Hey Sweaty Gym Guy

Rule #1 When Going to The Gym. Bring a towel!!! I'm talking to you "Mr. Sweaty No Towel Guy"

Let's get something straight here. At the gym you are going to sweat. Most of us dudes will sweat through a shirt. Meaning you will leave residue or sweat stains or pools of sweat at machines during your time at the gym. Grab the towel on the way out the door and wipe up after your done using whatever machine suits your fancy.

Today I was working out at the gym and I was having one of those really good workouts. You know the ones where you are really feeling a burn, your muscles are really working and your really into it. That was today for me. Well I was finishing up on the 3rd of 4 machines that I use for my upper body, I was walking towards the next machine and that's when it happened.

Who do I see getting up from my next machine, the one guy at the gym I always try to avoid at all costs. Not only is it "Mr. Sweaty No Towel Guy", but he must have been having a really good work just like I was because he could have filled a bucket if he were to ring at that shirt he was wearing.

Immediately a sense of dread washed over me. I felt like my routine was over, I thought about skipping that machine, maybe even the rest of my workout, but I walked over just to check out the damage. Gross, does not begin to explain the scene that lay before my eyes. I can handle a streak or two or ten. I can handle drips even in the dozens. This was more. This was a waste land of pools of sweat and streaks. Gross my friends, is an understatement. As I stood there, staring at the nightmare that was, God must have been smiling at me saying, "My boy, I've got your back". Just as I was about to walk away a staff member cleaning off machines just happened to be near by. I waved him over, he should have roped off the machine with crime scene tape and had the thing declared a bio-hazard but he just said, "no problemo" as if he's seen this before. Sprayed it with what I hoped was some kind of nuclear form of clorox and wiped it off. Satisfied, I finished my workout and went home.

Please, please, please people....if your a sweaty person and your going to work out. Do us all the courtesy and bring a towel and wipe of the machines! No one likes to use a machine with your residue left on it.

Peace and Love!

Carlos

Winking

Good or Evil?

I know, weird question to ask when talking about the wink, right? Well...maybe not. At least not according to my wife. Here's the thing. My wife can't stand the wink, especially when I do it. She feels it's sly or sneaky or misleading or whatever she feels, but I know she doesn't like it. So much so, she sent me a list of biblical verses talking about how it is never referred to in a positive light. Check these out:

Proverbs 6:12-13 (KJV) Neither let them wink with the eye that hate roe without a cause. A naughty person, a wicked man walketh with a froward mouth. He winketh with his eyes.

Proverbs 10:10 (KJV) He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow.

Job 15:12-13 (KJV) Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at, that thou thurnest thy spirit against God.

According to her, these are the reasons why we shouldn't wink at each other.

I don't get it. Yes maybe back then or in certain cultures, but when I wink at people, it's usually in a joking manner. Never to be flirtatious or mean or harmful. Then again, that is some fruit for thought. Enjoy.

Carlos

God and Golf

My Weekend Round

It's funny how life is some times. I'm not a very good golfer and over this weekend I was having a VERY GOOD ROUND. Everything I wanted to do was working, I was putting well, chipping well, I was on course for my best round ever. Sure enough the sky got dark, the heavens ripped open and out come a down pour. Game Over.

Now, I've got that golf bug. The I've got to get back out there a.s.a.p. bug. It's funny how easy it is to get back out and do something when life treats you well. You want to experience the same success as you did before so you try to go back out there again and again.

Failure, is a different thing. When I've failed or had a bad day on the golf course I almost dread the feeling of getting back out there and trying again. If I do and things don't start off well, I almost expect it to continue that way or God forbid get worse. What I realized this morning was that even in times of failure God's plan is still at work in my life. Sometimes it's through our failures that we learn our biggest lesson and life plans that God has for us.

If you look at some Bible characters you see that most of those who made history were men who failed at some point, and some of them drastically, but who refused to continue lying in the dust. Their very failure and repentance secured for them a more ample conception of the grace of God. They learned to know Him as the God of the second chance to His children who had failed Him—and third chance, too.

When you fall, or fail. GET UP! Fall again, GET UP! AGAIN! Keep getting up and don't let failure stop you from trying. Know that God is behind you and with Him you can do anything. GET UP!

Remember:

"The Lord sustains all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down” Psalm 145:14.

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord; and He delights in his way. When he falls, he shall not be hurled headlong; because the Lord is the One who holds his hand” Psalm 37:23-24

“For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in time of calamity” Proverbs 24:16

SO IF YOU FALL, GET UP!

Carlos

How Dirty Are We?

Amazingly Dirty

By no means am I "Go Green Guy" or even "Tree Hugger Guy" but I do believe in protecting our natural resources and our environment. We only have this one planet you know. This video I came across really puts into total perspective just how dirty we are. It's called "Reverse Graffiti" and I have never seen anything quite like it.



It really puts the whole GO GREEN thing into perspective. Our world or at least this part of San Fransisco is really really dirty and we should all do our part in trying to clean it up.

Carlos

Cry Out to God

A Good long run...

I like to run. By no means am I a distance or marathoner but I enjoy to get out there and bust out a few miles. Today I busted out 10. One the beach. In a long sleeve shirt.

Every now and again I'll get in a mood where I feel like I need to have it out with God a little bit. Not like Ephraim fighting an angel in the bible (Hosea 12) or even Lt. Dan yelling at God in Forest Gump. More like a heart to heart, where I lay out all of life's hurts and pitfalls in my life and beg (sometimes yell) for some answers.

Today was such a day...

I woke up in a funk this morning (if you could tell on the air I apologize) and when I got home I just felt like I needed to let out some of this pent up frustration and a good long run was what I thought I needed. About 4 miles into the run I realized that I was praying over my iPod music and I felt like I had some stuff I needed to get out. Thankfully I was out at Honeymoon Islands northern most point with nobody in sight and a huge gulf to yell at. So I prayed, LOUD, and let out everything I felt I needed to let out so God would hear me. It's not like he didn't already know, He's God, He knows everything, but letting it out of me felt good.

Nothing miraculous happened, the sea didn't part, an angel didn't appear, a bird did almost poop on me which for a moment I felt may have been God answering me. But just then, as I sat for a moment, in silence, and closed my eyes and listened to the waves crash, it was as if a boulder was taken off my shoulders. I felt a peace and love wash over me and it literally felt like just then a weight was taken off of me and thrown into the water. It immediately reminded me of Psalm 46 : 1 "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble".

I couldn't keep walking around holding onto this burden, only God could carry my load. God is our refuge and strength, why do we try to do everything on our own? A very present help in trouble, why do we not ask for it? God is there ready and waiting for you, just as he was for me today. I thank God for my run today, because the rest of my run felt like I was running on new legs and a lighter load. God is awesome. Just trust in Him and he'll show you the way.

Carlos

Get to know...

Francesca Battistelli

New Song: "I'm Letting Go"

New Fervent Records artist Francesca Battistelli is no stranger to the stage. Raised by parents immersed in the arts and Broadway, she developed a love of music, theatre, and performance at a young age. But instead of using these talents for applause and accolades, Francesca prefers to point people to something beyond herself--towards hope in Christ. Her soulful piano-pop sound resembles a blend of her music interests--jazz, rock, gospel and R&B woven beautifully together with themes of trust and risk-taking. In a noisy world filled with sounds and images, we cry out for an authentic voice--one who is not afraid to speak truth and purpose to a generation. In singer/songwriter Francesca Battistelli, we have found that voice. Her debut project releases on Fervent Records July 22, 2008.

Check her out on stage:



For more info on Francesca check out: http://www.myspace.com/francescabattistelli

Carlos

Baby Belly

BTP

Ladies, what is it about the baby belly? It seems like every time I see a pregnant woman, I see someone gravitate towards her belly and put their hands on it. Yesterday at Publix I witnessed just such an event. A woman in the produce section was looking for fruit and was looking very pregnant. Another woman took notice and immediately had to ask about the baby and put her hands on her belly. It's so funny to me how ladies just love the baby belly. (More so when it's not theirs, a good friend of my wife can attest to that) It's amazing, it never fails and it's real. It's like the sun rise, you just know that it's gonna happen. Why though?

We talked about the Belly Touching Phenomenon (or BTP for short) this morning and had some wide ranging ideas. Some thought it was due to people wanting to be a part of God's handiwork in the miracle of birth. I can see that. The miracle of birth is so beautiful. Messy, yes, painful, can be, but in the end when the baby is born, everything else just seems to fade away in the beauty of new life.

Others thought it just curiosity, not all of us will experience birth and some just haven't been blessed in that area yet. Curiosity must abound.

Some thought it was a girl thing, being a guy I totally agree there. The idea of a baby inside a human body growing, surviving, living off the "host" reminds me of the movie Alien. It just creeps me out the idea of something moving inside of me. Is it beautiful, yes, it is creepy, oh yeah.

Everyone could agree that just as sure as the sun will rise, a pregnant belly will be touch by someone you may or in some cases may NOT know. Either way, the gift of child birth is a gift from God and it truly is a beautiful thing.

Carlos

Top 3

Vacation

Many of us will be taking some form of family vacation over the summer. For some the beach or Universal Studios for others visiting family away or maybe another country. This morning we covered in a game of Family Feud the Top 3 Most Commonly Forgotten Items When Going on Vacation.

1. Toothpaste / Toothbrush
2. Cell Phone Charger
3. Underwear / Sleep Wear

I can vouch for #3. My wife and I honeymooned in New York City three years ago. I made sure I packed clothes for walking around town, for a nice dinner out, for sleeping and for every situation I could think of. What I forget was what I would wear under all those clothes. Needless to say, we made a quick trip to the store upon arrival in Manhattan.

ALSO!

Thanks to Chef Josue from the Rep Chef's he came by and hooked us up with some great Tampa Cubans!

Check out our Morning Show page for more info on how you can make them for your family!

Enjoy your weekend and we'll see you Monday!

Carlos

Pride vs Prejudice

My point of view...

Today on the show we spent a good portion talking about the uproar in regards to the possible placing of a very large Confederate flag near the junction of I-4 and I-75.

From my point of view, when I see the confederate flag I don't see southern pride or a positive southern history. I see a flag that represented those who were pro slavery. When I think of slavery, I think of all the grave injustices and cruelty done to African Americans. Whether or not my thought process on the flag is historically accurate, it is what pops into my head when I see that flag.

Now, I know that the Civil War was fought for much more than slavery. I know that some of those born and raised in the South, take a great deal of pride in that flag and those who died for it. As Americans we should have a great deal of pride. We should take pride in our heritage, in our country and in ourselves. Pride is OK. But my history classes in high school and college painted a very dark image of the flag in my head and when I see it, I don't see pride, I see prejudice.

My final thought is this. God calls us to love thy neighbor. A recurring theme on this mornings show. If my neighbor is hurt by my flying a flag that in their eyes represents hate, then I personally wouldn't fly it. The South didn't win the war. That flag is only recognized as a part of history. That is where I would leave it. In the history books. The Civil War was such a dark time for our nation anyway. It put families against each other, governments against each other and many lives where hurt on both sides. As one nation under God we should focus on being Christ to each other and lean on His love to guide us all.

Carlos

Times Share and Me the Homer

HOMER:

I'll admit it. I'm a homer. I love to root for my home teams. The Bucs, The Lightning, The USF Bulls (to my wife's dismay of course, she's a UCF alum) and finally now THE RAYS!

The years of frustration may finally be behind us! Check out http://www.mlb.com/ and vote for some of our home town Rays players for the all-star game. More than one of them deserves to go!

TIME SHARES:

We talked about Time Shares this morning and the horror that was my only experience with them. Now I know there are reputable places with really good deals for a time share experience, I just haven't found one yet.

I was promised a free airline trip ANYWHERE in the U.S. if I would just sit through a "short" talk on time shares. -THREE HOURS LATER- They finally wrapped up only to try and one-on-one hard sell me on the time share. After another HOUR of saying no repeatedly we finally were handed our "golden ticket" to anywhere in the U.S.

That brings me to the catch. Something my father always told me, "If it's to good to be true, it probably is". In order to use my ticket I had to pay fees, $75 for processing, $10 for booking, $ airport tax, $ luxury tax, $ tax, $ tax, more $$$$$. By the time I added up all the fees and taxes I was looking at $200 or $300 dollars! Not exactly the "free" trip I was hoping for.

Anyway, live and learn. Hopefully Abby has a better experience than I did.

Carlos