Hey there, I’m Mark. If you’ve landed on Jaajoe, you’re probably after something—answers, a laugh, maybe a breather from the post-pandemic chaos. Welcome. This blog tackles the tough stuff—faith, nutrition, science, finance, politics, family—with honesty and a smirk. I’m just a guy who’s wrestled with it all for years and figured I’d share the ride. If it resonates, great. If not, no worries.
Who I Am
Late 40s, a few gray hairs, laugh lines from the highs and lows—I’ve seen some stuff. I’m not perfect; I’ve messed up plenty but learned to roll with it, maybe toss a sarcastic jab at myself. I’ve got a wife and three kids. Used to be a medical engineer, fixing gear that kept folks breathing, but now I’m a stay-at-home dad while my nurse wife hauls in the paycheck. Life’s funny like that.
Where I Started: Faith in Black and White
I grew up fundamentalist Christian—Bible’s literal, no debate. Earth’s 6,000 years old, evolution’s bunk, science is suspect. That was my world: clean, simple, no gray to stumble over. If it was in Scripture, it was fact—end of story. I didn’t question it for years; it felt like a shield against a messy reality.
Then college flipped the script. I met a mentor—devout Christian, legit scientist, total curveball. He sat me down and said, “Mark, you don’t need a young Earth to get to heaven. Faith and reason aren’t enemies; they’re after the same truth.” That hit like a brick. I realized I could be a Christian and still buy into science—not a sellout, just a wider view of God’s work.
He showed me Genesis in a new light. Tilt your head, and it echoes evolution, poetic-style:
- Day one: Light hits—science says Big Bang, energy unleashed.
- Day two: Sky and waters split—Earth’s atmosphere and oceans forming.
- Day five: Sea life, land critters, then us—like a timeline in verse.
Not a textbook, but a story for ancient ears. God could run both shows—the Bible and the lab.
Rethinking Faith and Science
That cracked me open. Faith started breathing. The New Testament keeps it simple: accept Jesus as Messiah, love God, love others—universal, no fine print. I ditched the rulebook mindset; it made faith real, mine. Science went from foe to fascination—I’m no brainiac, just a guy who’ll skim Popular Science at the dentist or geek out to a black hole podcast while tinkering. Genesis and the Big Bang? Tricky, but I see God in the mess.
The Real Stuff: Finance and Politics
Life’s not just ideas—it’s the grind. Money’s a war zone. Post-pandemic, the economy’s a rollercoaster—insane inflation, crypto flops, jobs vanishing. I’ve bombed (NFTs? Oof), learned budgeting through gritted teeth—overtime, side gigs, nights fretting over college funds or retirement. I’m scrappy: brew my own coffee, stretch every buck, chase stability, not riches.
Politics? A circus—loud, split, draining. I lean conservative—the “think it over” kind, not the yelling type—but I’m no parrot. Ditched group chats, muted feeds, kept quiet at family dinners to dodge the chaos. I don’t care about winning; I care about what keeps my family solid and fits my values. Beer and real talk beat debates any day.
Nutrition: Nature’s Fix
Jaajoe embraces nutrition too—not by accident. I spent years around doctors, tweaking medical gear, hearing them push pills like candy. Then, at 40, high blood pressure hit—probably my German genes being jerks. Docs offered meds; I said nah. Went rogue—cut salt, hit the trails, leaned into nature’s fixes: fish oil, greens, stuff that works if you work it. No “kale or bust” preaching—just changes that beat the scripts for me. This blog digs into that: nature’s packed with solutions if you skip the pharmacy hype.
Family: My Why
Raising a family post-pandemic is a beast—three kids, one wife, a culture shifting too fast to track. They’re drowning in screens, TikTok overload, a world I half-recognize. I stress about online creeps, screen time limits, whether they’ll carry my values or ditch me like an old record. I’m not perfect—missed games for work, had to eat crow—but I show up, every damn day.
Sarah’s my wife, the real MVP—Italian immigrant from Tuscany, came here in her 20s as a registered nurse. She’s the breadwinner now, patching folks up while I run the home front. No-nonsense, compassionate, she reins in my sarcasm with a glance that could halt traffic. We laugh over cheap date nights—her pasta beats any restaurant—and she’s the glue keeping us whole.
Emily’s my oldest, 22, wrapping up college with an Environmental Science degree. Sharp, witty like me but gentler, she’s a dreamer saving the planet one recyclable at a time. She’s nearly gone, and I’m proud as hell, even if I’m quietly panicking about her flying solo.
Jake’s the middle kid, 16—a tornado. Rebellious, troublemaker—caught with weed once, did 30 days in alternative school. Not surprising; he’s got my stubbornness and Sarah’s spark. He’s good beneath the mess—witty, kind when he chooses—but steering him’s like herding cats in a storm. I see my younger self in him, flaws and all, and it’s a battle to guide him without crushing his fire.
Noah’s the youngest, 12—high-functioning autistic, brilliant, hooked on astronomy and robotics. Connecting’s tough; his wiring’s different, and I fumble more than I land it. But we’ve got gardening, tinkering—moments he lets me in. He keeps me real, slows me down to figure it out.
I’m on the porch talking stars with Noah, swapping bad jokes with Sarah over a $10 wine. My family’s my rock—wild, loud, messy—and I’m fighting like hell to hold it together. They’re why Jaajoe’s more than words.
Why Jaajoe?
Here’s Jaajoe—my corner to unpack faith, science, nutrition, finance, politics, life. I’m a conservative with a twist: I overthink, dig into history, skip the echo chamber. Jesus is my Messiah now, but that road had turns. No guru here—just a guy who’s been through it and found something worth sharing. Wrestling with the same chaos? Might help. If not, no sweat. Stick around—more’s coming.