The Seasons: A Poem

Posted by on
Sunrise over Amazing Grasses Family Farm The mad Artist wields His brush, Painted colors rush, To life and give flush, Before the quiet autumn hush. The life seems to pour, As colors fall to the floor, To be seen no more, Outside the dark, grey door. Brightness from below, Sun upon the snow, High, cold clouds blow, Flakes and ice appear to grow. The man melts with little seen, Underneath, pale, grey green, Hides life in dark unseen, Waits for warmth and to careen. Buds on branches show, Patience starts to grow, Trickles, streams and veins flow, Bringing fruits of melted snow. Sprung to life it springs, Bees, birds, sound rings, Lush green flings, Its gift bounty brings. Green growth gives one last rush, Underneath the Painter's brush. The mad Artist wields His brush, before the quiet autumn hush. More poetry is available from James M. Hahn in  The Last Dragon and Other Poems  available now. My new book of cryptogram puzzles " Secret Messages from the Saints " is avai
0

The Caveman Diet

Posted by on
Mark 7:14-23

A year ago I heard of a new diet that really grabbed my attention. This diet was often referred to as the "Caveman Diet" or the "Stone Age Diet". Researchers studied the lives of pre-historic people (don't ask me how) and learned a great deal from their diet and exercise habits. This soon became the latest fad diet. However, I don't think it caught on because advertising was difficult. Test markets objected to a man in a leopard skin holding a stick dragging a skinny blond in a cheetah bikini by the hair. Here is a link to a clearing house page where you will find endless links promoting this diet.

I looked into it briefly but quickly realized that the diet simply didn't work. My research consisted of watching Flintstone cartoons for two weeks straight. Betty and Wilma are stay at home mothers. They are constantly running after Pebbles and Bam Bam which obviously keeps them in great shape. Fred and Barney on the other hand should be in tip top shape but they are both fairly overweight. I can't understand this with all of the "peddling" they do with their car. However, I must give them a break because they weren't exactly "hunter / gatherers". Those Brontosaurus burgers do add the pounds!

Today our country has a infatuation with food and with appearance. A casual flip through your 2,347 channels on satellite will confirm this quickly. We not only have tons of advertisements for food of all shapes and sizes, we have channels dedicated solely to food. At the same time we can see a billion dollar diet industry growing larger every year. Our country is overweight and the pills aren't working.

Okay, I'll admit, this is a little skewed view of today's Gospel but hey, it's late, I've been trapped inside for three days with four children under 6 years old. Please, bear with me. In today's Gospel, Jesus speaks of eating. He makes it known that what is in the heart is what matters. No food or drink can make one "unclean" meaning sin. Eating an item does not make one sinful. Likewise, not performing a certain ritual (see yesterday's Gospel) does not make one sinful. He tells us that it is what comes from within that makes us holy or sinful.

So the question is this, "what is in the heart of America?" What drives Americans to eat to excess? What drives Americans to diet constantly? What ails our heart that makes us binge and fast? Is it gluttony? Is it vanity? Temperance has gone out the window. We eat too much and then diet. And if the diet doesn't work? Surgery. Insanity!

Maybe the "Caveman Diet" has some merit. If we turn off the TV and get outdoors for fresh air and only eat what we need maybe we'll be more healthy, physically and spiritually. Yabadabadoooooooo!!!!!

Comments

Post a Comment