01.18.07
Attitudes and Health
A friend of mine sent me an email last night. I thought it was very cute, and relevant in that “attitude” is so important to our well-being and happiness. The Bible tells us to keep our minds on good thoughts. I think there is a reason for that, and that is that our thoughts affect our minds and bodies whether it is positive or negative. Negative emotions have been shown to lower or depress our immune systems, while positive emotions have been shown to boost our immune systems.
Some say that laughter is a way to give your body an internal massage. Have you ever laughed so much your sides hurt? I know I have, and boy can laughing be a rush! Even the Bible says, ” A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.”
Getting back to “attitude,” I do think a good attitude is important to health and the ability to heal. There are more passages in the Bible which seem to indicate the affects of attitude on our health. Another example is, “A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones.” Proverbs 15:30 states, “The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, And a good report makes the bones healthy.” Proverbs 16:24 states, “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.” Psalm 51:8 states, “Make me hear joy and gladness,That the bones You have broken may rejoice.” This makes me wonder sometimes about the increase of disease in the world and the difficulty to heal these new diseases. Could part of it be due to wrongful attitudes? I’m sure there are many, many causes, but I feel that attitudes do contribute to our health, either for good or bad. In search of information for blood diseases, I have come across some angry or unhappy people who even though we share the same or similar illness seem more bent on pitting natural healing against conventional drugs rather than just plain rejoicing in success whether it’s from natural or conventional. I think that shows a bad attitude. Why are people so angry? It’s people like that who I try to avoid because the Bible makes references to grief causing rottenness to the bones and to avoid strife. Also, from a person who has suffered a bone marrow disorder, I realise the importance of our bones. It encases the blood producing cells in our bodies, blood being essential to life. A study of blood in the Bible also yields many references to the importance of blood and life.
A search on “mind” in the Bible also seems to yield many references to not only our physical health, but our spiritual health. We are instructed to keep our minds on good things. “8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” And, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” The examples go on and on, and that is why I think the Bible is so practical. Often people spiritualize the Bible, but I think it has so much practical advice that we can use now, which helps our physical needs.
The bottom line is, I believe we need to cultivate good thoughts and good attitudes, so that we can live more fully, and that is why the email my friend, Vickey, sent me last night has moved me to share what she sent. It was titled “Attitude.”
Attitude
There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror,and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. Well,” she said, “I think I’ll braid my hair today?” So she did and she had a wonderful day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. “H-M-M,” she said, “I think I’ll part my hair down the middle today?” So she did and she had a grand day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. “Well,” she said, “today I’m going to wear my hair in a pony tail.” So she did and she had a fun, fun day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn’t a single hair on her head. “YEA!” she exclaimed, “I don’t have to fix my hair today!”
Attitude is everything.
Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
Live simply,
Love generously,
Care deeply,
Speak kindly…….
Leave the rest to God
With love
Thank you, Vickey.
Marlakins 
