Fruits & Veggies To You
February 1, 2010
February 2010, Newsletter Issue #14Fruits & Veggies To You
Dear Friends:
Since my last newsletter, we celebrated Christmas, a grandson’s birthday and my husband’s survival of triple by-pass surgery. God has been gracious to us, and I am ready to start the new year by sending out book proposals and fulfilling a devotional writing assignment. But first . . .
Do you know that we need daily servings of two cups of fruit and two-and-a-half cups of vegetables in order to build up our immune systems? I discovered this when I recently wrote an article about revving up our defenses against injury and disease. I certainly need all the help I can get to stay fit. I am, however, having a hard time consuming that many servings of fruits and veggies--even if I count ketchup as a veggie!
I’m trying though. Instead of eating canned cream soups for lunch, which are way too salty anyway, I’ve started cooking my own veggie chowders and soups. Instead of thinking “meat, potatoes and veggie,” I now think “meat, potatoes and two veggies.” Plus I drink carrot juice. I’m not there yet, but I’m improving.
All this got me thinking about building myself up spiritually as well. What are the fruits and veggies we need to rev up our defenses against spiritual warfare or even spiritual apathy? I can think of a few.
Prayer: Spending daily time in prayer is certainly a vegetable to my spiritual health. I have a birthday coming up next month, which reminds me that my hourglass is winding down to the final quarter. I want to be well acquainted with God when we meet. Prayer is the good old dependable potato of my spiritual diet.
Bible Reading: How would I know the history of God and His people if I did not read scripture every day (the Bible is a BIG book)? Right now I’m reading about kings of the Old Testament who so often started their reign with good intentions but got sidetracked by the attractions of the day. So might I. God speaks to me through scripture, the carrots of my spiritual diet.
Witnessing: Talking to others about God is a super way not only to eat fruit but to bear fruit. This morning I ran into my friend April at a doctor’s office. Within minutes she was discussing scripture related to world events. She is my hero when it comes to witnessing. Witnessing is the fruit salad of my spiritual life. I want more of it.
So I invite you to join me in evaluating my physical and spiritual diets during 2010. Let’s make one change for the better this week. By the way, I’m on Facebook, so feel free to invite me to be your friend.
Shirley Brosius
Pray for Upcoming Events led by Friends of the Heart (www.friendsoftheheart.us):
April 10, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Faithlift at Hope Advent Church, Lenox, MA.
May 8, 11 a.m. – Mothers Day Tea, Hebron Church, Millersburg.
May 8, 6 p.m. – Mother/Daughter Banquet, St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Tower City.
May 16, 5 p.m. – Women’s Banquet, Eberly’s Mill Church of God, Mechanicsburg.
September 18, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Women’s Retreat, Community Bible Church, Palmyra May 7, 2011, 6 p.m. – Mother/Daughter Banquet, United Lutheran Church, Sunbury.
P. S. If you need a Valentine’s gift for a special wife, mother, sister or friend, why not consider Sisterhood of Faith: 365 Life-Changing Stories About Women Who Made a Difference. To order, visit www.amazon.com or get a signed copy through www.signedbytheauthor.com.