"Withdraw and Aberration"

Well, This second day without coffee started off with a little dizziness, and slight headache. I have been drinking morning coffee everyday for about a year and a half, so it is a strange thing to not act out my normal routine. I was completely expecting an excruciating headache to hit about 1pm, but by the grace of God it never came. The only real issue was my inability to think quickly and remember names for some reason... interesting.

The cool thing that I realized today was, while I wasn't sitting drinking my coffee... I was at my desk instead at a little before 8am (rare for any youth minister) planning out my day and being intentional. I guess you could say I hit the ground running because I decided to be present and engaged. I am wondering if I use the morning coffee as an excuse to have a 30-45 min slow-start to my morning, and then depending on the extra boost of caffeine to get me going on projects. I guess I would call that substance abuse. Using it as an escape, and being dependent on the boost it gives me in order to "function".

I think we all do this on some level... use one thing to help us escape from another. Something as simple as doing tasks around the house to avoid engaging with real issues going on in life and relationships.

Today, I felt encouraged to think about where I need to approach tasks and challenges head-on.

Until tomorrow :)

Buckling down a Viking is tough

As you know, I am a viking.  Vikings, especially this one, pride themselves on spontaneity and sporadic bouts of concentrated effort (i.e. fatal blows with one swing of the battle-axe).  But sometimes, these unquestionably wicked sweet character traits can be used as an excuse to not effectively plan ahead and be more impulsive rather than intentional.

SO!  This Viking is spending 45 days exploring the power of discipline.  Spiritually, practically, and personally things are getting buckled down.  This will be used as my online journal of what I discover.


SPIRITUALLY: 
For 7 weeks I will be exploring different spiritual disciplines utilized by many Church fathers.  This week, Starting this Journal/writing is where I begin.  (COMING SOON:

PRACTICALLY: 
No more eating out because I am too lazy to make a lunch or cook or go to the store.
All purchases over $25 must be planned and budgeted for, no spontaneous acquisitions.  
During the work-week, I will go to bed before 11:30pm and arrive at the office no later than 8:30am unless planned for. 

PERSONALLY: 
I will shave every 2 days and keep an appearance of "Pride in Hygiene".
No more caffeine (I am going to be grumpy).
No adult beverages.

These are some things I am doing!  Where could you increase your discipline to be more effective in life?


Ivan the Viking

PERFECT!

I was just thinking about perfection... and what that exactly is.

Exhaustive knowledge?
Tireless Love?
Complete Selflessness?
Having all Power?
Self-sufficiency?

Will we be perfect in heaven? If so, how are we different than God? And, if we are perfect in heaven or "sinless", will certain realities be hidden from us because we will never be equal to God? If that is the case, then we still won't have perfect intimacy with God. If sin separates us from God, and there is no sin in heaven, then what other thing exists that keeps us from perfect unity with God?

Let me know please.

Ivan