More stewardship

I donated blood the other day. I used to think it was always a good idea, but now that I work at a hospital I see that it is desperately needed. When I go they always ask me the same questions and my answers are usually in the negative, but I do have to think about medications. I don't normally take anything that's contraband, but sometime I take aspirin-including meds for my migraines. Aspirin is a type of blood thinner and it can cause heavy bleeding, or bleeding that won't stop when you've had a large needle in your vein.


The aspirin question made me think about the other things that I put in my body. Anything that goes in winds up in my bloodstream. When I donate blood, all of those contents are then transferred to another person. In many cases, the receiver is so sick or injured that he or she needs to blood in order to survive. For me, this makes a really strong case for putting only good-quality products in my system.


I understand that my ultimate motivation for healthy food and beverage consumption needs to come from the Lord, however, it is helpful to me to have tangible motivation that helps another human being. I suppose many women think the same way when they get pregnant - they want to have only the best quality fuel to help grow their baby.

On a separate topic I'm reading a historical novel based on Renaissance royalty. One character in the book is particularly pious. After a difficult journey she goes to a chapel to pray: she thanks God for their safety, save a pair of mishaps; she prayed for God to forgive her lack of complete faith that made her fears possible; finally she prayers for the protection of those accompanying her.

It's just a novel, but it really struck me. I don't routinely thank the Lord for safe travel. I don't know many people who do (although when I was in Venezuela, the members of the church I was visiting always prayed for travel since the countryside was heavy with armed military). What really made me think was the part about how she prayed for God to forgive her lack of complete faith that made her fears possible. It is my lack of complete faith that not only makes my fears possible, but that also gives place to sin. I want to be more intentional about believing God and not giving a foothold to the devil.