August 7, 2013 - Talking Apple Skins

Just finished eating a beautiful apple. I wanted something different, but apples (with their dense skin) are so packed with exciting things. Yum! My mom was at the doctor's office recently and connected with a 93 year old man who was amazingly healthy. She said he looked so young and full of life and she couldn't stop from asking, "how?" Of course we know most of what he said - unlimited veggies and fruit, limited meats, and an apple each day! I SOO believe the "apple a day" regime. But isn't it amazing that he went on to say that he doesn't eat any sugar or white stuff and when he gets the chance, more often than not, he adds additional apple SKINS daily. He said the skin carries the nutrition and fiber. After eating his one apple to satisfy his sugar craving, the extra skins add a nutritional punch. How cool is that? I love the natural goodness that each of us has available daily. Apples are plentiful and need a place in our daily plan. Just sayin. Sometimes I think it's good to take stock of what our grocery cart, refrigerator, and cabinets are filled with. Have you done this lately? Offering healthy choices for our family, as well as ourselves, often rests with us. Most of us venture to the grocery store and few can deny that the contents of our buggy reflects the heart of our health. OUCH! Tonight when I wanted something different, let's be honest I did, my choices were apples, peaches, and watermelon. I had watermelon earlier and had not eaten my daily apple. SO, apple it was. My choice, however, was not difficult as I was not fishing over the pound cake and Hershey's kisses to find my healthy, power packed apple. No, no - it was on the counter with it's animation, "K-A-T-H-Y...you know you need me." Yikes, talking apples. But how many of us know that sometimes we need the fruit to scream and drown out the voice of the "not-so-healthy" choice. I have been studying John 10:10 in preparation to speak tomorrow night and there are some COOL truths lodged in the Greek text around this verse. Let us never forget that Jesus came to give us LIFE. No matter how difficult our journey, as we fight for our health, Jesus' plan includes abundant life. As people look at your health do they see abundant health such as my mom witnessed a couple of weeks ago? I want that - how about you? Good nutrition needs to start long before we determine the years are moving along....it needs to start now and it needs to be our constant companion as we "grow old gracefully and healthy." 93 and eating apple skins - sign me up! Praying you feel NO condemnation but encouraged to keep making those great choices moment by moment! We ARE free to choose.............PK