Too Many Treats

As a child there was nothing more amazing to me than the annual adventure of "Trick or Treating". The idea that I could go from house to house and simply say, "Trick or Treat" and these normally restrained adults would come to the front door and give me handfuls of candy and goodies until the grocery bag I was carrying would be completely full was almost beyond my understanding. It was crazy. I grew up with severe limitations on the amount of candy I was allowed to have but on this day, it was as if all the rules were suspended.

Thankfully this only comes around once a year - I would be a candy junky if this happened more often. Somehow even though I am not a child and have not gone "trick or treating" for quite some time, I still manage to eat a boatload of candy corn and chocolate during the last two weeks of October. I am eating too many treats. Get behind me, Candy Man!

Too much of anything can become a real problem in life - have you noticed? Work is a wonderful adventure, but too much will turn you into a "work-a-holic". Fitness is good for you - good for you physically and emotionally - but too much fitness can turn you into a fitness junky. Moderation is a word that has almost been lost to our manic way of life. We tend to be people who go overboard - busyness is the addiction of Western Culture. When I am busy, then I feel important and most of all, needed.

The word for moderation in the Bible is self-control. It is presented as evidence of maturity, both spiritual and emotional (Galatians 5:23; II Peter 1:6). Aristotle and Socrates both saw moderation of spirit as a sign of character and wisdom.

Around the corner and down the block from my house is a fellow who has lost all sense of moderation - he has huge inflatable bright orange pumpkins all over his front yard, along with orange lights strung all over his two story house. He has lost control. Next he will be decorating for Ground Hog Day and his house will be covered with hearts on Valentines! He needs a support group to attend to help him with this addiction to going overboard!

Just a few more days left until I can stop eating Candy Corn for another year - Thank goodness!

Just thinking, Steve