Adventist Health Wake-Up Call

Something to think about in the new year:

I took a few minutes this morning to peruse the December 2015 Adventist World and the January 2016 Outlook (Adventist Publication from Mid-America). Between the two publications, there were 3 articles expressing the same topic, the topic of health.

Adventists are KNOWN for their health message. Ellen White expresses the importance of taking care of our bodies to truly do what we are meant to do for Christ. She expresses the best benefits being from a plant-based diet, but how many of us actually follow that advice?

Since I’ve embarked on my own vegan journey, I’ve watched so many documentaries and so many times Loma Linda is listed – the Adventists are listed – for living longer than any other North American groups because of our vegetarian/vegan diets. If the rest of the world is noticing, then why aren’t we following our own message?

We are so quick to apologize for the many sins we accept: lying, envy, stealing, even having bad thoughts towards another. These sins are obvious. But is it not also a sin to avoid taking care of our own health?

Think back to the Garden of Eden, to God’s OPTIMAL design for us. We all know animals weren’t killed then. Everyone lived in harmony, both human and animals alike. We didn’t eat all of this junk food that we have now. We didn’t eat animal flesh. We didn’t eat eggs or drink milk. We had the beautiful fruit from the earth. That was the diet God intended.

Now, the world has continued to become degraded. Our soil quality is not what it used to be. You do need to eat vegetables, fruit, grains and legumes. But the key is, you can still get all the nutrients, even often better received by your body, with an animal-less diet. God hasn’t left us hanging. His diet is still here.

In fact, cultures and groups who eat minimal to no animal products suffer less disease and illness. Why do we put our bodies through this?

As a child, I thought all of these things were ok. But the more research I do, the more I realize how blind we are. The even scarier part is that we refuse to be truthful with ourselves. We don’t consider the fact that the devil can easily use food to get us. Think of all the junk food society craves. Have you ever wondered why the ingredients list is always 10+ items long? Most of them you don’t even know what they are. The food industry wants to get you “hooked” and they know what ingredients to use to do it. We are a society with a “health message” where the majority ignore the truth.

We all know the phrase we long to hear when Jesus returns, “Well done good and faithful servant”. But how many of us can He say that to when it comes to His very temples? These bodies are not ours and we must treat them as such. These bodies are God’s. We invite the Holy Spirit to live within us, and yet we treat His house like garbage.

I’m an avid exerciser, and no it’s not always fun. There are days I drag myself to the gym. But without exercise, my heart would not function like it should, my body would not carry me around like it should, and my health would not be in continuous progress like it is.

I also was a cheese addict. I went vegetarian cold-turkey when I was influenced by my first vegetarians. I remained that way for years, often considering going vegan, but never actually having the willpower to say no to cheese. If I could double cheese on anything and everything, you can bet that I did.

When I decided to go vegan, I went through cheese withdrawal for about a week. Who could have ever thought you could go through cheese withdrawal? But it happens because of the design of cheese. It is meant to be addictive. At times during that week, I had to make sure I had fruit in my hand to shove in my mouth so that I wouldn’t be tempted to eat the cheese. And now? I would never look back.

So where does this leave our society? In my opinion, uneducated. It doesn’t take an Adventist to see the benefits of plant-based diets. The science is spreading through the world like wildfire. Evidence is springing up with the results in peoples’ lives. Several doctors are realizing their lack of nutritional education and are starting to get involved. It’s time for us to learn it for ourselves, to understand the impact we are having on ourselves and others. Can you imagine rarely getting sick? Rarely having headaches? Rarely having to go to a doctor? It’s possible, you just need to want to embark on the journey that is not going to be fun at first.

We also need to remember that everything we do in life – EVERYTHING – is seen by our LORD. He knows our motives, He knows our hearts. Just as it’s not always easy to walk up to someone to share the message of Christ with them (especially if you’re expecting backlash), it’s not easy to want to change your habits. But as we see throughout the Bible and throughout the world still today, God’s call is not an easy one. God doesn’t even bring you to paths you can handle. Instead, He wants your heart to be earnest, and then to walk with Him on the path He wants you to take, even carrying you part of the way when necessary.

This is not meant to be a controversial topic. It is meant to be a reminder of truth, of a journey that I have been on myself lately. I’m not perfect either. Even though I was able to hear the call to better health, to realizing and beating my addiction to cheese, I need to get better at a whole food diet and ditch the convenient, pre-made vegan food that I have made a habit of eating.

Life is a journey and it’s never easy. If it was so easy to be healthy, everybody would be healthy. It takes determination, acceptance of what needs to be changed, and the willpower to do it. And even so, all of our efforts without Christ on our journey with us are of little use. Christ is the extra motivation that we need. Picture this: You know Jesus is coming to your house today. What would you do? I know I would be cleaning like mad, making sure it looked the best it could, and preparing the best food I absolutely could. Our bodies are no different. We invite the Holy Spirit in, but how many of us have cleaned internally? Are you feeding your body the best foods so it runs the healthiest and is the cleanest it can be? That is a question for serious thought.

I’m going to leave you with some quotes from Ellen White and the author of the article, “Adventists Urged to Examine Their Meals,” Andrew McChesney:

“We have had this information for more than 120 years, ” said Dr. Peter N. Landless, director of the Adventist world church’s Health Ministries Department. “Sadly, many have chosen not to follow the advice that has been given to God’s inspired servant, but it is always reassuring when one sees that that which is given by inspiration proven by peer-reviewed, evidence-based science.”

He added: “Our prayer is that our church will take note, not because this is an issue related to salvation, but because it affects the quality of life and our service to a broken world, the mission to which we have been called.”

“Flesh was never the best food; but its use is now doubly objectionable, since disease in animals is so rapidly increasing,” White wrote in the book Child Guidance. [You would be surprised how much diseased flesh is in your animal products today, since she said this so many years ago! Our world is corrupt and hides many things from us.]

White, who Adventists believe had the gift of prophecy, wrote in the same book that meat would become more contaminated as the earth neared its last days and that Adventists would stop eating it. “Flesh will cease to form a part of their diet,” she said. “We should ever keep this end in view and endeavour to work steadily toward it. I cannot think that in the practice of flesh eating we are in harmony with the light which God has been pleased to give us.”

I wish you all a happy, healthy 2016 as we prepare for the ever-closer coming of our LORD and Saviour. May we leave ourselves behind and put God first, no matter what journey He asks us to embark on. Because unlike many things in life, we know the end. We know that all the evil of the world will fade away, and Christ will reign in the best lives we can’t even possibly imagine. All of our unanswered questions will be answered, and we will no longer have to watch suffering take place. Our LORD will be with us, face-to-face, with the loving embrace that will bring happy tears knowing that everything we’ve suffered, everything we’ve endured, everything we’ve experienced will have all been worth it. I cannot wait to thank Him for all that He has brought me through, and for all that He has done for me. What a glorious day that will be!

God Doesn’t Give Us More Than We Can Handle… Except, He Does

If you’re anything like me, you’ve heard the same things I’ve had, time and time again. The phrase goes like this, “God doesn’t give us more than we can handle.” However, the Bible doesn’t say that.

The verse is 1 Corinthians 10:13 and it says (NLT):

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure.

It doesn’t say we won’t be given more than we can handle, but we won’t be tempted more than we can handle. It’s a bit of a change in words.

I actually like to know that God may give me more situations than I can handle, but before you freak out on me, here’s why.

If I knew that I could handle everything in life, I wouldn’t need God. If I could solve all of my own problems and deliver myself from evil, I wouldn’t need God. If I could walk around loud and proud because I knew I could conquer anything, I wouldn’t need God. I would be easily self-sufficient. But that’s not the case.

Because I’m given more than I can handle, I fall to my knees in prayer. Because I’m given more than I can handle, I seek God to come and rescue me, to save me, and to surround me in love. Because I’m given more than I can handle, I remember to thank the LORD for everything He has ever done for me and continues to do for me. Because I’m given more than I can handle, I know through the tears that it won’t be me saving myself, but it will be my God who will be my strength and my endurance to bring me through whatever situation it is.

It takes me back to the picture/poem of Footprints. Where two pairs of footprints started, eventually one pair of footprints wanders alone. When the person asks God why He left him alone, God replies that He did not leave him alone, instead He carried him part of the way.

If we weren’t given more than we could handle, there would always be two sets of footprints, and potentially only one as we slowly forget that we need God in life. But instead, we have an amazing God who does allow us to be burdened with more than we can handle so that we remember that it is only through Him that we conquer what we do. It is only God who can deliver us from everything we get immersed in. It is only God who can handle everything we’ve been given.

And knowing all this, this verse means so much more. I hope it does for you too.

If you have any other views of this verse, or have a story of how much this verse means to you, I’d love to hear it. Leave it in the comments below!

Week 12 Day 7

So today was supposed to be the last day of the challenge, but things didn’t quite work out the way I wanted. I have two workouts to get done, and pictures are actually officially due by the tomorrow, so I’m going to try and get as much as I can done today, and use tomorrow if necessary, first thing in the morning completing the rest.

I got in a cardio session first thing this morning. I woke up just like the day before: wide awake and ready to jump out of bed. I had a couple hours before getting ready for church, so I just decided to go for a bike ride. It was a good start to my day!

I came home, got ready for church, and went. It was a phenomenal church service. And the best part was, I was able to see one of my students play his guitar for worship service. He had actually invited me to go, he just wouldn’t tell me why. But I knew better, and I knew he played instruments. So as “tough” as he may have tried to be while asking me, I knew he wanted me there. And I made sure I was there!

After church, we came home. We didn’t do much for several hours, but when sunset came (the end of Sabbath) we got ready to go to the gym. Unfortunately, we had no idea what we were in for.

We went to our regular gym which is usually open until 8 on Saturdays, but for some reason was closed very early today. So we went to the sister gym, around the corner and down the road but it too was closed early. Then we went back the opposite direction to a Gold’s Gym at a mall, but found out it would be $60 just for the two of us to drop in for the evening. There is no way we are paying that! So we then went back again, much further in the opposite direction to a YMCA only to be turned around once again because my husband didn’t have his wallet with ID because I was driving and not him. By the time this happened and we were walking out to the car, we decided we might as well drive the 1/2 hour to our old, faithful gym. And of course, it was open, reasonably priced as always, and to top it all off, wasn’t busy. They always keep great care of their equipment, and we fell in love with it all over again.

I completed a hefty back workout and another cardio session. I didn’t have the energy to do the leg workout right after the back workout, so it looks like I’ll be going to the gym first thing in the morning in order to get the last workout in before pictures.

We decided to go to eat, and go to a movie afterwards. We laughed very hard at our movie, and it was simply a great way to end the night.

Sometimes It’s Only Going to Be You

This post comes after a difficult day. I’m not going to go into many details, but I’d just like to reflect upon something that I think many of us struggle with; some of us daily.

The thing is, you can’t please everyone. There is no way possible you can do that. There is always somebody that is going to be upset with the way you do something or the way you think about things. Even when you think you are doing your best, there are people who will pick apart all of the little things that they consider wrong.

To me, the worst part is that sometimes these are the very people you love, the very people that are in your family, even your closest friends. It’s unfortunate that the people closest to us are sometimes the ones that abuse the power they hold of being able to uplift or destroy you. What makes it the absolute worst is when they don’t even see it; when they see nothing wrong with what they are doing. Can you think of someone in your life who is like this? Someone whom you feel you love so completely and yet you can’t understand why they choose to hurt you over and over again? Someone whom you try so hard to please but seem to always fall short of their expectations?

Maybe you have support of great friends and family. If you do, I completely commend you to grasp these resources. Just be sure to filter through your resources and have pre-arranged support that will view from a fair and just perspective because as we all know, every story has two perspectives, whether we see it that way or not.

Some circumstances request minimal resources, sometimes none. Sometimes you have nobody to run to, no support to back you up, and that’s how I’m feeling tonight. If you ever feel this way, please know that you are not alone. When the horrible words, the wrecking ball that tirelessly slams itself into your heart, beating you over and over again waiting for you to crumble, please know that you are not alone. If you need to cry, do it. If you need to walk away, do it. Find the place where you can be totally vulnerable and alone, and pour your heart out. Pour your heart out to the Man who has never left you once, who’s sitting with you in these moments of deepest pain, holding you in His arms, telling you that everything is going to be ok.

You see, sometimes nobody will be there to support you. Sometimes nobody will be there to pick you back up, and that’s when it becomes up to you. And sometimes, it really is only going to be you. You, alone, to make the choice whether you are going to keep fighting or give up. You, alone, to choose whether or not you will rise above the ashes or fall to dust. Even if you don’t have the strength to do it alone, you just have to make that choice. You see, God doesn’t actually promise that He won’t give us more than we can handle. In fact, that verse (1 Corinthians 10:13) actually says,

“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able…”

The famous verse that people always refer to as “God will not give you more than you can handle” actually only speaks about temptations. If you’re anything like me, your burdens are not simply what you’ve been tempted by but rather situations that seem to have placed themselves upon you; little to no temptation at all. The type of situations that most people would look at you and say, “It’s just a rough time, you’ll get through it”.

Knowing the truth, that God does not actually promise we won’t be burdened with more than what we can handle alone, it’s easy to see that God actually has never intended us to handle these burdens alone. When you sit there, cry, bearing your heart and your problems, it’s what you’re supposed to do. You need to, even have to let God know that you need His help. He wants you to ask Him to help you. He wants you to expose your pain freely to Him and open your heart completely, allowing Him the freedom to enter it and help you. God wants to carry your burdens. When you’re tired, worn out, not sure where to go, God has made you a promise. Isaiah 40:31 has this promise and is a verse I refer to all the time. It says,

“…but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Wow. What a promise. In the moments of our deepest despair, when we have nowhere left to turn, God provides us with that promise. We won’t be left in our darkest hole, we won’t be left with our bleeding hearts. He evens goes further to give us another promise just as powerful as that one. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says,

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Did you know that? God doesn’t want you to carry your burdens. He wants you to realize that sometimes you have too much to handle. Sometimes the pain and suffering you are experiencing actually are too much for you. The people around you that are filling your head with the ridiculousness that you’re not good enough, you’re work isn’t good enough, you’re not working hard enough, you’re not pretty enough, you’re not strong enough, whatever it may be. All of those daily burdens and the pain that goes right along with them really is too much to bear, despite the fact that people in your life will sit there and openly tell you that you’re making a big deal about it and you can handle. God, Himself has said that you can’t always do that. He knows you will grow tired trying to accomplish everything that others want you to do. He knows you will be weary from trying to please everyone. He knows your load will sometimes become too heavy for you, and He, Himself wants to carry that load for you. What an awesome God He is to love us that much!

I’m going to leave you with a quote. A quote that quickly became my background on my computer and I have not changed it yet. I would also like to leave you with a prayer that I found so powerful I have placed it on my wall as a note. These things are always there so whenever I need a reminder that I am not alone and that God will help carry my burdens, it’s there. I encourage you to write it down and keep it available for yourself. You never know when you need the extra encouragement.

Quote – “When you’ve done everything you can do, that’s when God steps in and does what you can’t.”

Prayer – “Dear Righteous Father, I will not forget Your benefits as daily You help bear my burdens. Though I’m facing seemingly endless difficulties, I will not throw in the towel. I will set my eyes upon the hills and look forward with confidence of the future You have prepared for me; through Jesus Christ your Son our LORD. Amen.”

 

 

Teachers As Parents

One day, my principal was driving me to work as my car was broke down (I know, surprise, surprise…). On the way to school, we had the discussion of how teachers can be like parents to the students. Of course, there was the Sandy Hook event where the teacher protected the students and she ended up being killed. Or there is the fact that there are some students who don’t spend much time with their parents and have very little support and guidance at home. There are a lot of ways that teachers can be like parents to students. 

I remember being at a district education meeting several years ago, and it was stated how teachers are the “stand-in” parents while during school hours. Of course, we can’t call the parents over every little decision for their children, so it is us who make the decisions and influence their behaviours, and of course deal with discipline at school.

Continuing on with our conversation, my principal said something that I had never considered before. Of course most teachers, to some extent, consider the students “ours”. However, the teachers that do not have children of their own, their students become much more “theirs”. They have no other children to worry about, to try and “raise” to become their best, but their students at school. And thus the motherly instinct enhances so much more. 

This is only my second full year of teaching, but I can easily agree with this statement. Every mistake my students make, every rebellious moment they take part in, I can’t help but feel like I have failed “as a parent”. I have tried to figure out why I feel like this, but I can only come to the conclusion that I am trying to teach them how to better themselves, how to become the best they can be by making the right choices and knowing the appropriate times for the different behaviours. And when they have failed to meet my expectations, I feel as if I have failed. It’s a dangerous trap that we as teachers have to decide to take each year when we are presented with new students. Each year, we have to say good-bye to the children we’ve worked so hard with, cried with, laughed with, and grown with. Already we are down to less than two months left of school. Of course, we have a lot of work to accomplish still, but the day is coming when I will have to tearfully say good-bye again.

Just this past week, I have had some of the hardest situations I have ever had to deal with my students; situations that have reached a level of high authority. When I first found out, I can’t express the amount of disappointment I had with these particular students. I felt sick, and scared. Thankfully, our principal is very supportive in these situations and has helped an immense amount. As much as my students have been torn up about their consequences, so I have cried several times for them. 

There is a fine line between being a friend with your students, and being the firm hand that they need. Sometimes it is a struggle, but it is a necessity. Children need a firm hand, yet they also need to know that they are being disciplined from someone who cares. Discipline has no affect if they already think you hate them. It is so important to make some kind of connection with each student (I know the time restraints… and difficulty of student needs), so that each student at least knows that they can trust you as a teacher. Or as I teach my kids in Health class, a “Safe Adult”. 

Nobody will ever know the difficulties teachers go through, unless they are a teacher themselves. As a teacher, we are counsellors, parents, accountants, supervisors, coaches, nurses, advisors, food/clothing providers (oh yes, students who come to school with no lunches and no appropriate clothing for the outside weather) and so much more. Instead of having children of different ages who can help each other, we have many children of the same age, and most times have to take care of and deal with these children on our own. I appreciate all teachers who take the time and emotional effort to care for their students. These students will benefit from your love, care, and discipline so much more than you can ever imagine. I know many times, you may wonder as the child leaves your classroom if you ever really did anything to better that child. You may not see it now, or ever, but just be faithful in knowing that you have. If you have given that child your best, his/her best will show up in time. 

To all the teachers, past and present, thank you.