Stuph Clothing Blog

If you happen to read my blog, you will notice that I watch too much TV.  I watched NBC’s Biggest Loser finale and was inspired at first then reminded how lazy I am shortly thereafter. 

I have to lose about 30 pounds.  Actually I don’t have to do anything, but if I want to live a longer more productive life I have to lose some weight.  I have all the incentive in the world, which includes an amazing wife and three great kids.  Just for a bonus incentive I am also diabetic and have high blood pressure.

I have done EAS’s Body for Life twice and lost 30 lbs. and felt better than I have ever felt.  I was more focused and disciplined than I have ever been.   My perspective and business were thriving.  It was a 12 week period where I worked out 5 days a week.  Why am I such a lazy person.  Does anyone get to their death bed and wish that they would have exercised less?  When I eat right and exercise my physical discipline runs over into my emotional and spiritual well being as well.  It is amazing how God does that!  If anyone wants a challenge or competition, let me know and I will help push and encourage you.  Of course today is Wednesday, and you can’t start a diet or exercise plan until Monday!  I am pathetic.  Thank goodness I have a warehouse full of apparel, I can always go up another size.

If there are any youth pastors that want to start a challenge, we can promote it and throw in some prizes…let me know…Hey what do you know…it is time for lunch!

http://abc.go.com/primetime/oprahsbiggive/index?pn=index 

Last night I was watching ABC’s show called the Big Give.  It is a show where there is a competition to see who can creatively out give the competition with someone else’s money.  If you are not as sucessful as your peers, or not quite as creative, then you get voted off the show. 

Throughout the show, it shows how the individuals creatively come up with ways to help someone or some worthy organization.  I really enjoyed watching those in need finding hope and it always feel good to see someone get an unexpected blessing.

But as the show goes on, the more something became very clear.  It was more of a public relations plug for how generous Oprah Winfrey is.  In this episode John Travolta shows up in his huge jet plane and flies the contestants to the home base for the Big Give (Harpo Productions).  The three remaining contestants were treated to luxuries that most people can only dream about.

At this point the show just didn’t feel right.  As mentioned earlier, I love how it helps others, but in the end it is about the winning contestant unknowingly receiving the prize from Oprah of $1,000,000.  What sucks is that I wish that the church could do more for people’s needs.

 When I was on staff at a church as a part-time youth pastor, I remember my Sr. Pastor delivered a message I will never forget.  He challenged the church to imagine what would happen if the people within a church rallied together and worked diligently at meeting all of the needs within the congregation.  Matching resources with needs, creating complete equilibrium.  He said if a church could really meet the physical, spiritual, financial and emotional needs of its people, the church doors could not contain the growth and passion of the church and the impact in the community and the world would be huge.

I also figured out why the Big Give bugs me.  In Matthew 6:3 the Bible says,
“When you give to the needy, don’t let your left hand know what your right handis doing.   This scripture promotes anonymous giving, so that the motives remain pure.  Unfortunately God’s way, doesn’t always make for good television or good public relations.

http://abc.go.com/primetime/oprahsbiggive/index?pn=index

As a kid we all made mud pies.  This week I learned that people actually eat them.  I have a missionary friend in Haiti that sent me a newsletter that talks about the civil unrest in that impoverished nation that is happening as a result of the surging food costs and corresponding shortages.  As a quick introduction let me tell you about Danita.

Eight years ago she returned to the US after visiting Haiti on a short term mission’s trip.  Less than a year later she moved their only with a suitcase and a willingness to serve hurting people.  Her heart was for the children that were left as orphans.  Today her ministry has more than 70 orphans that live with her and her staff.  In addition she started a Christian school that has over 500 students.  Despite the food shortage and threats of violence and looting, her ministry serves over 16,000 meals per month.

Her story is amazing to me!  She is one of the most amazing, Godly people I know.  This week I learned that while the nation survives on mud pies (dirt, shortening, and salt), she is serving a community with beans, rice and chicken!  Please pray for her protection and continued favor as she brings hope to a hurting people.  Visit her website and learn about her story (www.danitaschildren.com)  Today as you sit and enjoy your breakfast, lunch or dinner, please pray for a nation that is surviving on mud pies, and also pray for a beautiful woman who is giving her life to give hundreds of children hope.

Blogging is like exercise.  We all know we need to do it, but we forget or get too busy.  I have so much to say, but don’t take the time to tell the world what I think.  Does the world care, or am I going to be the self promoting blogger that really thinks that people care.  The purpose of my by new blogging regime will be to encourage those around me.

 Here at Uth Stuph we work with all kinds of youth pastors.  We love what we do and we think it shows.  Many times being on staff at a church is like being on an island with a lot of rules and very little support.  We hear the horror stories.  In fact we have starred in a few church skirmishes ourselves.  I never start a new commitment to exercise on a Friday, but blogging is different…today I am getting my blog started.

For the few of you that will read this and are idealistically trying to change the world, keep plugging away.  You are impacting the world and I humbly support your efforts. 

Randy if you read this, I got back on the blogging horse…leave me alone.ha