High Five Update #9

I am 2 months into the new 5 challenges. I am half way through the Go Giver book and have to recommend this book to anyone in business or ministry. The #1 value it teaches is to give more than you get. This is a truth you can live by in all areas of life – marriage, parenting, work, faith!!

I am enjoying guitar lessons. I am pretty slow I think because my hands are so old it is harder to train them to play guitar. But I am forging ahead. Watch out Eddie Van Halen.

I have to get working out! Not doing so well with this challenge. Need to get my life schedule on track to make time for this area. I have to get up earlier!!

Give yourself a High Five today!!

The Next Challenge

It is time for some new goals for the next High 5 Challenge.  Here we go:

1.  Spend the next 5 months learning to play guitar.  I have a great DVD course and am ready to go.  Maybe I will video me playing in 5 months to share this new talent!  Watch out Eddie Van Halen!

2.  5 days per week – excercise, workout, do something…

3.  5 meals per day – eat 5 smaller, healthier meals per day – at least 5 days per week (some free days on the weekend!!!)

4.  5 books – inspirational or business.  Learn something, challenge my life

5.  Help 5 People – not sure who, what, or when, but I want to help 5 people, or do 5 Acts of Random Kindness (I hope I blow this number away)…

I will try to update this journey more between April 1 and August 30.  Here we go….

High Five Update #8

5 months end today, so does the first ever Scott Mills High Five Challenge.  I set out November 1st on a journey to change some things about my life.  The idea was to focus on the positive, beginning some new habits, not necessarily ending bad ones.  Hopefully by beginning some new things in my life, that would push some of the bad habits away.  So, as to keep with the positive focus, this blog entry will not focus on what I did not accomplish, because everything that has happened over the past 5 months has been a positive move in the right direction.  So often we focus on what we did not accomplish and that defines our success.  We should rather focus on what we did with our goals that would have never happened had we not set them.  There are always more goals to set for yourself, don’t forget to stop and for a minute and enjoy some success, some positive life change.  If you have a goal to quit smoking and you smoke 2 packs a day.  Is it not a victory if you were able to cut down to 1 pack a day?  Yes, it is!  Your next goal might get you to the place you want to be, but by taking steps to set and achieve goals you are closer than ever to get there.

Lets review the 5 goals I set out to accomplish:

Running:  My goal was to go from the couch to running a 5 K (3 miles).  I achieved more in this area than I have done in 17 years.  I was in great shape at age 22 and have been in steady decline ever since I started sitting at a desk most of the day.  I was able to get up to running 2 miles.  During this journey I had ups and downs, took a few weeks off between runs.  The most awesome part is that I have overcome some major mental blocks.  After  a few weeks off, I was able to go out and run over a mile.  5 months ago, I could not run more than 60 seconds at a time.  This is huge for me!!

Weight loss:  The goal was 50 lbs – 10lbs per month.  I lost 15 lbs.  The good part is I can keep setting goals for this because there is a whole lot to come off.  My next set of goals will be more fitness and eating focus, rather than a number of lbs to lose.  I think focusing on what I eat and how much I exercise is a much more positive thing to focus on.  Looking at the symptoms will help more than looking at what I hope the end result to be.

Saving:  My goal was to save $5,000 over what we normally save.  I did this, and am glad we did.  We moved into a new house during this journey, and this has come in handy.  I will not have a savings goal again, at least without a greater purpose.  My reading list will share more about why!

Read 5 business books:  I read 1 completely, and part of 3 other books.  I read the 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing – an old marketing book with some timeless lessons about marketing.  GroundSwell – a book about Social Media.  A Pearl of Leadership – a book about Haiti and lessons on leadership.  And just starting a book called The Go-Giver – a story about a lesson a sales guy learned about having the spirit of giving, focusing on people, rather than closing the sale.  I read more about business over the past 5 months since college.

Read 5 books about my faith:  I read 3 books.  Sampson and the Pirate Monks – a great book about brotherhood and the struggles men face in our world and culture.  It speaks about having a circle of brotherhood to help share each others burdens, to walk through life with a band of brothers rather than alone.  Crazy Love – one of the most life-changing books I have read since I read The Pursuit of Holiness when I was 22 years old.  Crazy Love has changed a lot about my life, the focus I have every day, and what my priorities are.  I want to experience the Love of Christ, and I want to represent that love to all who I meet and see.  The world needs to see this Love, the world needs to see Christians being Christ-like.  Givers, care takers, servants of mankind.  We are here for a purpose, and you can bet it is not to save as much money as we can, get a bigger house, and drive the badest car.  I did not learn to be judgemental, or to deny myself of enjoying life and my family.  I did learn that I must be focused on others, and not on myself.  By doing this, my priorities must be different.   Another book I read before I started this journey was a John Piper book called Don’t Waste Your Life.  This book had a similar message.  It spoke of the American dream  – work hard, save, invest, and then retire to a nice house, boat, and golf and spend the rest of your days resting.  What a wasted life – do something for Christ by sharing His amazing Crazy Love with others.  The Shack was the last book I read.  Another great book, more of a novel, that expressed one mans journey and experience with God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit through the pain of losing someone he loved.  It gave some awesome imagery to what it would be like if the Trinity lived among us in physical form, and reminded me that they do live all around me, they are here, they do listen, they do love me and want nothing but the best for me even when I and those I love go through pain.

What a journey!  It is time for the next 5 months, and 5 more goals that start tomorrow.  Check back tomorrow to see what the next challenge looks like!

Thanks for following….

High 5 Update #7

Just a quick note about my 5 month journey.  Still going strong and having a good time with this.  Here is the lowdown:

Running – It has been cold, I am tired of the treadmill….  I have been trading time on the treadmill for the eliptical just to keep things interesting, and it really is not that interesting…  Warm weather this weekend, so I am hitting the road.  I am still just kind of holding at 2 miles, but with warmer weather I am hoping to hit 3 miles by the end of February.

Reading – I am currently about half way through The Shack.  A controversial book about a guy and his encounter with God.  I am enjoying the book, realizing that is a fiction novel and trying to glean some truth from it and a challenge.  So far, I am enjoying the read.

Savings – Done!  Reached this goal

Eating – Doing really well here since January 1.  I have certainly enjoyed some non-healthy food since them, but that has been the exception.  Starting to see some benefits finally

Weight Loss – I have not weighed since January 2nd, so I don’t know.  My scale broke…  Hopefully will update this next time.

2 months to go!!  I am already looking forward to my next 5 month challenge.

High 5 Update #6

I am almost half way through the 5 months of my High 5 challenge.  I am really diggin this journey and looking forward to the next 5 months and some new challenges.  I am breaking my rules and adding 2 more 5’s right now.  I think they are going to be paramount to the success of the other 5 things.

Starting today I am not planning on getting up at 5AM 5 days per week (M-F).  This will help me with my workout goal of running 5K and also losing 50 lbs.  I need this time in the morning because the rest of the day is too crazy.  I have not had time to read in over a month, so today I finally picked back up on Crazy Love and will finish it this week.

Updates on the other 5’s

5K – I finished the 9 week couch to 5K plan, but am still at about 2 miles.  I am now working out 6 days per week so should begin to see this grow.  I have 2.5 months to reach this goal and think it will happen much sooner.  It will be nice to check one of these things completed.

Savings – should reach that by the end of February.

50 lbs – I have really not done well here.  You would think with running, that the weight would fall off, but it hasn’t.  I guess running out to Chik-fil-a after running is not the best practice for losing weight!!  I have given up Coke’s!  Very hard to do, but I have gone a week without one.  21 days to a habit, so 2 more weeks and I will be doing OK with this.  I am also eating much healthier.  We are eating at home more, I am watching calories and carbs.  I am still working to attain this goal, I still have time.

5 Inspirational books – I will be 2 down by Friday, 3 to go

5 Business books – 1 down and 4 to go.  Still reading Groundswell!!!

This is great, it has been life changing, and I only expect more to happen.  You are never to old to change or learn new things, and that is probably the most exciting thing.  We can go through life with alot of regrets, but there aren’t many things I cannot still do at 38.  I can’t play pro football, but that is about it!!

My Holiday Summary

Well, the holidays are over, it is sad!!  I enjoyed 2 weeks off of work, but was very busy.  First, there was the Christmas Eve flat tire.  It was quite possibly the most rain on any day in 2008 as I changed my flat tire.  It was as if I jumped into a lake!!  The fun part is that my wife and I enjoyed a good laugh as she tried to keep the umbrella over us to keep us dry.

Christmas was awesome, we enjoyed a good Country breakfast at my in-laws who also invited my parents over.  It was a great day of playing video games (my wife got me guitar hero world tour!!!) eating, and taking a nap.  The day ended with the Lovett Family Christmas.  This year my mother in law had the idea that each person draws a name and has to write a letter to that person telling them how you feel about them.  Needless to say the tears were flowing as everyone read the letters.  It was a special time!

Not a second after Christmsas was over, we entered Terra Nova time.  Terra Nova is a youth conference my wife coordinates here in Nashville.  So, as the husband, I am also cheif volunteer!  It was  great event, God moved in student and adults alike.  Many gave their heart to him, and leaders also made some commitments, we know of one marriage that is on the mend following the event.

My beautiful amazing wife and I celebrated our 10th anniversary with the Terra Nova crowd as we do every year.  This year it hit me what an honor it is to spend this day seeing student come to Christ.  Even though we do not get to go out on our anniversary or take a trip, we do see some awesome God stuff happen every year.  We are still celebrating our 10 years, really I hope we celebrate for the next 10.  I am blessed to have a loving, God-fearing, and just to be honest – hot – wife!!

Then, over this past weekend, we went with our friends to the first ever W1 weekend (www.W1well.com).  This is a weekend where they do some testing and training on how to achieve full wellness – Mind, Body and Spirit.  They can actually test you and give you a score on your overall wellness.  Pretty amazing.  I did Yoga for the first time, and heard from some pretty awesome speakers on wellness.  I came away ready to start the new year!!

So, now it is a few days into 2009,  I am continuing on my High 5 Challenge.  I have 3 more months to achieve my 5 goals and I am doing pretty good!!  Looking forward to what lies ahead this year, I think it is going to be a very good one!!

High 5 Update #5

Whew, where does the time go.  The High 5 challenge is still tracking pretty good.  At this point in something like this I am usually fading away and deciding to do something different, but this seem different.  I am resolved to keep pressing on.

Running:  I have 2 weeks left in the Couch to 5k.  I am going to finish the 9 week program, but will be a little short on the 5K.  It is going to take me a bit longer to get the distance.  I will get the time – 30 minutes of non-stop running, but my pace is pretty slow.  If you did not know, I am a big boy!!!  I will work at increasing my speed and losing weight, which I think will get me to the 5K in no time.  I will be 2/3’s there by next Monday!

Weight – slow, come January my goal is really to kick start this.  Along with my running, making a few changes in my diet (no soda) will help the lb’s to melt away.

Books:  I am currently still trying to finish Crazy Love and started GroundSwell this week.  I will have both finisthed by the end of the month and be right on track with my book goal.

Savings:  hard to do in December with all the holiday stuff – family, teachers, co-workers…  It sure is fun though.  When the month is over we should be about 40% of the goal, which is on target.

Something else we are doing for the holidays is sponsoring Christmas for a local family.   This is what saving money is all about, it gives us the chance to give it away.  We are excited to be delivering Christmas to this family this Saturday.  What a blessing for us!!

What is God’s Will for my Life?

This is a quesiton we have all asked.  As students nearing the end of High School, this is the biggest question we seemed to face.  Many other times in life this question is starring us in the face, but it is always lurking around us.  I have been doing some thinking lately around this topic, spurred on by a book I am reading called Crazy Love by Fracis Chan.  Here is where my thinking is taking me.

As a Chrisitan, we all know what the will of God is for our life, we are just too afraid to admit it and so we keep on questioning it.  I believe God’s word is clear in spelling out what His will is for us.  I am beginning a search for this in scripture, but a few things we all know such as the 10 commandments.  We also know what he asked us to do in Mark 16:15-16 (The Message) God says – “Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the Message of God’s good news to one and all. Whoever believes and is baptized is saved; whoever refuses to believe is damned.  James 1:27 says “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”  These are just a few examples where God’s will seems clear to me.  We are to share our faith with the world, we are too take care of people who need help, and we are too keep ourselves pure from the world.  Ecclesiastes 9:9-10 says “Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun— all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, ^[a] where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.”  This tells me to enjoy what I do because life is short.  I cannot find a verse that says I should go into Marketing, however many verses tell me how to work, and when I put it together it gives me clear understanding of what God’s will is, if I choose to accept it – Work hard and like it, give what God has give to me to help others including the poor, widows, orphans, homeless, and simply put the needy.  Share my faith with as many people as I can, be a good Husband and Dad, and live pure.

God’s will is clear, we, as Christians are just too afraid and too comfortable to accept this calling.  Even those called into full time ministry struggle with this calling.  It seems hard to give up our own desires, to strive for a strong 401k, to build our dream house, to drive a nice car, to get new clothes with every new paycheck, to eat like fat kings, to have more and more.  But, when you see someone in need, and you know you can make a difference in someones life today, don’t you feel conflicted?  I do, now that I am trying to take my eyes off myself and put them on my holy, amazing, pure, magnificent God.  He is calling me to give up myself and follow him.  He is asking to be #1 in my life, not back seat, he wants my best, not my leftovers.

God’s will is to give him my life.  He will then take care of the rest.  I just really have to give it to him and risk whatever he brings my way knowing full well that in the end there will be rest, peace, and pure joy in Him.  Crazy Love is what God feels towards me, but I have not returned the same depth of Love towards Him.  I want too.  I am going to keep going down this journey.

High 5 Update #4

It has been a couple weeks since I journaled about this fun journey I am on.  I have hit some great milestones, and there are many more to come.  Yesterday I completed week #5 in the Couch to 5K.  I actually ran for 20 minutes and did 1.5miles in the time (I know that is a slow pace, but I am a pretty big boy).  This is the most I have ran straight in 15 years.  The more I get into this, the more excited I get about running days.  I never thought I would begin to enjoy it, but am very glad I am and hope this is a life long habit.

The other areas:

Weight loss:  I have only lost 5lbs, but have not been focusing enough on this area, and it will be harder during the holidays, but I am going to work on it.  Come January, I am already gearing up to make some drastic life changes in this area to help reach my goal of 50lbs by March 31.

Savings:  Doing pretty good here, on track to reach my goal.

Reading – business:  I have hit my goal of reading a book per month, and in December I plan to read Groundswell as I seek to engage more in social media.

Reading- inspirational:  I have read one book and am about halfway through another – Crazy Love by Francis Chan.  I had heard this guy speak many times over the past year and his message is refreshing and challenging.  The book is an extension of this and I am changing alot about my persepective on why God created me and what my mission is.  More about this in separate blogs forthcoming.

All in all, I feel like I am on track in the areas and look forward to a great month of transforming my life.  I am having a blast!!

High 5 Update #3

17 days into the challenge.  I have been slow on a couple things, but on target in others.  The couch to 5K has been the one thing that has been completely on track.  Just finished the 3rd week today and getting ready to kick it up a notch with week 4.  My reading has slowed down, but I am reading a good book, just have to make some time.  I am ready Crazy Love by Francis Chan.  I have enjoyed hearing him speak and look forward to the challenges his book will bring about.  I think my next business book will be Groundswell, it is about social networking, something I continue to try and learn about.

I have tried to stay away from “diets” but think I need to kick start some new eating habits in my life.  I tend to not make the best choices here and need to get on the ball if I am going to lose 50 lbs by March 31st.  I am sure the running will get easier as I lose weight too.

Savings is coming along.  Just bought a new computer tonight, so that does not help.  Feeling good that we will hit that though based on looking ahead.

God is showing me that I can do it.  Challenges are great for us and I think we should always have short term goals to learn and do new things.  I am already thinking about some new challenges such as learning to play guitar and piano to running a half marathon.  Looking forward to what is next and hope that I can adopt a lifestyle of simply living.  Taking advantage of being alive, have new experiences, and learn new things.  You are never too old to start learning, in fact, if you have stopped learning, you need an attitude and lifestyle adjustment.

All is well, I am still on track and looking forward to the journey.