Learning Our Lessons

Isn't it funny how when we're too weak to change bad habits, nature sometimes will do it for us?  Take me for example.  I had two habits I wanted to get rid of- my daily doses of caffeine ala coffee and Diet Dr. Pepper and making quick stops for junk food when I felt hungry.  Enter Nature...

A few weeks ago, I got my blood results back from my yearly physical and found that my cholesterol had soared high above the normal.  It had never a problem before, but now it was bad enough that I would have to take medicine for it if I couldn't get it down. A few days later, I became violently sick.  I'm still not sure what set everything off, but no matter what I ate, my stomach burned and I felt queasy. I dropped seven pounds and eventually things got so bad that I couldn't sleep at night. Miserable and tired, I decided to fight back.

First to go was the coffee.  Next, the sodas.  I whittled back my diet until all I ate was the bland "BRAT" diet I had resorted to when my kids would come down with stomach bugs- bananas, rice, applesauce, toast.  I also drank tons of water.

Within a few days I began to feel better.  Slowly, I began to add foods back into my diet, making sure that they were low in fat, whole-grained, and healthy. I started carrying almonds in my purse so that if I got hungry while I was out, I could pass up the fast food food places.

Two weeks have now passed and I feel better.  My stomach's on the mend, I'm eating healthier, exercising more, and saving money and time on not stopping for "quick fix" junk food.  Although I never want to be as sick again as I was a few weeks ago, I'm glad that in the end, being sick made me into a healthier person.

Living Out Lessons

I've noticed an amazing phenomena... Whatever my preacher's sermon details on Sunday seems to play itself out during my week. For example, if the pastor's message offers me Biblical truths to improve my patience, then multiple opportunities to try my patience pop up throughout the week.  If he highlights tools to use for building successful  relationships, the relationships I'm in will be challenged and the ones I've ignored will resurface to be dealt with.

It reminds me of what I do in my classroom as a teacher- I give a "mini lesson" to offer information to my students, and then follow with structured practices where they can correctly apply the skill. The ultimate goal is that the more my students practice something, the more it will become a part of who they are (researchers say something has to be seen/done at least 28 times before it is acquired fully).

It makes me realize that life is just one big classroom- God individually tailors mini lessons to suit our needs and gives us as many practice opportunities as it takes for us to get it right.