Health Update

I'm am currently day 21 post-op and feel wonderful! Well, except for abdominal pains when I overdo things. Lately, I have a renewed sense of creativity and emotional energy (physical energy will hopefully follow suit in time) that I have not felt in years. It's almost as though my mind is remembering who I once was. I can hear my sister's voice in my head as she says, "I told you so." And, yes, she did tell me I would feel ever so much better. :) I haven't read; I have been naughty and watched a lot of HGTV, so while I'm brimming with creativity for my home, I don't have anything to blog about...sorry. The good news is that I've had about all I can take of the TV and will be reading soon. I hope to get a lot read as I still have 4 weeks off, so I'll be back to blogging soon. :)

The light's on, but no one's home....

I had been somewhat distraught about my blogging life because I have been more than remiss in blogging due to being down with pneumonia and anticipating being gone for an even longer period due to a surgery that is scheduled for this Friday, but I am pleased to find that I can blog at least a little via my cell phone. I hope to be reading lovely books while I recuperate and hope to be cognizant enough to share some thoughts with you. I'm still in the process of getting my home and family ready for being out of commission for 6+weeks, so blogging will have to wait until I'm off my feet. Until then, God bless!!!

Home Cleaners and Your Liver

When we are young, we generally are not very concerned about our livers. This is an odd statement to make, but my liver has been on my mind lately. As we age, our livers naturally shrivel and don't function as in our youth. And, as we age, we oftentimes find ourselves taking more prescription medications which can be quite taxing on our livers. Last week, I filled my sixth regular Rx and, for me, that was the wake up call for me. I began to ponder how many chemicals and toxins my body is exposed to daily. It's time for a change. Obviously, I can't just stop taking blood pressure medications without the possibility of severe consequences, but I can start making changes in my lifestyle that will one day enable me to stop taking most of my prescriptions. But, it's not just the chemicals I'm putting into my body; it's the ones that I inhale or my body absorbs. Cleaning and laundering supplies are obviously full of harmful chemicals, but so are make-up and nail polishes and lotions. What about our food supply? How much of it is tainted with pesticides or growth hormones or antibiotics? Even our water supply is tainted. Before we all panic and move to some primitive country, there are some small changes that we can start with that can help preserve our livers and maybe help out our pocketbooks.

This week I'm starting with cleaning supplies. There are many recipes on the Internet for making your own cleaners that are non-toxic, inexpensive, and effective. Here's the recipe I chose for my all purpose cleaner in a spray bottle:

one part vinegar
three parts water
10 - 15 drops of lavender


If you have a favorite, please share it with me.

The More Worrisome Pandemic

While a lot attention is being paid to pandemics of the flu, I find myself more focused on the pandemic of kidultism. Adults behaving and dressing like adolescents is not new to this current generation; indeed, over twenty years ago I had difficulty fitting in with my college aged peers because I found them to be immature, living off their parents money while whining about wanting to be treated like adults, and with no clue as to what direction they wanted their lives to take. These characteristics of the kidult still exist today, but the disease is more widespread and reaches even retiree age. Not many of us can claim immunity to this illness. Even I have fallen prey to some of its symptoms at times. It's something I find myself struggling with a lot. But why does the typical American find it desirous to dress intentionally inappropriately, shirk responsibility and mooch off his fellow man? This is not something I'm going to answer right now because I'm still mulling it over, but I am very much interested in any thoughts or insights you might have. Please feel free to rant. ;)

Swine Flu

The word pandemic strikes fear in the heart of many. Still, others will laugh it off; after all, the bird flu never materialized. Predicting the mutation of a flu virus is extremely difficult, if not impossible. Every generation or so experiences a pandemic that devastates many communities. But what should our response be when alarms are sounded?
I believe every wise mother should be prepared for family illnesses, be they the flu, the common cold, or chicken pox. When our daughter was small, I had a "Momma is sick" basket that I always kept stocked for those times when I was ill. In the basket were paper plates, plastic cups & utensils, and prepackaged foods. These items that I normally turned my nose up at were very much appreciated during those times. I also keep my medicine cabinet well stocked at all times. Here are a few of the items I never run out of:
Advil
Delsym - has a higher concentration of dextrometh.
Meclizine - great for nausea and/or dizziness (must be purchased from pharmacist, but no prescription is required)
Sudafed - also must be purchased from pharmacist because of Meth. laws
Immodium AD
PeptoBismal
Claritin
Benadryl
Bandages, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, gloves, surgical masks---yes, you read that right. If there ever is a pandemic, these may be on short supply.
While this is not a complete list of what is in our medicine cabinet, these are things I never want to be short on. Do I believe there will be a pandemic in my lifetime? Yes. Do I believe it will be the Swine Flu? No, no one really knows. Am I worried? No. God is sovereign over all things and whatever He does is best. Does that mean we don't need to prepare? No. We should prepare for illness the same way that we prepare for Winter, or any other change in our lives.

Bag-Teria - EWWW!

Bacteria on Purses

A study was performed on women's purses. A health team went to a local mall and took samples from the bottom of 50 women's purses. The purses were swabbed with cotton swabs along the entire bottom of the purses and placed into special containers. The swabs were then processed at a local laboratory. The Health Report also showed where women place their purses: public rest-rooms (on the floor beside the toilet), kitchen counters & kitchen tables, on tables & chairs in restaurants, etc. The results of the laboratory tests contained the following most serious result: 1 out of 4 purses — E COLI Other extremely serious bacteria also were listed, including Hepatitis. They recommended that women should DAILY wipe their purses (particularly the bottom) with a disinfectant wipe and to be extremely careful where you sit your purse. Most important, do NOT place your purse on a table (anywhere) where you will eat or on a kitchen counter and do not put it anywhere close to a toilet. Remember, when you flush a toilet, the spray goes a distance that is unrecognizable by the human eye. WASH YOUR HANDS as often as you can! Keep an antibacterial hand sanitizer cleaner (no water needed) in your purse and use it often! And as soon as you get home from shopping (or wherever you have been and used your purse), immediately wipe it all over with a disinfectant wipe. This is from me — MEN who do not wash their hands after relieving themselves should be ASHAMED! Not only that, they are seriously affecting your health and their own. My husband has told me many, many times (over 50% ratio) that he has seen men in public rest-rooms relieve themselves, zip up, and immediately leave the rest-room without washing their hands!! Women get on your men and be sure they are washing thoroughly after using the rest-room. My hubby also noted that everyone spends all this time washing their hands and then grabs the door handle to exit the rest-room. So DAH! All those other folks who did NOT wash their hands have their germs all over the door handle! And I have seen many women who do NOT wash their hands after using the rest-room. So, use that paper towel you dried your hands on to open the door and then dispose of it in the closest waste receptacle (women, please do not put it in your purse!). Repeating, this is a factual report aired today on Health News, Fox 5, Atlanta, GA. Please do your part for yourself and everyone else! As soon as I saw the report, I immediately cleaned my purse with my Clorox Antibacterial Wipe and then set it on a paper towel where I normally place it on a table in our den. And I asked my hubby to PLEASE scold me if he ever saw me putting my purse on the kitchen table or counter again!

Origins:

This e-mail describing a segment on the evening news about bacteria found on women's purses reached us in May 2006. It describes the news piece done on this topic by a Fox affiliate TV station in Cleveland on 3 May 2006 and re-broadcast by numerous Fox stations in the U.S. on 3 May 2006 (including Fox 5 in Atlanta, the station named in the e-mail). In that news story, swabs from 50 purses were sent to a lab for analysis. While a few of the samples did not show evidence of bacterial growth, most did, and nearly 1/4 of the handbags tested proved to have E. coli on them. (Escherichia coli is a bacteria that lives in the intestines of humans and animals. While most of its strains are harmless, one strain, O157:H7, produces a powerful toxin that results in severe illness in humans. E. coli gets into us through being swallowed; it rides in as part of a contaminated foodstuff, or through hand-to-mouth contact by people who have handled items laden with the bacteria, or through our swimming in water where the microbes are present. Such infections usually culminate in severe bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps, with the illness resolving in 5 to 10 days without treatment. However, in about 2% to 7% of infections, usually in children under 5 years of age and the elderly, the pathogen causes hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious and life-threatening condition in which the red blood cells are destroyed and the kidneys fail.)

The few pocketbooks in the study that did not show evidence of bacterial contamination were not necessarily lacking in the sorts of nasties that make people ill. They could still have carried microbes like hepatitis and mononucleosis, which the clinical testing the samples underwent would have missed. A microbiologist who examined the samples taken from the 50 purses recommended women wash the outside of their handbags at least once a day with soap and water to help remove any lurking contaminations. Clorox wipes will also work to remove germs. None of this should come as startlingly new information to anyone, given where the typical purse carrier will unthinkingly place her handbag — the floors of public restrooms, at her feet in restaurants or on buses or subways, the floorboards of her car, the fold-out child's seat of shopping carts (where the diapered bottoms of little ones have likely been placed by the cart's previous users). Yet, while a great many folks do remember to wash their hands after being out in public and handling a variety of items, they tend not to think about sanitizing the handbags, briefcases, and backpacks they tote with them. Given how often such carry-alls get handled by their owners and how seldom they are washed with soap and water or wiped with an anti-bacterial solution, it's surprising more contagions aren't passed this way. Here are some things you can do to decrease the likelihood of spreading illness with your pocketbook:

Clean your purse or tote bag regularly. If your handbag is not the sort of item that can be tossed into the washing machine with any hope of its surviving the process, scrub its outside with a soaped-up wet facecloth or take an anti-bacterial spray or disposable wipe to it. Don't forget to tend to its handle or strap as well as to its sides.

Keep in mind that bacteria and viruses latch on far more readily in wet or damp environments than they do in dry ones (see our article about the supposed 5 second rule governing dropped food for more information about that conclusion) — if you set down your carry-all on a damp or wet surface, clean it once you're home, even if you only just washed it recently.

Don't set down your purse on any surface where food will be prepared or eaten. That means keep it off tables and kitchen or break room counters. If you are in the habit of eating at your desk, don't place your handbag there.

Remember that your purse comes into contact with most every surface your shoes tread on, and treat your handbag accordingly. If you wouldn't eat a hotdog after running your hand across the sole of your shoe, don't eat one after handling your purse. If you wouldn't place your sandals on the kitchen counter, don't drop your pocketbook there either.

All the advice just given about handbags applies to briefcases and backpacks too. Your briefcase should also get a soapy wipe-down on a regular basis, as should your backpack. Both should also be kept off all surfaces where food is likely to be prepared or eaten. While one might be tempted to regard the caution about bacteria-harboring handbags as being of interest to women only, members of the non-purse-slinging public (i.e., men) should also take it to heart with regard to their briefcases, as should high school and college students of both sexes in relation to their backpacks and book bags.

Barbara "common carriers" Mikkelson

Always Listen to Your Husband

I wish I had a scanner so that you could see for yourself the instructions my doctor wrote for me today. His number one, and he said most important, instruction for me was to always listen to my husband! Yes, you read that right, and he is a medical doctor. Let me explain.

I've been having quite a bit of foot trouble, so much so that I could not longer walk for exercise. I had an inkling as to the root cause: I am extremely flat-footed and very pigeon-toed. I had to wear corrective shoes (painful) until I was fourteen, at which point, I threw them off and walked barefoot whenever possible up until this point.

I didn't go to the doctor because I was afraid he would refer me to a podiatrist and yada, yada, yada: it would cost more money than I care to think about. I went only because my loving husband made me -- and my doctor knew it. Well, my doctor didn't refer me out, and, yes, my heel hurts so much because I'm flat-footed and because of over-use. He gave me lots of helpful instructions, etc., but the worst news that he gave me is that I should never go barefooted and that I must wear proper shoes - AT ALL TIMES. Yikes! That like being sentenced to looking nerdy the rest of my life.

You see, I have always been categorically opposed to wearing tennis shoes with skirts and dresses simply because it's more comfortable. I always felt like it was a bad testimony to look nerdy, and now I have my doctor (whose last name is Lord, ironically) ordering me to wear shoes with good support. This definitely calls for some internet research. Someone please tell me there are decent looking shoes out there for me!!! :)

Bird Flu Update

This week I attended our city's bird flu planning meeting. Most the information given at this meeting was not new to me. What was most encouraging to me was the city's plan to shut down non-mandatory public gatherings if such a pandemic hits. In the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic, communities that enforced quarantines fared much better than those that did not. What was discouraging to me was the realization that I am not "over" prepared for such an event. Most influenza viruses come in two waves, each one lasting six to eight weeks, so I need to have more supplies on hand. Later, I will post some of my notes from the meeting.

Are We Driven By Fear?

So much of what I think, read, and post about is really motivated by fear. I find this to be very energy and time draining.

I'm concerned about bird flu, so I get daily google updates about it and read 1,000 page books about the 1918 flu epidemic and start stocking up on medications and food...

I read books about what's in processed foods, and I buy foods that are organic, but allow my mind to be poisoned by worry, which in turn negatively affects my health more than the processed foods or not exercising...

While it is good to make preparations for the future, take care of our bodies, and protect our children; it is not good to let these activities or thoughts consume us. To spend so much of our energies on these things is to be weighed down by the things of the world. In light of this, I will be removing my google alerts. I would be better prepared mentally for any impending pandemic if my mind were bathed in Scripture and prayer rather than fear.


Phillipians 4:4-9

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

I'm currently in Chicago on a trip with my dear husband and my mother. While I'm here, I am reading a book entitled Chew on This by Eric Schlosser & Charles Wilson. Here are some quotes from the book:

Every month about nine out of ten American children visit [McDonalds].

The Golden Arches are now more widely recognized than the Christian cross.

Americans now spend more money on fast food than on college education, personal computers, computer software, or new cars.

More later...

Call Me Weird, but...

I am so excited. My husband was invited to attend our city's bird flu planning meeting. He is unable to attend, so I get to go in his place. I know that a lot of you will think that my excitement over this is strange, but this really "floats my boat!" 

In light the supposed, impending bird flu pandemic, I have been reading The Great Influenza. One reason that I chose to read on this particular subject is that I believe American society is not prepared for such another sweeping tragedy as the 1918 Flu pandemic. While it remains to be seen as to whether the present bird flu will mutate into the monster that experts claim it will or will become only a mildly irritating bug similar to that of the Y2K computer scare, I am convinced that the ease and comfort in which we currently reside cannot last long. This present generation in America knows nothing of true suffering or poverty; we are spoiled children. With this in mind, my next book to read will be the The Grapes of Wrath. Light reading, eh?

Reducing Stress

Lately, my body has been showing signs of stress whick I assume are related to the death of my father. This is beginning to wear on my health and my nerves, so I thought that now would be a good time to revisit Lady Lydia's helpful article on relieving stress. Click on the link above for stress management. Once again, Mrs. Sherman saves the day. :)

WHAT?????!

This is from Slice of Laodicea:

Focus On the Family Supports Domestic Partners Bill
I received a disturbing press release from the Family Research Insitute's Dr. Paul Cameron. Cameron is a researcher and scientist who was the first to coin the term "second-hand cigarette smoke" years ago in his study of the harmful effects of smoking. For several years now, Dr. Cameron has been documenting scientifically the horrific effects of the homosexual lifestyle. He comes to the issue as a scientist who believes in the Word of God and who simply documents the terrible physical and relational results of this kind of sin. Dr. Cameron is raising the alarm over Focus on the Family's new position on domestic partnerships. Here is a link to a news article on this new position along with Dr. Cameron's press release which will follow. Compromise is everywhere these days.

Researcher Questions Dobson's Endorsement of Pro-Gay Bill
COLORADO SPRINGS, Co., Feb. 6 /Christian Newswire/ -- Dr. Paul Cameron -- Chairman of the Family Research Institute, a Colorado-based think tank -- has challenged Dr. James Dobson's endorsement of a bill before the Colorado legislature that would grant to gay partners many of the legal rights currently reserved to married couples. These rights would include property-sharing, decision- making powers over funerals and organ donations and, potentially health-care policy benefits. If adopted, the proposed legislation could force employers to cover gay partners -- no matter how ill.

Cameron said, "This is madness. Currently there is one voluntary relationship that immediately confers these benefits - marriage between a man and a woman. Married couples receive these benefits because they make substantial contributions to society. They are more economically productive, provide the best environment in which to raise children, and are the least likely to commit crimes. Homosexuals, on the other hand, are less economically productive, seldom produce children or raise them well, and are more likely to commit criminal acts. In addition, society should not reward relationships that tend to spread disease."

Noting the Christian dimensions of Dobson's Focus on the Family organization, Cameron pointed out that conferral of any part of marriage benefits to homosexuals is without precedent in the history of the Church. "Moses and St. Paul condemned homosexuality. As soon as the Church gained political power in the Roman Empire it outlawed homosexuality. Now Dobson tells society to give gays 'marriage lite' benefits. During the confirmation fight over Harriet Meyers, Dobson, in a somewhat ambiguous manner, told his radio audience that he was in favor of gay rights. His support of this 'marriage lite' bill removes the ambiguity. When the Denver Post, one of the most anti-family, anti-traditional newspapers on the planet, says it is "pleasantly surprised" by Dobson's support for "expanded legal benefits for same-sex couples," you know that a betrayal has occurred."

Dobson and Cameron were both prominent in getting Amendment 2 passed in Colorado in 1992. The Advocate, the premier gay rights magazine, listed Dobson #1 and Cameron #2 on the gay "enemies list" (1/31/06).

Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R carries the bill; the Denver Post celebrated Focus on the Family's new position in its lead editorial, Feb. 6., see: A Fresh Focus on Domestic Partners.



Posted by Ingrid on February 6, 2006 @ 02:58 PM

Wise Words From the Man of the House

You may have often found yourself wondering whether or not you should pay the higher prices for organic vegetables, dairy products, or meat. Mrs. Calla Lilly has taken different positions on this issue in the past, but her dear sweet husband recently answered the question most definitively with some sage advice which she will share with her gentle readers in a moment. Before we see the bottom line, let us review some facts.

1. In a utopian world, home-grown organic veggies are the best.

2. It is good to support local growers when you are not able to grow veggies yourself.

3. Organic and local veggies are healthier than commercially produced veggies.

4. Hormone and anitbiotic overuse, as well as unsanitary and inhumane environments are all too often the norm.

And now for number 5, my loved one's wise words:

5. Buying and eating healthier is great, so long as your husband doesn't die from working too hard to pay for the higher priced items.

That being said, I have put aside the purchasing of these higher priced goods, will grow a few things myself (Mrs. Calla Lilly has a small yard), and will gladly embrace my husband and enjoy every moment I have with him. So, if you have the money, go ahead and buy organic. If you don't have the money, don't sweat it. It probably will make more of a difference in your wallet than in your physical health. 

Back In The Saddle Again!

Well, I am mostly recovered. There are still a few "kinks" in my system, such as not being able to eat much, bend over, or lift, but overall I'm doing well. Thank you again for your kind words and prayers.

My musing for today is: If we are commanded to think on things that are lovely, why are so many of our homes filled with unattractive clutter and mess? Shouldn't we strive for loveliness in all areas of our lives? What are you doing still on the computer??? Go clean off that counter and shine your sink! :) oy....

Television and Addiction

Television and Addiction

In 1997 700 Japanese children were rushed to a hospital for treatment after watching a television program. Japanese television had aired a souped up version of the Pokemon game, complete with flashing lights, bells and whistles. The children were admitted with optically stimulated epileptic seizures. Television can quite obviously affect people.
Advertisers have known for some time now that quick cuts, optical tricks and alike are likely to evoke a powerful results from the viewing audience. MTV taught us all a lesson in visual communication. But do these stimuli really work on the public or are they all too numb when watching television?

Couch potato measurements

The average person spends about three hours a day in front of the TV set. That's roughly half their leisure time. Forty percent of adults admit to watching too much television. The number increases to 70% among teenagers. A full 10% claims they are addicted, couch potatoes with roots.
Addictions of course, are not always confined to substances. Gambling or sex can become addictive and destructive behavior in certain circumstances. Some clinicians claim that television viewing can fall into the same category and it is far more ubiquitous.

People and the reader might nod at this, have often found themselves in conversation with someone in a room, with the TV tuned to nothing of interest in the background, yet their eyes will invariably wander to the set.

Heavy viewers watch nearly eight hours a day. They are pretty likely to be paying attention (65% full attention) and remember the last ad they saw (12% recall). Light viewers, on the other hand, pay less attention (56%) and have lower ad recall scores (6%) So statistics tell us that couch potatoes can be susceptible to the tricks of the commercial trade.

TV: an upper or a downer?

There is ample evidence that couch potatoes are not so easily affected by what they see. Since the 1960s, behaviorists have been testing people's brain functions while exposed to television messages. The findings after forty years of testing are pretty consistent. TV is not speed, it's a downer.
EEG (electroencephalograms) tests show that there is less mental stimulation to the brain with viewing that with reading. Given that reading necessitates mental engagement and active participation, while viewing does not so acutely, this is perfectly reasonable. Moments after sitting down with the set, people begin to relax and disengage from real life. They seem to generally watch longer than they had planned to and heavy viewers report that they enjoyed the programs less than they anticipated.

Viewers report and record a consistent rate of relaxation that exceeds actual viewing time. Drowsiness may linger beyond viewing time, even a depression. Television acts much the way a tranquilizer does. It is very unlike sports and other hobbies, where people generally walk away feeling refreshed.

So TV is numbing and while technical tricks may stimulate the brain in the short term, a heavy viewer is basically a man or woman on a down slope.

Something to think about the next time you allocate media money.

© Media Directors Ink : April 2002

Childhood Obesity

Television, Diet and Advertising:

Why Watching TV Makes You Fat

by Ron Kaufman

The CDC notes that "one-fourth of children in America spend four hours or more watching television daily and only 27 percent of students in grades 9 through 12 engage in moderate physical activity at least 30 minutes a day on five or more days of the week."

According to the CDC, lifestyle behaviors is one of the major factors contributing to obesity in children and adults. Genetics does play a role, however, many health risks have been proved to significantly diminish when physical activity increases and diet improves. One major suggestion by health officials is a reduction in "screen time." The VERB campaign promotes a decrease in time spent in a sedentary-TV-watching position and replace it with positive physical and prosocial activities.

"The average tween spends four and a half hours each day in front of a screen. This includes watching television, video-tapes or DVDs, playing video games, using a computer or browsing the Internet. Television is the medium with which children spend the most time -- two and a half hours each day.

26 percent of U.S. children watch four or more hours of television per day.

67 percent of U.S. children watch two or more hours per day.

Almost half (48 percent) of all families with tweens have all four of the latest media staples: TV, VCR, video game equipment and a computer.

The bedroom of the 21st century child is a multimedia environment. Of children 9 - 13 years old, more than half (57 percent) have a TV in the bedroom; 39 percent have video game equipment; 30 percent have a VCR; 20 percent a computer and 11 percent Internet access." (VERB Fact Sheet)

The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a position paper in February 2001 which noted that its research has shown that "children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the messages conveyed through television, which influence their perceptions and behaviors. Many younger children cannot discriminate between what they see and what is real. Research has shown primary negative health effects on violence and aggressive behavior; sexuality; academic performance; body concept and self-image; nutrition, dieting, and obesity; and substance use and abuse patterns."

• 
  The AAP report went on to present some moderate guidelines that pediatricians should recommend to parents:
  Limit children's total media time (with entertainment media) to no more than 1 to 2 hours of quality programming per day.
  
• Remove television sets from children's bedrooms.
  
• Discourage television viewing for children younger than 2 years, and encourage more interactive activities that will promote proper brain development, such as talking, playing, singing, and reading together.

• Monitor the shows children and adolescents are viewing. Most programs should be informational, educational, and nonviolent.
  View television programs along with children, and discuss the content. Two recent surveys involving a total of nearly 1500 parents found that less than half of parents reported always watching television with their children.
  
• Use controversial programming as a stepping-off point to initiate discussions about family values, violence, sex and sexuality, and drugs.
  
• Use the videocassette recorder wisely to show or record high-quality, educational programming for children.
  
• Support efforts to establish comprehensive media-education programs in schools.
  
• Encourage alternative entertainment for children, including reading, athletics, hobbies, and creative play. (Pediatrics. Volume 107, Number 2. February 2001, pp 423-426)
  

Television does not promote a healthy lifestyle. Junk food advertising can be viewed with regularity on TV. The whole "process" of watching television is not an active one. And most likely, the diet accompanying TV-watching is high in sugar, fat and calories. Television is Doritos, Cheetos and Lucky Charms. Television is Coors, Budwieser and Miller Genuine Draft. Television is sitting in a sofa and not moving. And there's nothing jovial about McDonald's "Happy Meals."

Turn off TV; Turn on Life!

Wendy's New Finger Food Menu Item

Most of the stories on news programs do not actually affect our lives, but the story about the woman finding a finger in her Wendy's Chili bothers me! It's not that it's simply gross or frightening. What bothers me is that I was not surprised by story, but yet I continue to eat out (though I may steer clear of chili for awhile).

I have read the expose Fast Food Nation, which I recommend to everyone, so the fact that someone's finger could wind up in a fast food meal was not surprising to me. What disturbs me about Americans eating out so much is not so much that it is unsafe, unhealthy, or expensive, but rather that it makes a statement about families today.

The fact that we eat out so often says that we are not good stewards of our time and that we prize our belongings more than our time or our families. If you will notice, I said that I eat out, so all of this applies to me. The day has not become shorter than it was two generations ago, so why does this generation have no time to cook and eat a decent, healthful meal served at the family dining room table? I think the number one reason is that we have too many possessions. Yes, you read that right. We are so caught up in materialism and consumerism that we are exhausting our energies purchasing, paying for (many times in multiple payments), and caring for our possessions that we are owned and enslaved by them, and they are eating away at our time and in turn, our relationships.

In the past several generations, our houses have become increasingly larger and our families have become smaller, so not only is there more stuff to take care of, but there are not as many family members to share the work load. How much stuff will it take to make us happy? Howard Hughes was once asked how much money would be enough for him, and he said that the answer would always be one dollar more. We know cognitively that possessions do not bring us happiness, but is it a heart knowledge for us? The acquisition fo this type of knowledge is something that takes time, and since we are a microwave and one click purchase generation, it is painfully difficult to gain a true heart knowledge.

So, what do I do to "fix" this problem of materialism and the resultant loss of time? Two years ago we made a good start by buying a house that was half the size of our old house (though still, more than ample) moving closer to work. This move forced us to get rid of unneeded items in order to fit into the smaller house. I would love to move even closer to my husband's work and our church, possibly even downtown, but moving is not practical or cost efficient for us at present. We are seriously looking into a much smaller auto as well, but these are one time changes that do not necessarily effect a heart change. What we need are complete attitude changes that will result in many small changes that will be permanently integrated into our everyday lives. Our attitudes should be based on kingdom-centered thinking rather than self-centered thinking. We need to ask ourselves how our purchases, belongings, and very lives effect the kingdom of Christ. I believe this will lead to radical changes in the Church today. But, for now, what would be some more tangible changes that we can make?

The biggest practical helps for better managing my time would be to shop only when necessary, consolidate trips, plan ahead, and TURN OFF THE TV. OW! Not the TV issue again. Am I anti-TV? No, I just don't want it to own me rather than the other way around, and it's a big time waster in my life. Not everyone has this problem (though more than some are willing to admit), but TV brings dissatisfaction with life into our lives by offering us an artificial reality that is impossible to obtain, even if we use a no interest credit card. TV's alternative reality can be compared to the forbidden fruit of Eden. It looks and tastes good and brings pleasure, but afterwards come death, destruction, enslavement to possessions, and hard labor. It comes superficially in the form of a Visa bill, but the true loss all too often comes in the loss of a life lived abundantly in a Christ whose yoke is easy and His burden is light. How will you spend your time today?