While away on vacation, I tried to read and do things that were not necessarily associated with the church. My older brother Steve, who is ten years my senior but healthier in his eating and exercise, gave me a book to read that he said changed his life and the way he thought about food and eating.  The title of the book, In Defense of Food an Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan, immediately grabbed my attention. I love good food and I have been struggling to control my calorie intake and eat the "right things" for a healthier life. At age 64, my brother Steve puts me to shame. He is an avid windsurfer, surfer, cyclist, hiker, gourmet "healthy" cook, and an extremely in shape and good looking guy!
 
Although at fifty-four I feel thirty-five, my body tends to revolt against that notion at 6:30 in the morning! Nevertheless, I'm reading about health, good food choices and nutrition vs. "nutritionism." It seems as if our culture is obsessed with low-fat, nonfat foods along with thin and thinner bodies. The author introduced me to a new word that gave me hope for my own outlook on healthy eating. He introduced me to the word Orthorexia Nervosa -- an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating.  It's not recognized as yet by the DSM-IV, but some psychologists have recently suggested that it's time it was. They are seeing more and more patients suffering from this obsession in healthy eating.
 
While this is not my problem, it did remind me that anything that pulls us out of balance isn't good for us! I strive for a balance in my spiritual-life, home-life, diet, exercise, work, and play. And I wonder, when it comes to our faith, are we "in balance"?  Could you imagine what it might be like if we spent all of our time reading scripture but never applied it to our lives? If we studied scripture, but never shared it, taught it, or preached upon its significance? The Christian life is one that is called to shine in the world... to be salt and LIGHT. Are we balancing our Being and our Doing?
 
When it comes to our bodily health, we have the warning signs in blood pressure readings, cholesterol counts, and a multitude of other test procedures. (I'm due for my annual physical this month and getting a blood test tomorrow!)  
 
Too often we fail to examine our spiritual health.  I'm wondering if you've taken your personal Spiritual Physical lately. What's out of balance? What might you be doing too much or too little of? Where do you need to focus to be more "in balance" in your spiritual life?
 
I recently signed up to be a volunteer at Destiny Foundation in Orlando. My goal is to give them an hour or two each week in volunteer service to those in need in my neighborhood. That's one place where I was out of balance... how about you?

 
I Love Being Your District Superintendent,

Wayne
 
2 Timothy 1:7 "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

 

P.S. We are reinstituting the mystery word contest this month. Be the first to find the words servant evangelism in close proximity and win a $25 gift certificate to Cokesbury.