with the support I need. Doing a bit more research, I'm anticipating my next purchase will likely be something with better protection, which is more suitable to meet the needs of a mild overpronator…something like the Asics GEL-Nimbus 9 or GEL-Kayano 14. But, just to be on the safe side, I plan on heading to my local specialty running store and having the professionals do what they do best.

Now, if only they could make a shoe that shaves a minute or more off my pace...

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If you would like to study this topic a bit further yourself, here are a few sites you can check out:

Running Shoe Guide for Dummies

Buying Running Shoes

Asics Shoe Fit Guide

Life in a Northern Town

I couldn't pass up the chance to have some good ole' fashioned recreation in the cold last night. What's the fun of having snow if you can't use it, right?

After picking up a pair of new ski pant bibs at the store, I bundled up my 5-year old daughter and we set about enhancing the snowy scenery outside. Though the sun had already gone down and dinner was inside waiting on the table, Hannah and I happily spent our time together digging out a small snow city consisting of two snow forts, with a connecting tunnel in between, and a pair of lounging "chairs" for us both to relax in afterward. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough snow to complete the Eiffel Tower or Great Wall of China portions of the project. But I hear we may have more snow in next week's forecast (no surprise here) and we'll begin that phase of construction when the materials arrive. My daughter even mentioned the possibility of hiring out her 3-year old brother for part of the upcoming task. She's so conscientious.

Once during the fabrication phase, I heard Hannah yell "Alp!" and turned to see her gleefully sink to her elbows in a big pile of wet snow I'd shoveled only hours earlier. "What Zermatter?", I asked. She didn't get it.

Now I have to drudgingly admit, I'm a sucker for classic hits from the 80's. In fact, my iPod has a plethora of playlists devoted to this decade of big hair styles and over-the-top fashion. One in particular, Dream Academy's "Life in a Northern Town", is a favorite of mine. And while I was outside last night, simply living in the moment with my daughter, this song kept playing over and over in my mind, reminding me of when I was young and of times spent in the snowy northwoods of Minnesota with my father ...