January
17, 2019
What do Humans
and Pets have in Common?
Marshalltown KFJB AM radio station
began a new program this month on Wednesday mornings called “Ask Animal
Clinic—the Vet.” On an early edition Dr.
Ashley Ladihoff discussed a growing problem for pets—weighing more than is
healthy. As she discussed this issue,
she stated, “One reason for pets’ increasing weight is that pet owners reward
their pets with treats.”
Clang, Clang, Clang—a bell went off at
that. Isn’t it the same for us
humans? How many times have/do we reward
our children/grandchildren with treats? How
many times have/do we reward ourselves with food? “I have really had a difficult day. I deserve a brownie, or potato chips, or ice
cream”—whatever one’s favorite food reward is.
At our extended family Christmas
celebration, we “oohed” and “aahed” over my sister-in-law’s 87 pound weight
loss (she looks great). She smiled and
told us of the reward she gave herself for her weight loss—shopping for new
clothes.
So what’s a good reward for you other
than food when you have had a tough day, or have lost weight? A great reward for me is to make a cup of tea
and “let” myself sit and read for an hour with NO guilt.
Or I can stop and meditate on God’s
rewards to me—the greatest of those being the Holy One’s love, which nothing,
absolutely nothing can take away from me:
“For I am
convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the
present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor
anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God
that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39
NIV).
So
let’s go ahead and reward ourselves when we’ve had a tough day or achieved a
goal—with that which feeds our spirits.
Sharon
Witty
