It was a wonderful day for a run. The weather was great and Timothy Lake was awesome.Sarah and I served as sweepers again, which means we volunteered to be the last ones in the race in order to clear the trail. We had four folks who had to drop out because of injuries, but they made it out okay.
All in all, it was a great race to close out our 2009 race season.
In His grace,
Mark
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Moments with the Master: Cabin Times
The Day of the Visit—July 24, 2009
As I sit here writing this page, the sound of the birds echo around me as I sit by the open door. The sound complements the gentle July breeze that I feel against my skin as the sounds of the surrounding forest engulfs me.
Simon, my ever-present four legged companion for the day has just leapt to his feet. As I follow his gaze out the open door, I find that a family of deer that have entered the clearing outside the small cabin where I am staying. They freeze, standing rock steady, aware of our watching them. The sun glints off their buckskin hide as the two largest ones scrutinize us as the younger one bends it head down to feed on the lush grass in the meadow.
For a moment, all the troubles and adventure of the city of Portland are behind me. Time comes to a standstill and we all are frozen in the moment… I see the deer intently watching Simon and I—as if working out in their mind who and what we are. The grace displayed by these creatures is stunning. I hush Simon and quietly tell him not to move—he looks back as if with a profound understanding—as if he realizes the holiness of this brief moment in time that God has given us. I begin searching for camera to record this moment of the three deer who have wandered in our domain. I find it and succeed in retrieving the camera, only to look up and find that the beauty of the moment has passed and an empty clearing is all that is left. I go outside the door and look around. There is no trace of our four legged friends that chose to bless us with their presence. As I walk back in, Simon and I share a moment of rejoicing in the blessing that God has given us.
As I return to writing this, it dawned upon me that this very event was indeed a lesson from the classroom of God. Life occurs that way for us sometimes. We can get so busy thatwe fail to enjoy the blessings that God has placed on our path. Or we can get so emotionally or mentally bound up that we miss His glory that surrounds us everyday. Now I know what you are thinking, “Mark, it is easy to see the blessing when you are surrounded by the beauty of nature.” But the reality is (and what the deer taught Simon and I) is that God surrounds us with blessings on a moment by moment basis. They appear out of nowhere and when we least expect it. And the blessing can be so breath taking that we can’t believe it—it can seem like a dream sent from the very heart of God to our hearts. We only have to slow down to experience it.
I also realized that just like I was, all of us can be caught off guard with the blessings of God (dream). When the deer came, I was totally caught off guard and had to hunt for the camera case. Then I had to get the camera out and once I was finally prepared I turned to find that the blessing had vanished in thin air. It can seem the same way with the dreams God gives us. We have to be ready to see and experience the blessings of the dreams that God has put in our lives.
It doesn’t matter if you are in downtown Portland or in the majestic wild of southern Oregon. It is a matter of attitude. Adopting an attitude of praise—choosing to live in the moment—choosing to ignore all the impossible circumstances in your life and to find the courage to dream a little—to make the choice to believe the impossible.
I also walked away with the reality that that dream, just like the deer can disappear with out a trace. These gifts from god must be nurtured like a garden in the summer. The dream must be protected in order to be enjoyed and experienced or it will disappear. It can be almost like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands.
As I sit back and return to writing, I realize that the dream has to be shared for it to truly be enjoyed. God doesn’t just bless just one, but rather the dream is to reach the community as a whole. Both my faithful companion and I were blessed by this moment we both shared. As I write this we both look back out, hoping to catch a glimpse of the family of deer, if only for a moment. As our lives return to the tasks we have, and we once again hear the birdsongs and the distance sounds of traffic on the road outside the property, we pause again to realize that even though this dream may have passed, another dream, prepared in the very throne room of God, by the Creator himself, is waiting for us. Even though we may miss it, God always has a plan for us to have the best he has to offer—again and again.
Some truths about the dream:
1. It comes when you least expect it
2. It is breath taking
3. We must be silent to truly experience it. We have to be ready to see it.
4. It is fragile (fleeting) and precious and must be protected
5. God has more blessings for us.
As I sit here writing this page, the sound of the birds echo around me as I sit by the open door. The sound complements the gentle July breeze that I feel against my skin as the sounds of the surrounding forest engulfs me.
Simon, my ever-present four legged companion for the day has just leapt to his feet. As I follow his gaze out the open door, I find that a family of deer that have entered the clearing outside the small cabin where I am staying. They freeze, standing rock steady, aware of our watching them. The sun glints off their buckskin hide as the two largest ones scrutinize us as the younger one bends it head down to feed on the lush grass in the meadow.
For a moment, all the troubles and adventure of the city of Portland are behind me. Time comes to a standstill and we all are frozen in the moment… I see the deer intently watching Simon and I—as if working out in their mind who and what we are. The grace displayed by these creatures is stunning. I hush Simon and quietly tell him not to move—he looks back as if with a profound understanding—as if he realizes the holiness of this brief moment in time that God has given us. I begin searching for camera to record this moment of the three deer who have wandered in our domain. I find it and succeed in retrieving the camera, only to look up and find that the beauty of the moment has passed and an empty clearing is all that is left. I go outside the door and look around. There is no trace of our four legged friends that chose to bless us with their presence. As I walk back in, Simon and I share a moment of rejoicing in the blessing that God has given us.
As I return to writing this, it dawned upon me that this very event was indeed a lesson from the classroom of God. Life occurs that way for us sometimes. We can get so busy thatwe fail to enjoy the blessings that God has placed on our path. Or we can get so emotionally or mentally bound up that we miss His glory that surrounds us everyday. Now I know what you are thinking, “Mark, it is easy to see the blessing when you are surrounded by the beauty of nature.” But the reality is (and what the deer taught Simon and I) is that God surrounds us with blessings on a moment by moment basis. They appear out of nowhere and when we least expect it. And the blessing can be so breath taking that we can’t believe it—it can seem like a dream sent from the very heart of God to our hearts. We only have to slow down to experience it.
I also realized that just like I was, all of us can be caught off guard with the blessings of God (dream). When the deer came, I was totally caught off guard and had to hunt for the camera case. Then I had to get the camera out and once I was finally prepared I turned to find that the blessing had vanished in thin air. It can seem the same way with the dreams God gives us. We have to be ready to see and experience the blessings of the dreams that God has put in our lives.
It doesn’t matter if you are in downtown Portland or in the majestic wild of southern Oregon. It is a matter of attitude. Adopting an attitude of praise—choosing to live in the moment—choosing to ignore all the impossible circumstances in your life and to find the courage to dream a little—to make the choice to believe the impossible.
I also walked away with the reality that that dream, just like the deer can disappear with out a trace. These gifts from god must be nurtured like a garden in the summer. The dream must be protected in order to be enjoyed and experienced or it will disappear. It can be almost like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands.
As I sit back and return to writing, I realize that the dream has to be shared for it to truly be enjoyed. God doesn’t just bless just one, but rather the dream is to reach the community as a whole. Both my faithful companion and I were blessed by this moment we both shared. As I write this we both look back out, hoping to catch a glimpse of the family of deer, if only for a moment. As our lives return to the tasks we have, and we once again hear the birdsongs and the distance sounds of traffic on the road outside the property, we pause again to realize that even though this dream may have passed, another dream, prepared in the very throne room of God, by the Creator himself, is waiting for us. Even though we may miss it, God always has a plan for us to have the best he has to offer—again and again.
Some truths about the dream:
1. It comes when you least expect it
2. It is breath taking
3. We must be silent to truly experience it. We have to be ready to see it.
4. It is fragile (fleeting) and precious and must be protected
5. God has more blessings for us.
Nutrition Tips: Family Favorite Breakfast Scramble
Scrambles are a super easy way to start your day. Although I’m generally not a fan of cooking in the microwave, I find it can be a good way to scramble egg whites. Just be sure to continually push the cooked egg toward the middle of the bowl while microwaving and they’ll be perfectly fluffy and evenly cooked.
Ingredients:
Olive oil spray
4 slices extra-lean turkey bacon, chopped
1 cup finely chopped sweet onion
2 teaspoons freshly minced garlic
16 large egg whites
3 cups loosely packed spinach leaves, stems removed
Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
Place a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Lightly mist the pan with the olive oil spray. Add the bacon, onion, and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onion is tender and the bacon is golden brown.
Meanwhile, mist a large, shallow microwave safe bowl with the spray. Add the egg whites and cover the bowl with microwave safe plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 1 ½ minutes. Uncover the bowl and, using a fork, push the cooked portions of the whites from the outside toward the middle of the bowl, letting the runny, uncooked parts run to the outer edge. Re-cover the bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until the whites are just a bit runny on the top. Uncover, then, using a fork, stir the whites to break into large “scrambled” pieces. By the time you scramble and stir them, the residual heat should have cooked away the runniness. If then are still undercooked, re-cover and continue cooking in 10 second intervals until just done (be careful not to overcook).
Add the scrambled egg whites and the spinach to the bacon mixture and stir well to wilt the spinach slightly and incorporate the egg whites. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the scramble among 4 plates and serve.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving:
109 calories, 19 g protein, 6 g carbohydrates, less than 1 g fat (trace saturated)
Ingredients:
Olive oil spray
4 slices extra-lean turkey bacon, chopped
1 cup finely chopped sweet onion
2 teaspoons freshly minced garlic
16 large egg whites
3 cups loosely packed spinach leaves, stems removed
Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
Place a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Lightly mist the pan with the olive oil spray. Add the bacon, onion, and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onion is tender and the bacon is golden brown.
Meanwhile, mist a large, shallow microwave safe bowl with the spray. Add the egg whites and cover the bowl with microwave safe plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 1 ½ minutes. Uncover the bowl and, using a fork, push the cooked portions of the whites from the outside toward the middle of the bowl, letting the runny, uncooked parts run to the outer edge. Re-cover the bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until the whites are just a bit runny on the top. Uncover, then, using a fork, stir the whites to break into large “scrambled” pieces. By the time you scramble and stir them, the residual heat should have cooked away the runniness. If then are still undercooked, re-cover and continue cooking in 10 second intervals until just done (be careful not to overcook).
Add the scrambled egg whites and the spinach to the bacon mixture and stir well to wilt the spinach slightly and incorporate the egg whites. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the scramble among 4 plates and serve.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving:
109 calories, 19 g protein, 6 g carbohydrates, less than 1 g fat (trace saturated)
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Nutrition Tip: Grilled Chicken with warm Mango Salsa
This Flavorful, Fruity Dish is a Fun Spin on Chicken!
Ingredients:
Pam spray
4 large boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 1 1/2 pounds
Nu-salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 medium red onion, small dice
1 small jalapeno, chopped fine
1 medium tomato, small dice
1 large mango, small dice
juice and zest of 2 limes
2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions:
Preheat grill or grill pan over high heat. Spray chicken thighs lightly with Pam and season with Nu-salt and pepper. Grill about 4 minutes per side, or until just cooked through.
Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick pan over med-high heat. Spray with Pam and add onions. Season onions with Nu-salt and pepper and cook until almost tender. Add jalapeno, tomato and mango to the pan. Cook, tossing often, until just heated through.
Add lime juice and zest and cilantro and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Slice chicken and serve with warm salsa. Although no actual salt is called for in this recipe, please add it as you see fit.
Serves 4
231 calories per serving
Mark's Tip: To pick a ripe mango, look for softness. When you press it with your finger, it should leave an indentation in the skin of the fruit.
Have fun with it!
In His Grace,
Mark
Ingredients:
Pam spray
4 large boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 1 1/2 pounds
Nu-salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 medium red onion, small dice
1 small jalapeno, chopped fine
1 medium tomato, small dice
1 large mango, small dice
juice and zest of 2 limes
2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions:
Preheat grill or grill pan over high heat. Spray chicken thighs lightly with Pam and season with Nu-salt and pepper. Grill about 4 minutes per side, or until just cooked through.
Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick pan over med-high heat. Spray with Pam and add onions. Season onions with Nu-salt and pepper and cook until almost tender. Add jalapeno, tomato and mango to the pan. Cook, tossing often, until just heated through.
Add lime juice and zest and cilantro and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Slice chicken and serve with warm salsa. Although no actual salt is called for in this recipe, please add it as you see fit.
Serves 4
231 calories per serving
Mark's Tip: To pick a ripe mango, look for softness. When you press it with your finger, it should leave an indentation in the skin of the fruit.
Have fun with it!
In His Grace,
Mark
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Happy Birthday Eli!
I just wanted to wish my good friend, Eli Jones, from my old Multnomah Bible College days, Happy Birthday! Eli is a great man who I was very fortunate to get to know during my early days in Oregon.
Some traveling photos
Simon and I before the adventure
A brief stop...
Taking a break by the river
We are on the move! Here are some photos of a trail run in southern Oregon with my good running partner, Simon.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Moments with the Master: Introduction
These writings come out of the Moments with the Master segments that I give during tae kwon do classes. The phrase was originally coined by my good friend, mentor, and instructor, Scott Craig. Everytime we would teach, we would include a mini-devotional sermon prior to the class beginning. When I first started Pacific Tae Kwon Do in Oregon 13 years I decided to continue the tradition that Scott had begun. So everytime that I teach, I give the students a bit of God's Word in a motivational devotion setting. I am able to relate God's Truth to all the students in such a way that it is meaningful for believers and non-believers as well. In fact, many of the students have either reconfirmed their faith in Christ or have made first time commitments to Him. Throughout the years I have given many of these segments and because of the strong roles of discipleship and mentoring within our school, they have been a favorite of many of my students--serving at times like a cool drink of water on a warm summer's day.
I must confess that since Sarah suggested I put the sermons down in a book form, I have struggled with writing them for a while--not with the idea, but rather with the process. Try as I may, nothing was coming to mind. It actually took a sabbath time (as so frequently happens) away from the grind of the city and time to experience God in the wonder of his creation. As I sit here at a cabin nestled in the woods of southern Oregon, I am drawn to the many lessons I have learned from the martial arts throughout the years. As I have gotten older--and hopefully wiser--I have found that these lessons blend in perfectly with the life lessons that Father God has been teaching me as I have been walking down this path of life with Him.
One of the lessons that seem to leap right off the page at me is the power of prayer. I think that sometimes we are more American than we are Christian. We have a tendency to fret, worry, and fret some more over the things that are going around in this world. We talk to everyone--except the One who actually do something about the situations around us. Now, I don't want to belittle some of the things you may be going through in life--many of you are going through hell (literally, I read the prayer emails we get), but I invite you to sit at the feet of the true Master. He passionately loves us and wants us to partner with Him as we walk through life. He wants to draw other believers around us to encourage us through the worries of life.
If I am be so bold, if you find yourself in this boat, as so many of us are, could you take a time out today? Perhaps it won't be a long one...but some time to enjoys the wonders of the world around us. And may I suggest that after you have had the time to catch your breath, that you then think of 10 things to thank God for. Its remarkable how this little activity gives us a new perspective on life.
Thanks for stopping by.
In His Grace,
Mark
I must confess that since Sarah suggested I put the sermons down in a book form, I have struggled with writing them for a while--not with the idea, but rather with the process. Try as I may, nothing was coming to mind. It actually took a sabbath time (as so frequently happens) away from the grind of the city and time to experience God in the wonder of his creation. As I sit here at a cabin nestled in the woods of southern Oregon, I am drawn to the many lessons I have learned from the martial arts throughout the years. As I have gotten older--and hopefully wiser--I have found that these lessons blend in perfectly with the life lessons that Father God has been teaching me as I have been walking down this path of life with Him.
One of the lessons that seem to leap right off the page at me is the power of prayer. I think that sometimes we are more American than we are Christian. We have a tendency to fret, worry, and fret some more over the things that are going around in this world. We talk to everyone--except the One who actually do something about the situations around us. Now, I don't want to belittle some of the things you may be going through in life--many of you are going through hell (literally, I read the prayer emails we get), but I invite you to sit at the feet of the true Master. He passionately loves us and wants us to partner with Him as we walk through life. He wants to draw other believers around us to encourage us through the worries of life.
If I am be so bold, if you find yourself in this boat, as so many of us are, could you take a time out today? Perhaps it won't be a long one...but some time to enjoys the wonders of the world around us. And may I suggest that after you have had the time to catch your breath, that you then think of 10 things to thank God for. Its remarkable how this little activity gives us a new perspective on life.
Thanks for stopping by.
In His Grace,
Mark
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