In other news, your One and Only Favorite Friendly Neighborhood MonT-SteR™ is, well, fat. Portly. Obese. Rotund. Corpulent. Some of you who actually see me on a regular basis will doubtless be completely UNsurprised at this revelation. But it’s true. Call me Moby Dick (Ishmael was thin, I’ll wager).

And so, The MonT-SteR must reduce. Lots. Like, the “over 100 lbs.” kind of “lots.” To be specific, I need to lose at least 140 lbs.

This seems kind of daunting, but I’ve done this before. I lost nearly 100 lbs. years ago, and over time (especially after the birth of my first son) I gained the weight back, and then some (and how!). And corresponding medical complications are forcing my hand. I’ll not be done in by hypertension and declining cholesterol.

I’ve been meaning to get back on track for awhile now, and it just hasn’t happened. After the birth of my daughter in 2009, I lost about 50 lbs., but I’m sad to say that I’ve gained some of that back. So, I got the idea to use teh interwebz not just to journal about losing weight, but as a means of motivation and accountability.

I try to hide. It sounds absurd, I know (especially when your size makes you hard to miss), but I hide from myself by being in denial. And somehow I trick myself into thinking that as long as I don’t notice how yucky I look and feel, nobody else does. But it’s a sham. Honestly, beneath the “extra insulation” I’m rather disgusted with myself, and that’s not a healthy inner posture.

I also know that as long as I carry all this extra weight, I’m not going to be as effective as I’m supposed to be — not as a father, not as a husband, not as a businessman, not as a minister, not as a servant of God. And the latter is really the most important issue.

I’m prooftexting a bit here, but 1 Corinthians 10:31 says that “…whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” And Paul also states in 1 Corinthians 6:20 that Christians “…have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” The price, of course, is the willing sacrifice of Jesus Christ. There are dozens of scriptures along these lines.

Being as fit and trim as I can be is a question of whether or not I am bringing glory and honor to God. I do those things by treating the body He gave me with respect and care, which in turn allows me to bring further glory and honor to God by living more fully as a continual sacrifice to Him (Romans 12:1ff). It stands to reason that obesity, its attendant vices, and its deleterious effects all stand in the way of me giving my absolute all to God and the things He has entrusted to my care.

God has planted a lot of things in my heart to be, to do, to accomplish — I want everything He’s purposed for me before I exit this world. And then there are the pet hopes and dreams of my own. For example, I’ve never been much of an athlete, but I’d love to train for and compete in a triathlon. You can’t really do that as a sedentary blob. Plus, this June will mark my 40th year. I really don’t want to hit the big 4-0 in Jabba-the-Hutt style, know what I mean?

So why am I sharing all this with the entire stinkin’ internet? First and foremost, as an act of obedience to God. I need to make changes. Edwin Louis Cole used to say, “Change isn’t change until it’s change.” I find that I don’t readily change without certain incentives, and blabbing about where I am and where I want to be is an act of “putting myself out there.” It’s a little scary, honestly. But I’m hoping that the friends I have and interact with online will help me by holding me accountable, giving me tips, and — when necessary — lending a little friendly encouragement (or a virtual kick in the butt).

So, I give you The MonT-SteR’s very own 40×40 Project: I’m shooting for a 40″ waist by my 40th birthday. As part of that process, I’m going to be starting a beginner triathlete training program with a view toward entering a race. And as a demonstration that I’m serious about this, I actually bought some new athletic shoes today and walked a couple of miles.

GERONIMOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Witness a frustrating display of unwarranted brag and bounce:

The MonT-SteR’s response:

State Sen. Lambert, with all due respect, we’ve only had one primary, which was essentially a straw poll. And we’ve found in the aftermath that Romney actually lost. On that basis, it should come as no surprise to you when your call to shut up and get in line behind your candidate of choice is met not merely with skepticism, but trenchant disdain. If there are any lessons to be learned from 2008, it’s that milquetoast moderate Republicans lose presidential elections. Thus, I flatly refuse to vote for Romney in a primary. Your rhetoric and your demeanor are insulting. If anything, I’m more ill-disposed toward Romney than I was before. You should be proud of the winsome case you’ve made for him.

I can appreciate your concern for the falsity of Islam. As John Piper notes, bad theology dishonors God and hurts people, and I can’t think of a theological construct more hurtful, more violent, more angry, more damnable than Islam.

Except for bad Christian theology.

As ambassadors of Christ, we are charged with the awesome responsibility of representing Jesus Himself to the world. None of us is perfect, and so at times even the most well intentioned believer can and will fall short. But since we are His regents, we must be careful not to take God’s name in vain by misrepresenting His will, person, and character. Behavior guided by a warped theological grid will inevitably do just that; the result is damaged hearts, relationships, lives, and even cultures. I know this firsthand by virtue of my own failures.

You have cited the radicality of Jesus as biblical warrant for what you are doing. Granted, Jesus did some radical things. He appointed a tax collector and a Zealot (political arch-enemies) to stand side by side as two members of the close-knit Twelve. He set aside the rights of his office as Rabbi and Lord and washed the feet of His followers like a servant. But most radically, He allowed Himself to be led like a sheep to the slaughter. He refused to revile in return those who beat and cursed him, and though twelve legions of angels were at His command, He allowed Himself to be tortured and crucified cruelly on a cross. He died: for you, for me, and… for Muslims.

He is Yahweh-Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts, but I know in my heart that the teeming throngs of people deceived by Mohammed’s teachings move Him to grief. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should enter into eternal life.

Honestly, I admire your courage; you’re sticking to your guns even though the entire world is frowning upon you and your flock. And I can even understand your desire to “send a message.” We’ve all been wounded by the acts of Islamic terrorists. We’ve all burned with anger as we’ve observed the wanton Islamic violence and intimidation aimed at our people and our homeland. But what you are doing is not love. It is not grace. It is not outreach. It is not redemptive. It is an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Your message is actually one of reprisal — in diametric opposition to the Golden Rule.

Jesus’ bravery is demonstrated most clearly not in the overturning of tables in the temple, but in the act of sacrificing Himself for humanity — a race that has shaken its collective fist in God’s face in abject rebellion.

Our government has pressured you not to go forward out of concern for the safety of our soldiers. I beg of you — not merely out of concern for what violence Muslims may commit in response, but fearful rather for the Muslims that could be turned away from their Savior on your account — please desist. There is no shame or cowardice in turning from a destructive or unwise path.

Love believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love NEVER fails. What force, what political speech, what message could be more powerful than that of Christ’s love for everyone? I pray that, in the days ahead, your decisions and actions will be guided by His love and by the clear leading of His Spirit.

Yours in Christ,

Rob

I haven’t written about it here, but my grandfather passed away near the end of May. As I wrote in my journal, it was “a moment I’ve been dreading most of my adult life. But it’s here, and so is God, and because of that, it’s okay. Granddad is not suffering anymore. He’s with the Lord. And I will see him again.”

The night after he died, I had the following dream. I have always known Granddad to be a believer, so as his health declined I never fretted about his eternal estate. After sharing this dream with my parents, they told me that as Granddad breathed his last in this world (after having suffering for so long), he had a smile on his face.

Here’s the dream:

I saw a sprawling property with multiple buildings and fields. It was very pleasant—the sun was shining brightly, the trees were green and swaying in the breeze, and the day was comfortably warm. The sky was a blazing, rich blue, full of bright white puffy clouds. Granddad was outside tending the property, preparing one area for some sort of race that he was hosting (I had the sense that it was a children’s event – the track he was creating was small). He was clearing debris from the field. He was not a young man – he looked older. Not as old as he did as of late, but the way I remember him in his 60′s. But he was hale, and spry as a man in his prime. He strode briskly around the property, shirt off, gloves on his hands, work boots on his feet. At one point, there was a stump in the ground he needed to clear. With incredible, superhuman strength, he grabbed it with both hands, effortlessly snapped the trunk way from the roots, and hurled it aside. As I observed this, I thought, “I’m in my 30′s and there’s no way I could do that!” I was concerned for his heart condition as I watched him work so hard, but nobody around me was worried. I looked at his face, and he looked back at me briefly – he was not smiling, but he seemed intent on his work. And deeply content.

As a Christian man, I may disagree vehemently with a given political party or an individual candidate. But, biblically, that does not give me license to behave hatefully toward them, or to default to believing the worst about them. Rather, I’m called to honor them, to pray for them, to regard them as stewards who are ultimately chosen by God to faithfully discharge the office they hold. And I believe I’m called to do what I can to help them steward that position faithfully. Sometimes that involves the prophetic responsibility of calling them to account, as the OT prophets often did with the kings, but I won’t get into that here.

I think Daniel’s example is particularly instructive. Think about his situation:

1. He was forcibly taken into exile. He had suffered injustice at the hands of Babylon.
2. Babylon was a pagan culture that did not recognize the Living God or follow His ways.
3. Nebuchadnezzar was a pompous man with a bad temper and a lust for power, and yet Daniel, a man of God, had been involuntarily pressed into his service.

Daniel was betwixt and between, to be sure. And he had every reason to disparage the Babylonians and their king, to wish for their downfall. But I see in Daniel a man who never compromised his faith in God while distinguishing himself in faithful, loyal service to an unholy culture. Even though the king didn’t govern rightly, you never see one ounce of disdain or disrespect coming from Daniel. Rather, you hear phrases like, “O King, may you live forever.” Daniel lived a no compromise life, but he had the honor and respect of those who didn’t know God. And God used his righteous tenacity to reveal Himself to Nebuchadnezzar, who transitioned from glorifying himself to recognizing that God is sovereign over the nations.

I wonder if that might not be a desirable paradigm for our present political culture. You may be happy about who’s in power right now. It may drive you crazy at the moment. But how would Daniel handle it?

Daniel 11:32 states that those who know their God shall be strong and do great exploits in His name. Perhaps that captures the secret of the remarkable life Daniel lived. For my own part, I’m both convicted and inspired by his example. And I pray that our culture is flooded with Daniels in this crucial, desperate hour.

I intend to be one of them.

Jehu did not obey the Law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit.

Apparently, Jehu chose not to destroy the golden calves that Jeroboam had originally erected for the purpose of securing his own kingship and keeping the people from making pilgrimage to the temple in Jerusalem.

Jeroboam’s idolatry was a stumbling block to the northern kingdom of Israel from the moment he rebelled against the Davidic line and first rose to power. I wonder at Jehu’s failure to completely reverse idolatry in the land. Was it because he shared Jeroboam’s fear that the people would lose their allegiance to his crown in favor of Judah’s king? Or was it because (as Tolkien might put it) “lore waned” in Israel, and the very notion of what it truly meant to follow God’s Law had been lost? If the former, was Jehu aware of Jeroboam’s reasoning? If he was, it suggests to me that sufficient archival work had been done in Israel to (at minimum) ensure that a copy of the Law of God was available to the king, for heaven’s sake—making Jehu’s failure all the more damnable. Or, perhaps Jeroboam’s sin had set Israel on a trajectory that so diverged from God’s blueprint by Jehu’s time that it caused Israel to lose touch with the very oracles of God, royal archives notwithstanding.

In any case, it’s amazing how Jeroboam’s sin remains a bloodstain on the fabric of Israel’s existence from his time forward, and manages to survive even of the likes of Jehu. It seems that part of the insidious nature of idolatry, whatever its genesis, is a stubborn ability to self-propagate across generations.

That’s just the sort of behavior that’s going to garner them some serious comeuppance come November. I can’t wait to vote.

Anyway, I fired off a missive to Senators Warner and Webb here in VA to register my disgust with both Calderon and the Democrats’ behavior. It will be interesting to see if/how they respond. Here’s what I wrote:

The Honorable Senator Jim Webb
248 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator:

It is difficult for me to convey the utter disdain I have for Mexican President Calderon’s comments from the House floor today. He has neither the right nor the place to lecture United States citizens on immigration law enforcement — particularly when Mexico’s own immigration laws are so stringent and, I daresay, merciless.

The only thing more contemptible than President Calderon’s odious comments was the standing ovation Democrats gave him in response.

I would like to ask, Senator, if you were among those who stood to cheer. I hope not. But the courtesy of a reply to that specific question would be appreciated.

Sincerely,

Robert R. Monti
Virginia Beach, VA

And now, straight from outer space…

Oh, well. Below is the letter with corrections. I suppose Bloomberg’s office will write me off as an idiot. Another testament to the necessity of proofing.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
City of New York
253 Broadway
New York, NY 10007

Mayor Bloomberg:

Your recent comments on the CBS Evening News implicating foes of Obamacare in the attempted bombing on Times Square were contemptible in the extreme. It is most regrettable that you have chosen to equate those who ascribe to the values of our Founders with Islamic militants. It seems to me that one of those two groups has a clear track record of terrorist acts. Who, I ask, is more likely to detonate a car bomb in New York?

Your gratuitous and unwarranted slander of patriotic Americans was as fatuous as it was specious. Congratulations.

Sincerely,

Robert R. Monti
Virginia Beach, VA

Stay tuned…