Okay, okay. I’d been reading and watching videos about everybody’s favorite de-tox drink. There were so many different varieties. So many different promises of benefits.

I almost got overwhelmed with the thought that I ought to be full scale de-toxing first thing in the morning when I wasn’t, and hadn’t. Ever!

All I’d ever done was drink plenty of clear, cold, refreshing Distilled Water before my morning coffee…sometimes with fresh-squeezed lemon juice thrown in the mix.

(No way I’m ever again drinking un-purified Tap Water, if I can at all avoid it. Uh-uh. Not happening.)

So what was I to do? Keep ignoring all the well-meant advice to drink something first thing when I wake up — after a hot shower usually! — that will get rid of all the nasties in my blood stream and cells and help me look better and live longer??!!!   …

(FINISHED THIS POST AFTER A LONG BLOGGING LAY-OFF…WILL EXPLAIN THE LAY-OFF IN MY NEXT POST!) …

I decided I was worth it. My health was worth it! So…here goes. A killer concoction for morning De-tox Tea that’s not too terribly difficult to make while you’re waking up!

My 7 Key Ingredients

BESIDES THE DISTILLED WATER

1. Black tea  I understand that green tea is better for you in some ways. And oolong tea is a good blend of black and green. But for me, there’s just something about good ol’ black tea that lights my fire–especially first thing in the morning!

I bring my 3 or 4 cups of distilled water to a boil in a sauce pan with the lid ON, then cut the heat, take off the lid, and add my 2-3 bags of black tea immediately! I like it strong!

2. Lemon slices   I simply cut 3-4 thin slices off a fresh lemon and plop ’em right in there!

3. Ginger gratings   I keep a few branches of ginger wrapped in a wet paper towel tucked inside a plastic bag in my refrigerator.  Using my steel or plastic grater, I rub an exposed section of branch 15-20 strokes against the grater over the hot tea/lemon water in the sauce pan and clean off any extra ginger stuck to the grater–right into the sauce pan!

4. Parsley leaves   I also keep several branches of parsley inside a wet towel in a plastic bag in my refrigerator. The parsley will keep for weeks, maybe even months this way! I simply take out my cheapie $1.00 plastic kitchen scissors and fine cut a nice bit of parsley right into the sauce pan as well. Probably the more the better, since parsley has so much going for it–for your health!

I re-cover the sauce pan to let my tea, lemon, ginger, and parsley steep for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, I prepare my empty big tea cup with:

5. Cayenne pepper  I choose a dash or two, or maybe three, depending on how “Hot!” I want my tea.

6. Organic Ground Vietnamese Cinnamon  I know, I know…it’s hard to get the ground cinnamon to mix in, because of its oiliness. But just put up with it. It’s that worth it in health benefits!

7. Apple Cider Vinegar   Depending on how much of this super-tart stuff you can handle, add it in.  Maybe just a very little, or maybe more.  I recommend you only use enough to keep your De-Tox Tea tasty for you, or you won’t want to go to the trouble to make and drink it!

After the distilled water/lemon/ginger/parsley steep for 10 minutes, simply place a metal strainer over your tea cup sitting in the sink, in case of overspill. Pick up the still-hot sauce pan and carefully pour–slowly!–until you’ve filled the tea cup.

Dump what’s caught in the strainer back into the sauce pan, and recover it for more steeping.

Then gently stir all the ingredients in your very hot tea cup for a moment, and carefully, slowly enjoy over several minutes of wonderful De-Tox Tea indulgence!!!!  AND IF YOU’RE A MIND TO, KEEP FILLING THAT CUP AND ENJOYING MORE DE-TOX TEA THROUGH THE MORNING, IF YOU CAN!

ENJOY!

Last time, I mentioned that if you ever get Mono, immediately go see your Doctor and get diagnosed to confirm the illness you have…then rest and rest and rest. Don’t go to work. Don’t go to school. Probably for at least two months, maybe longer. Everybody’s immune system handles the EBV Virus a bit differently. You may be lucky and get well quicker, but you might not. Go with reality and take care of yourself.

Do this by also taking your good-quality vitamins and drink lots of healthy fluids…

and be sure to get a prescription for mild anti-depressants.

I can’t overemphasize this last point enough. Mono attacks your emotions. You feel horribly down, bummed out, perhaps even suicidal, if you don’t get some help. So don’t hesitate to ask your doctor for some chemical help for your potentially disastrous Mono moods!

Enough of that! Let’s move on…

Okay, what were the other 4 “Secrets” or tips that helped me

through 3 illnesses back to back to back over a year and a half?

1. Stay in close touch with a family member and/or friend who can truly show compassion and help you the entire time you are ill with Mono. For me, since I am still not re-married, that meant  not just pouring out my woes to my beloved elderly father every day but also phone calls and FaceTime with a very dear long-distance friend for months and months. We talked some at some point almost every day and at length in the evenings.
2. With flu (BTW, I have NO trust in flu shots, just sayin’…), the same prescription applies as with Mono. Stay in bed! Don’t take your viral infection to work or to the store or anywhere else, if you can at all avoid it! But also, while you stay at home, drink and pee, drink and pee, drink and pee. The more fluids you can take in — along with perhaps TamiFlu, and Vitamin C and D3 (a few thousand units a day) — the better off you’ll be.
3. If you have a diffuser with anti-depressant essential oils that you love, use them. If you don’t have them, get them at all costs. Breathing in therapeutic smells — like the scents of Frankincense and Orange or Peppermint and Eucalyptus Oil — and the physical/brain benefits of certain healing oils can be a great help.
4. Remember that this Grand Vitality blog is about seeking zest in body, soul, and wallet? Mono and flu can definitely put hits on all three! Concerning your soul, I have to say that while you’re sick, you probably won’t feel too spiritual. You may get depressed and even sullen or angry. Don’t get down on yourself — especially if you miss church and/or personal study/meditation/prayer times that you are used to benefitting from. But do cry out to the Lord in your weakness! Psalm 34 talks about how the Lord is near those who are hurting and helps those who trust in Him when they are totally bummed out.

In addition to these little tips, I’ll mention that I tried out some anti-Mono Chinese herbs: Olive Leaf Extract Capsules and Astragalus, along with L-Lysine. I do believe these helped when I finally did the research online and learned about them!

I got my L-Lysine (fights all Herpes viruses, and Mononucleosis comes from that family of viruses) at the local Walmart and the other two helps online. They’re available from multiple sources on Amazon.

After you’re over the bad symptoms of Mono completely, you should still continue to take the Chinese Herbs regularly to help keep the virus under control in your system. At least, that’s what they say!

Okay!

Ah! Back toward health at last! And soon I’ll be giving you feedback on my new Ninja 1000 Fruit Smoothie Maker and my new Aroma Rice and Veggie Steamer. Since I got these a few months ago, I’ve been able to change my diet and lost 15 lbs.!!!!!  Plus, I’ll be telling you more about …

PROLOTHERAPY! THE HEALER OF OLD INJURIES AS WELL AS NEW!

After more than two long months since my last blog (when I was still really sick but doin’ my darnedest to get something written for you!), I’m back…

…and I’ll start my beloved blogging again today by saying that as you read this, I have no idea whether you too have ever suffered a great tragedy in your life, physically and/or emotionally.

If you have, maybe it’s been from young romance, or adult romance, and love lost that almost did you in. Or even more seriously, you may have suffered from the painful, untimely passing of a close family member or friend. More than once.

Or maybe you’ve been injured in a car accident or at work or on the sports field and been cooped up “forever,” joylessly removed from your schooling and/or the athletic pursuit or recreation or job you’ve lived for.

For all of the above — I’ve also been there, done that, have the T-shirts and bumper stickers and coffee cups.

But more recently, I’ve been through a long period of no-joke misery just as I’ve been approaching my senior years — from multiple back-to-back-to-back illnesses combined with injury.

So, if you, like me, know what it is to go through prolonged “Pits of Despair” (Pilgrim in Pilgrim’s Progress might have called it the “Long Slough of Despond”!) that I’ve been through over the past 18 months from late September of ’16 until just recently, this blog is for you.

Allow me to sum up how in the world I could have been either fully or partly out of commission for a year and a half.

One, I got Mono at age 60. Really.

A quick peck on the lips from someone who didn’t know they were still contagious? Mistakenly sharing an eating utensil with the same? Whatever. I got the dreaded Mono virus. After never having contracted it all my life. (80-90% of adults have the EBV virus in their blood streams.)

And I was still fighting that dastardly Epstein-Barr Virus’s symptoms when I tried to at least get some encouraging exercise. Mono nails you emotionally and you can feel absolutely desperate to get some sunshine, fresh air, and exercise. (Be sure and take some mild anti-depressants and heavy doses of Vitamin C and D3 if you do ever get Mono!)

Anyway, I tried to revive my spirits by taking a risk to go play some golf.

Which led to…

Two, I re-injured my lower back. Big time.

While still sick with Mono.

Arghh. The beautiful golfing outdoors in the sun was giving me a definite boost and I felt encouraged to take back swings too demanding for my lower back. I re-aggravated an old, unhealed injury. Months of pain ensued, even after treatment. Never got addicted to my pain meds, but…

…just before Christmas…

Three, I also caught the flu. Even bigger time.

While still sick with Mono.

This past winter’s flu virus was a monster. I heard from my daughter and son-in-law in Texas that they thought they were gonna die. It was that powerfully miserable an experience. And they’re still only 36 and 46 years old, respectively.

When I myself caught that same flu on top of Mono, I REALLY thought I was gonna die. Could hardly get out of bed to go to the restroom, which I had to do often because I was drinking so much water to keep hydrated.

But the flu came and went. The Mono lingered. Oh, joy.

Still, my suffering wasn’t done yet…

Last but not least,

Four. I got a

horrendous back molar cavity

that spread infection all through my body…

…and could have killed me.

You know how they say, “Brush your teeth. And floss. And even use a water pic. And when you’re not at the moment involved in doing those things, be sure and rinse any sugar off your teeth.”

Well, I at least did the first thing — once a day on the advice years ago of a dentist who was absolutely convinced that too much brushing was abusive to your gums. And my present-day “rescue” dentist said I actually had good oral health. But my cavity was way in the back and way deep. And it got to be a monster before it finally hit a big nerve.

When it did, my dear friend with me almost freaked out, my pain and suffering were so bad. Excruciating pain to my head, to my eye, to my jaw, and all through my neck muscles. Need I describe further?

And multiple medical people let me know that such an infection could have gone to my heart and ended my brief sojourn on this glorious planet Earth.

Enough for now. Next time, the five wonderful secrets of how I survived — and overcame! — all this. Promise!

Okay, okay…I’ll reveal a little already. Here’s the first secret.

If you get Mono, stop everything you’re doing and rest. Stay in bed. Don’t try to keep working or going to school. Rest. And rest. And rest.

First, of course, you’ll want to go to the doctor and let him or her take tests that will confirm your diagnosis. Then rest and take all your vitamins, like I’ve said, along with mild anti-depressants from your doctor’s prescription.

If you do, you could overcome Mono in just a few months.

Otherwise, you’re in for a real fight, emotionally as well as physically, that could last way, way too long.

It helps in this world if you know how to Google the right question.

At first, when I started my quest to fight what I thought originally was Mononucelosis, I only posed the search engine queries that would take me to conventional Western medicine sites on my iMac or iPad or iPhone. (Yup, I’m an Apple guy…)

And I learned quite a bit. I’m glad I at least investigated what “modern medicine” had to say about EBV, the dreaded and debilitating Epstein-Barr Virus that I THOUGHT I’d contracted back in September of 2016 — apparently by taking into my mouth even a tiny little bit of saliva from someone who was still contagious but probably didn’t know it.

However.  

After a year of only knowing what Western medicine could tell me,

I was still sick and miserable.

Finally, when doing one of my desperate acts of trying to feel better by going out to actually play 9 holes of golf, I swung too vigorously and re-injured my lower back, which sent me for badly needed prolotherapy to…

 D.O. Mary Harrow of Colorado Springs, Colorado  

and her Center For Vital Health.

 Her specialty is treating any old nagging sports

or work injuries involving muscles and ligaments.

More details on that later in another blog.  But right after receiving my prolotherapy treatment, I complained to Dr. Harrow about what I thought was my ongoing Mono struggle and asked if she knew anything at all that could help me. (After all, she is a D.O.)

Casually stating that Mono was chronic, as if there were no other versions of the disease to be hoped for, she did mention two things that might offer some help. She made it clear she wasn’t prescribing anything, because “treating Mono” can be really iffy-tricky.

Nevertheless, she wrote down for me…

Instructions on how to get from a nearby pharmacy

a 15-week pack of megadose D3 (cost $10). 

And…

she let her assistant sell me two things

from her own available stock:

1. Klaire Labs Ther-Biotic Complete

A 25-Billion+ Multi-Species Probiotic Supplement

$60 (about a dollar a day)

– and – 

2. Blue Ice Cinnamon Tingle Fermented Cod Liver Oil,

A Natural Source of Omega 3, 6, 7, and 9 Fatty Acids.

$40…and how long will it last?

I wish I could say that I’ve gotten all healed from what I thought was Mono by taking these expensive supplements.

All I can say is, they’ve helped a little.

I did learn from my father, when his 85-year-old memory finally served him, that he himself had years ago been diagnosed with a severe Vitamin D deficiency and had been prescribed a “professional regimen” of the supplement to recover. He takes 5,000 IU’s a day regularly now.

So there was reason to believe the powerful Ortho Molecular Products Vitamin D3 50,000 IU capsules would eventually make a radical difference in my Mono symptoms. I don’t eat much dairy or other foods with Vitamin D3 and don’t get all that much sunshine since I work indoors.

Well, here’s what’s actually happened. After taking only one weekly capsule, I did feel a rush of energy. And 12 weeks into my 15-week treatment, I regularly feel an energetic surge on the day I take my Vitamin D3 megadose.

But the seemingly inescapable symptoms of feverish headache, body aches, and fatigue were — until four weeks ago — still with me way too often (though the depression had finally lifted!) .

A few exceptions of “normal feelings” occurred here and there after plenty of rest and good diet and little exercise. If I violated any of these principles, though, I relapsed, so to speak.

But then…

One day I decided I hadn’t searched enough.

And I Googled the question:

“How do I fight Chronic Mononucleosis?”

Whoa!

Suddenly, I was facing a plethora of resources.

There were videos galore from both professionals and regular individuals, with lots of recommended homeopathic herbal treatments, etc.

Next time, I’ll tell you what I sank my money into…and let you know how things are going!

It’s horribly dreaded.

It’s pathetically debilitating.

I’ve got the retrovirus infection called simply Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. 

(Updated: March 2, 2020 … I had originally thought my illness was a prolonged cased of the flu. Then I thought it had to be Mono…even Chronic Mononucleosis. But my Nutritionist at Lifetime Fitness asked me a few questions — had a gotten a sore throat or swollen lymph glands, the answers both being no! — and I was told I had something just as difficult to bear…CFS. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.)

Back in late September of 2016 — before I ever gave a new start to this blog called Grand Vitality in my personal “Quest for Zest in Body, Soul, and Wallet” — I somehow contracted a retroviral infection at the age of 60.

And I’ve been fighting it ever since. The following paragraphs are what I first wrote when I thought I had Mono…

Well, first off, how in the world did I catch this monster that’s part of the family of viruses called Epstein-Barr?! EBV, as you surely know, is commonly referred to as “the kissing disease.” How could I have gotten it…

..when I wasn’t kissing any ladies back then? I’ve been divorced for 20 years now and wasn’t dating at the time! I had my hunches. I could have inadvertently shared eating/drinking utensils with a contagious young relative at a family dinner who wasn’t showing symptoms — a scenario that’s quite possible, I’ve learned.

Or maybe when my young niece gave me a quick peck on the mouth to say goodbye at the end of some other family get-together — she’d been officially diagnosed with it but was “over it” — she unwittingly infected me, not aware she was still contagious for a year after seeing all her own symptoms disappear.

Whatever. I got it. And I wished I hadn’t.

I eventually researched and learned from one source that the longest recorded case of Mono lasted 18 months. But there are other articles online that say there is a possibility Mono can drag on and on, month after month after month…for who knows how long?

Then there is…chronic mononucleosis. In which case your symptoms never go away.

And there is its derivative — Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Yikes.

AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE, AFTER ALL. 

ITS MEDICAL NAME IS MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS.

I waited for months for my symptoms to go away. I wanted badly to be rid of the flu-like headaches and body aches and deep-seated fatigue in my bones and muscles. Even more, I wanted to be free of my EBV-induced depression. At times, I would have given anything just to feel an ounce of joy and real hope!

So I often felt desperate to hit the gym and pump iron again — and I did, here and there — just to get a burst of good adrenaline and endorphins. I even practiced golf on the driving range and chipping green, soaking up the sunshine and fresh air.

But it was almost impossible to do more than a little exercise at a time. Nothing more at the gym than a mere quick run-through. And I could never get through a full work day as a freelance writer.

The feeling of being totally alive for more than brief spurts, then, was gone. And for good, it seemed. I had to constantly take naps. I had to stay in bed at night for 12-14 hours. And when I woke, rather than feeling refreshed, I felt like I had just come down with the flu.

It was a battle just to get out of bed.

So….was this going to go on forever?

How to fight back?

I can’t cover it all today in this Part 1, but I will tell you what I did to at least launch my PERSONAL BATTLE AGAINST WHAT IS CALLED CFS – CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME...back when I still thought it was Mono.

1. I renewed my determination to steadily make and drink my own homemade kombucha. Though it’s an hour-long hassle to prepare every couple of weeks, I’ve felt too strongly (to ever quit doing it) the revitalizing effect of this near-miraculous immune system-building fermented treat that has all kinds of good stuff in it. Using a locally purchased, self-multiplying SCOBY — stands for symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast — I made strawberry kombucha, ginger-lemon kombucha, and just plain ol’ lemon-and-sugar kombucha using organic black tea and organic sugar. Yum.
2. I also made home-made goat milk kefir. Same story as with the kombucha. I could definitely tell the difference in my vitality when I did or didn’t drink it. But I eventually had repercussions from the dairy — drainage, coughing — and had to stop.
3. More recently, I even purchased a refrigerated probiotic capsule supply from my D.O. here in Colorado, Mary Harrow. I knew I’d partly ruined my gut environment (where 70% or more of our immune system lives) from heavy antibiotic treatment in my youth and adult years past.  I needed all the good bacteria in my system I could get.
4. All along, from my local Whole Foods or Sprouts store I purchased cold fermented probiotic sauerkraut and kimchi . Love them both, though they’re a challenge to eat regularly because they are so full of “sour power.” I struggle often to remember to eat one of them with various meals, but it’s worth it to get the benefits of these excellent immune system builders loaded with probiotic strength.

With these four strategies…and lots of rest…                                                                 …slowly, slowly, I’ve made progress in feeling better.

But I’ve not returned yet to being able to work out vigorously. If I do more than a few reps on any weight resistance machine at LifeTime Fitness or even walk too vigorously on the road near my home, I relapse into bad flu-like symptoms within 24 hours.

So I’ve several times had to pay the price for my zeal by collapsing back into bed for a day or even two, missing life and work and everything else.

But thanks to the Maker of Heaven and Earth….!

That’s not the end of my story. I’ve recently made some discoveries. And I’m eager to tell you about them.

Maybe I can help you or someone you know. Read on to Part 2 of this blog!

Hey sorry, everyone, for the long delay since the post of Part 1 of this blog! I suffered a debilitating lower back re-injury playing golf and — to add injury to insult — had a long bout with the flu too. So I’ve been laid up for quite a while and necessarily out of my computer work chair. Thanks for your patience.

The good news is I actually survived and recuperated at home from one of the worst battles with flu misery I’ve ever experienced — rather than having to go to the hospital or even die, as some did.

Furthermore I obtained healing help for my back through…drum roll, please… D.O. Mary Harrow’s prolotherapy! 

More on that particular amazing phenomenon later on…

Now, then, on with the show concerning the air we breathe and romance!

As we talked about in Part 1, back in 1974 the Hollies put out a slow-paced romantic ballad that went ’round the world. Lovers everywhere played the pop tune on their radios or stereos. They probably had on The Air That I Breathe often when it was time for some good romancing, and today — 44 years later — people still discover the song and love it.

Even an iron-pumping athlete like me. As I stated before, just because you love sports action and developing strong muscles doesn’t mean you can’t have a deep appreciation for tender romantic love, and the Hollies were definitely all about that in their hit song.

Also as I discussed, the ballad’s theme is powerful and reminds me of 3 vital things in life. But first, do you remember that somewhat implied theme? Here’s a chaste summary (avoiding unnecessary graphic detail):

After vigorous loving conjugality, there is a wonderful

God-designed physical peace that is like nothing else.

In those moments of post-coital bliss,

you can feel that the only thing in life you really need is…

The Air That I Breathe.

Now, for a quick recap (from two months ago!) of the Three Vital Things that wonderful theme reminds me of:

1. We humans should protect the purity and privacy of our nakedness and intimacy. There’s no place for porn. It destroys. We can write poems and sing songs about lovemaking, but that’s a far cry from parading loveless sexual function in front of a camera and creating a whole world full of voyeurs. God through King Solomon gives us a model in the Biblical writing called Song of Songs, showing us exactly how to refer to romantic love without getting…well, too graphic…and without recommending that we expose ourselves publicly. This is what many ancient peoples did — including the Romans — in their perverse religious fertility rites, and what way too many people still do today for one of the gazillions of porn sites.
2. We humans are not supposed to be like birds and animals and insects that bolt up and away right after intimate connection in order to get back to normal business. After our lovemaking, we should linger. Snuggle. Cuddle. Keep communicating. Keep loving. The Lord and Master of the Universe is relational. And he wants us to nurture romance even after we’ve worked hard to physically “connect.” Guys, take heed to my wisdom here and your woman will love you for it!
3. The wonderful song by the Hollies, The Air That I Breathe, indirectly touches on a not-so-romantic but extremely vital subject today: Indoor Air Quality. What if our indoor air has become polluted and with every single breath we draw into our lungs (and therefore into our blood stream and organs and brain), we’re harming the daily function of the only bodies we have to live in on this planet? Just like our souls can be corrupted with porn, so can our bodies get trashed out at a critical cellular level with toxic indoor air particulates that can make us sick and even kill us. Think Airborne Hospital Acquired Infections that kill 50,000 people a year in this country alone. That’s more than all the car crashes and heart attacks combined. Also think allergies, asthma, COPD, headaches and listlessness, etc. — and therefore work time or enjoyable living time missed!

Okay, so here’s the scoop about our indoor air…

Scientists are warning us that it’s gotten bad. Like, really bad. 5-10 times worse than outdoor air,where we already know there’s manufacturing and diesel exhaust pollution and chemtrail things falling out of the sky on us, etc.

But what we may not be aware of is that it’s gotten way, way bad indoors because all that outdoor pollution eventually wafts its way — riding on various winds and breezes hundreds or even thousands of miles —  through our door and windows and gets trapped where we live and work in our furniture, drapes, carpets, walls, etc. There it accumulates..

…affecting us in dire fashion where we hang out 90% of the time.

Even in new or newer business buildings, homes, apartment complexes, schools, medical facilities, etc., with every breath we take indoors, we’re breathing in a long list of invisible and easy-to-ignore nasty stuff:

Ladies, you’re going to love this. Especially if your guy doesn’t quite yet embrace the wisdom just ahead. Maybe you can get him to read this article.

Guys, I strongly recommend you take to heart the insights I’m about to share. You can thank me later.

Let’s start with a little history, then get to the main point…

Back in 1974, a British rock group called the Hollies came out with one of the best romantic songs of all time. The Air That I Breathe captivated lovers — and wannabe lovers — everywhere, with its iconic melody and lyrics.

And this tune wasn’t just for ordinary lovers or artsy-wimpy lovers. It was also for strong, iron-pumping athletes like me. Loved the song back in ’74 and still do. Just because you love sports action and building strong muscles doesn’t mean you can’t love tender romance too.

In fact, just the opposite.

But before I disclose in detail — or remind you of — what the song’s about, let me make a very strong point here. I want it clear that I am nearing my senior citizen years and have the sensibilities of a compassionate Conservative Christian. With what I’ve learned in life to this point, I’m pretty darn sure we should all avoid being too overly detailed in relating sensual-sexual material in print or in photos or in movies or in video clips (ministerial or medical training and treatment aside, of course).

Vital Thing #1: Human nakedness and intimacy are not righteously intended for public consumption. Inappropriate self-exposure is sicko-perverse and has always been at the heart of rituals in Old Testament Ba’al worship, as well as its modern-day descendants, that God utterly hates and condemns.

The Song of Solomon from the Bible, though, is wonderful. It will, therefore, be our style guide, and I’ll do my best to adhere to the wise king’s way of expressing himself in matters of romantic love and intimacy.

That said, I’m going to tell the truth. After all, God clearly made us as males and females, sexual creatures with desires and instincts and special anatomical differences and all of that. Our Creator takes delight in the whole intimacy process when it is pure — but hates it, of course, when it’s corrupted and therefore a rip-off. (That’s where porn is such a fraudulent activity. It is never based on love. It’s just depraved, degraded sexual function paraded before a camera to create dark-minded voyeurs everywhere.)

If we’re going to have Grand Vitality in life, then, we need wholesome, loving intimacy in private. Anything less puts a serious hit on our psychological, spiritual, and even physical health.

Okay, before we go further, here’s the Wikipedia summary about the song serving as our key illustration today.

The Air That I Breathe

“The Air That I Breathe” is a ballad written by Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood, initially recorded by Albert Hammond on his 1972 album It Never Rains in Southern California. This song was a major hit for The Hollies in early 1974, reaching number two in the United Kingdom. In the summer of 1974, the song reached number six in the United States on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number three on the Adult Contemporary chart. In Canada, the song peaked at number five on the RPM Magazine charts. The audio engineering for “The Air That I Breathe” was done by Alan Parsons. It proved to be the Hollies’ final charting hit in the US.

 Now, if you Google the song’s lyrics and discern its clear message, you see that it’s about that wonderful physical peace lovers experience when they have just consummated together a fantastic lovemaking experience. I know, I know. The songwriter doesn’t mention whether the lady is his wife or not. We’ll intentionally give him a pass on this.

But note that the fellow who is testifying through the song’s lyrics says he doesn’t need a thing but the air that he’s breathing. He doesn’t need a cigarette, and he doesn’t need to sleep. He needs no light or sound. He doesn’t need anything to eat or a book to read.

Go to http://www.austinpureair.com and/or                                       http://www.genano.com to

investigate the world’s ultimate Indoor Air Purifiers.

For the past two blogs, I’ve exalted Jack and Rebecca, Randall and Kate and Kevin…five unbelievably realistic and powerful characters in the Pearson family of This Is Us. If you haven’t yet checked out this TV series on NBC, I couldn’t more highly recommend it!

Now, please understand that at age 61, I am gravitating more and more away from watching TV. Even many of my formerly beloved NFL games on Sundays and through-the-summer nightly Colorado Rockies contests are getting replaced with more productive activities. I’m also keeping my drama-watching down to the very best shows (for my tastes) like Scorpion and Madam Secretary and Nashville — in order to move back to more consistent Bible study, novel reading, and writerly skills development training.

Still, I can’t help but praise This Is Us. Two enthusiastic thumbs up. It’s that good.

However, one day when that show is all over (if that day ever comes), and I’ve gone on with my life…how much of the drama from This Is Us will have impacted my character deep inside? How much will it have transformed me?

I’m thinking that only knowing God more and more  can really do that. They say you become like who or what you admire, even adore. You especially become like those who have captivated your attention the most, the ones you spend the most time with and listen to the most.

When we’re young, that’s our parents or guardians.

But soon, we can get introduced to God himself, through observing nature and asking deep questions…

…then through hearing His main message, which is recorded in the Bible and is about His Son and the price He paid to save us.

Both of those pursuits require something far different from passivity in my recliner. They require serious attention and heart-searching and dealing with the voice of God’s Spirit speaking at the very core of my existence.

And then! After getting well along in the pursuit and appreciation of those two parts of knowing God, I can advance further. I can continue on into a steadily active, seeking, progressive pursuit of Scriptural truth that helps me know God like I’ll never know Jack and Rebecca, or Randall and Kate and Kevin from This Is Us.

Warning: Mere observance of church rituals and “going through the motions” at church has little to do with what really allows us to know God. Millions of people on earth are deceived at this point, and they need to wake up and smell the spiritual coffee.

Difference #3: If I truly want to know and understand God — this was something God told Jeremiah the prophet was to be valued above all else in life and something to really
“boast about” — I must diligently learn of the Bible’s full revelation through listening to emotionally mature, theologically sound pastors and teachers on a regular basis.

I’ve gotten to know fairly well the This Is Us characters with only one hour a week of exposure to their drama on TV. I’ve kicked back, relaxed, and simply watched and listened.

But with spiritual truth, I’ve got to get a bit more serious than that. What really helps at this point is to listen closely to qualified presenters and even take notes. When I do this, I find myself wanting to ponder, and discuss, and think some more and pray. I come back to the same verses that my pastors and teachers have directed my attention toward before, so that I can reconsider and ponder yet again, and pray again.

In a word, I steadily and aggressively seek to know God through understanding — and living out in my faith and actions! — more of the powerful truth of Scripture.

And here’s the thing: I need to progress on this journey with a sincere heart that I guard from the corruptions of the world threatening me at all times. If I go rogue and turn immoral in my behavior in spite of being a believer in Christ, forget getting to know God better until I repent. Yes, I know that young and/or “carnal” Christians can actually act just as bad as, or worse than, “the lost” of this world.

Is, then, my pursuit of God to be a frantic all-out rush? Should I become desperate and obsessed?  Not at all. We only truly grow like trees and grass grow. Quietly. Steadily. Slowly. Without a lot of fanfare and fuss. We don’t draw attention to it, we just do it…by feeding on spiritual nutrients and drawing in “Son-shine” and rain as we bask in the knowledge of the great love of God.

So…this begs the question: do Sunday School and Vacation Bible School alone when I am a kid, and a weekly sermon now as an adult, meet my lifelong need for this kind of learning? No way. Those things are excellent, but they only get me started.

In fact, I hungered way back in college for more and more understanding of God and Christianity so I dropped my Business major then my English major, keeping them as minors while I put Theology classes at the top of my priority list and got a degree in Bible. I also studied devotionally on my own, memorizing many verses.

Then I went on to Seminary — without any particular ministry calling — because I just wanted to keep learning.

But not everyone needs to do formal training. I was destined to become a Youth Minister for over 10 years, so I did. But we all can study and grow closer to, and more knowledgeable of, God without formal theological studies.

Sorry, Jack and Rebecca, but when I turn the TV off and am not watching your show anymore, I’m not going to “study you” any further.

I will, however, study God. Humbly and persistently. Not becoming arrogant in my “knowledge” but all the time becoming more a servant to the glorious Lord Jesus Christ who is infinitely good and loving to me.

Special note: Baby Christians — and even older but still immature believers — can and do stumble badly at times. Especially if they get deceived and become either arrogant or fearful. As one wise pastor taught, Satan has a strategy for your destruction. And I’ve come to understand that generational curses and sin patterns run deep and insidious.

Anyway, J. I. Packer, in his all-time super-brilliant classic entitled Knowing God, emphasizes that there is no higher, greater pursuit in this life than drawing close to, and seeking to contemplate and understand the greatness of, God himself. All other things in our star-crossed earthly pilgrimages will fade away in significance. How much I know God in this life, though, makes a huge difference in my forever and ever.

On this subject, aside from John Eldredge’s Wild At Heart 3-book series, I can’t recommend any other author or book more than I do J. I. Packer’s Knowing God. It takes real intellectual and spiritual work to get through the book. But is it ever worth it!

Difference #4: I can seek the knowledge of God on my own without a pastor or a teacher helping me….if I have a good foundation of understanding to start with and the Spirit helps me.

What if the characters in This Is Us were willing to come to your home and sit down with you over a cup of coffee and explain more and more of themselves and their lives to you personally? Would you take them up on it? I would! I’m a novelist and I’d love to get further insights into their characters/personalities/etc. And I’d love to ask them questions about themselves and their dramatic actions in various scenes and about what led them to becoming a character on This Is Us!

But even more importantly, I want what Jesus promised, particularly as recorded in John’s Gospel: the Holy Spirit speaking to me and explaining things as I read the Bible, opening up my spiritual understanding as I study. Alone, I’m pretty sure I’d be feckless when it comes to growing myself up spiritually. But with the Spirit, who is Christ himself in unseen form, I have a great teacher who loves me and loves to empower me as I labor to expand my knowledge of God.

Now granted, there is definitely a place for man-made Bible study tools. Like many, many others, I have profited greatly from Vine’s Theological Dictionary that gives me clear definitions and the root meanings of words in the New and Old Testaments both. I also love study Bibles and concordances and various commentaries. But in the end, it’s the Spirit who must clarify things in a way that empowers me to keep Jesus’ commands in my daily comings and goings.

Oh, and one more thing. Someone once said: “We Christians have only one book God calls us to master. Compared to the many texts that lawyers and doctors and other professionals have to study to gain authorization in their fields of practice, we believers have but one book, made up of 66 chapters. We must set as our determined goal the mastery of the knowledge of this one book.”

Well, I buy into that view, to a degree. Mostly, I just want to walk with God everyday — through meditation and prayer — and be as aggressive as I can in studying Scripture. If I don’t know every single name or fact or restatement of essential spiritual truth contained in the Bible before I die, but I’m still obedient in my walk, it’s all good.

Guess what? I pretty much know that neither the writers nor the directors nor the producers of This Is Us, and not even the actors themselves, are ever going to come be with me to tell me more about the TV story that’s so great. It’s a nice fantasy to hope that they would, but…not gonna happen.

Jesus, though? By His Spirit? Anytime I’m ready to get serious about seeking the knowledge of God, He’ll be right there with me!

Difference #5: To get to know God as He wants me to, I must actively participate in His “body,” the church, as represented in a local congregation.

Doing this, I’ve got to be intentional and intelligently committed about following the leadership of my pastor(s) and loving as many individual members as I can as I regularly join with all of them in worship, outreach ministry, giving money, etc. That’s when…

…a “miracle” occurs. I get to see Jesus through the lives and special ministries of my fellow church members. Yes, they are very imperfect. The better I get to know them, the more clearly I’ll see their flaws. This calls for spiritual patience and forgiveness and love.

But it’s only in the dynamics of sharing fellowship with my brothers and sisters in church life do I get to see what the Lord does in that context, which is awesome if observed over time and with spiritually keen insight. Church life doesn’t need to be as sensational as a Hollywood movie. Best that it isn’t. That would be too exhausting.

But…

It’s only the spiritually empty-headed and empty-hearted that find no worth at all in the life of the church. Perhaps they’ve set themselves up as judges rather being servants of Jesus?

So…keeping my distance and doing “my own thing” far away from my local church is nothing like what Jesus calls us to do. He died for the church. The Apostle Paul wrote some of his most weighty letters to individual congregations as well as some to church-leading individuals like Timothy.

The church, then, is truly where the action is in redemption history. If you alienate yourself from Jesus’s ongoing work by not choosing some Bible-believing local church near you to share your life with, what solid assurance do you have that you belong to Him at all? You clearly don’t share His values.

Oh, and as all this relates to our truly wonderful This Is Us characters?

They’ll be happy if I just sit at home and watch them on my TV from hundreds or even thousands of miles away. It’s only entertainment, after all. Not intended for purposes related to eternal life. No real fellowship or mutual commitment required.

This is a Sunday post, definitely for the soul.

Last time, I talked about the 5 main characters of the wildly popular TV drama This Is Us and said how easy it is to sit in my comfortable leather recliner and watch on TV the multi-faceted story, which is loaded with flashbacks to show ever more deeply the development of motivation and character.

I also mentioned that I don’t have to work hard at all getting to know these captivating characters and their dramatic stories. I only have to watch and listen, observing and remembering. Piece of cake.

The writers, directors, and producers of This Is Us are brilliant, never overloading us with too much “character exposure” or info at any one point. As observers of the story, we are given just enough to keep us informed and “baited forward” further into the engrossing story of the 5-member Pearson family, which at present has expanded to include a female foster child who is a young black teenager.

And here’s the deal on all of this, as concerns our souls and our own grand vitality in life. Entertainment is certainly a blessing, a fun stress-reliever. As with a Shakespearean play or other great drama, we can even learn some important life lessons from This Is Us. The story can affect our souls.

But…how deep and lasting are those moral lessons from the show? Do they really transform us simply by our passively watching the TV screen from our comfy easy chair? Do those lessons truly contribute in a powerful way to my grand vitality?

I’m going to say, probably not. Character transformation is an active process. Participation required. Active, purposeful, aggressive making of choices and taking action is a must if we are going to see our true makeup inside change for the better.

So, I now ask again: how is the “entertainment process” essentially different from the life-transforming journey of getting to know the Creator of the whole cosmos? I won’t go quite yet into how important that journey is, I’ll just assume for the moment you have a good grasp of it already. And I’ll assume you agree with me that real growth as people is not a passive pursuit.

I now, then, present my 5 points on the essential difference between getting to “know” the wonderful, delightful, captivating characters of This Is Us — who are human and flawed and sometimes even frail — and getting to know the unseen but mighty God, who gives me life and breath and everything else and is the one who ultimately controls my eternal destiny beyond this brief, pain-afflicted earth journey we’re on.

Difference #1: With the pursuit of knowing God, I first must not only observe nature — which quietly but effectively witnesses to God’s eternal power and divinity as revealed in Genesis 1 and 2 (also see Romans 1) — I must also ask questions and seek out answers in the very depths of my heart.

Who made all this amazing creation — the sky and the trees and the mountains and the lakes and the rivers and the grass and the animals and…? Who has designed it all so that all of it works together?

More importantly, does the Creator high above me know me? Does he care? What’s he really like? What does he want me to do in life?

Testimony: I first asked these questions as a five-year-old sitting under a huge oak tree on the recreation yard out back of my preschool building in Austin, Texas. I looked up at the big, fluffy white clouds in the sky and wondered about the ultimate “character” of the universe whom I tried to envision high above those clouds.

And I did this day after day. My pursuit of the knowledge of God was on in my young life! He had quietly prompted it within me and I was game for the challenge.

So, as you can see…

There’s nothing passive about this questioning we must do. But note this: it’s even more engrossing than “entertainment.”

Difference #2: With the pursuit of knowing God, I must hear his main message that calls me to make a fundamental change of heart and mind in the here and now — that is, if I care about seeking to become a part of his eternal family that will soon live in an amazing kingdom right here on earth. Remember that Jesus was always talking about His coming kingdom!

Note: Things get even better later when heaven and earth both are refashioned into absolute perfection, with no sea.  The New Jerusalem comes down out of heaven and touches down on this very earth and we who have believed live forever and ever seeing God face to face, with Jesus exalted forever among us as our Lamb slain and glorious High Priest, both at the same time.

I know, I know…the details and the glory are beyond our total grasp at present. The joy we’ll experience is unimaginable.

But for now, what is that main message I was speaking of? Repent and believe. It’s that simple, but that challenging.

The Old Testament prophets preached it. John the Baptist preached it. Jesus preached it. The apostles preached it: Turn from your life of choosing immorality and sin, and choose once and for all to turn back to God, by believing in and relying on His awesome Son who died for you and was raised back to life, guaranteeing your own chance at eternal life. His promise is that He’ll help you along the way, in a big way!

However. When I watch This Is Us, the actors in the show don’t really ask me to do anything. They only hope, I suppose, that I’ll enjoy watching them perform and perhaps take some “something” away from the experience of joining in their story.

And I’ll grant you that in a very real sense, if we’re going to see and know God, we also need to enjoy “watching Him” and listening to Him as he speaks through the pages of the Bible. With the eyes of our heart, we need to quietly observe Him being the main character of the entire Biblical story, in the anticipation that He is going to speak to us way deep in our hearts about our relationship with Him.

Would it surprise you to know that the key activity of believing is listening? Jesus said more than once that those who refuse to listen to Him — and heed His words — are never going to know Him or enjoy His eternal blessings. But good news! We can listen and believe, just as He longs for us to. Repeatedly, He says He has great love to pour out on us if we will only trust Him…which begins with listening.

Even the Apostle Paul quoted an Old Testament prophet when he said: “Faith comes by hearing (which of course includes listening) and hearing by the Word of Christ (the Bible).” Romans 10:17 ESV

Question: Is there only one way to hear God’s main message? Nope. There are several.  I myself heard a Billy Graham associate evangelist in Arlington, TX, preaching for two weeks at the UTA football stadium back in the summer of 1965. One night, he told about two brothers that fought, and I realized from my own struggles with my older brother how at times I had hated and inflicted violence on him the best I could manage. Then I had lied about what I’d blatantly done, right to my mother’s face.

I was a sinner.

For real.

I also knew I had stolen from my friend. Took money right out of his bedroom  piggy bank when he was in the kitchen getting some milk and cookies. I was no better than the two thieves on the crosses on either side of Jesus.

Well, thanks to God, Homer Martinez helped me see that it was Jesus dying on the cross that paid the terrible bloody-sacrifice price for my sins. He did it because He loved His Heavenly Father and wanted to do His perfect will — which was to demonstrate to the whole world how utterly dark and ugly and poisonous sin really is, and at the same time show what His love is willing to do for me.

And Jesus went to the cross because, just like the Father, he loves you and me.

Okay…we’ve gotten started. I want to spend next time exploring the other ways people hear God’s main message and then touch on the other 3 differences between getting to know This Is Us characters and getting to know our Creator.

But one thing’s for sure, I’ve learned: If we are willing to listen to God, and believe Christ and follow Him, we will have a sure peace in our very hearts that affects all of our bodies and even our finances. We may not become rich — probably won’t, in fact — and we may never get our physiques built up like an Arnold Schwarzenegger.

What we will have is peace with God and the peace of God, and we’ll know where we’re headed forever and ever after this life is over for us.

I don’t know about you, but I have been mesmerized — literally captivated — by the story and characters of the TV drama This Is Us this past year.

Learning about the series late, I had to go back and binge watch the first year’s past episodes, then ride along to the end of the season. Using my DVR, I’m keeping up pretty much on pace with all of this second season. What a deep pleasure. What an amazing emotional thrill.

Has there ever been a more boldly innovative telling of a TV story, a more insightfully designed and powerfully written script? Have we ever seen any more brilliantly acted characters — apart from some of the greatest big screen movies of all time? (The way you know acting is brilliant is because it seems so incredibly natural, not “acting” at all, and causes a near-total suspension of disbelief.)

I keep waiting for a misstep with This Is Us. A false note. A hokey portrayal. Something too sugary sweet or darkly over-dramatic. It hasn’t happened. The stuff is solid to the core, in my HBAO (humble but accurate opinion). And my hat’s off to the creator of the series, its writers, directors, etc. etc…and of course to all the actors doing such an incredible job.

Here are the 5 main characters that live and struggle together in the single family of This Is Us, with two white parents and three children, one of them a black adopted boy and the other two white twins:

Note: I apologize for the messed-up formatting after this next paragraph. Inserting the chart above seems to have thrown the software off for its regular paragraph formation, etc.