Geez, just typing out that title made me want to shut my computer & pretend I never mentioned it. I LOVE food!! Hello... my name is Beth & I am a foodie. It's just another artistic medium that I have access to more readily than my paints & brushes, plus I'm guessing it tastes a heck of a lot better ;) Lately, I have had a craze of Talenti-itis and Chobani-osis...it's contagious so watch out!! ;) (there ya go... free advertising).
Just a little earlier this week my neighbor-friend was over with her kids to hang out with our crew & we started talking lifestyle changes, exercise, & smart eating... stuff I geek out over. It's one of the few times you can't get me to shut up. It got me all pumped again to live it out all the way instead of one foot in & the other emptying the bowl of candy on my desk ;p That said, I know all this stuff & want to follow it because I know the benefits, but I am in a rut, a "do as I say... not as I do" kind of rut. I just wanna cover my ears & go "lalalalalala" & live in blissful ignorance.
So, what did I do after the healthy pep talk with my lovely Christina? Went inside & grabbed the bag of chips, rationalizing I hadn't had time for much to eat that day after putting in a full work day. My hubby & I are at "that" place in our marriage where we don't even have to use words to communicate... he just peaked his head over the ledge & gave me his "I'm judging you right now stink eye" & I glared right back with my "don't judge me or you will experience my wrath" response (affectionately of course ;) ). Food makes me feel better until I realize the scale isn't saying what I like it to, lol.
I love the phrase, "what we let in physically, spiritually, intellectually, socially, & emotionally will shape our life"HAPC handbook...very simple & holistic. I let my emotions run my eating habits to entertain & "cheer me up" instead of eating to fuel (admitting that was like swigging vinegar). When I'm "Momma tired" it seems I give up on taking care of myself & give in to impulsive eating & buying very unnecessary things. If we want a certain "shape" we have to think & apply moderation in all areas. Coincidentally my wise & infectiously witty good buddy, Laura, just wrote about this on her blog & hit it smack on the nose (check her out, it's a great read). I also just read in my devotional book last night about this. It almost seems like there's a reason for all these coincidences ;p
Here's another tough subject (for me at least) that I journaled about last summer...
(read with an open mind, this is MY personal conviction & not a platform, & guys sorry for the chic stuff). Self image/body image is a big deal to most women. Pregnancies can cause physical change to some & some aren't affected at all. Yeah, I didn't draw that straw...I actually got hit with it several times lol. The thought of a bathing suit makes me throw up in my mouth a little. I've had many debates & conversations rationalizing medical help & almost did 'til I felt completely restless about it. With the help of a close friend we started picking the issue apart...who am I doing this for? Why do I want to wear a bikini(ouch)? Am I doing it to glorify God or me? It could cause me to be a stumbling block. The reasons, I realized, were all selfish ones mostly. The cost in comparison could build an orphanage or new church in Africa. So, I got my answer...it was a hard pill to swallow, but pride never goes down easily ;) So then I asked for contentment & this is what filled my head..."can't take this body with me" & "It's a blessing of forced modesty". I don't know if it's just me, but sometimes I sense a bit of playful, dry humor in the answers I get ;D 2Cor 10:5, Phil.4:11
In Our Daily Bread Devotional it said, "...In a consumer-oriented culture, it's easy to be seduced into thinking that we can "buy" acceptance by wearing the things that beautiful people wear. Retailers would have us believe that looking good will make us desirable. Sometimes we even convince ourselves that we can win followers for God by making ourselves attractive to the world. But the Bible is clear about what's really important to God. He wants us to look like Jesus in our character. In a sense, Jesus is our "brand". We attract others to Christ when we put on His attributes. Instead of polishing and protecting our own image, we need to be guarding and reflecting the image of God."
I read about a woman who had a heart for the impoverished & suffering in Kenya & she went on a missions trip to face the reality. "As I walked, I was crying and asking God: How could He allow His people to suffer so much- how is this love? And as soon as I though it, I felt Him ask me the same thing: What are you doing, Kristen, to help?" "The tables were turned on me in Kenya," she says. "I had a redeeming experience. I felt rescued from my wealth and the American life. In America, we want more, we want bigger, we want better. All that turned upside down for me when I was there."-Kristen Welch. I really encourage you to read Compassion Magazine, the whole magazine affected my thinking tremendously as we move forward in Special Needs Ministry, but also my personal struggles with moderation & contentment.
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