Scripture: Proverbs 3:8 “Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.”
Introduction
May is National Skin Cancer Awareness month, a great time for us to learn some preventative habits to protect our skin. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, “1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime” and “1 person dies of melanoma every hour.” (https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/skin-cancer-facts) Those numbers sound pretty scary, but fear not, today we will learn some of the many ways that you can save your own skin.
Decoration Ideas
A Day at the Beach
Use an assortment of “sun-blocking” items as a centerpiece, such as sunhats, sunglasses and sunblock, placed atop a beach towel. Set up beach umbrellas, towels and chairs, along with a beach ball and some seashells. Most of these items are probably available at local dollar stores.
Refreshment Suggestion
Eating Your Sunscreen
Plan on serving broccoli and dip as the main refreshment, with watermelon as the dessert and green tea as a drink. This may sound like an unusual refreshment, so explain the benefits of these food items:
Broccoli contains sulforaphene, an anti–cancer compound that can help not only to prevent, but also repair sun damage. Other options include Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower.
Watermelon contains Lycopene, a carotinoid pigment that will protect your skin as it protects certain fruits that grow in direct sun light. Other options include tomatoes, papaya and red carrots.
Green Tea contains polyphenols. These are micronutrients that are packed with antioxidants that fight free radicals that age your skin prematurely. Use honey instead of sugar to sweeten the tea, as sugar and processed foods undo all the hard work of these super foods.
Activity/Game
I Have Your Back
This is a twist on the old “make up” game. Have one woman stand behind the other, both facing the audience. Blindfold the woman standing in the back. Have her put her arms through the arms of the woman in front and apply sunscreen on the face of the women in the front. Set a timer and have the audience vote on who did a better job.
You’re Toast
Provide several items that can be used as protection from the harmful effects of the sun. They may include hats, sunglasses, shawls, scarfs, sweaters, umbrellas, towels and of course, sunblock. Using a timer, give the women one minute to cover themselves as best (and fast) as they can. Have the audience vote if the women are “covered” or “toast.”
Be on the Know
We all remember to be concerned about the sun when we out on a special occasion such as a picnic, a day at the beach or pool or a visit to the park or zoo. But are we doing everything we should in our day–to–lives?
Here are a few things you can do to keep your skin safe:
Sunscreen: daily use of SPF 15 or higher can reduce your chances of melanoma by 50%. The CDC recommends reapplying sunscreen every two hours and the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends using 1 once (2 tablespoons) for the whole body.
Shade: If at all possible, try to stay in the shade, especially between 10 am and 4 pm.
Cover up: Clothing, hats and sunglasses are a great way to protect your skin. Hats with a wide brim work best.
Don’t forget your lips: Consider using a SPF lip balm.
Do NOT burn: Don’t take chances. The risk of melanoma doubles if you have had more than five sunburns.
See your doctor: see your physician for a skin exam once a year and examine your own skin every month, being careful to note any changes, such as new moles or stains.
The Skin You Are In
Being “at home in your own skin” is much more than feeling pretty. We take care of our homes by keeping them clean and in good working condition. The same should be true of our skin. Let’s look at our skin, not from a point of view of vanity, but as a home. A home ready for a very special visitor, the Holy Spirit.
Taking care for our skin may seem like a lot of work. And you may question why we should be so careful. The obvious goal is to prevent skin cancer. But, as the apostle Paul reminds us, we have another reason for protecting our skins. He tells us “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body” (1 Cor. 6:19, 20).
It has been said that the eyes are the windows into the soul, but our skin is just as efficient at revealing what is going on with us. A few years ago, I started seeing a dermatologist regularly when, after a lifetime of treating what I thought was eczema, I received a diagnosis of psoriasis, an autoimmune disease. What it basically means is that whenever something is going on with my body, like stress, allergies or simply fighting a virus, my skin produces more skin cells than it needs. It is not a pretty sight, and it very hard to hide. Nonetheless, it is a visual reminder to care for my overall health. When the psoriasis flairs up, it is a reminder for me to slow down, to take a step back and evaluate what my body is trying to tell me. In doing that, I sometimes see small signs of the beginning of a cold or flu, but more often than not, I see built up stress that is causing the problem. In those moments, I turn to the scripture we just read and pray that the Lord will help me remember that I belong to Him. As a result, scripture comes alive: “Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones” (Prov. 3:8).
We don’t need to be “girly girls” in order to care for our skin and our bodies. As Christian women we need to learn to love the skin we are in and to care for it accordingly. After all, it did not come cheaply! Christ has paid the ultimate price for us and it is our responsibility to give it the value it deserves.
Let us pray
Lord we ask You to make us ever aware of Your love and sacrifice that paid the price for our sin. Teach us to love the skin we are in and to care for it in a way that will bring glory to Your name. Help us to care for the body You have given us, to the best of our abilities, so that we can serve You and others for as long as possible, for Your Kingdom’s sake. We love You and pray this in Jesus name, Amen.
