That's Phat: F-A-T

Three years ago I weighed 132 pounds (I'm 5'9"). I was running about 40 miles a week. I could eat anything I wanted and I still struggled to keep weight on me.
I currently weigh 148 pounds. While that is certainly not morbidly obese, it definitely makes me look not skinny. So I've decided to try and lose some weight by the time I turn 30 (03.22.07). I don't want to get all the way back down to 132, but I would like to get down to about 136 or so. My plan is to start running again. The main problem with that is I have to ease back into it because I have patellar tendonitis in my right knee.
So hopefully I can get back down to my fighting weight over the next four months. JM

Good To Great

So I spend a lot of time wondering how long I should stay in middle school ministry. I've been in my present position for about 3 years now, and I love it. I love what I get to do, and I get paid to do it, so that works out well.
The problems come when I start to weigh out if I would love something else more. I really feel like God has given me a tremendous amount of ability, but that ability is spread out across many different categories. Some people God gave a tremendous amount of ability in just one or two areas. I feel I have that same amount of ability, just spread out. And therein lies the problem.
If I was great at music and horrible at everything else, then I would be a worship leader. If I was great at speaking, then I would be a teaching pastor. If I was great at student ministry, I would stay there. If I was great at creative arts, I would be a creative arts pastor.
But I'm not any of those things, or at least I'm not great at them. I'm good. I feel like I'm a good teacher, a good student minister, a good worship leader, a good creator, but I'm not great at any of them.
So hopefully I'll have a revelation one day and know for certain what I should be doing. Until then, I'll stay the course and hopefully find success and fulfillment.
JM

Danger!!

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
I'm from St. Louis, home of the world champion St. Louis Cardinals. Watching the world series was great this year because it wasn't a 4 game sweep like last year, it wasn't a 4 game sweep of the Cardinals like 2 years ago, but they actually won it this year. It's awesome especially since nobody gave them a chance.
Then out comes the news that St. Louis is the most dangerous city in the U.S. You win some, you lose some. The biggest problem in the STL is that very few people actually live there. It's a town of about 350,000, but it has a metro area of 2,800,000. So there is very little money coming in. All of the people that work downtown take their paychecks home with them back to the county.
In St. Louis' defense, it is a very nice city, and I have always felt safe there. There are certainly places I would not go, but the city has more public free entertainment than any other city I've ever been too. It's great, and if you have a chance, you should go for a visit. JM