Mike Harper
89.5 KVNE Mornings

“Keep yourself alive. It’ll take all your time and money. Honey, you’ll survive.” ~ Queen

The longer I live, the more thankful I am God has sustained me. And while He ultimately makes the call, there are things I can do today to enhance my chances to make it to, oh, I don’t know. 100?

10. Get up off the couch. Or chair. Or bed. Stand up for crying out loud. Start walking. Anywhere. At least to the fridge. When your butt fits perfectly into the shape of your concave sofa cushion, you know it’s time to take a stroll to the gym.

9. Dial back the gluten. Everybody makes the jokes. Everybody says they can’t live without it. But even if you don’t have the allergy, develop one. We all can benefit from toning down our worship of bread.

8. Be nice to people, even the ones who drive you crazy. Nobody will please you all the time. Just give yourself a hug before you leave the house and grin and bear it. Being nice to people who don’t deserve it takes the stress out of the relationship. (By the way, nobody “deserves” it.)

7. Do all the car safety stuff. Buckle up. Don’t text. Stay within the speed limit. There’s nothing you can do about other people, but that’s true of all of life. But we can all do what we can. Oh, and check your tires. (I don’t do it, but my always dad said it, and he knew stuff.)

6. Go to the doctor. Get checked. Heart, blood, gut, bones, teeth. Everything. Don’t go all hypochondriac, but don’t take anything for granted either. Just regular check-ups. If you don’t have a doctor, just ask a friend. Whoever it is, they’ll always tell you their guy is “the best.”

5. Don’t overbook. Just because you have a 15-minute opening in your afternoon doesn’t mean you have to fill it with somebody’s whim/favor. A jam-packed schedule can play havoc on your blood pressure.

4. Just say no. I know… easier said than done. People want you to do stuff. At least wait. Give yourself a chance to “sleep on it.” “Pray about it.” “Ask my wife about it.” Buy some time. Sometimes I’ll say “I’d like to help you, but my psychiatrist advised me to say no to stuff I don’t want to do.”

3. Don’t smoke… Anything! Some will cite pot’s potential health benefits. But they’re often inconclusive and far outweighed by overwhelming evidence of harmful effects. Increase your odds of good health by keeping foreign substances out of your body.

2. Drink! Water, not booze. Like pot, alcohol has many fans. But “moderation” is the only possible advised level of consumption. It’s possible positive points are, also like pot, few and far between the massive dangers documented. So, why risk it? Nobody’s harmed by abstaining.

1. Pray. A lot. Even if you don’t how or to whom. I can help you with that. Just reply to this post. God’s always working behind the scenes and we don’t see it until it’s in hindsight. He gives, peace, perspective, and provision. And alliteration.

God has given me many years from which to glean, despite my many mistakes. He’s funny like that. Hopefully He’ll continue to spare me. I’ll do my part, which is to trust Him to do His.

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” — 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

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