Life's Little Lessons

 

I am at the age where, for optimal health, I am told to eat things like flax seeds, chia seeds, spinach, walnuts, and blueberries.

How tricky these foods are. I truly enjoy them and their healthful benefits, but they do not coincide well with my receding gum lines and pearly whites. Which are not that pearly because of my consistent coffee drinking habit. Which I also enjoy in combination with the aforementioned foods.

I think this is a conspiracy to make middle aged people look older that they are. And more feeble minded than they deserve. Because by the middle aged years we are not feeble of mind. Experiences surely have made us wiser, kinder, and stronger. 

Have you ever been made aware of a spinach flecked, toothy smile after your lunch break? It's uncomfortable for everyone. Slimy chia seeds are not any more pleasant to see than berry residue peering out between the teeth. Never mind all the wonderful things happening to your body and brain after ingesting these super foods if they make you look the imbecile. See? It must be a conspiracy.

I have learned the only thing that redeems this situation is to humbly bow and go brush your teeth. Maybe drink a glass of water for good measure. And then wash your face and bravely face the world who saw your piece of food stuck in your teeth. Life goes on.

At the beginning of the house build, I did something to my right arm. It's gimpy. Won't function properly. A constant weakness and pain from the elbow down to the pinching fingers has made me dependent on different methods of lifting things.

It came to me one day, how useful this is as a reminder of God being my Mighty Right Hand. I'm weak in physical strength in that arm. This reminds me spiritually I must stay in need of help from Almighty God so that I can realize the strength of Almighty God who never leaves me or forsakes me. In these human frailties, I learn trust and rest in God's power over my attempts. Then, frivolous things like food stuck in my teeth and humiliations of my feebleness aren't that big of deal.

And if my flaws make me aware of God's greatness then I guess it's all good. Maybe it isn't a conspiracy after all but God's way of teaching me to be humble, kind, and strong.