Environmental Awareness

(There are 3 kids in this picture- can you find them?)

Around our house, when someone falls down or bumps into something, we laugh. I am not the mom who rushes to her child's side filled with concern and worry. I usually get a good chuckle out of the situation once I make a brief assessment whether or not there is blood or bones sticking out. If I know it will not require a trip to the hospital, I guffaw and tease and make the person feel like a schmo (is that a word?) I know its not right, but what good is an accident if you can't laugh about it? They aren't called accidents for nothing. Otherwise they'd be called 'on purposes.'

The comment I make most often is simply..."environmental awareness!" This means that we need to pay attention to what is going on around us and how it might affect us. If it is icy- you need to walk more cautiously. If there is a low doorway, you need to duck. I've often told my tall lanky husband that its a good thing he wears a cap with a bill on it so it keeps his forehead from becoming damaged. He constantly runs into doorways and low hanging object in our home with 7 foot ceilings. Smacking your head on the counter as you reach over to pick something off the floor simply means you didn't accurately do the math.

Our Christian walk demands a fair amount of environmental awareness also. When I finally stepped into the light a few years ago, I could no longer justify my trips to the local tavern to see my best friend of 26 years who bartended there. I loved her and wished to visit with her, but realized that much of the downfall of my youth was linked to the bar and that I needed to remove myself from situations that were tempting to my old lifestyle. I needed to see that the conditions were ripe for a fall. If an occasion arises now where it is necessary for me to be in a bar (and those occasions become less and less with each passing year), I know I must walk cautiously or duck in order to keep from injuring myself spiritually.

I find that I am most successful in my dieting when I make conscious decisions to stay out of eating establishments. I'm less tempted to eat if I choose to meet my friends at the park, not over lunch. If I remove food from my immediate surroundings, its so much easier to keep it out of my mouth, and therefore off of my hips!

When I married my first husband (who was in prison), I knew that he wouldn't be allowed to drink or party when he was released as a condition of his parole. Many of my friends at the time were young and still in the habit of having worldly fun. Knowing that it would be hard for my husband to resist those temptations, I started seeking friendships that would be more conducive to his success in the "world". Even though I appeared single, I chose married friends. I stayed out of the bars (mostly!). I tried to create a healthy environment for us as a couple. Upon his release, we did not always make wise choices about who we hung out with, or where we went, and ultimately, it led to the demise of our marriage.

If we choose to surround ourselves with Godly people, and make conscious decisions to spend our time in the presence of the Lord, it is much easier to stay on track with our walk. When we carefully choose our environment, we are less likely to stray. We must take preventative measures to insure our choices are good ones.

So, the next time you see a big snowstorm coming, put on your snow boots, hang onto the handrail and take baby steps. Don't go running willy-nilly across the ice in high heels! Your butt will thank you, but if you fall, I will laugh....as long as there is no blood or bones sticking out!