{Just Us Kings}

It has now been almost 5 years since I have played football, and I’m still at my playing weight. You may think, “Hey, that’s great. You haven’t gained a bunch of extra weight.” The truth is that 322lbs is not a healthy weight for a 31 year old man, husband, and father of 4 (5 and under).

So, I recently started working out again and today I begin eating a better diet with a Protein Sparing Modified Fasting Diet (PSMF). 350g of protein a day and no carbs. I’m doing this with the help of a nutritionist and it only lasts a few weeks. After that, we will modify accordingly. The goal for me is two fold. First, I would like to lose weight, but really cut body fat. Getting back to about 17% would feel really good and probably put me at a weight somewhere in the neighborhood of 275, a weight I have not seen since my junior year of high school!
Second, I want to be functional in day to day life. I want to be able to get up and down to play with my kids. I do a pretty good job of this right now, but if I’m not careful I could end up with some real problems.

If you see me around, ask how I’m doing. I’m going to need some accountability on this one. It should be interesting, but much needed.

Oh man, it’s been a long time since I’ve written on here… months.

So, kids and family are doing well. I’ve been busy with work. We’re trying to make the most of this summer and do things in St. Louis that we haven’t done before.

We’re trying to watch less TV (Tivo is off now) so, I’m making an effort to read more. I had great intentions to start a 2009 reading list and power through it, but I’m still on the same book. That is very sad. As I’m reading more this summer, I’m going to write more.

So, until I have something new to say (which is hopefully sooner rather than later)…

My kids are so sweet, and they come up with some of the funniest, cutest things to say. A few days ago, we were eating dinner and Emmry reached her hand over to me ( I was sitting next to her ) and said something.

“What did you say Sweetie?”

“You my bes fwiend, Daddy.”

YES! That’s awesome! Then she leaned over and gave me a one arm hug. Heart melter. I love it. She has told me that a couple more times since then, usually at dinner. Too sweet.

That ranks right up there with Caleb telling us and anyone who asks him what he wants to be when he grows up, “I want to be a Daddy.” Except for that one time when he said baseball player. Granted we were at a baseball game at the time.
When I ask him what kind of Daddy, “A big Daddy just like you.”
When I asked him why the other day, “So I can help people.” What people, “Kids.”
He also wants to hang around the house. I guess I’m hanging around a lot.

Also ranking high is “Daddy” being the first word 2 out of 3 kids have said. Ansley says it all the time now though.

I love being a Daddy!

Wow… it’s been a few days since my last update. Since then several things have happened…

Caleb had a birthday, Emmry had a birthday, and I got a job! I started working with an energy efficiency management firm this month. It’s going well so far and I’m excited about affecting change in the stewardship of our resources. Any way, I’m going to try and be better about updating in 2009. I’m excited about what God is going to do in our lives over the next year and I want to share it as it happens.

Yesterday was a big day around here. 30 years have come and gone and I’m that much older and wiser. The funny thing is, I don’t feel like I’m 30. It didn’t come over as the milestone I’ve been picturing it to be.
It could be a lot of things really. It’s strange not being established in a career right now. I honestly hoped that I would still be playing football at this point but God has greater plans for our lives. He has taken us on an interesting trip that results in where we are today.
Today we are in a good place. We are blessed more that most of the world.

I could make a list all day of the blessings we have. Simple blessing that we take for granted everyday. When I woke up this morning, I could see. I can walk and run, pick up my kids, talk with my friends. It’s the little things that we overlook. Money, jobs, college education; there is so much we cold be worrying about. Leave these for another day. Today I will seek the Lord’s face. I will trust and obey. I will surrender myself to His will and ask how I can be a part of what He is doing, not what can He do for me.
These words get me through times like we are going through now. Both personally and economically, and as a international community.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Mat 6:25-34)

Blessed are you O Lord, who clothes us and feeds us. You O Lord who love us more than all of creation to want relationship with us. Thank you Father for your mercy and your grace. You knew we would need it. Lord bless my next 30 years a fraction of the blessing I’ve already received and I will be a very blessed man.