WoW addendum

I was thinking about my last post and realized a great example of following the WoW in refreshments. In a recent stake fireside I attended we had granola bars and yogurt instead of the usual cookies and other junk. This provided a lot grain which is a major emphasis in the WoW.

Word of Wisdom

The other day in class, my professor who isn't LDS was talking about the fact that there is cow fat in cupcakes you get in a vending machine. He's a vegetarian so this concerns him. Well, he said to one student, "This is for you," and then wrote 89 on the board. He was referring to the Word of Wisdom being in Section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants. This same professor apparently was having dinner at a restaurant and when another professor ordered a steak he said "Is it a time of famine or winter?"

My professor has a sense of humor and was joking; however, he is right. We so often treat the Word of Wisdom as no coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco or drugs. While it is this, it is also about having a healthy diet. My professor focused on meat. The WoW does tell us to eat meat sparingly with exceptions for winter or famine. Now this doesn't forbid meat, but it tells us to not eat much. I think a lot of us violate this in nearly every meal we eat. At the same time the WoW advises us to eat grain and mentions the "fruit of the vine" in such a way that it seems to mean fruits and vegetables. So basically the commandment in the WoW is to eat a lot of grain, eat fruits and vegetables, and eat meat sparingly (besides the usual things we focus on). That explaination will suffice for my argument.

So how do we do with the WoW? I've already mentioned that we as individuals often violate the dietary instructions. I personally have been recently trying to eat healthier. Several members of my family have told me they are doing the same. We try to work in vegetables, decrease meat portions, and increase grain. I like this. I feel better when I do it. Now what about the church? I was at a ward overnight activity. We were indexing all night long so we had food to keep us awake. The problem is it was mostly junk food. We had oh 40 types of candy, some chips, pizza and then 1 bag of vegetables with dip. While I appreciate the vegetables, I think we could be doing better. Now, think about the ward dinners/ linger longers that you have been to. I've been to plenty that are 1 part ham, 1 part potatoes and 0 parts vegetables or grains. While I might be happy about the huge portions I have to wonder why we so blatently ignore the WoW in church refreshments and dinners.

We can and should do better. I believe we can have good, healthy, tasty food that is in accordance with the WoW and within budget. I think if we can impliment this we will be blessed. Wouldn't it be great if an example for the proper way to live the WoW was set at all church activities? Next time you are planning a ward activity (or cooking for yourself) think about this. Your food choices can help us all be healthier, happier, and more obedient to God.