Health education

For a little while now, I've been pondering about what our church could feasibly handle in providing the community with tangible evidences of God's grace. General community service type work is handled by the Salvation Army. The Bible Church and the Lutheran Church already have programs that provide for the needs of young children and mothers.

As I've been pondering, it seems that the ponderings usually go in the direction of health education. Tomorrow evening, we are holding a bread and cereal making class. That could be a start for regular classes and seminars on health. Or perhaps something like a Valentine's Day dinner featuring appetizing and good food that is also more healthy than common American dinner fare.

If anyone had told me a year ago, or even six months ago, that I'd be leading out in and planning health-related ministries, I'd have laughed and replied that they were out of their minds. In my mind, at least then, health education is run by health kooks and nuts who are (in my opinion after observing them and listening to them) over-zealous, where to them health issues are black and white, and even have moral overtones. And what average person would want to go to one of those where they come away feeling condemned and given a nearly deified view of what healthy living looks like?

So then the thought slowly developed in my mind: I'm not the perfect ideal example of healthy living. But maybe the imperfection is actually the better example. I like a good (and by good, I don't mean Starbucks) cup of coffee, I don't like my vegetables too raw, I love fish, I enjoy a good steak or roast chicken every now and then, and sometimes I have to satisfy cravings for junk food. Maybe, just maybe, people might be willing to listen because I am more like them -- wanting to do and be better, but not willing or able to change everything -- at least not all at once. And what can we realistically do in a place where it is difficult or nigh impossible to follow some of the practices that are suggested (or is mandated a better term for describing some of the books and lectures)?

With those thoughts, I've begun to formulate plans to hold a one to three-evening seminars on steps that can be taken to move towards living a healthier life. The emphasis is on each person's health journey -- i.e., making progress in each preson's journey towards living a life that God would like us to have -- to provide tangible evidence that health is a grace of God that can be had by each one of us when we choose to bring our habits and behaviors closer in line with God's original plans for us. I think that when a person begins to see tangible evidence from changing just a few things, that person will more likely be inclined to make other changes. At least that's the way it is with me.