it's time

i started working out this morning.  one of my resolutions...to take better care of this body that God gave me.  my mom got me a membership to a local fitness place, so...thanks mom!  as i was working out,  run/walking and later doing a few reps of free weights, i had a memory.  you know how things totally un-related pop into your head at the weirdest times? 

i went to a national youth workers convention in ... i think, 2003.  maybe late '02, doesn't matter.  anyway, i was  relatively new christian, someone bought me a ticket to this thing and it helped to impart a vision that God had for my life.  it changed the trajectory of my life.  i hadn't thought about it for a long time.  the theme was RENOVATUS, the latin word that we get our word, renovate.  That is what working out is to me, tearing you down and kicking your ___! in order to make you better.  I often forget the latter part of that statement, mostly because i don't think about it when i am in the process.  i think about how hard it is to get up at 5 AM and run, or to get up in the morning and pray.  huh?  i thought you were talking about your physical body, working out...what happened???  FOR ME, it is the same with my spiritual work out as well.  in order to restore something, you must first tear it down to the core of what it is.  you must strip away all of the imperfections, all the rust, dirt, grime, old paint, old ugly shag carpet...whatever it is, you have to tear it down in order to restore it to it's once beautiful condition.

i think that could be my theme for 2009.  renovatus.  be honest with yourself and others and rip away every bit of imperfection in me, so that He can restore me... 

if you got serious about restoration, you might find you would be like one of these people with a cardboard testimony.