Am I Really Living Longer?

Exercise is good. Sedentary is bad.

Hardly a headline grabber, but that's the result of a new study.

A whole bunch of really smart people, including researchers from Harvard Medical School, discovered that 150 minutes a week of exercise adds about 3.4 years to your life. The sound bite is that even those who are "husky" will live longer if they exercise. Less flabby exercisers more than double the extra years.

As a husky person who does his two and ½ hours of weekly exercise, please let me clarify.

It's not that you live longer.

It just seems longer.

Dear John

Most communications I receive begin the same way, “Dear John.” Whether digital or paper, personal or business, there is some standard greeting.

Sometimes it reads “Dr. Beukema” or “Mr. Beukema” or “Occupant,” but you get the idea.

This week, I received newsletters from two different organizations varying from the pattern. One organization is Christian, the other is the secular, and both began with the same wording.

“Dear [insert name].”

I’ve never felt so special.

Has someone ever encouraged you to read John 3:16 and insert your name? “For God so loved [insert name]…” It’s no mass mailing mistake. 

He did.

Cereal Choices

On my way home from an evening meeting, I texted Amy that I was stopping to buy some granola. A light dinner made a snack desirable.

Wandering the aisles, it took me a few minutes to locate the cereal. I picked up the most appealing looking granola. The label revealed ingredients of twigs, sawdust, and a high calorie count. For comparison purposes I grabbed a box of my childhood favorite. It had 50 less calories.

At home, the logic of my decision seemed lost.

“Don’t you know these are empty calories!”

I enjoyed my giant box of Cap’n Crunch anyway.

Bill Nye Attacks

Even if you aren’t a creationist, Bill Nye’s  comments are outrageous.

I don’t mean his characterization of a creationism worldview as “crazy, untenable, and inconsistent.”

The illogical charge Nye makes is that if a percentage of our population denies evolution, “it holds everybody back.” Appealing to our status as intellectual world leader, Nye says: “If you want to deny evolution and live in your world that's completely inconsistent with the world we observe, that's fine. But don't make your kids do it. Because we need them. We need scientifically literate voters and taxpayers for the future…engineers that can build stuff, solve problems.”

Nye’s argument is that we will not be able to advance, as long as some do not embrace evolution.

That is irrational. If it had basis in truth, how did we get where we are today? Creationists have not prevented our innovative and scientific advancements throughout history. In fact, it is from this worldview that much advancement has sprung.

Why is Bill Nye the bias guy?

An Anniversary Miscalculation

Our oldest daughter and son-in-law presented us with a thoughtful anniversary present. They’ve already given us an amazing grandson, with another grandson on the way. This generous gift is for a great dinner, at a high-quality restaurant, to celebrate our years of marriage.

The present was inside a lovely card. The front of the card is pictured above.

25 Years Together!

This was a surprise. Only after our daughter bought the card and brought it home, was the glitch discovered.

Her husband asked, “Wait, how old are you?”  

“I’m 27…”

“Oh.”

It’s our 30^th anniversary. It only feels like 25. 

My Walk in the Park

Monday.

First vacation day.

Searching for quiet.

Hiking in a National Park.

Boaters, fishermen, walkers.

Quarter mile mark…yelling children.

Half mile mark…“Gracie!”

“Gracie” a loose pit bull, furiously barking, tail-wagging, hackle raising.

Standing still, I let her slobber on me.

Indifferent owner arrives with muzzle.

Mile mark…campers in conversation.

Travel the stream-side trail.

Lean against a tree and listen.

No other voices.

Thunder.

Rain drops scatter through leaves.

Course reversal.

Getting damp.

Lightning.

Downpour.

Hurrying.

Trail becomes muddy stream.

Low visibility.

Drenched.

Emerge from trail.

Everyone gone.

Slosh between parking lots.

Car.

Thunder rattles the windows.

Even God shatters my silence.

All the Stuff I Can Do Now the Olympics Are Over

• Go to bed before 11:30.
• Stop trying to figure out the rules for handball.
• Feel sorry for all silver medalists (“You’re the #1 loser, no one lost ahead of you.” Seinfeld)
• Be amazed at how Russia used to be the arch enemy, and now I kind of like them.
• Start training to fulfill my personal Olympic dreams in Brazil.
• Celebrate that we have more medals than China, even though they have all our money.
• Wait for NBC’s delayed broadcast of the opening ceremony.
• Watch my Mr. Bean videos.
• Wonder at a guy with no legs running faster than I drive.