labels

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Why You Should Aways Read Labels

It’s always important to read labels on products you’re going to use.

iodine bottle

I remember the iodine bottle we used to have in our medicine cabinet when I was growing up. Even the dark brown colour of the bottle with that rubber eye dropper top made it look like there was danger.

But the real clue that this product was not to be fooled with was the skull and crossbones that was front and centre on the label or stamped right onto the glass bottle.

The bottom line is labels are meant to be read, like, for instance, the stuff I cleaned my trailer with last week. I got a big bottle of “Spray Nine” to clean the outside of our trailer/cottage. The trailer has vinyl siding and this stuff is apparently good for cleaning and even disinfecting.

I poured the liquid from the bottle into a pail. I intended to use a brush with an expandable long handle to scrub the trailer. But as I was about to start, my brother said they just did it by hand. He told me he got up on a ladder and with a cloth cleaned the trailer.

“Well,” I thought, “Okay, I’ll give it a try.” I grabbed a rag, dipped my hand into the bucket and started to work. By that time the bottle with the instructions and warnings had been tossed aside.

I didn’t think of looking at it. I just merrily started to clean. As I did, I periodically nicked my hands and noticed that those nicks kind of stung … which you might think would get me to at least glance at the bottle to see if there were any warnings.

But no, I was on a roll and I wasn’t going to stop to check some label.

I kept moving and completed the project in about three hours. Of course, the first thing I did when I was done was to wash my hands. But three hours in straight undiluted Spray Nine was now wreaking havoc on my hands.

Ladies, forget botox or liposuction, or having the skin on your face pulled back behind your ears. I have an easier solution – just soak your face in Spray Nine for about an hour!

The skin on my hands was so tight, it felt like my skin had shrunk at least one size and now didn’t fit my hands any more.

The little nicks I got from washing the trailer by hand stung constantly for lasted for two days. After about three days, my hands still felt weird but also were a little fuzzy. Apparently, my skin was peeling!

It took about six days before my palms and the backs of my hands stopped shedding and I felt like my skin was back to normal.

My trailer looks great though.

Here’s the thing: Reading labels helps us know how to handle products. In the US, LifeWay Research found that “while 90% of church-goers desire to please and honour Jesus in all they do, only 19% read their Bible every day. In Canada, The Canadian Bible Engagement Survey revealed that only 11% of Canadians read their Bible weekly, down from 28% in 1996. It’s difficult to know how to handle your Christian life without reading the Bible. We need to get better at that.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What kind of a plan do you have to keep yourself engaged in reading the Bible? I’d really like to hear from you; you can leave your comment below.

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Let’s Drop the Label Already!

This past week I enrolled in a cardiac rehab clinic.  After having a heart attack in February, and wanting to get back to playing hockey this fall, I thought it would be a good idea.  I want to make sure I don’t have another heart attack … well, at least be aware of all the risks and preventions associated with heart attacks and hockey.

As I talk to medical people, however, I get a little discouraged with their language.  They always refer to me as having heart disease.  I have a hard time with that term “disease” because it sounds like it’s something you carry with you in your body.  I would much prefer to think that I had a heart attack and now I am better, thanks very much.  Let’s not dwell on it, let’s not rub it in, or make me feel like I am in some weakened condition.

There was a time long ago when people who were diseased were kept away from others.  In Bible times, if they did happen to get close to people, those with leprosy had to call out “unclean, unclean”.  At least no one’s making me do that.

People don’t even mind me shaking their hands.  From my best guess, I don’t think I’m passing on heart disease when I touch them … although my neighbour had bypass surgery about three weeks after I had my heart attack.  Maybe there’s something on my street that’s catching.

Before my heat attack I used to just check the “no” boxes on medical information forms, driver’s license renewals and insurance forms.  Now I have to check some “yes” boxes, and that’s a little upsetting.  It’s like the disease never lets you forget and move on.

I remember years ago a friend of mine  had an issue with gluten in his diet, and for a while, had to avoid eating anything with gluten in it.  I called him diseased during that time.  I even had a made up name for it, “glu-tone-eous disease.”  I still went to lunch with him, though I did make fun of him having to eat his Big Mac without the bun.  I thought it was pretty funny back then, but now that I have a disease associated with me, I’m feeling a little more sympathetic.

Probably my biggest concern with being associated with heart disease is that some people, specifically those in the medical profession, will always consider me as diseased.  It’s a label I’m going to have to live with the rest of my life.

But do me a favour, don’t spread it around.  I don’t want people crossing to the other side of the street when they see me coming.

Here’s the thing:  We get many labels attached to us in life.  Some of those labels we like, but some we don’t want to be stuck with.  Sometimes we try to fight the labels placed on us and sometimes we try to hide from being associated with them.  I think that being labeled “believer in Christ” can, at times, be difficult, but it is a label we should wear with pride.  Christ is, after all, Creator of this amazing world, Saviour of this sinful world, and the Lord of my life.  It’s a label I don’t want to shake.

Until Next Time!

Pastor Paul

Question: How do you view being labeled a “Christian” or “believer in Christ”?  Leave your comment below.