Chiropractic and Other Unnatural Adjustments

Cliff.  "Did you like the way he popped your neck?"

Me.  "Like it?!?  No... It makes me nervous.  Every time.  It's completely unnatural to have someone jerking your head to ease pain."  Seriously weird.

We had just finished our chiropractic appointment with a new doctor who came highly recommended. Basketball became the topic of conversation during our appointment.  Confession: even after 16 years of being married to a sports nut, I have no idea what is being said.  These are my very own Charlie Brown's classroom moments...   "Muaahh muahhhh mahhh mahh..."  But I digress...

Prior to our appointment, Cliff and I were both losing sleep and in pain.  Cliff has chronic issues and I hurt my back at the gym with one quick and careless move.  


Going to chiropractors makes me nervous.  I'm a baby.  I've watched way too many action movies where one character quietly sneaks up on another, grabs and twists their head resulting in a gross popping noise of death.  Ew.  Then unassuming folks like myself just stroll into a Doctor's office and pay money to have our neck's popped.  I know that Doctors receive training and that the treatment is effective, but still!  I have to work on relaxing so the chiropractor can do his job.  

Chiropractors fall in the category of unnatural phenomena.  These guys pop, crack, spin, twist, hula hoop and tap dance on our backs leaving us battered and dizzy but we wake up the next day feeling healthier, free, and whole!  And maybe a little sore.  Really, our spines do affect our overall health and a spinal adjustment can do wonders!  I can't let my sarcasm overrule my common sense here.  There are many unnatural things that are healthy for us, that stretch our knowledge, our awareness of ourselves, and teach us to trust.

Let's take fitness centers (gyms), for example.   What group of geniuses got together to open a facility where people break down their bodies in order to be healthy?  Probably the Egyptians. But somewhere along the way, a gang of muscle mutants who's ancestors were most likely Highland Game Champions decided we should all have well-defined, rippling muscles so we pay lots of money to work out and be muscle mutants, under the guise of health.  It's unnatural but hey, well defined and sleek muscles are pretty sexy.  Don't judge me -I'm just saying what we're all thinking!

Our bodies are naturally wired to hold onto fat, crave sweet and addictive junk, and want to rest.  A lot.  It's simply easier to be lazy than exert energy.  It feels more natural even though we know it's incredibly unhealthy.  While we don't need to have giant muscles, our bodies do need to move a lot more than they do, consume nutrients from healthy foods, properly rest and engage in healthy relationships.  Some of these things feel extremely unnatural to some folks.

The same could be said for faith.  It's simply unnatural to trust something or Someone you can't physically see.  But we trust other's opinions, media, and the norm even if we can't see the results.  It's not natural to choose faith in God over faith in others.  It's not natural to choose forgiveness over bitterness and revenge, to choose peace over war in our home and relationships, to choose to love strangers. It's not natural to choose God's ways over our own.  It's easier to be a victim, to complain, to distrust, judge and point fingers, and ignore. 

Part of the reason we choose poorly is that the right choice is costly.  We pay the price by setting aside pride, wants, and time in order to trust God's wisdom, His love, and his direction.  It takes a courage to climb onto His surgeon's table and allow Him to remove the rot from our hearts.  Sometimes it leaves us feeling battered and dizzy. 

But it's always worth it.

Resources you may enjoy:

Web:  A chiropractic overview  - WebMD
Article:  How to Have a Deeper Relationship with God - Christian Post
Book:  You Can Change, by Tim Chester - An excellent read that challenges our unhealthy thoughts and habits yet is very honest, loving and reflective.

Question: What lifestyle habits that feel more 'natural' are ones that you need to change?