Month: August 2016

One day, a man decided to quit. He was going to quit his job, his relationship, his spirituality…he wanted to quit his life. He went to the woods to have one last talk with God. The conversation goes this way.

Man: “God, can you give me one good reason not to quit?”

God’ answer surprises the man.

“Looks around,” God said. “Do you see the Fern and the Bamboo?”

Man: “Yes.”

God: “When I planted the Fern and the Bamboo seeds. I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The Fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the Bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the Bamboo.

“In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the Bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the Bamboo.

“In year three there was still nothing from the Bamboo seed. But I would not quit.

In year four, again, there was nothing from the Bamboo seed. I would not quit.

“Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the Fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. But just 6 months later the Bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle.”

God then asked the man, “Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots? I would not quit on the Bamboo. I will never quit on you.”

“Don’t compare yourself to others,” He said. “The Bamboo had a different purpose from the Fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful.”

“Your time will come,” God said to the man. “You will rise high.”

“How high should I rise?” the man asked.

“How high will the Bamboo rise?” God asked in return.

“As high as it can?” the man questioned.

“Yes,” God said, “Give Me glory by rising as high as you can.”

The man left the forest and brought back this story. His conversation with God helps us see that God will never give up on us. So never, never, never give up.

This parable also tells us that something may be small and insignificant at first but given time will rise as high as it can to the glory of God. And nothing is really wasted because while you may look so seemingly insignificant and inconsequential and may even be hidden from view, God can be helping you grow your roots for a long and purposeful life in the difficult and trying days ahead.

In an Australian study, it was discovered that men with high-fat diets were more likely to suffer from daytime fatigue and poor nighttime slumber than men with low-ft diets. Scientists doing this study speculated that fat intake affects hormones, metabolism and the central nervous system, all of which interact with the circadian clock that regulates shut-eye. In addition, the lead author noted that sleeping poorly makes people crave rich, fatty foods thus creating a vicious cycle. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults get no more than 20 to 35 percent of their total calories from fat.

For those who complain of daytime fatigue and difficulty sleeping, do not think it is simply because you are getting old. Cutting down on the fat intake in your diet may take care of these problems. And of course, trusting in God and resting in His care are what we need to renew our strength and sleep good at night.

The Scriptures declare: “[It is] vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows [for] so he gives his beloved sleep.” Psalms 127:2. In Isaiah 40:31, the prophet writes: “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run, and not be weary [and] they shall walk and not faint.”

To renew our strength and not be weary or fatigued and to be able to sleep in peace and rest, we need to trust in the Lord, wait patiently on Him and stay away from a high fat diet.

In an Australian study of 186 older women, it was shown that spending the right amount of time caring for grandchildren can keep the mind sharp. Grandmothers who watched their grandchildren one day a week did better on cognitive tests than those who cared for grandchildren more often or not at all.

This study is continuing and researchers are trying to find out the exact reason why this is so and learning how social engagement affects elder acuity.

I believe that one of the reasons the results are so is because children are by nature very inquisitive. They look at life with a sense of wonder and delight. They ask all kinds of questions. They want to understand. They like to know why things happen a certain way and not differently. And when they ask grandma and grandpa for answers to their questions, the grandparent’s minds get renewed, revitalized and sharpened.

Why those who do not care for their children did not do as well in their cognitive tests is understandable. Those who cared for their grandchildren more often than one day a week may not have done as well because too many questions from little kids can be a source of mental fatigue and plain nuisance even. After all, nature has not planned grandparents rearing little children on a full time basis unless it is thrust upon them by unavoidable circumstances such as death or incapacity on the part of the parents.

My take here would be that we should find time to expose ourselves to youthful minds that look at life with the sense of wonder and welcome the opportunity to help them understand its mysteries and complexities. And most important of all, let us teach them faith in the Creator God who showed us His love by sending His Son to die for us so that we can have life forevermore. This was the case of Timothy whose faith was instilled and developed in him through his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice for which the apostle Paul rejoiced much about. (2 Timothy 1:5).

A study was done by Harvard University on health and longevity. It involved two groups of 100 Harvard graduates between the ages of sixty-five and seventy-five. The first group of university alumni retired at 65 while the other group continued to be employed for another ten years.

The results are warning to those whose purpose in retirement is a life of ease and pleasure. In the first group, those who retired at age sixty-five, seven out of eight were dead at the age of seventy-five. In the second group of 100 men who continued to work, only one out of eight was deceased by age seventy-five.

This study shows that we die sooner when we are not doing anything than when we are busy working or engaged in some kind of employment. And we are given a choice. Should we rather rust out or wear out.

We live longer when we are active, busy and working to accomplish God’s purpose for our lives. The Scriptures say: “By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread until you return to dust; for dust you are and unto dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:20. His outline for our lives is that we ought to be working or busily engaged until we are able to or till we go to the grave!

We all go there if time continues and the Lord doesn’t come yet. But there are ways to extend out lives and postpone our appointment with death so we can accomplish more for the Lord and continue to be a blessing to others.