September 19, 2012 - Oil Changes

What a great response to yesterday's blog - so many singers. Fabulous! I just know we had an amazing day releasing those happy endorphins, which in turn keep the cortisol down. Keep singing and let me know if you loose like a million pounds. We can start a revolution. :) Simple things that make such a profound difference. Simple things that keep us living at our best for as long as God intends. I don't know about you, but I have often said to the Lord, "I want to live to age 100 IF I AM HEALTHY." I sat beside a woman at the retina specialist last week who was 96 and whose best friend was 104. It SOOO blessed me! I certainly never set out to live that long when I was younger. I certainly never ate properly as an investment into this plan. But better late than never. Yes? My husband is a stickler for keeping the oil changed, tires rotated and balanced, all fluids clean and filled in my car. He's really OCD about it. BUT......I see the correlation to my own health these days. His routine maintenance on my 15 year old car means she drives WELL! Now she's beginning to show some wear and tear and body dings, but she drives nicely. WHY? It's certainly not because I am an amazing driver or I have a magic formula. It's because my husband keeps the oil changed and never allows it to go beyond the 5k miles suggested. He is adamant about the oil thing. He keeps saying, "that ONE simple thing will ensure the life of this car." At first I just shook my head, but today as my car keeps running so well year after year - I see the truth. For us - the simple truth is........what we place in our mouth has everything to do with our long-term health. There are other factors - rest, stress, etc. but the day to day process of nutrition (food and drink) is what gives us the best chance at great health until we're 100. However, this process must be maintained; it can't be hit and miss. Terry has been faithfully doing the "oil thing" for 26 years and reminding me EVERY TIME (wink) "If you allow this to go beyond a certain point, all the internal parts to the engine will be effected and eventually the engine is gone." I've been told this so much I can recite that statement in my sleep; yes I can. But, he stays right on top of it to ensure the life of my car. It will go a couple of months without his attention, but then he starts watching the mileage and starts preparing to have the car serviced. WHY? So this vehicle serves our family to the best of it's ability for as long as it can. (do you see this as it relates to your health? I do!) And Terry's diligence has paid of. What's important here is that my husband never waits TOO long to be on top of this. He can't. Beyond a certain point, the engine is gone. For us, "HOPING we'll do better tomorrow" or "in January we'll start again" may eventually put us into a place where the engine (our internal organs) have been effected and then it's a lot more costly than an oil change. While I may get frustrated that Terry is SO STINKIN particular about this - my car bears the beauty of it. Thanks, honey! Let's stay on top of our health maintenance and don't put off for months or years those essential things that give us long life. Wanna be my 104 year old friend? I'd like that. :) Healthy LIfe Group on Sunday, October 6th from 6-7:30 at my house. Thanksgiving focus. Come and bring a friend. Much love, PK