www.nathanweselake.com

A Man with No Plan.

Reading 1 Samuel with my LTG.  Every time I read this book I am struck by Saul.  Given so much and just simply blows it.  All sorts of deep spiritual lessons to be learned from his failures but this time around I am taken with a really pragmatic obvious one:

HE HAS NO PLAN.

His choices appear to be motivated by fear, appetite, popular opinion, greed, and whatever really cool conference or mission trip he attended last.  Whatever they are motivated by they are not motivated by his God given call to, or personal vision of, kingship.  Without a target on the shore the boat just drifts where the wind blows.

With nothing larger to aim for, with no big dream about what kind of king he wants to be, or what kind of king the people deserve he settles for uninformed decisiveness and the result is chaos.

His leadership eventually leads his people to respond with an indifferent "whatever Saul" when he tries to take control and lead (cf. 14).  And only when the outcome of his leadership becomes so potentially stupid (killing his son) do they finally engage with him - and then it is only to try to rein in his stupidity.

So what is your plan?  

What kind of dad are you going to be?  

What kind of family are you going to have?

What kind of ministry are you going to lead?

What kind of kids are you going to try to raise?

Is what you are doing right now a part of that plan?  

There is no doubt Saul sincerely hoped everything would work out fine.  

But he had no plan.

Almost everyone I know who I admire has at some point written something down about what they are going to commit to.  Then they show it to someone they trust.  Then they try their best.

Sounds like a plan.

Back 40 Race Report.

Lap #1

Race began with a "lemans" start which, aside from spreading out the field, also makes me feel cultured and vaguely french.  To the uninitiated, a "lemans" start is when you leave your bikes lying by the start line and everyone runs a hundred meters or so on foot before returning to their bikes to mount up and go.  Loaded down cyclists with gel's, bottles, and tires wedged in their jerseys all run with their hands on their upper glutes to keep from spilling the contents. The effect leads to prancing and not running - again making me feel vaguely french.

I didn't push too hard in the early run figuring there was 80km of biking still to go, so I headed out mid pack - tucked in behind Gord. S.  The pace was a little slow where I was but the HR monitor was telling me I was working pretty hard so I just rode with who I was around until we hit a field just after the first stream crossing.  Passed Gord and another guy and was on Hal's rear wheel which was helpful since this was my first crack at the trails and I had no idea what was coming.  Followed Hal until the switchback turnaround and then sped up a bit to join the Ollie and Don S. train.  Rode with those guys until the road section when Ollie took off.  This left Don, Rob B, and myself to ride the rode together.  We rode together until Rob fired up the long climb out of the valley and then sped off down the road. Don and I let him go and I hacked down a Shoppers Drug Mart House Brand Energy Bar on the road. .99 buys you a mouthful of sawdust and chocolate.  I sucked out the chocolate and spit out the wood.  

Don fell off a bit and I was by myself for the rest of lap #1 - catching sight of Rob now and then.

Lap #2 

My bike began to be most uncooperative and I was wiggling the barrels for my shifters trying to get the chain to stop skipping gears.  But the course was a whole lot more familiar the second time around and so it felt a little more smooth.  Had a couple places where you could throw caution to the wind and charge hard down a hill, over a bridge, and into a nicely banked corner.  It is not often when I race that I am aware of a smile on my face - but it was there a few times.  A good sign.

Beginning to really hurt by the end of this lap.  Someone at feed station was trying to be encouraging and said "way to go, 40% done".  This was actually incredibly defeating to hear.  40% done but feeling about 80% spent.

Lap #3 

The suffering really began in earnest on this one.  But it was also sinking in that I was having a better race than the first two this year.  There are a few places where you can see who is behind you and who is ahead of you and what I was seeing was reason to be encouraged.  The McDonald's water jug was pressed into duty big time just before the road. One refill to dump on my head and one for my mouth.  Rode part of the road section with Dylan - took my first gel here too and was looking forward to the shot of energy.

Halfway through nearly every race I finally win the mental battle about quitting and can concentrate on trying to conserve and flow.  Felt like I had the singletrack pretty dialed in by now, especially the section just after the last road section.  After Dylan, I hadn't seen anyone.

Lap #4

Passed through the lap area just ahead of the start of the 16km and 32 km.  Soon the faster 32km guys were with me and I tried to pace with them but they were hammering pretty good and I was already past the 3 hour mark.  Having guys pass you is a psychological blow even when you know you aren't racing them.  I was getting mentally lax and really slowing down - had a dismal 10 minutes and then heard Dave D. hollering at me from behind to get going.  Kind of woke me up and so I settled in with some of the 32km guys whose chatter helped distract me from the pain.  Muscle cramps were taking turns in calves, hams, and quads but managed to spin through them.  

John Paul zoomed by at the McDonald's water bucket and I was impressed but also worried. I had seen him and another rider in lap #3 but figured they were 2+min. back.  Either he was making up some serious time or I was slowing down big time.

My 32 km riding pals would pass me on the roads and then I'd fire past them in the singletrack which I felt like I could ride blindfolded by now.  Really starting to ease off on the brakes in corners, almost lost the bead on my front tire on one, burped some air out of it.  Felt the difference but didn't realize how much psi I had lost - went down to about 22psi.  Good ol' Stan's probably saved the day.

Lap #5

The end is near (only one hour to go).  I love hammering a Coke when there is about 1 hour left.  A little trick I picked up from Dre Hestler in the Trans Rockies.  Between the hope of the finish line coming soon and the buzz from the Coke I was flying high.  The cramps were still hovering just below the surface but they were not debilitating.  No lock ups - just spasms.

Then I went down hard.  I turned my head to yell encouragement at Dorning (who had found a new pedal and joined the 32 km race) and flew off my bike.  A dumb move, not sure why I felt I needed to make eye contact with Dave - could have just hollered!  I was in one piece, but my bike was messed up.  A quick glance revealed I had lost a spoke.  I twisted it around so the tire would rotate and started riding again.  Still making a ton of noise. Another stop and I couldn't see the reason for the noise.  Rode some more.

Was getting frustrated.No gears would stay, chain was jumping all over - someone yelled "Dude, there is something wrong with your bike."  This was immensely helpful.  I stopped and flipped the bike upsidedown to take a really good look.

My rear dérailleur (now that makes me feel french) had bent into the spokes.  I bent it out and the noise ceased but I was stuck in either middle or big chain ring and only my tallest three cogs.  Figured I would be caught in no time by dozens of riders and melted down in the way you only can when you are 4h+ into a race and the end is near but maybe not possible.

But then kind of cleared the fog from my head and it occurred to me my bike was still working, just not how I wanted it to work.  Weird how profound these stupid thoughts feel when you are exhausted.  So I just started riding.  Singlespeeded it the rest of the way. 

Bunch of climbs I couldn't make but tried to run up them the best I could (read:staggered up them).  Towards the end of the lap I pushed a little harder on the bike and actually enjoyed having to power up climbs instead of spin.

With about 2 minutes left in the lap I saw Rob B. for the first time in hours.  He had hit the wall hard and was determined but clearly suffering his way to the line.  

Then the feed station and the glorious end!  Except I accidentally took the lap lane instead of the finish lane at the line which prompted Kevin B. to inform me I had just made the cut off and it was up to me if I wanted to do my final lap. 

Clearly my reputation as an ace speedster is not what I wish it was.  It actually threw me for a loop.  "Had I counted wrong?  I could have sworn that was Lap #5".

After trying to think it through I was reasonably confident I was done and so informed Kevin I was DONE all 5 laps and doubled back to cross the finish line proper.

Finished 7th overall and was absolutely delighted with that.

Thanks to the gang at Tinker Creek that makes the whole thing possible.  Great vibe at the race.  Really laid back.  The tone for the day is set by the people who are in charge and the attitudes and personalities that run this race are stellar.  

There are links to whole bunch of other race reports and photos here.

Although they all seem a little brief compared to the massive tomes I write.

Theology of Facebook - Part 1 "Love is..."

The same principle ought to guide Christian use of FB as guides the rest of life.  Simply, this means Christians are called to update in a loving way. So we update in a way which reflects the following list from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.  

• patient and kind
• not jealous, boastful, or rude
• not irritable
• no record of when we have been wronged
• always hopeful, always full of faith
• endures through ever circumstance

And since this is love we are talking about - we think of others first.  This means we admit our responsibility to the reader.  We are thinking of how they will feel.  While what we communicate might feel OK to us, love demands the circle we consider be larger.   Love also demands we don't shrug off those we may offend as supersensitive (perhaps we have an even greater obligation to the supersensitive).  Besides, evidence is growing which indicates they can't help it if they react emotionally to something you wrote.  Recent studies argue that the status update of a friend's friend has a greater impact on our happiness than $5000 in our pocket. 

Studies like this are great news for Christians.  The ability to affect the emotional state of someone we don't even know in a positive way should encourage us. Twitter and Facebook give you more power to create Kingdom good with a single sentence than you could have imagined.  So accept the power of your words and speak (update) in love.

Next up - Theology of Facebook - Part 2 "The Blind Spot"

Life Transformation Groups.

A open challenge to the men of PAC from Paul Stanley and Stafford Greer,

Men,

The cry I hear from most men I talk to, well Christian men that is, is “how do I get a consistent walk with God”, (not necessarily those words exactly.)

Here is something I am trying along with 2 other guys, and I’m wondering if you’re up to the challenge.  It isn’t easy, but very simple.  Answer these questions to help with your decision.

1.    Do I desire to read God’s Word more than I do

2.    Do I desire to see my unsaved friends come to know God

3.    Do I desire to live my life in a way that’s pleasing to God each and every day, consistently.

Then let me suggest what a couple of authors have suggested and what I’m passing on.

A.   Start a Life Transformation Group, or LTG, which consists of 2 to 3 men.

B.   Commit to read 30 chapters each week. Agreed upon by the LTG.

C.   Meet for 1 hr per week to see if God has spoken to you or shown you anything new. (early AM, daytime, evening)

D.   Answer 4 or 5 questions regarding your life that week and commit to be honest.

E.   Pray for those unsaved people that God has put on your heart.

And do it each week.

Here’s the Organic part of it.  any one of you can invite another guy at any time. Saved or unsaved, as long as he’s willing to do the things above. If by chance there are four people in your group, the next time you split.  Never more than 2 or 3 individuals per LTG. No list of groups, no way of tracking it, except by the noticeable transformation in the men in our Church or those from other Churches.  The Spirit of God using the Word of God to transform you…

If an individual doesn’t read the 30 chapters, then the entire LTG commits to reread the 30 chapters until all have done so in one week.  Starting to get queasy?  Not really that serious at this point?  I hear ya.  The accountability will be huge.  Not just those of us who look at girls either. J  There are so many other ways we need to be held accountable isn’t there? 

You might ask “how does one control this kind of thing”?  Good question.. We don’t.  Let’s just see if a man reading large amounts of the bible, confessing to another his struggles, praying about them and about those lost without God, has in fact the power to transform an individual.  You up for it?

I’m meeting with 2 guys this week, having started in the book of Acts, and am interested personally to see how God works.  Ya, that’s right. No DVD or mini series.  No guides or journals, except the one we’re possibly keeping as we read.

Let me know if you have any more questions.  Stafford is capable of answering questions as well, as it was his book that got me motivated to take a chance. 

Let me ask ya…did it cross your mind “summer is just not a good time?”   Let me ask you…”To do what?” J  

I am going to approach a couple guys to do this with too and see where it goes.  And while the challenge is specifically for men - let me extend it to women too.  

In Him there is only Yes.

When the Holy Spirit speaks, it is always words of hope.  Even when there is conviction first, the destination is not discouragement, sadness, dejection, or worry.  We have to wrestle with conviction but a sure sign of God convicting you is a sense of how good it will feel when you finally give up and admit your sin.

The Holy Spirit is God's empowering presence and when He is present there only can be hope as the ultimate destination and along the way are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control (Galatians 5:22-23)

This is a powerful way to examine the wakes we leave behind us.  That last conversation or meeting I had.  Did I leave people discouraged?  Are they beaten up?  Defeated?  Worried? Do they feel like they are in a dead end?   

If I did then the Holy Spirit was not speaking through me.

This is not to say we will not have to disappoint people (leaders especially will have to break bad news, and say "no" when people really wanted to hear a "yes").  But the Holy Spirit does this all the time.

Not only is this a good way to evaluate our own conversations but it brings powerful clarity to the legitimacy of our own thoughts.  Am I worried?  Fearful?  Hopeless?

If I am then it is not the Holy Spirit and I don't have to pay attention to it.  

Stop dignifying the emotions and impressions that are not from God.  

"You don't want to have a thought in your head that wouldn't belong in His."

- Bill Johnson

Back on Twitter.

Will be communicating PAC / personal stuff.

Here to follow.

Creators / Critics / Collectors / Joiners / Spectators / Inactives

In Groundswell, the authors divide people into 6 categories regarding social media.

1. Creators (publish blog / video / media)

2. Critics (raters / commentators)

3. Collectors (use feeds / use buttons - "like")

4. Joiners (have a profile)

5. Spectators (observe but don't engage)

6. Inactives 

The book is about social media but the categories apply to whatever you are doing.

Your true fans are in the #2 and #3 categories and it is those categories which will make or break your mission.  

Joiners and Spectators feel good because usually this is the largest category.  But the breadth masks a shallowness.

You want Critics and Collectors.  Just a few is enough.  In fact, if you don't have a plan for helping Joiners and Spectators become Critics and Collectors - the clock is ticking on your mission.  

You need people who will be part of the mission, not people who will watch it unfold.

Bring A Friend Mb Cup #3

Summary:

Pre-road the course on Wed. and had posted a decent time on a dry and challenging course.  Huge burst of rain before the start ensured we had a sloppy ride and some slick climbs.  Sun coming out immediately after ensured we were boiling.  Crazy heat and humidity.

Everyone took off pretty fast up the feed station climb right off the beginning and I tried to settle in.  Keeping pace if possible but not pushing too hard so early in the race.  4 laps of a killer course.

Was chugging along alright.  Had to dismount on an early climb because of traffic and mud but everyone else was in the same boat.  Then I went down pretty hard on a muddy descent and got the back of my seat driven upwards into my groin hard enough to geld a horse.  Eyes watering, body aching, and mourning the loss of future descendants,  I tried to get it back together but had a steady stream of traffic passing me and mentally couldn't find the right lines.  Even the basic singletrack after Gobert's had me hitting a tree.  The Pan-Am Climb was a disaster..haven't had to dismount on that climb EVER no matter how greasy...and I have ridden it when half snow covered...had to dismount twice on lap #2. 

Frustrated and not thinking clearly - but that is racing baby.  The champs have strong legs AND heads.  

Second lap was better, a little more confidence and a little less pain.  Rode third lap with Dylan (first race after some injury problems) and we chatted encouragement back and forth. Really appreciated his comments on some of my harder efforts on climbs - he is a good dude and this race is likely the last I'll see of him as he whips himself back into elite race shape. Climbed feed stations, camel, and pan am on lap three and four so felt like I was not a total washout on the day.  Got stronger as it went on.

4th lap Dylan dropped off and I shaved 3 minutes off of lap 3 - so maybe there is a silver lining there.  Fought off cramps and ended strong when I caught Ferg from comp near the finish line and he decided we should sprint in together.  

Finished about 2:23 which is about 20 min. behind leader - JP.  This is a pretty big gap at 5min. a lap.  The elite guys were insane at around 1.50ish.  

Some races finishing far off the pace is a bit of a blow.  Didn't feel that way Saturday.  it was a personal ordeal and certain parts of my anatomy still ache...but I got it done.

Takeaways:

My endurance is probably not the weak link.  I need to really hammer some intervals.

Need to race more.  My best seasons are those where I have gotten to 10+ races.  Used to do Wednesday nights and every Cup race.  Just can't get there schedule wise but I think the truth is nothing helps you get better at racing like racing.

Need to stay calmer.  Mentally I was wigging out way too much.  Especially after the wipeouts.  My pre-ride lap on Wednesday was 4 min. faster than my fastest lap on Saturday.  Even taking into account the rain - that is a big difference that I think has to do with pressure.  Any sports psychologists want to do some pro-bono work?

See you all at Back 40.

Question of the day...

If you were filming your wife with your new iphone (version 4 makes version 3 a bargain) and it was a pretty funny video and could possibly fit very nicely in adding momentum to a little something you have going called "Video Wednesday" but in this particular video the last scene involved your sweetheart extending in jest a certain digit at the camera would it be in your best interest vocationally or relationally to post this video simply because you have a hunch it would generate a rather large amount of interest in your blog an possibly help bump your monthly average hits just over your goal for the month because what really is a hobby without a goal or are you just a little to intense in every area of your life and perhaps what the lesson here for all of us is is to not sacrifice integrity or morals for the sake of attention but that perhaps the most fun occurs when you have to couch trolling for opinions in a vernacular which your daughter who is reading this over your shoulder and whose compadres and cohorts are most aware of Video Wednesday will look at you and say "Daddy what are you talking about?"  

So maybe not really a question but more of a conclusion that I need a blog that can't be traced to my person.  

"They don't give you a manual when you get kids!"

This was my mother's cry when she felt particularly overwhelmed by the demands placed on a her by myself or my sisters.  It always seemed vaguely amusing when I was a kid.  Now I get it.  A comprehensive manual would be nice.

But there isn't one.  And no, your bible is not a comprehensive parenting manual (and nor for that matter is it a science or history book).  You my friend have no rock solid guide telling you what to do or say and how to do or say it.  So you are going to be stuck with situations you may have imagined occurring but could never imagine the emotion involved.

The lack of a manual doesn't mean you need be alone or directionless; there are always things you can do.  Since these conversations keep coming up - let me throw some thoughts out there that you might find helpful.