No, it's not more stuff about Team Pyro... relax.
Almost 20 years ago, when I was still in college and just starting out in ministry, I worked for a youth pastor named Tim. Tim told me a story once about how, in High School, he took the ACT and scored a 9. He promptly began bragging to all his friends about this bodacious score, thinking that it was a 9 out of 10.
Eventually one of his friends pulled him aside and told him it was actually 9 out of 36.
Yeah.
He felt kind of dumb.
Recently, I moved to upgrade my life insurance from a 20 year $250,000 to a 30 year $500,000 policy. I was upset to find out they wouldn't write it for me, (well, they would, just very, very expensively). I had to settle for a 20 year $400,000 policy (for now). The culprit?
Cholesterol.
Apparently, I have a level of 243.
"243? What's normal?" I asked
"They want you to be under 200."
"well, 243 doesn't sound that bad... don't know what the big deal is" I mumbled.
In my head, somehow, from somewhere, had crept in the idea that some people are walking around with scores in the 5 and 600's. To me, 243 sounded "slightly elevated", you know... no big deal. Maybe just some minor tweaking of the diet...
Well, I did some reading and, apparently, it's a big deal. No one is walking around with a 600... and if they are, they won't be for long. Where I'm at is officially "high" with a doubled risk of heart attack and headed towards real problems.
So... I've been eating fiber. Lots of fiber (no, no noticeable physical side effects- thanks for asking). Cutting down on the butter and fat (I love butter!)... I actually tasted the most hellacious fiber-rich, organic bran muffin the other day. Made it two bites and was done. There are other ways to get fiber.
Anyway... The goal is first to go back and get that $500,000, 30 year policy in a year.
I really want to be covered through my 60's.
Then the goal is to live long enough to never collect.
