Christmas 2015 Thoughts...

The not so corny tradition unlike any other has come around for another year...

Greetings from the NEWWWW Casa de Keil branch in Yukon, OK.

Jeremy and I have been here almost a month and so far we like it.  Our neighbors are great; our apartment manager Connie has been tremendous; we haven't had any problems with anybody and vice versa.  Only problems we encounter is when Jeremy gets home from work he has to park about two buildings down but that's no big deal.

I have been attending church across the street at Christ's Church of Yukon or CCY -- everyone that I have met have been real nice.  I had put on their version of a "Connecting Card" (like what First Christian has) that I need a couch/love seat/either/both and within a few days one of the associate pastors and another gentlemen brought it over.

Aside from that, the apartment is slowly coming together.  I guess a couple of recliners, a coffee table and some side tables would be good to put on our Christmas wish list.

Don't want to get into any other details like those other Christmas letters...especially when they reach the WTMI audience (Way Too Much Information).

Obviously Christmas 2015 is going to be a different and interesting one for me.  For the past three years I've been at Mom and Dad's side, helping out around the house doing what I can. This year, I'm in a new apartment in a new city...this time, I'm helping Jeremy out around the house and doing what I can here, only with a little more responsibility with making sure the electricity is paid so we can still have lights and the internet is paid so Jeremy can still do his stuff and I can still do stuff like my podcast, which by the way I plan on starting back up in the new year.

If any of y'all are in the Yukon area, you are more than welcome to come by and say hi...I'm here by myself most days. If you would like my address, message me on Facebook or if you have my number, call me and I'll give it to you.

May you have a very Merry Christmas and a very joyful and happy 2016.

Until next time....

Robert 

Podcast Updates and stuff...

Hello everyone!!! Thought I would give an update on the podcast and some other things...

1.  The podcast will go on, it's still on hiatus while Jeremy and I get ready to move.  In case you don't know what I'm talking about and I don't know how many times I've mentioned it...

ok, maybe not that many but it feels like it...Jeremy and I are moving to Yukon.  He has been working at Xerox for AppleCare (basically if you have a problem with your iStuff, you call there).  We have placed a deposit on an apartment there in Yukon and hopefully we'll be able to move in sometime within the next week or so (I know I keep saying that but the people at the complex have to get everything nice and spruced up for us).

On that note, I will only give my exact address out to a certain group of people.

-- my family

-- those I do business with (SSI, DHS, US Cellular, etc)

-- my friends...including those who live in/around Yukon

-- SELECT people at First Christian Church (I'll get back to that later)

Getting back on the subject at hand, the podcast will continue once we get settled and internet up and operating, but I wanted to address a couple of things I had wanted/promised to do but never got around to doing.

-- I had wanted to record a review of "War Room".  I saw where someone else had done one and posted it to YouTube, only to get a copyright strike on it -- for two guys sitting in a car talking about it.  At any rate, if you haven't seen it yet you need to see it!!!  It is impacting lives everywhere!!!  I can't wait for it to come out on DVD!!! It will be a must purchase for sure.

-- I had also wanted to record and post an interview with former Tulsa sports radio host Chris Plank, who now is a full time part of the Sooner Sports Network crew.  That never really got off the ground so my apologies for that.  At least Chris didn't give me the cold shoulder about it unlike somebody else (not you, Cindy)

2. I've been holding my tongue on this one for a while.  I had planned for my last Sunday at First Christian Church to be Sept. 13th...that was before hearing that not only the senior pastor Jeff McDowell resigned, but also Tamra Haskell (our children's minister).  I will admit, I was shocked to hear that Jeff announced he resigned, but shock turned to being upset when he said that his resignation was immediate.  I'm not going to mince words here...how that whole situation was handled was complete bullcrap.  I don't know what all was done or said behind the scenes and I don't particularly care to know, but the way Jeff, Tammy and the boys were basically run out of town was stupid.  Thankfully Antioch (where Jeff came from) graciously received him back.

I just pray that the elders of the church and the pulpit committee do seek God's direction in regards to finding a new pastor...and if need be, maybe some new elders too. Just sayin'!!!

As for having only select people from the church having my exact address...I realize I had showed some people in the class when we were in town for "War Room" where my brother and I will be living.  I didn't say however that I would be doing what some people are claiming that I would do. I'll be glad if you come over, say hi, look around, visit and everything...I'm just not going to cook anything!!!

I had been stewing on this post for a couple of days now and am now glad I got it out of my system -- for one thing, I wanted to go at this with a lot more grace and civility than what was going through my head.  

That's about it for now.  Until next time...

Moving Thoughts...

Hello again everyone!!! Thought I would write a post this time as I have some thoughts fresh on the brain...

As I alluded to in the last episode of the podcast (which you can listen to here), my brother Jeremy and I will be moving to Yukon soon.  We are in the process of applying for an apartment at the WoodOaks Apartments which is in Yukon not too far from the big park (Chisholm Trail Park) and right across the street from a church that my pastor Jeff called as his home church as he was starting his full time ministry -- Christ's Church of Yukon or CCY.

Am I excited about the move?  In some ways yes I am and in some ways I'm nervous about it. I know, "You? Robert...Mr. Sociable? Nervous about moving?"  Yes.  Even though I have lived in the bigger Oklahoma cities (OKC, Tulsa), spent 6 months in Houston, lived in Cleveland, TN (twice) and Tullahoma, TN and a month in Little Rock -- all since I've been an adult...I am nervous about this move.  I realize Yukon is a little bigger than Clinton, Weatherford and Elk City if you took out the countryside and compressed all three of them together. I realize I'm going to get used to having more room to roam so to speak.

The nervous part of it is Yukon is going to be a new experience for me.  Sure, I used to drive through it both on I-40 and Route 66 to and from the City on the way back to Clinton...but Yukon will be my home now.  Maybe the fact that former Clinton City Manager Grayson Bottom is also Yukon's CM will help me ease that part of the nervousness.  Clinton will always be my hometown and Western Oklahoma will always be my home area...but the fact that instead of driving an hour to get to OKC, we can get there using other streets instead of just I-40 and Route 66 and it'll just be 5 mins (give or take a few mins depending on traffic and road conditions) is in a way exciting.  I don't have to block out a whole day just to go to the mall or whatever -- ok I might still have to do that, but not have to leave the house early enough in the morning just to do what I need to do to beat the traffic going home -- Woo hoo!!!

Anyway, we should get everything situated here in a few weeks.  Once we do, for you my friends and family that want it I will message you our new address (I'm sure Jeremy would not want everybody and their sibling and doggies show up at the door).

Open Letter to Chattanooga...

To the citizens of Chattanooga --

Ever since the news first broke of what happened there yesterday, my heart has been breaking for you and praying for you!!!

In 1991 I was introduced to you as I was going through on the way to Cleveland, TN (long story that I'd rather not share at this time).  Since that time, I have loved everything about your city -- the scenery (hence why you're called the Scenic City), the people, the attractions, the radio and TV stations...I loved it so much I came back in 1999-01 and again in 2011.

When news first broke of the tragedy, like the rest of the nation I cried because outside of my home town and state, I have an affinity for Chattanooga.  Why would someone do something that heinous and demonic in a town like Chattanooga?  Thankfully, your officers saw to it that the person responsible made it to his eternal judgement while the ones that gave their life stood at The Pearly Gates and gave the ultimate salute to our Lord.

I will always have a place in my heart for Chattanooga and its people.  God bless Chattanooga!!!

Robert Keil
Clinton, OK

Having a sad...

This weekend, my youngest niece and nephew (my sister Stephenie's two kids) are here with us...spending some time with MeMe (my mom) and Pop Pop (my dad) and celebrating my brother Jeremy's 31st birthday.

While it is nice having them here and loving on them and having a great time with them, something feels missing.  As much as we love our cousins and their kids, and I'm sure Jeremy feels the same way...I kinda wish I had some littleuns of my own so my niece and nephew can have cousins of their age (7 and 4 almost 5) to play with.

And as much as I was looking forward to getting married and having littleuns of my own in the beginning of adulthood...right now at this stage it would be something of Abrahamic proportions. And before you ask...no I wouldn't mind having an "instant family" or once I get better financial footing, fostering/adopting. 

And since this will probably be the first that my family has seen or heard of something like this from me, I realize that everything that has happened (being engaged before, that 7 week shamockery of a marriage, etc.) will probably try to factor in to any future relationships if I let it...but I won't.

Now that this is out of the way...I'll go enjoy the rest of the weekend with my niece and nephew.
  

Have We Forgotten?

A thought-provoking edition of Keil's Comments:  The Blog today.

I was thinking about the church shooting that occurred in Charleston, SC this past week.  Without giving too much attention to the screwball who committed the murders and unless he accepted the families' forgiveness, forever sealed his fate in Hell,..I was thinking about the location of this shooting.  Yes, it is an African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church.  Yes, that particular congregation is predominately black.  But a pic that I posted the other day caught my attention. It features a quote by Sam Emory, who turns out (thanks to a Google search) pastors a church in Merced, CA.

There's no such thing for me as a black church.  There's no such thing for me as a white church.  The Church don't have no color.  The only color the Church is is Red because of the Blood of Jesus Christ

Have we forgotten the song that we were taught growing up in church (I added the bold italics emphasis)...

Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world

Red and Yellow, Black and White...they are precious in His sight

 Since when have we as a nation forgotten that particular song? Whatever your "shade of Melanin" is, if you are a part of the Church (emphasis on the capital C) that means you are my Brother or Sister. Doctrinal differences aside, we have one major goal in mind...to keep the Main Thing the main thing, that is to bring people to Christ.  This shooting could have happened anywhere.  It could have happened in an Assemblies of God church.  It could have happened in the Lutheran church.  It could have happened in San Jose. God forbid, it could have happened here in Clinton, OK.

And I'm not about to debate whether we should have tighter gun control laws...that's not important right now. What is important is we have brothers and sisters in South Carolina that are hurting because 9 of their friends/family members went to meet Jesus...some of them probably before they expected. What we need to do as part of the Body is to minister to those who are hurting...maybe not physically go to Charleston but through prayer and standing up to the enemy (remember, "our fight is not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness in this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places" -- Ephesians 6:12) and say "NO MORE"!!!

 

 

The Rest of the Story (an homage to Paul Harvey)

Before I get started on this blog post, I want to let you know that I have started...
Keil's Comments: The Podcast

...so if I have some things to comment on about stories during the week among other things I can download them on there.  I even devote a segment to expounding my thoughts on what I write. I usually try to record on Friday or Saturday to be up by Monday and it is Family Friendly too so you don't have to worry about me dropping any F bombs or anything.

Now that the blatant shilling's out of the way, on to today's post.  Yes, I paid an homage to Paul Harvey with today's title because of something that I was reading on my YouVersion app.

I am doing this reading plan on YouVersion where you read through the Bible in a year (from the New Living Translation) and one of today's selections was from Acts.  Now, having studied Acts before and hearing our pastor's sermon series on Acts the first few weeks he started at First Christian Church, I thought "ok, this would be easy to skim over".  As it often happens when you study Scripture, something that you might not have seen before kinda gives you an "Aha!" moment.

You all have heard Acts 1:8 quoted thousands of times "But you will receive power after the Holy Spirit comes upon you.  And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the Earth."  But did you wonder if that was because He was answering a question or He would do something that would later be a staple of a certain 70's TV detective "oh...and one more thing".  Not until I read verses 6 and 7 did I really get "the rest of the story".

All throughout Scripture the Disciples were for lack of a better term bugging Jesus on when He was going to set up his earthly kingdom when time and time again he was referring to a Heavenly Kingdom. In Acts 1:6, they posed the question to Him one last time "Lord, has the time come to free Israel and restore our kingdom?"  Basically they were asking "Are we there yet, Jesus?" I know that John recorded that "Jesus wept", but do you think He may have done a few facepalms too?

Anyway, He told them in verse 7 "The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know."  Translation: "That's a 'need-to-know' and you don't need to know. But once you get filled with the Holy Spirit, then you must go tell everyone everywhere (the Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria thing) what all you have seen the last three-plus years so they can tell others and keep the Message going". And then as you know He then ascended to Heaven and is seated at God's Right Hand and it took a couple of angels to tell the Disciples "um, guys...what are you looking at the sky for?  He'll come back the same way He went up.  You've got your 'marching orders', now Go!!!" (RJK Paraphrase)

Anyway, just thought I would share that.   That is it for now.  Like I said you will probably hear me expound on this during the podcast.

Until next time, whether on here or on the podcast...Later!!!

That's All I Can Stands, I Can't Stands No More...

With apologies for the grammar, I had to quote Popeye with the title because of something that really gets to me.

A lot of you that know me know that I am a very kind and compassionate person. Sometimes that compassion has a limit.  Case in point -- when I see people post something to the effect of "nobody loves me everybody hates me I'm gonna go eat worms", I have to hit the "I don't want to see this" feature because if I say something to them it might not be what they want to hear.  We went through this with my Grandma Tucker in her later years -- with my mom bearing the brunt of it.

Nobody wants to be around someone who constantly breaks out in the old Hee Haw song "Gloom, Despair and Agony on me" (find it on YouTube, kids...you can thank me for the earworm later) Yes, some of it might be due to the chemical "soup" in your brain going out of whack -- I'm not going to discount that. But when it gets to the point where it's a constant thing, that's when your friends and family whether they are there with you in person or around the world on this little thing called the "information superhighway" have to put their foot down and call timeout.

Do I want you to get help?  If it's needed, yes!!! By all means, get help!!! Whether it's through a psychiatrist, a Pastor, whatever...GET HELP!!! If you do go to someone in the church, can I ask this of you -- if they just chalk it up to something that is going on spiritually and leave it at that, RUN...and I'm being nice when I say that!!! If they haven't "been there", if they haven't struggled with it themselves, then you sure as frack don't need them to tell you what you should do. I'm being absolutely serious when I say that!!! In some circles (read: similar to the church my brother, sister and I grew up in), that is all they will do is chalk it up to Ephesians 6:10-18 and II Corinthians 10:4,5 (two main passages that deal with spiritual warfare) and not even try to go any other route.

I'm sure at some point, Winnie the Pooh and Tigger and everybody else in the Hundred Acre Wood have wanted to tell Eeyore, "Look dude, we love you and everything but you got to do something about that gloomy attitude".  That should bring a smile to somebody!!!

Seriously...if you are feeling like you're walking on your bottom lip, get help!!! Just when it gets to the point of where you are singing "Gloom, Despair and Agony on me" every chance you get...it rubs some people the wrong way. Now that I've referenced the song twice, I have to post it...

I love you guys...and thank you for your understanding.

For the Class of 2015...

Last year at this time, I wrote a blog post about what I would say if'n I were given the chance to speak to a graduating class (which admittedly would probably be as much of a chance as winning the Powerball).  Instead of trying to remind myself what I wrote or linking you to that particular post, I thought I would save a little time and copy/paste that on this post...

So anyway, without any further delay...here is my address.

To the graduating class of 2015:

Well, kids...you did it!!! Beginning as far back as probably Head Start or Pre-K, fourteen to fifteen years of determination, sacrifice, and hard work have gotten you to where you sit today...with your closest friends in your caps and gowns, waiting for that moment when you walk across this stage, grab your folder, the prompt to change your tassel and be called officially a graduate.  Congratulations!!!

As you close one chapter of your life and start writing the next chapter, whether it be continuing your education at the university of your choice, or serving our country in the armed forces or immediately going into the work force, let me pass along some thoughts to remember.

First and foremost, remember who the Ultimate Boss is.  Proverbs 3:5,6 says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him (one translation says "in everything you do Put God First...") and He will direct your paths." Make God your top priority and everything else will fall into place.

Secondly...listen to people you can trust.  People like your parents, your grandparents, your Pastor, the elders in the church.  Psalm 1:1,2 (HCSB) "How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path of sinners, or join a group of mockers.  Instead, his delight is in the Lord's instruction, and he meditates on it day and night."

Lastly, while you are striving to succeed in whatever you do from this point forward, it is OK to have some fun every now and again.  I'm reminded of a classic movie quote -- "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."  Maintain a work/fun balance...just don't let one overrun the other too much.

Again, congratulations on making it to this point in your journey.  Keep your eyes on what's ahead, don't look back and most importantly...Put God First!

Mother's Day Thoughts...

Hello and Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there. Even though it should be celebrated every day, it's a day to appreciate what all our moms have done for us.

Something though really gets me and especially on days like today...I don't get those people who harbor hate and resentment toward their moms. Sure she probably stumbled a few times along the way trying to make sure you had what you needed (food, clothing, shelter, etc.), but to go later and bad mouth her saying what a lousy job she did and call her every 4 letter name in the book really makes me shake my head.

It is no secret that I hold my mother in the highest regard.  Yes we had our shortcomings when I was little with her working and doing her best when it was just us two living in North Tulsa -- I've often said that the area where we lived was in the landing pattern of Tulsa International Airport.  But she did her best to make it work.  Even when we moved to Clinton, she did her best to make sure I had everything I needed.  And even then when she married Dad and then along came Stephenie and Jeremy, I hardly ever heard her complain.

So yeah, when I hear people complain and cuss their mother and everything, I just thank God all the more for mine because I want to keep mine around for a while and show her just how much she means to me and to my siblings and her grandchildren.

Happy Mother's Day Mom!!! I love you!!!!

What Part of (blank) Do You Not Understand?

Hello everyone from the Keil's Comments Studios!!! Nice to actually type out a blog post on a computer instead of my phone.  (It was kind of necessary there for a while but hope I won't need to unless I do need to -- make sense?)

Anyway, now that's out of the way...

I was hearing Mom say that she was reading some comments stemming from last night's season finale of "The Big Bang Theory" and how some people are confusing "Season Finale" with "Series Finale".  It makes you want to grab some people by their shoulders and ask them WHAT PART OF SEASON FINALE DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?

Just so you know...

Season Finale = the show has finished airing new episodes for now but will be back in September with a whole new batch of episodes.

Series Finale = either by their own doing or the networks', that show will not be back on the schedule for next season (unless someone at Hulu or Netflix decides to pick them up or something...it has been done before.  See "Community")

I know some people live vicariously through their favorite characters.  I'm a big fan of the NCIS franchise -- Regular, Los Angeles and New Orleans or as I call it "Cajun Style".  Trust me, there are people still bent on having Cote de Pablo back on the show and get rid of Emily Wickersham (Cue "Let It Go")

That's the way TV works folks. If your show is good in the ratings book and with the critics, it sticks around for a while. If it's not, it gets cancelled.  And when a show that has been on as long as NCIS or Law and Order or CSI has, the writers/EP's try to find ways to keep the show relevant otherwise you might get replaced by a reboot of "Coach" or something. (Yes there is one in the works for next season on NBC)

We've been encouraged by some reviewers that have shows online to not read the comments because people tend to be "keyboard bullies" and channel their rage that way.  Then you have those who you probably think that they should never be within 500 feet of a computer because of some of their comments being way off base ("It's a conspiracy. C-O-N-Spiracy!!!")

That's all I have for now.  Until next time...

Phoning it in II:

It's been a few weeks since I have done a blog post on the phone...mainly because I have been without a computer. (In case you didn't see the last post, my laptop died two weeks ago and I have a new one on layaway at our local Kmart -- which as it stands I should be able to get it on May 1).

Of course, besides doing the normal things a phone like mine does, including take and receive calls...I have been using it for all the social media things that I do and whatnot, which tends to leave me putting it on the charger more than having it off.

Anyway, I am in for an interesting experience this weekend as I will be walking a 5K for Relay for Life in Burns Flat, OK with my dad. As of now, I don't know what the course looks like so basically I will be walking around Burns Flat not knowing any landmarks other than the Vo-Tech and the airpark. Hopefully I don't get lost...

That's about it for now. Until next time...

Phoning it in...

Well, it's been a full day since my computer flashed the "blue screen of death" and closed its Windows for the last time.

I've been adjusting to using my phone for basically everything...including making calls!!!

Yes I am getting a new computer...it is sitting in the Layaway room at Kmart as I speak. So I will be back to normal in a few months.

Until then...there will probably be a few more "phone in" blog posts between now and when I am back on a computer.

As we like to say in broadcasting, "stay tuned"...

We Are, but We Aren't...

I know I should try to write more, but I usually write something as they come to me.  This one stuck out in my mind this morning...

As most of you know, I am a big radio and TV fan -- as evidenced by my pics and me "geeking out" over seeing the news choppers and meeting Linda Cavanaugh, Kevin Ogle et al last Saturday at Penn Square Mall and me meeting and getting a pic with Jenn Derrick from The House FM at Winter Jam but something also stuck with me.  As Russ Lee from NewSong was intro'ing Jenn and Adam from The House FM and reps from Air 1 and K-Love, the thought occurred to me "They are competitors, but they aren't." 

Allow me to explain...obviously Nielsen doesn't measure ratings for non-commercial stations (that includes the NPR's, community stations, etc) so stations of that type can't brag on who has the most listeners and so on.  But if you look at it this way, stations like Air 1, The House/My Praise FM, K-Love, to a certain extent AFR (the music side of it, not the talk part), Way-FM, etc...even though they are reaching certain audiences, certain demographics and what not...ultimately they are presenting the Gospel in a way that some people might understand it.  Sure it's one thing to teach about God's Love, but when you hear a song like "Proof of Your Love" by for King and Country and worship songs like "Oceans" or "Holy Spirit" it opens a whole lot more doors than a church ever would.  And Russ alluded to it Saturday night...there were many denominations represented at Chesapeake Energy Arena, but we were all there to worship and sing praises to God and got to rock out too!!!

So yeah, those stations I mentioned may be competing for your ears, for your support...but what it all boils down to is outreach and bringing people to Jesus, even if it means using a 50,000 or 100,000 watt blowtorch of a transmitter.

We got a real Jam going now...

I promised I would do a blog post on my great day in Oklahoma City yesterday (Saturday). And here it is...

I got to go with a group of our youth and a couple of other adults.  We left sometime after 8am and arrived in OKC about 9:30a.  Our first stop to kill some time was Penn Square Mall.  They had a Severe Weather Awareness Expo going on (It was supposed to start at 12Noon but some people were there early) and all of the local news stations had their helicopters and everybody out (see my Instagram for the pics I took).  To say I was a kid in the candy store seeing the choppers and getting to meet the people that bring you the news and weather everyday...that would give the candy store too much credit.  I was geeking out!!! But not to the point that some people would get meeting their favorite Internet reviewers though. 

After lunch there at the Penn Square Food Court...it was on to Chesapeake Energy Arena or as we like to sometimes call it, "ThunderDome". Since our church got tickets that allowed us to gain early entry, We didn't have to wait as long as most people...only 3 1/2 hours.  What does one do when standing in line for that long?  Well, my "dogs" were barking...they would bark even more as the evening progressed.

They opened the doors for us at 3:30p...and if you've seen the video I posted on my Facebook page, it felt like cattle going into the sale barn.  Somewhere in that video, you did hear me moo.

Now on to the bands that played...they were awesome!!! Everyone played their hearts out.  There were moments of worship, like when NewSong did their classic "Arise My Love" and went into the newer song "Oceans".  To hear 18-19,000 sing "Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders"...words do not do it justice.  A little later, Francesca Battistelli sang another newer worship song "Holy Spirit You are welcome here...".  We had just sang that last Sunday at church so I know how powerful the song is.  Again, add 18-19,000 other brothers and sisters to the mix...Words escape.

I wished my phone had more power than it had, I would have taken a few more pictures...but the pics I did get turned out pretty good.  I think next year I am going to invest in a little portable phone charger.

All in all, it was a wonderful experience....one I will definitely do again.  I just hope next year it won't be the night before the time change. 

Lent 2015 Thoughts

This is going to be kind of a surreal post, being that today is Ash Wednesday and the start of the Lenten season as we approach the commemoration of the death, burial and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus...and at the same time as I write this we are mourning the loss of a great man in Jerry Waltrip yet celebrating his life as he is now Home with Jesus.

As we start the Lenten season, you see posts on Facebook and Twitter of people announcing what they are giving up.  I say this every year...is it our business what you are announcing you are giving up?  Not really...it's really between you and the Lord.  And it doesn't always have to be anything physical (if that makes sense) like meat, sodas, sweets, etc.  It could be something like giving up an hour of TV or computer time or whatever is hindering your walk with God.

I always hearken back to Hebrews 12:1,2 (New Living Translation)

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

We don't all have to walk around like modern-day Pharisees and proclaim what we are giving up for 40 days. Pray that during this season God will strengthen your walk with Him...and if it means going without a Dr. Pepper or a Braum's hamburger, so be it!!!

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to continue to strip off the weight that slows me down ;) ...