Refuse to be ill. Never tell people you are ill; never own it to yourself. Illness is one of those things which a man should resist on principle. (Edward George Bulwer-Lytton)
I heartily applaud Bulwer-Lytton's prescription for health, and have practiced it myself for years. Plato himself made the comment, "Attention to health is life's greatest hindrance."
I just don't have enough time to worry about whether I'm starting to come down with something or whether I should engage in some preventive health measures. For many years I practiced Twain's rule about exercise, "I never took any exercise except eating and drinking," he wrote, "because I never could see any advantage in being tired." Lately, however, I have begun working out on my Wii Dance "Just Sweat" and am losing serious weight through limiting my food intake to only what a caveman would eat. Other than that, I'm ignoring my body.
I may be dead of some dread disease by the time anyone reads this but, if so, I will have gone out by ignoring the condition as long as possible. Mortality is no serious condition for a life lived by grace. "Death is just a doorway into another room," as Helen Keller put it.
Worrying and fretting about the state of my health — whether I was coming down with something; whether I should be dosing myself with some medicine or vitamin..., now that would be a nightmarish way to live. By faith I continually give over the issues of my health into the hands of God. It's a safe place for them to be.
Heavenly Father: The Bible quotes You as saying, "I am the God who heals you!" Right! And keeps me healthy as well! And will be with me when I get sick and die! Thank You! Thank You!
Many Bible quotes are from
the NIV translation of the Bible.
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Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues,
but the parent of all others. (Cicero) |
My wife told me about Oprah's belief that everyone should keep a gratitude journal; that we ought to make deliberate note of the many things we should be grateful for each day.
Oprah was right!
Robert Browning wrote the famous lines, "God is in heaven, and all is right with the world."
I'll admit those words are sometimes difficult.
I'm sure those words are true.
I've discovered (along with millions of other people) that maintaining awareness of Heaven's generosity opens my heart to receive the many gifts that continually shower down upon me.
I feel so blessed that I can hardly express myself!
I am so grateful for my family and friends; for my work, my church, and for my life that I can hardly put it into words.
But I feel compelled to try. The thoughts below are my attempts to do so.
Will you join me in giving thanks? (Feel free to drop me a line and tell me what you are grateful for. I'm don@110mag.com.)
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To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant,
to enact gratitude is generous and noble, to live gratitude is to touch heaven. (Johannes A. Gaertner) |