Day 7: Monopoly is back at McDonald's

Yup. It's that time of the year, Monopoly is back at McDonald's. The potential to win 1 Million Dollars, just from eating a Big Mac, and a second chance to win by super-sizing the meal, makes one almost believe that they already are the winner. The million dollars is already spent, on a new car, a new home, a check has been written to the charity of my choice, all before the regret of consuming all those calories (empty empty calories) and the tab is pulled only to realize that the game piece isn't an instant winner. The damage of eating that super-sized Big Mac meal is already done, and my financial situation is still very much the same.

This is the exact thought process that went through my head on the way home from a friends house last evening. I am proud to say, I didn't stop at any of the 10 McDonald's I passed on my home, in a 17 mile radius.

I am wondering what the pull is that makes something so bad for you, so attractive. I know the damage that a McDonald's meal can do to an entire life-style change. I know that it would be just a matter of one meal, to feel like I can't do this. I can't eat healthy and I shouldn't even bother trying.

I wonder sometimes if food and bad food, the overindulgence of bad food, is just like sin. It's been said that sin will take you further then you ever meant to go, and keep you longer then you ever meant to stay. It feeds on you soul, wanting more and more of it, and you in turn need more and more of it.

I was reminded today at the farmers market that good food is food that makes you feel good. Not the temporary rush that comes from eating fast food, or drinking diet coke. But actually feels good. Food that is complete is food that can heal.

I keep telling myself that fast food is food that God has created that nothing needs to be done to it to eat it. An apple that can be pulled from the tree and eaten, that's fast food. A strawberry from the garden that can be pulled up and eaten, that's fast food. An orange that can be peeled and eaten, that's fast food. These are things that the nutrients are readily available. Whole & complete.