Eric’s Sunday Sermon; Of Nutrition for the Soul

Some people just get lucky with health. Just, genetically they are healthier than the rest of us with all things being equal. And, by golly, it so sad but some people are just destined to be sickly and die earlier.

There was a man who was as “healthy as a horse”, “strong as a horse” and “ate like a horse”. (no clarity on the origin of those phrases – seems like you can exchange Ox in there.) Now this young man, late 30’s was minding his business, a restaurant and exercising hard a 7,000 ft. elevation. Bicycling, climbing, running and sports from kayaking to volleyball to Horseback riding. You get the picture.

In four months his cancer went from not there to stage 4 and a malignant tumor the size of a large grapefruit that actually grew so fast that it broke a rib. People just shook their heads and many examined their own mortality because it just seemed so wrong and shocking to a very healthy one. One friend quipped that he would stop exercising if this is what it causes.

So many of us look to God for answers to such matters. Time eternal tells that on this question he does not answer directly. But in general we assume God has a hand in such matters. It is like those questions of war and violence and rich and poor. It is good we think about this and even give out answers ourselves but really? Why a hurricane wipes out thousands of lives?

And of course we all have an inkling that how we treat our environment gets us a payback in a major way, perhaps we call that the “Mother Earth” concept.

Well probably as in 85% probable. By a preponderance of evidence. This cancer this man had was man caused not nature and not nurture. The used to blow up nuclear/atomic/plutonium bombs on the contiguous United States Land. Normally it was at White Sands Trinity testing grounds a place in New Mexico.

What is known as the four corners, where New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah meet in a corner. Sometimes the wind blows in pretty much all four directions depending. It is really cool, you can stand on all four states at once.

So you blow up your bomb at Trinity and prevailing winds carry the radiation all the way to Northern Arizona.

Back to the past and the 85% probability.

So this radiation blows over where some people live. Inside the house is safe. With clothes on you would block the sun and with shoes. There really was no significant threat. However take your shirt off and do not wear shoes and run around in the direct sun, and be say 4-10 years old and 7,000 ft. elevation and that was that. And in several known dates of exposure and that was really that – maybe to 95% that boy would sooner or later get Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Usually between 30 to 40 years later.

You meet that criteria and the government gives you money with absolutely no resistance because it is so above 85% probable. This young man was actually tracked from about age 15 until the cancer. That is freaky. Perhaps “test subjects”?

Now aside from the obvious treatment which is hellish chemotherapy and the losing of 6 months of his life basically and the stress to himself and others. It is interesting about our bodies. The man sat there with five others getting his chemotherapy. Great big recliners with TV and these IV bags. The chemicals were so hard on him that they placed a shunt in his chest so the chemicals go right into the massive blood and blood flow of the heart - yes a tube inserted into the heart.

He would get his treatment and exactly 3 hours later at home he would have to inject himself with chemicals to revive his functions.

It would seem to me that man and God have a deal. God does either the natural or God does the supernatural or allows the natural. Some say that is how some terrible people come out alright in the end. And why others who suffer if in love come out alright in the end.

Man does horrible things yet that is overwhelmed by the capacity of several billion to spread the Love. The calculations there are amazing for an earth/world. Millions affected by violence and catastrophe. Let us just accept over 100 million devastated by something every year. It goes like this 1,000 = 1 thousand, 1,000,000 = 1 million, 1,000,000,000 = 1 billion. You do the math. Let us just say it is about 1.5% if that of our population. So your news cares more about the 1.5% than the rest of us.

These are odds akin to dying in a railroad wreck or getting hit by lightning divided.

So the man is not angry at God or Man. One has to be allowed to be ignorant in order to grow in knowledge. Same for all men and women, child and elder as fellow members of earth.

There are things that happen in catastrophe. Love shines through, it just plain and simple always does. So would you get cancer in order to bring loved ones closer in a rally to promote good things? I would suggest not.

But this man’s story does not end here. Horrible headaches (ultimately caused and cured) caused a need for a CT Scan. The radiologist was a bit sloppy going further down and into the gut area. And boom! Cancer was seen and dealt with immediately very much before issues. No not remission. The chance of that happening are astronomical. And the lawyers are all after him, because ‘Radon’ is a 70% cause here.

So To the Love

So the man’s love of life grew and in time he found that love for one another was the most critical driving force of life. Not sickness and not anger therefor. Certainly not riches, interesting but that concept is far below our %’s of above. “I realize it is no shame to be poor, but it is no great honor either”. (Rich Man Song)

Being real sick is nothing to celebrate. But the love that surrounds makes it more palatable. So God must be Love. So why put me through all of the above just to get me to love more sweetly and more completely. Does a really stubborn mule of a man really need to be smacked so hard just to get him to move in the right direction. Well it may appear so.

The road that was taken to get to the current state of a loving, helping and joyful man, is what it is and that must be what it took. “If you smite me yet it adds to the love and happiness in time how can I possibly not love you?” We wonder if it is the hard hand or the hand up that contributes to a space of love.

We are going to run a little long here. Justice and success are words to behold. What justice is to us and what success is to us are different by miles. Fairness from God is not capable to understand except the one omnipresent and omnipotent God which is love. If I look in love I know two concepts; “if you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same…. (Kipling). “Life can be tough but suffering is optional.” (Dierker)

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called children of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Stay focused on love please.