HEALTHY GOD, HEALTHY LIVING by Robert Soto

March 31, 2010

HEALTHY GOD, HEALTHY LIVING by Robert Soto

Deuteronomy 6:3 "Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you."

I was laughing today, not so much at my son, but at the words he shared with me. We were talking about jobs and he told me something like this, "I thought of how wearing long pants in this job kills me with this weather. As long as I can wear my baggy sport shorts and a t-shirt, I'm happy in this heat." I laughed because I gave up the suit thing a long time ago. My normal attire is a pair of shorts and a nice cool t-shirt. That has become the trademark of most of my brothers. Most people say, "No wonder, when your great great grandfather was Yucha Poca Ropa and your great great great grandfather was Poca Ropa. 'Poca Ropa' is Spanish for the one with very little clothes. Which was the perfect attire for walking home today in our mid-80's weather.

My goal was to walk back home which was a mile and a half. It was my plan as I have resumed exercising four times a week in the morning, to then walk 1 1/2 to 2 miles every afternoon. Well, as I was walking back I kept thinking of my ancestors who walked and ran a lot, and who wore very little clothing because of the heat and who not only ate meats like deer, buffalo, wild turkeys and ducks, wild pigs and quail, but who loved to eat fruits and vegetables like berries and seeds along with wild beans, wild potatoes and yes, even wild onions. (By the way, I am the biggest onion hater in the world.) So as I walked the mile and a half back I thought to myself: "Well, I feel very indigenous today. I hunted at Wal Mart and am carrying the spoils of my hunt. I'm walking back home wearing short and a t-shirt, braving the hot sun and strong winds. Now I need to go home and eat something indigenous to our people." So I went to my back yard and saw the fresh bright green young leaves of a cactus plant and I carefully cut one, took the small splinters off and cooked me a nice cactus snack. I ate a healthy snack that reminded me of the days when our people lacked nothing, not even health, because our hearts were right with God the Creator. Moses wrote, "...and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey..."

Robert Soto, Lipan Apache and pastor of:

McAllen Grace Brethren Church
The Native American New Life Center
Chief of Chiefs Christian Church