Get in shape!

Friday mornings I play sports with some guys and gals from the Canadian Forces recruitment centre in Barrie...and it's given me a new found respect for our armed forces.

The sport varies from week to week - basketball, european handball, today was floor hockey.  But no matter what sport it is, these guys are in ridiculous shape!  I'm no slouch, I'm an active guy - but I am put to shame every week.  It's non-stop running for 45 minutes to an hour, and while I'm sweating and out of breath halfway through, these super-humans are showing no signs of slowing down.  One guy is 20 years my senior and he's running circles around everyone - and he doesn't even take water breaks!  They are all very fit, and a few of them are absolutely ripped to boot.

Friday mornings have given me a new appreciation for the men and women who serve our country.  They are constantly in training, and as such are in peak physical condition.  They put their bodies through the paces so that they are always ready to be called on.  They inspire me to keep pushing, even when my body is tired or hurting.  I stopped for a bit during floor hockey today because my lungs felt like they were going to explode...but I wonder if I could have - and should have - kept going.  I bet they would have!  It's the old saying, "mind over matter."

And yes, it brings my faith in perspective too, that I should strive to be the best I can be (emphasis added):

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.  No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Last Movember Update...

I'm getting ready to say goodbye to Movember.  Bittersweet moment...sweet because the stache is awful, bitter because it's awfully awesome!  My wife, however, can't wait for Saturday when I shave it and begin the process of growing a full beard...she loves the beard but hates the stache, go figure.  I'll miss the stache a bit, but there will always be next year!

While the stache is admittedly ridiculous, it's all about the cause.  Glad I could help to raise a bit of money and awareness about prostate cancer and men's mental health.  You can still donate at http://mobro.co/timmaassarany

The everyday look:

The 'don't mess with me' look:

The "Seriously, don't mess with me!" look:

Not sure if I pulled those off, lol...

Movember continues

And the stache grows...

Last year I did the handle bars, but that's a bit of a cop-out for me because I think that looks better than the stache.  The handlebars could be mistaken for a gotee.  The stache stands out for what it is - grossness on my face.  But all for a good cause!

You can make a donation to prostate cancer research at http://mobro.co/timmaassarany

(This picture was taken yesterday)

And yes, the wife still hates it.

Hurricane Sandy

The past week I've been watching a lot on Hurricane Sandy.  It's been tragic to see the damage and destruction caused, and yet it's left me in awe.

It's funny how we think we have it all together.  We think we've come so far with our infrastructure, our technology, our weather-predicting systems, our safeguards, our advanced systems and thinking and buildings and procedures.  We have it all under control.

Then a hurricane hits.

Something WAY beyond our control, that no matter how much we've planned and prepared for, we have absolutely no chance against.  It takes us years, decades, to plan infrastructure and create streets and buildings and neighbourhoods and get everything just how we want it.  Then a hurricane/earthquake/ tsunami/tornado hits and those decades of hard work are washed away in seconds, and we realize how truly infinitesimal we really are.  And that while we delude ourselves into thinking we have an ounce of control over anything, the truth is that have absolutely none.

And then...think about it in the larger scale.  The amount of destruction that a hurricane does - and realizing that a hurricane covers maybe 1/10 of the earth's surface at a time, which means the earth is SO much larger.  And the earth is tiny compared to other planets.  And it's a dot in our solar system.  And it's a grain of sand in the milky way galaxy.  And it's a spec of dust (if even) when realizing that there are millions of galaxies, each with millions of stars and planets.

And the hurricane that caused all that damage is 0.0000000000000000000000000000000000000...1% the size of our universe.

And we were blown away by the hurricane.  We are tiny.

Movember!!

And Movember begins!  I'm excited!  I always like change, so growing the beard for a while, then shaving it, and doing the same thing with my hair for that matter - it just shakes things up!  Growing the dirty stache for the month of November - visit my Movember page to support the cause!

http://mobro.co/timmaassarany

Change in routine...

Today is a bit of a different day for me.  It is the first workday in a year that I have not been on the air, doing a show.  For the past year I've been covering Jen Melanson's 1-4 show as she was on maternity leave. She's back, and today is her first shift. She's sounding really great, hasn't missed a beat!  Nice to have her back on the air.  She brings a new perspective and a familiar voice.  She's a veteran, and it shows.

But it's different for me because it's a change in routine.  Doing the same thing for a year and then suddenly changing it...it feels weird.  It's not a bad thing, just different.  The cool part is that I'll be able to dedicate more time and effort to other aspects of my job, and I'm excited about that. Advancing other parts of the radio station to keep improving how we sound, and how we minister to our listeners.

But thanks to those who have trekked along with me over the past year.  I've had a lot of regular callers and encouragement, and that's meant a lot to me.  It was a fun year, and I'll be back on the air every so often, so there will be lots of chances to keep connecting.

Thanks again, and feel free to leave me a tip on how you adjust to change.  God bless!

Is the Bible true?

A couple days ago, I posted a question on the LIFE facebook page - how do you know the Bible is real and/or true?  Generated some great discussion, although most of the answers were the same - "faith".

Faith is a great answer and is obviously one of the absolute cores of Christianity, but is there more?  What about physical proof?  I'll explain what I mean in my answers below.  Here's how I personally know the Bible to be true:

1) Common sense - the world around us is too perfect, the universe too incredible, the human body too complex for it all to be an accident. Science has been studying them for thousands of years and continues to do so , and with all the modern advances we have, we still don't know how the human body works (what makes the heart tick), how the universe started (the big bang is a theory), etc. And the more we discover, the larger and more complex we realize everything is.  And them more that comes to light, the more it seems to me that it can't be an accident - and that it's more proof that God exists.  (It's funny how science always changes too - one day this is 'the truth', the next day we've made a new discovery and it's actually 'this' instead...and tomorrow it will be something new.  The Bible doesn't change like that)

2) Faith - I know I was saying above that there could be more, but to be honest, this is the most crucial part of it.  No one can disprove your story. That's your PERSONAL experience of what God has done in your life, and that can't be argued. If God has changed your life, helped you to break a habit, done miracles in, through, and around you...then tell it!  People can't argue that God miraculously healed you, or brought you out of an addiction, or saved you from suicide.  Tell your story of God's work and touch on you. And live it, people will see the change.  "Your life is the only Bible some people will read."

And finally, but where I think we are lacking:

3) Research - I truly believe that as Christians we don't know enough about what proof exists TODAY of the Bible, myself included.  There are lots of great resources like Answers in Genesis, Creation.com, Louie Giglio (looks at creation and the universe), and Ravi Zacharius (he's apologetics, but good stuff!)  Archaeologists are constantly making discoveries that reaffirm the Bible.  And, the bible we have today is remarkably identical to what was written in the dead sea scrolls (found in 1947). 

*** One key note though - BE CAREFUL with research.  There will always be someone smarter than you who will win an argument.  And regarding the body of proof, not everything has been discovered.  I've been told that proof of King David wasn't found until 1993.  Does that mean he didn't exist before that proof was found?  Of course not.  But trying to argue based on evidence alone before the '93 discoveries would have been a lot more difficult.  Same deal today for things that have not been discovered yet.

In the end, I think all of these are crucial aspects to have.  They all complement each other.  And it's good to be well rounded, to be able to discuss on many different fronts instead of just one.  I write these things based on where I am, and I know I could be a lot more educated.  What about you?