Because I held firm to my standards most everyone knew I was different. "She's Mormon, she can't do that" they'd say. But instead of "I can't" I like to think of my standards as "I can!".
One "rule" or commandment in particular that I follow is called the Word of Wisdom. From the outside it looks like a long list of "you cant's." No alcohol, no tobacco, no tea, no drugs, no coffee." What gets ignored a lot of the time are the good things! Like eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains, meat sparingly, and to be mindful of portion control.
I feel kind of like LeVar Burton right now. (Did anyone else out there watch Reading Rainbow and Star Trek as religiously as I did growing up?)
You don't have to take MY word for it!
On facebook two of my friends shared some reasons why living the WOW has blessed their lives:
Michael: In so many ways! I have been able to have the health & the capacities that I want to preform everything that I want to do. I remember going to my grandparents home (who drink and smoke a ton) for holidays and other events. Every time I went there the environment in the house was pretty bleak and the smoke that fills the house just gave me this head ache and I felt sick. When I was in 7th grade I remember being offered to take steroids by another student there. I never accepted the offer. Now that same student is in a pretty hard place right now and has a lot of health challenges.
Elder Jake Pulsipher: I have the spirit to be with me always and I am free to make choices every single day. I don't have to take time out of my day to smoke a cigarette and I don't have to deal with the relationship strains that come from drug and alcohol use. I am free from the influences of Satan and I don't have anything that holds me back from doing the things I want to do. The Word of Wisdom gives me more freedom!
2 sweet messages:
great post and pretty pictures!
My husband almost almost almost met the guy from the reading rainbow this past summer when we were out in San Fran for the WWDC (world wide apple developers conference) but the line was really long. I wanted him to meet him bc I grew up watching reading rainbow.
I had no idea that your faith encourages your to eat fresh fruit, veggies whole grains ect. Thats really encouraging, also I bet it makes you literally feel better from the inside out
I really liked this post. The list of promised blessings from the Lord in the Word of Wisdom is so much longer. It advocates blessings that come from self mastery and self control which many today do not get to experience with so many temptations to be unhealthy. In my life as I have sought not only to abstain from the "Do Nots" in the Word of Wisdom, but to apply the "Do's" I have had more energy, self control in other aspects in my life and a hightened spiritual awareness or sensitivity to the Spirit.
I am so thankful for God's love and His commandments. I know we have them so He can lift us higher.
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