"So scared of getting older, I’m only good at being young.
So I play the numbers game to find a way to say that life has just begun."
- John Mayer, Stop This Train

"I’m in repair, I’m not together, but I’m getting there."
- John Mayer, In Repair

I’m trying to be a precision runner. That is, I bought a heart rate monitor that goes with my watch. I put it on and I know exactly how many beats per minute my heart is working at. The idea is that there is a direct correlation between your heart rate and the various things you are trying to accomplish physically and athletically.

You need to know your resting heart rate and your max heart rate. There’s a graph online.

If you’re trying to burn fat, you should exercise at 60-70% of your max heart rate.
If you’re trying to increase endurance, 70-80%.
If you’re trying to achieve your athletic peak, 80-100%.

From what I hear, it’s best to mix it up a little.

Played soccer with some absolute freaks on Wednesday. One guy is an All State Honorable Mention, one guy starts for Hope College, a bunch of them started for Stoney Creek High School. I was the second oldest at 30… everyone else was around 18-24. I got my ass kicked and it was awesome. I had a few good touches, but for the most part I was exhausted. Love soccer.

Annalisa was so cool about me playing. It was really the perfect day outside. Isaiah ran onto the field once. “Daddy!”
Closing your eyes, and inhaling the grass and the late day, and the sunshine and the shadow. It is absolutely exhilarating in my lungs. Intoxicating. You can almost inhale youth from the perspective of wisdom’s experience. Exhale.
Awesome.

I’ve been reflecting lately on the call to serve.
Feed the hungry.
Clothe the nekked. “Why is you nekked?”
House the homeless.
Visit the prisoners.

?

Visit the prisoners? What the crap? Why?
I dunno, cuz Jesus told me to.

I don’t completely understand all the depths behind everything Jesus was talking about. Sometimes, I think it’s best to just do it and maybe in the doing you’ll understand. Otherwise, you’ll get caught up in the fact that you don’t understand why you should do it. When really, sometimes it’s less important that you understand, and more important that you just do it.

So, visit the prisoners.

Talked to G and he said it doesn’t have to be just people in jail. People are imprisoned by lots of things.

We’ll see how this goes.

“I’ve got to break free from these walls and leave behind, this life that’s killing me.”
Gary & Eric, Through You

“Every time I think of me, I’ll think of something more, every time I close my eyes, I’ll dream of what’s in store, for the rest of my life to spend with you, as one.”
Gary & Eric, Steve & Ann

Have I told you how proud of Annalisa I am?

Imagine you’re married with 2 kids and having to tell your spouse that you want to quit your job for one that pays less.

In a world ruled by money, inspiration often lives in defiance of it.

When I met Annalisa she was this beautiful girl who played the piano and got good grades and was extremely ambitious.

She was an environmental consultant at her old job, she was good at it because she’s good at everything, but she hated going to work in the morning and craved more purpose.
Extremely uninspired and therefore uninspiring.

She now works for the American Cancer Society and stares the villain in the face. If cancer is the bad guy, she is one of the heroes. Without many heroes left in my life, it’s great waking up next to one.

I am just so proud of her.

Ethan is playing peek-a-boo. He half covers his eyes with his tiny hands and gets a little frustrated if you don’t yell, “Peek-a-boo!” EVERY time he does it. Haha.

Isaiah is scared of dogs. He loves to be physical and run around.

They always make me smile and I hope they always will. Doubtful, but we’re all allowed to hope.

I’ve been eating right and running and lifting. Not a lot, but I’m down to 158 pounds. 5 more to go, I hope I can do it. I really want to and I’m trying to stay disciplined. I really want to be healthy when the boys want to play and when I can play soccer.

I have this theory that you can’t really experience all the real joys of soccer unless you’re at this certain physical capacity. The likes of which I’ve never really possessed. So I hope to one day.

Built a shed.