Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 133, Number 11, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 13 March 2014 — Page 4

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Advance News • Thursday, March 13, 2014

What sledding on a car hood taught me about life

I always looked forward to spring! How about you? Do hopes of green grass and budding trees and flowers get your heart pumping? Especially after the long winter we have had this year. This year reminded me of the winters I used to experience when I was a kid growing up. I remember one year the snow being so deep we could build forts out of the mounds of drifted snow that lay on the ground. Along with forts also came the tremen-

dous opportunity for sled riding down the steep hills that surrounded my little town. Once, we had a hill so perfectly packed with snow that the sledding was terrific, however not quite fast enough for adventurers like the guys I hung out with. So my buddy Floyd, who was a lot bigger than he was bright, went to his back yard and got the hood to an old '57 Chevy and decided that this would be the speed demon we had been looking for to really take that ultimate down hill ride on that perfect hill. He attached a string to it and we all pulled it to the top of that monster slope so our adventure could begin. Once to the top we all piled in and Floyd

Gaining an understanding of Lent

This week I was granted the privilege, once again, of speaking with Father Bob Lengerich 0 of St. Dominic's Catholic Church in Bremen. I spoke to him because, originally, the focus of my column was to discuss Lent and ways in which other churches celebrate this season. Being Mormon, I was never granted the luxury of learning about what I see as a very strange practice giving up a food or activity you enjoy for 40 days. I never understood the benefit of depriving yourself of chocolate for 40 days. It takes 28 days to develop or nix a habit and, therefore, in my mind, you wouldn't crave these things after giving them up for that length of time. "Lent is kind of like being Mormon for 40 days," Father Bob's first statement to me was a joke. Not long after, scrolling through my Facebook feed, I saw a post by my sister-in-law: "No, I don't give up anything for Lent.

March is National Nutrition Month and springtime is a grand time to work at getting back to healthier eating. Sometimes when I am presenting programs I ask questions like, "Why do you eat?" or "Do you know what you should eat?" Surveys show that at least 64 percent of Americans are overweight o&<jfe#se and unfortunately that number is growing. Many of the experts are debating and thinking that certain kinds of foods are adding on the pounds. Just about all of us know this but the fact is our health greatly depends on moderation in food and exercise. They are the best ways to manage our weight and prevent heart disease and cancer. A popular question that is being asked is, "What's making Americans over-weight, the fat or the carbohydrates There have been many diets that eliminate whole food groups, like carbohydrates. The problem is that when one goes off the diet and returns to old eating habits the weight comes back on. You have read it before and know it, if you want to loose weight and stay health, you have to eat fewer calories and exercise more. The idea or practice of simply cutting

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This week’s Pastor Corner By Pastor Byrl Shaver

flying. One difference between a sled and a car hood became obvious quite quickly, there is NO steering on a car hood so you are at the mercy of the grace of God as to where your flying machine was headed with no chance of course direction at all! When my brother and I saw how hopeless this all seemed, that with the fact we were headed straight for the highway and a thick grove of trees that soon followed, we forsook the better part of valor and bailed out. The last we saw Floyd and the rest of the gang they were heading across the highway with sparks flying off Chevy hood at about 90 mph straight for the grove of trees.

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I'm Mormon. We freaking do that 365 days a year." Father Bob's statement had been confirmed through a silly Facebook post. Mormons don't celebrate Lent. Instead, we strive for continuous self-improvement daily, rather than once or twice per year. However, in talking to Father Bob, I learned a good bit of information about the history of Lent that many churches celebrate. A practice that began over 2,000 years ago, Lent was part of the cleansing process prior

Why Do You Eat?

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out whole categories of foods from your eating does not work long term and it is not healthy. We all need to learn and practice how to choose the healthful fats and carbohydrates. The Health experts recommend reducing overall fat intake for heart health and reducing weight. The research shows that some fate, used in moderation, may have health benefits. Highly monounsaturated fats like canola and olive oil are considered to be "heart healthy." Similarly, omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish, flaxseed, walnuts, canola and soybean oils may help protect against cancer. The questionable fate that some cancer research studies show to be unhealthy are the saturated fate from animal proteins. These would be red meat, whole milk and

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Opinion

"gave a final shove at the top to get us going and off we went Being young we had no idea of the ramifications of the slickness of the car hood in combination with a perfectly combed hill! Picking up speed was a mild description of what we were -doing...l'm not sure we weren't

Editok's Pasncmt By Dani Molnar, Editor

Food and Nutrition By Mary Ann Lienhart Cross ,

to baptisms, which took place on Easter. They would prepare for 40 days, just as Jesus had prepared for the crucifixion in the desert. Other Christians could relate to the process and would feel bad for these people and join them to support their preparation. Today, Lent is known as a period of selfimprovement, but according to Father Bob, we’re also called to do more during this time. "It’s supposed to be a time of generosity especially to the poor," Father Bob explained. As for the actual personal practice and fasting, much of it is up to the individual, although the Catholic Church does have their own unique traditions associated with it such as the 14 Stations of the Cross. Father Bob continued to increase my understanding as he explained "Ideally, you give up something during Lent that you'd

whole milk products like cheese and butter. Fat moderation also means that you limit the use of products that contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oil which contain trans fatty adds. At one time most margarine some compfc, nies have created do not; yqju, need to read the labelsP * u'ii' 1! ' , Many of us are eating too many refined carbohydrates like white sugar, white rice, and processed cereals. These foods raise your insulin levels and in turn encourages you to overeat. Then your body stores the excess fat at the waist and hips. What we need to eat more of is unrefined carbohydrates such as whole wheat, brown rice, and bran cereals. These foods are digested more slowly and contain dietary fiber that solid research evidence shows is linked to lower colon cancer risks. You also need to eat cancer-fighting vitamins and phytochemicals in fiber-rich foods like beans, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. You would never want to dismiss these foods because they are carbohydrates and are very good for you. Abandoning fruits and vegetables because they also con-

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I think that sometimes our life is like that car hood, we just keep picking up speed without retog the directum we find ourselves headed. That's why I love Spnng, actually any change of season will do, so we can refocus and get a sense of direction and see where it is that God is leading us. I am thankful for fresh starts and new beginnings available to us all through the wonderful grace of Jesus. Look at these words from Ephesians 2: 7-10. Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing. I welcome Spring and the fresh start that we can have everyday!

like to give up permanently." He added that during this time, you receive special help from God. At St. Dominic's, Father Bob has started a tradition of growing Amerillas and Paper Whites in the church during the Lenten season. "Flowers need light and warmth and fertilizer and dirt and God gives us all those things through the Cross,” he explained. "Sometimes it's hard to measure our own spiritual growth but when you see a plant growing maybe it will help." I really like this idea of growing flowers (or something I don't dislike) around my home as a reminder to continually grow and become better. I know there are many churches like mine who do not celebrate Lent, but I believe that continual physical growth is imperative for continued spiritual growth.

tain carbohydrates would prove disastrous to your health. A much wiser course is to eat moderate portions of the types of carbohydrates and fats that are good for your long term health. Extension Elkhart County is offer- . ingjtyo programs targeted towards healthy, eating and cooking. On Thursday, March 13 join us at the Extension Office for 'Smart Cooking.' This free, educational program is being offered at two times: 1 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. If you would like to attend, please call the extension office to register at 574-533-0554. The second program offered by Purdue Extension Elkhart County is a fourweek series titled "Dining with Diabetes." This program is targeted towards those with type II diabetes and their caretakers. This series is being offered Tuesday, April 8, 15, 22 and 29. Participants are encouraged to attend all four sessions at either 1 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. Registration information can be found on our office website at www.ces. purdue.edu/elkhart or by calling the extension office at the above mentioned number.

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