My goatee

is new.  I have never had one before.  I had to look up how to spell the word.  My wife does not like it and I really don't like it either, but I am growing it out in honor of men's health.   Oh yeah, and one more reason...all the guys at my clinic are growing one too.  It's kind of like a male bonding thing.

The good news is that I only have to have it 6 more days.  There is one thing it has taught me...how difficult it is to get out of my usual routine.  I never thought of my self as resistant to change, but I have really been "put out" by the extra work needed to groom this thing.

A high pain tolerance: the law of

the threshold.  Actually, I am not sure if this idea is a law or not.  I have been thinking about this idea a lot.  I would like to give a few examples of the concept.  When asked to rate his pain on a scale from 0-10 (0 being no pain-10 being the worst pain ever), the individual recalls when he was buried alive in a stone pile and survived to tell about it.  He tells me, that being buried alive was a 10 and so his back pain is a 3.   Now he really does have a high tolerance for pain.  His threshold for pain was raised by his life experience.

When running, I have found 3 miles seems like a long way until I raise my threshold to 13 miles.  Once I train for 13 miles, 3 miles seems like a leisure stroll in the park. 

When giving speeches, before I allow myself to get nervous, I think of prior speeches and how much was on the line in giving those speeches.  The most important speech I have ever given was in a foreign country in front of a judge and prosecutor that would determine the future of our family.  Now, I compare all other speeches to that experience and it keeps things in perspective.  My stress threshold, when giving speeches, has been raised by my life experience.

I have a 99 year old friend

who gave me the book, "Lone Survivor" by Marcus Luttrell.  It was an insightful book that revealed the Navy Seal Creed.  In the book, Mr. Luttrell expanded upon a value in the creed.  "I persevere and thrive on adversity."  I read this book about three years ago and I recall him explaining how his seal team believed they had to have adversity to survive.  They welcomed adversity as if it were the food they needed that day.  

To my 99 year old friend, who was a Frogman in WWII, thanks for so many reasons!

It's not about our comfort

it's about our character.  I heard a pastor once say that it seemed Americans tend to pray that God will lighten their loads, but that in his country people are forced to pray that God would strengthen their backs.  When it comes to adversity, I have to admit, I don't always have a "bring it on" type attitude.  Yet, I know the times when I have become strongest were through trials.   Father, help me remember to welcome trials as opportunities to build character.

Not only so, but we^[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."  Romans 5:3-5

It sometimes has to get worse

before it gets better.  That is, if you are working on building strength or improving your ability to do something.  As a physical therapist, I am regularly driving people to their limits so that their limits will be challenged.  As a result, they get better and their limits become smaller.  I have no problem understanding that concept from a physical perspective, but for some reason I don't always grasp that idea from a spiritual perspective.  I have to get out of the mindset that comfort is what I am working for.  I know that attitude is a hindrance to growth.

James 1:2-4 states, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

"Character is the will

to do what's right regardless of the cost.  Character is the oil to a relationship.   Character is the will do to what's right, as God defines right, regardless of the cost.  Lord give me the wisdom to know what's right and the courage to do what's right regardless of the cost."  Andy Stanley's first character podcast on 6-28-10.

I can't help but wonder

if Jonathan new God would act on his behalf.  Could he have had such a good relationship with God that he knew that climbing that cliff to attack the Philistines would result in a victory on his side?  The comment "perhaps the Lord will act on our behalf" to his armor bearer may have been more out of confidence than doubt.