Living Long For The Rapture

photo by rileyroxx
The USA Weekend supplement found in our Sunday paper had an interesting article in their Health section. Entitled A Year Later, Living Longer it detailed how several participants of a longevity survey had increased their predicted life span by integrating more healthy lifestyles into their routine.

The article contained a link to the longevity calculator at eons.com, created by renowned geriatrician (that's medicalese for old people doctor) Tom Perls. I decided I'd give the ol' calculator a whirl and find out, you know, just for fun, how long I was expected to survive on this planet.

'Cuz I've already put in my request to be around for the Rapture. Not that I have any inside scoop, but the way certain things are going in this world I'm inclined to believe Jesus will be coming for His children in the next two to four generations. And I think it would be pretty cool to watch us saints racing toward heaven all at once in that twinkling of an eye.

So I took the survey. It took only about ten minutes. After registering my name (it's free) I got my score. It predicts I'm going to live to about 95. I was hoping for closer to 100-110. That would get me potentially closer should Jesus decide He's coming back, say, in 2059 (does that seem like a long ways off or what?!).

It told me if I wanted to add three more years I had to make some changes. Here's what it said I needed to do:

Cut back on the sweets to just once or twice a week. I was eating a bowl of Dean's Moose Tracks ice cream as I was reading this suggestion. The guilt lasted all of about 10 seconds. Those tiny peanut butter cups are too good to let go to waste.

Get more exercise. Well, there's a surprise. As if sitting in front of a computer all day was going to do it for me.

Stay on top of my lab results. I didn't know what my last LDL or HDL scores were because I had them stored on the other computer, which my daughter was on. And it would've required me leaving my bowl of ice cream to get up and retrieve them. I was convinced there were three or four more of those peanut butter cups left in my bowl, so you know what took precedence.

Floss my teeth. That reminds me of a Jeff Foxworthy line. His dentist asked him when the last time was he flossed his teeth. Jeff paused, hemmed and hawed a bit, and then said, "Gee, doc, I guess it was the last time YOU did it." That about sums it up for me.

So, I guess I need to start doing a better job at some things so I can give myself every opportunity to be here when Jesus comes down on the clouds. I also want to make sure I'm healthy enough to share the gospel with my grandchildren and great-grandchildren in a way that continues to be vibrant and exciting. Rocking chairs and front porches are great, but I'd rather be holding a little one and singing, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so...."

Go over to eons.com and take the longevity test, then come back here and let me know how you fared. Any surprises for you?

Related Articles:
How To Have A Great Vacation
Earthquake!
A Week In Review