but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint. – Isaiah 40:31

Good morning, friends. I am going to take a risk here and go public with a goal I have for myself. It’s a long story but let’s cut to the chase. Here we go: I need/want to get back below 170 pounds by my birthday and it’s going to be touch and go.

The back story is that, more than a decade ago, Rebekah and I both decided we would feel more comfortable if we dropped 10-15 pounds, and we were successful.

I moved from a little north of 185 all the way down to 165. Rebekah found her happy place too (and she is still there). The difference for me was tremendous, and so I promised myself I would work to stay between 165 and 168 and – until this past fall – I have been successful.

But it turns out I am no longer in my fifties. At 69+ I have noted some subtle differences, both in my metabolism and exactly where the donuts are inclined to settle. It is not so easy anymore to make a couple of small adjustments then ease back to where I want to be.

So I crossed into the low 170’s before Christmas and have been stuck ever since. It’s not like I suddenly have a wobbly belly but that I don’t feel so comfortable in my own skin. So I set a mental alarm for 175 – kind of a line in the sand – and a couple of days ago it went off!

Part of my intervention is accountability. So I’m telling you all now that Monday I weighed in at 174.8. I have, in my mind, three weeks to lose six-seven pounds. I promise to give an update on Fridays (that’s March 6, 13 and 20). The other two parts of the program involve smart eating and better exercise.

“You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.” – Daniel 5:27

I already eat reasonably, so there is not much slack to take in other than portion size and snacking, and I am already on it. Plus I walk twice a day with my personal trainer, Max Retriever.

No offense to Mr. Max, but I will be adding at least one 20-minute walk – per day – where I leave him at home. As an elderly dog he is putting in 30-minute miles and that’s not exactly aerobic by any definition.

I firmly believe that taking care of my body is an important element of responsible stewardship, and of demonstrating my gratitude for this often fragile gift of life.

I plan to hit my seventies feeling better than my late sixties. But it’s evidently going to take a little work – DEREK