High Five!

I got some fantastic news today. In the past week, I have gained five pounds. Now, I know the question you're all thinking...is that a good five pounds or a fatty, gross, disgusting five pounds? And I have to admit, I didn't check. As stated in a previous post, I get a bit freaked out when I see my fat levels rise any at all. And this time, I know they have because of the tremendous amounts of fatty foods I've been eating. However, I think this five pounds is mostly good. Here's three reasons why:
1. My abs are still abby, not flabby.
2. I received two compliments today from personal trainers on the growth of my arms.
3. I received a compliment from Adam Crane (a high school student) who saw me last week and said today that he can tell my chest is getting much bigger. And his brother, Wes, didn't even recognize me because he hasn't seen me in about two months.

All of that combined is very encouraging and lets me know that these five pounds are good pounds, not gross, disgusting pounds.

I can't say though that today was a great day all around. Before I went to the gym, I was feeling lazy and somewhat disconnected from the world. I haven't talked to some of my best friends in what seems like forever (though it's only been a few days, but remember that I'm an addict and it's hard for me to go even a day without talking to them) and that thought has weighed heavily on my mind today. So I decided to take some alone time and really spend it talking to God. He revealed something to me as I was talking.

He told me that it's time for me to grow even more close to Him. I've been spending a lot of time in the gym trying to get big and worrying a lot about my physical body, but have I been doing the same with my spiritual life? I can honestly say that for the longest time, I was not trying to grow at all in my faith, but in the past two years, I have reconnected with God in big ways and have really been growing close to Him on a daily basis. But have I been doing EVERYTHING I can to get closer to Him? Have I spent as much time studying the Bible as I have studying workouts online? Have I been talking to my spiritual mentors as much as my physical mentors? Have I spent time seeking God and listening to Him as much as I have sought advice to become Bane? God told me today that I have not been working as hard as I should. So, today that changes.

A famous theologian once said, "Everyone is as close to God as they want to be." And I can say that I've been doing good, but it's time to grow and do even more to get closer to Him. I need to work my spiritual life just as hard, if not harder, than my physical. After all, which one lasts forever?

"When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things." (1 Corinthians 13:11 NLT)

Workout:
Biceps:
Negative chin ups: 5x5 SLOW
Spider curl: 70 pound preacher bar
Wide dumbbell curls: 40 pound dumbbells
Curl up/hammer down: 45 pound dumbbells
Strip hammer curls: Started with 45 pound dumbbells and did sets of five with every weight down to 3 pounds

Triceps:
Body weight triceps extension: 5x5
Close grip bench press: 145 pounds
Single arm overhead dumbbell extension: 40 pound dumbbells
Triceps press machine: 165 (maxed out the machine :) )
Two way triceps kickback: 30 pound dumbbells

Forearms:
Reverse cable curl: 105 pounds
Barbell wrist curl: Bar
Downward reverse cable curl: 115 pounds
Dumbbell twists: 30 pound dumbbells

Best Songs of the Workout:
1. Over My Head by A Day to Remember (Recommended by Derek Sword)
2. You Are I Am by MercyMe
3. One Thing Remains by Kristian Stanfill


Thanks for reading. Till next time homies, peace and much love...