Without It
Without It – MuteMath
[Embedded Audio]
Here we are
Isn’t life bizarre?
It likes to take from us and throw it out
We’ll carry on
What’s done is done
Yeah, we’ll do without it somehow
The world is gone, don’t think about it
Cuz life is short we’ll do without it
They say the road is long, don’t think about it
Cuz life is short we’ll do without it
We can move on forward
Don’t worry
The best we’ve known is yet to come
We can move on forward
Don’t worry
The worst won’t get the best of us
Some memories, a crippling
Don’t let the disease bring us down
There’s nothing else to know
Just let it go
Yeah, we’ll do without it somehow
The world is gone, don’t think about it
Cuz life is short we’ll do without it
They say the road is long, don’t think about it
Cuz life is short we’ll do without it
We can move on forward
Don’t worry
The best we’ve known is yet to come
We can move on forward
Don’t worry
The worst won’t get the best of us
The world is gone, don’t think about it
Cuz life is short we’ll do without it
We’ll do without it
We’ll do without it
We’ll do without it
We’ll do without it
Go
We can move on forward
Don’t worry
The best we’ve known is yet to come
We can move on forward
Don’t worry
Don’t you worry
Though the world is gone
We’ll carry on
We’ll do without it
We’ll do without it
Why I Run
A friend asked me a simple question, “Why do you run?” as part of some research she’s doing. That sounded to me like a perfect blog post. So here it is. This is why I run.
Physical Health
No brainer, right? I run because it’s good for me. I tend to be lazy and rely too much on my blessed metabolism, but I often neglect other health concerns such as cholesterol. Running has helped me get in the best shape of my life—inside and out.
Mental Health
I’ve yet to find many things more relaxing, and mentally freeing, than running. Stress is just an “easy three” away from disappearing. I’m a big fan of running to music or podcasts, but that doesn’t stop my mind from solving the worlds problems as I run. And I’m an outside runner, so benefits of the fresh air and scenery is impossible to calculate. (This is probably a great time to mention that running is a great prayer venue.)
Challenge
I started running as a little challenge to a few friends a couple years ago. We were meeting at our college homecoming and thought it would be fun to run in the 5K going on that weekend. That challenge set me on the course that now has me training for a Half Marathon this May. I’d have to say of all the reasons to continue running, challenging myself to new heights is pretty high on the list.
Community
Like any other hobby, running gives you an instant community. We all want to discuss our runs, our shoes, our gadgets, our races, our milestones, our training schedules, etc. Recently I’ve discovered that training with others is another a great community (and accountability) builder!
Inspiration
I run for inspiration—to inspire others, as well as to be inspired.
It’s also convenient, cheap, and fun! You get a great sense of accomplishment, and it’s extremely easy to make great strides (no pun intended). It started out as a simple challenge, turned into a hobby to collect t-shirts as I stayed in shape, and is now part of my regular routine.
Related Links:
» 6 Reasons
» Lessons Learned From Running
» Race Log
» Why Run?
January Debrief
• That was a really quick month
• Got really cold there at the end too.
• Tanner lost another tooth.
• Our running posse added a couple members.
• 34.8 Miles Ran.
• Enjoyed a men’s retreat at Camp Michindoh.
• Got my first iPod with a screen!
• …and a Nike+ to go with it.
• Jason & Becca had their baby!!
• 24 started back up. Not feeling it so far.
• Apple introduced the iPad. Could be cool.
• On a Netflix scale, January was 3/5.
Books Read in January:
Outliers — Malcolm Gladwell
The War of Art — Steven Pressfield
Movies Watched in January:
9 – 5/5
Waterlife – 3/5
Avatar – 5/5
Nick of Time – 2/5
The Trials of Ted Haggard – 4/5
11:14 – 3/5
Wolf – 3/5
The Cove – 4/5
Cheech & Chong’s Up in Smoke – 3/5
Vertical Limit – 3/5
Chapter 27 – 2/5
The Hurt Locker – 4/5
Moon – 4/5
Joe Dirt – 2/5
The Book of Eli – 4/5
Zoolander – 3/5
The Road Warrior – 3/5
Fool’s Gold – 1/5
City Hall – 4/5
St. Elmo’s Fire – 3/5
In the Name of the Father – 4/5
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs – 4/5
The Hustler – 5/5
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome – 4/5
All About Steve – 4/5
Hoffa – 3/5
Blood Work – 3/5
The Last of the Mohicans – 4/5
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – 4/5
Shaft – 3/5
2009 Debrief
2009 was a great year.
Not because everything went smoothly, but because it was a year in which I lived life to the fullest. It had many ups and many downs, and life changes throughout.
It began in a funk. Literally. I rang in the new year by myself, sick on the couch, as Tonia and Tanner went elsewhere to play games and drink Welches sparkling grape juice.
Early in the year we had some church ugliness that, consequently, led to some major growth on my part. I was also able to write an important letter and move to a new place spiritually as a result. Church looks different to me now more than ever, and I doubt it will ever be the same. Starting a ecumenical small group has really been a thing of beauty however! Ironically we began 2010 with a small group party which was such a drastic change from the beginning of 2009.
I won’t go into all of the fun of 2009, you can read highlights of each month at the bottom of this post, but here are some lists worth noting.
Sports took a leap forward in 2009.
- I joined my first ever City Softball League
- I started playing basketball on Tuesday nights
- Tanner and I ran in 2 5K’s
- I started training for a Half Marathon in 2010
Vacations were as fun as ever.
- Milwaukee
- Kings Island
- Alabama
This year certainly made up for the lack of Concerts in 2008.
- Chris Tomilin
- MuteMath Listening Party + Concert (w/ Jason)
- Kings Island Spirit Song (w/ The Molettes)
- Paramore + Paper Route (w/ Jason + Levi)
- 89x Stole Christmas (w/ Jason)
I’ve never in my life read more Books in one year than I did in 2009. On top of that I read the entire New Testament (regrettably for the first time). Highlights include:
- Jesus Wants to Save Christians
- Tribes
- The Tipping Point
- Blink
- Twilight
Lots of great Music consumed this year. Highlights include:
- No Line on the Horizon — U2
- Absence — Paper Route
- Twilight Soundtrack (technically 2008)
- Armistice — MuteMath
- Hello Hurricane — Switchfoot
- Brand New Eyes — Paramore
- Ocean Eyes — Owl City
268 Movies watched in 2009. That’s a lot. Highlights include:
- Gran Torino
- Taken
- Slumdog Millionaire
- Twilight
- UP
- Primer
- Requiem For A Dream
- Inglorious Basterds
- Zombieland
- Where The Wild Things Are
- District 9
Outlook for 2010:
I’ve got a lot of ideas on how to make 2010 special, but I’d have to say the two things I’m most looking forward to are 1) my first U2 concert and 2) my first Half Marathon.
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009
August 2009
September 2009
October 2009
November 2009
December 2009
December Debrief
BOOOOOOORRRRINNNNNNNGGGG!!!
A most unremarkable December. The highlights were back-to-back-to-back 3-day weekends. One with Tonia’s family, one with my family, and one with friends. Perhaps the best we have ever scheduled that logistical nightmare.
Also of note, this was the first year we didn’t really buy anybody anything for Christmas. Instead we created a coupon book for each family that said what we wanted to give them this year was us, our time. So each of the coupons were designed to serve that end. Rock Band and pizza, dinner and a movie, roller-skating, etc., all on us. Hope it works out as well as we envisioned.
I brought in the new year with Tonia and Tanner in our living room, playing board games and drinking the bubbly. Good times!
Books Read in December:
Primal by Mark Batterson
Purple Cows by Seth Godin
Movies Watched in December:
By the People: The Election of Barack Obama – 4/5
Aliens in the Attic – 3/5
Be Still – 3/5
21 Grams – 4/5
King of California – 4/5
Julie & Julia – 4/5
Public Enemies – 4/5
G.I. Joe – The Rise of Cobra – 2/5
Snow Falling on Cedars – 3/5
TRON – 4/5
Deliverance – 3/5
Jarhead – 3/5
Young Frankenstien – 3/5
Mad Max – 3/5
500 Days of Summer – 4/5
Extract – 3/5
The Nightmare Before Christmas – 3/5
Sherlock Holmes – 4/5
Alvin and the Chipmunks 2: The Squeakuel – 2/5
Paranormal Activity – 3/5
Previous Months:
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009
August 2009
September 2009
October 2009
November 2009
Review: Primal
I was privileged enough to receive an advanced copy of Mark Batterson’s new book, Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity, to review.
With a name like Primal, and with the cover art the way it is, I went in with a preconceived notion of what I’d be reading. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised non-the-less. This book talks about origins, but it is also chock full of visionary and contemporary insights.
Mark takes us on a journey to help get us back to the cornerstones of Christianity. A common theme throughout the book is the breaking of our hearts for the things that break the heart of God. In an attempt to do that we are encouraged to get back to the basics. Building off of the Great Commandment of loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, Mark describes the basics as Compassion, Wonder, Curiosity, and Energy. Throughout the book he goes into more detail as to why each are cornerstones of Christianity, and how we might be able to get back to them.
This is a quick reading book that would be a great first read of the year.
Our generation needs a reformation.
But a single person won’t lead it.
A single event won’t define it.
Our reformation will be a movement of reformers living creatively, compassionately, courageously for the cause of Christ.This reformation will not be born of a new discovery. It will be the rediscovery of something old, something ancient.
Something primal.
—Mark Batterson, Primal
Review: The Expanded Bible
I decided to read the entire New Testament in the month of September, so I was excited to see this new Expanded Bible available as part of the Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers program. Much to my dismay, this is not a bible you would want to use when reading through the New Testament in a month. So while I read through The Message, I utilized The Expanded Bible as a reference, and for that it was great.
Based on the New Century Version, The Expanded Bible: New Testament reads exactly like The Amplified Bible by “expanding” the meaning of certain key words and offering alternatives. However, different in this bible is that the expanded text lies right in-line with the text. The original text is in bold, and the expanded meanings are in [brackets] in a standard weight. Another very helpful addition to this bible is the topic notes on the sidebars with text references for other places you can find that subject in the New Testament.
While I would never use this to read lengthy text, it’s a great resource for use in studying the bible, and a happy addition to my bookshelf!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program.
November Debrief
• Tommy turns 30.
• Jason turns 28 (he’s still in his 20’s?!?).
• Date night! Escanaba at the Purple Rose Theater.
• New Moon w/ Amy!
• Michigan vs. Ohio State = dud
• Purchased tickets to 89x Stole Christmas in Detroit.
• Purchased tickets to my first ever U2 concert.
• Tanner loses his two front teeth.
• 2nd Annual Turkey Trot in Ann Arbor w/ dad.
• THANKSGIVING! (Mom’s cooking rocks!)
• Got a little upgrade in my television (Thanks Tonia!).
Books Read in November:
Killing Cockroaches by Tony Morgan
Movies Watched in November:
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – 4/5
The Taking of Pelham 123 – 3/5
Smokey and the Bandit – 5/5
Swordfish – 3/5
The Fifth Element – 3/5
Smokey and the Bandit 2 – 2/5
Food Inc. – 5/5
Will Ferrell: You’re Welcome America – 4/5
Wonder Boys – 3/5
The Big Kahuna – 5/5
Pray The Devil Back To Hell – 4/5
Taking Chance- 3/5
Astro Boy – 3/5
Primal Fear – 4/5
Merry Gentlemen – 4/5
The Jerk – 3/5
Is Anybody There? – 3/5
The Hunted – 3/5
The Twilight Saga: New Moon – 4/5
The X Files: I Want To Believe – 3/5
Predator – 4/5
Boiler Room – 4/5
The Way of the Gun – 3/5
Planet 51 – 4/5
Funny People – 4/5
Ninja Assassin – 3/5
Previous Months:
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009
August 2009
September 2009
October 2009
Always
Always – Switchfoot
This is the start
This is your heart
This is the day you were born
This is the sun
These are your lungs
This is the day you were born
And I am always, always, always yours
And I am always, always, always yours
These are the scars
Deep in your heart
This is the place you were born
This is the hole
Where most of your soul
Comes ripping out
From the places you’ve been torn
And it is always, always, always yours
But I am always, always, always, yours
Hallelujah!
I’m caving in
Hallelujah!
I’m in love again
Hallelujah!
I’m a wretched man
Hallelujah!
Every breath is a second chance
And it is always, always, always yours
And I am always, always, always, yours
