Day 306- A Seedy First

Today, I ate pumpkin seeds for my "first."

This seems to be the time of year to do this. People are decorating with pumpkins. Joel brought home a pumpkin and carved it.  Why not eat some pumpkin seeds?

I was not real sure how to eat them.  Should I eat the whole thing or just the inside part.  I looked on the bag and it read, "Eat, Spit, Be Happy."  Not exactly the most tantalizing food slogan I've ever read.  I took that to mean that I was to eat the inside and spit out the outside.  I used to do this a lot with sunflower seeds and figured I was pretty good at it.  I've either lost my knack at cracking seeds or the pumpkin seeds are a bit harder to crack open and get the kernel out than sunflower seeds are.  They were salty like sunflower seeds and the taste was kind of similar.

Laura tried them as well. She said they were not much of anything.  She felt like it was a lot of work for not much to eat.  She says that she ate them as a kid and she remembered them as being better than they were tonight.  The chicken tenders and mashed potatoes were much better; especially with the mustard sauce from Church's.

I've been reading a book lately about people who live a long time. The author has identified a few places around the world where people live a good bit longer than the average. He's been studying these groups for several years to find out why they live longer.  He's found out things that you would expect like diet and exercise.  Many of these eat a plant based diet with a good amount of seeds and nuts.  I'm not sure their seeds had as much salt as mine did.

Here's the interesting thing I learned as I read the book. The guy mentioned that in addition to diet and exercise, these people who live long tended to have a good network of friends, closely connected to family, and still felt useful. There are other factors as well, but as I read that it occurred to me that God tells us those things in the Bible.  God tells us to love each other as we love ourselves.  He tells us to honor our parents.  He tells us to serve one another.  The social scientists are discovering that what God said in His word is true.  Jesus has come to bring an abundant life.  We need a close relationship with God and each other.  That will help us live longer and more useful lives.  Then, in eternity we will be eternally grateful for those relationships.  Now, where did I put the pumpkin seeds?

Eating up the abundant life
Barry

3 things I thank God for today
1. Studies on longevity
2. God is faithful and true
3. Jumper cables