“Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” I remember hearing this as a child, as well as “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” and other wise sayings! So today I am sharing something that has been on my mind a lot lately with all the current emphasis on health and wellness.
We live in a time where the search for the easiest, cheapest, fastest, and most convenient way to good health and long life is very popular, and it can be time consuming and hard to sort through all of the information, resources, hype, and drama of various products and marketing. Our loyalties and friendships can also be affected in our personal decision process.
I don’t take the gift of good health for granted and believe we are to care for our bodies as the “temple” where God’s Spirit resides within us if we are believers…. but I do feel it is pretty much becoming an idol in our society. We will spend enormous amounts of money on whatever the latest craze is, and probably the most sought after remedies are in the weight loss industry, whether or not it is conducive to good health or not. For the most part, if we can pop a pill and not have to go the route of disciplined eating, exercise and other care our bodies need, it is the easiest way to go– along with short term diet fads and many unused gym memberships.
So for what it’s worth, you can feel free to disagree with me, but I believe God’s best way to care for our bodies is to eat nutritious food that He provided for us, drink lots of water, enough rest, daily exercise, getting lots of sunshine and fresh air, and taking good supplements when needed …. and to do all in moderation. I also believe that avoiding the “bad stuff” (sugar, processed foods, “whites”, preservatives, and anything toxic to our minds or bodies) is just as important. Do your research and read labels. We are responsible for the care of ourselves as well as our children and loved ones. And I by no means have all the answers on an exact regimen that is perfect in every case, and continue to work at discipline in these areas myself!
Most of us also deal with extraordinary amount of stress and overwhelming schedules, and live on the verge of exhaustion. This also contributes to mental, emotional, and spiritual lack in our lives as we scurry from one place to another and surround ourselves with “busyness.” God has given us times of rest, including His gift of sabbath rest, and we so many times just fill our time with more activities and recreation that doesn’t truly “recreate” or refresh us. The Lord’s Day was given to us as a day set aside for rest and worship, and I also believe taking breathers and breaks during our days can be so helpful also. Stop periodically and take some deep breaths, a walk outside, read an inspirational chapter, or whatever your “thing” is, even for a short time.
We also have so much entertainment available to us to fill our minds and hearts with impure thoughts which lead to sinful intentions and actions. This is more serious than how we care for our bodies. We need to guard ourselves from the evil influences that would take footholds in our lives and keep our minds and bodies pure. “Garbage in, garbage out” is another true statement.
Spending time daily in God’s Word, prayer and worship, and armoring up with the spiritual armor found in Ephesians 6 helps protect us from the temptations around us.
Also, sharing our burdens and joys with others in our “community,” relieves the isolation that is often in the midst of life’s craziness.
Knowing we are not going through the hard times alone, and that we have others to share our joys and sorrows with, makes such a difference! Along with that, don’t underestimate the power of worship, especially in music and song, and how God communicates with us through those times.
In conclusion, I am not promoting any one type of product….. our household uses several different types in our efforts toward a natural, healthy lifestyle, but know what you are putting in your body, and in your children. We are responsible to know better and do better. And remember health is a gift, and more than physical care of ourselves. Being too consumed with anything can steal our joy. Do the best you can but enjoy the gift of life! We need to keep our focus on what is most important, and to take the best care we can of what God has blessed us with– mind, body, and spirit, as well as caring for others, and even His Creation around us, leaving everything as good or better than how we found it.
So… that is enough to think about this day in September! Just have done a lot of thinking about all this over the past months.
While I feel like the lifestyle I have adopted for 5 years now has made me feel physically better than ever, realize that there are many aspects to pay attention to and to be careful about making anything in my life more important than living for Jesus.
Blessings on your week! Stay healthy mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally! =)
“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; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Cor. 6:19-20
Joyful Journey 