Presence

Presence           

I need to realize, know, accept, and allow God’s to be the center of my life.  I need to realize, know, accept and rejoice in God’s love for me (Rom. 8:38-39).

            When I am lonely, wanting the companionship of another, God is present and loving me.

            When I am angry that my neighbor’s dog barks and barks and barks, God is present and loving me, my neighbor, and her dog.

            When I am afraid because I’ve misplaced my credit card, God is present, loving and guiding me.

            God never leaves me.  The Creator is always with me, within me (Gal. 2:20).

            The comprehension/understanding of this truth is difficult, for I consist of flesh, blood and bones.  I exist in a world of rational, thinking humans, and it’s hard to understand a Spirit without flesh, blood and bones, who is constantly present, who I can’t see or hear, who loves me, and cares for me.  I doubt I ever will fully understand.  It is a mystery to accept--the Lover of my Soul is always present.

            And in those times of loneliness, anger, fear sorrow. . ., this Lover is the One who can comfort and calm me.  Food cannot do that.

            So may I “Be still and know (Pslm. 46:10)” that God is present—always.

                                                                                                                                    Sharon Witty

                                                                                                                                    June 18,2020

           

Satisfy my Soul

Last time Sharon talked about “Shelter in the Storm” and how many of us reach for food to comfort us in stressful situations as COVID-19. I have to admit I am one of those who has the 10 lb. gain to prove I’ve been through the pandemic.

My problem has been cooking for family. I love to bake and please my family with their favorite foods and then enjoy the goodies with them. That’s the problem. Mostly I’ve made sweets, but I’ve also made comfort food like Tater Tot casserole and meatloaf. I’ve been seeking comfort in all the wrong places.

After my confession I must share that it is time to work on repairing the damage I’ve done. My husband and I walk an hour every day and I’ve started serving salads for lunch with a less bountiful dinner in the evening.

Sharon was right to direct us to scripture for true comfort.

“I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you,” (Psalm 63:4, 5 NIV).

“My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods.” Perhaps I can read and reread this scripture and let it sink in to my depths so I can be changed in my mind and in my eating patterns. 

Help me, God, to eat in moderation and be satisfied.

Gloria D. Stewart

Shelter in the Storm

Shelter in the Storm

This time in which we presently live has been given various names:  extraordinary, historical, a storm.  I prefer calling it a storm.

This is my first thought to share today during this storm:  God loves us—always, regardless of how much we’ve eaten or what our eating pattern has been or is.  One day my neighbor said to me, “If anyone would have gotten in my way as I walked to the cupboard or refrigerator yesterday, I would have plowed her over.”

She’s not the first person I’ve heard say food has been a comfort during this time.  I’ve found myself scrounging through my cupboards and refrigerator, especially in the evening—Werther’s caramels, then turning to stand in front of the counter, eating dry granola out of the bowl.

Why do we do this?  The primary feelings driving me to food for comfort in the evening are boredom and loneliness.  I’m not much of a TV viewer, and sometimes the lack of face-to-face interaction with others during this time has caused me to feel lonely.  As a friend said one day on the phone, “Sometimes it [the solitude] gets to you.”

So some of us use food for comfort.  Food gives me sensual pleasure—for a brief time.  But we tend to beat ourselves up for it.  Is that our human conditioning to think that way?  But surely God understands, “Sometimes it gets to you.”  When I read Psalm 36:5-7, I am further convinced that the Holy One understands our human fraility, for God loves us with an unfailing love:  “Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O LORD. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.”

            I encourage us in these days, weeks, perhaps months to come to “find shelter in the shadow of the Loving One’s wings.”

                                                                                                                        Sharon Witty

Choices

I have a stash of treats hidden in my pantry. I sit here thinking about them, trying to resist the temptation. Then, I consider throwing them away. But I spent money on them and I don’t want to be wasteful. I don’t want to throw them away because I want to eat them!

Yummy, mini cupcakes, frosted and cream-filled, await me. If they are in the house I will eat them. Maybe my family will eat them. I could give them away. But I don’t want to share. 

The key is not to purchase them to begin with. But now it is too late. It is a struggle.  It is a battle of wrong vs. right, of good over evil, of healthy vs. junk food. Who will win out?

Why eat them? They are delicious. They immediately satisfy my sweet tooth (temporarily).

Why resist the temptation? It will help me in my weight loss journey. It will help me be healthy. It will help me feel good about myself and not feel guilty for eating them.

Life is filled with choices. One choice after another; some good, some bad. There will be days when I am good and days when I am not. All I can do is try.

So far the treats remain undisturbed in the pantry.

“Wisdom is proved right by her actions,” (Matthew 11:19d NIV).

By Gloria D. Stewart

Lessons

Dear Readers,

            Two months have passed since I posted to Gloria’s and my blog.  During the third month of March, we had just been struck with the reality that COVID-19 had invaded the United States, had invaded all of our communities.  I thought of little else that week.  Actually, I think of and pray about little else now, but I am a bit more sane.  As I write this week, I don’t think I’ll write too much about food, but share a bit about my experiences during this time.

            Three weeks ago, Pope Francis spoke to the world in an empty St. Peter’s Square.  His message was based on the Scripture verses of the storm that came up in the boat in which Jesus was sleeping, and his disciples became frightened.  They woke Jesus up and said “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

            Jesus calmed the storm, then turned to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid?  Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:35-41)

            I find myself returning to Jesus’ words over and over.  Faith, I need to have faith during this storm that has descended upon the world.

            And as I pray for faith, I also find myself praying I will learn the lessons God wants me to learn during this storm, and the following poem has evolved:

Lessons

Smaller amounts are enough--

toilet paper, clothing,

dish soap, laundry detergent

heat, electricity,

water and food.

decrease carbon footprint size.

reduce, reuse, recycle

buy only what is needed,

that others can buy what they need.

learn what is really important--

            family, friends, nature, food, water, home

appreciate God’s gifts--

            bird symphonies, greening grass, violas

            budding cherry trees, sunshine, rain,

Life is Good.

I pray each of us stay safe and well.

                                                                                                                        Sharon Witty

                                                                                                                        April 16,2020

True Hunger

It seems very true that when we are idle we tend to feel hunger - maybe not real hunger as in needing food to survive - but the kind of hunger that comes from emptiness. Maybe there are a lot of us in the same boat today. We have run short on things to do and suddenly, in our idleness, we feel hungry. So we want to eat.

With the social distancing and stay at home orders going on for at least another 30 days, some of us will experience times when we are idle and will be in danger of filling up an emptiness with junk food or unnecessary food.

One help for me is reading the Bible during idle times. I'm in the process of reading through the Bible in a year. I get a sense of accomplishment as I underline the scripture sections I have completed and move on to the next book. Prayer is another great way to spend idle time. There are many people on my prayer list these days so I spend dedicated time praying for each one several times a day.

I have a hard time identifying true hunger from emptiness. I am sure most times I eat out of an emptiness instead of true hunger. Scripture even cautions against being idle.

"An idle person will suffer hunger," (Proverbs 19:15 ESV).

The meaning cautions us from becoming lazy and idle or not working so we can't pay for our food to eat. If you are truly hungry and are without a job during these trying time, it's okay to reach out and let someone else know you are hungry. There are many churches that have food banks and other places offer meals to the needy. Reach out if you have a need. Many of us have pantries filled with food and are anxious to share.

A Cup of Water

What is more refreshing than a cup of cold water when you are thirsty? Some might answer a Diet Coke or a Pepsi is better yet. But I’d still say clear, cold water hits the spot and it’s healthy, too. 

Nearly every health plan includes a recommendation of approximately eight, eight-ounce glasses of water a day. Water is good for our bodies. Water fills us up so we aren’t so hungry. Cold water encourages our bodies to warm the fluid increasing our metabolic rate slightly. Water replenishes the body’s fluid during and after exercise. Water helps remove body waste and it helps the body burn fat. Water is good for our brains, our skin, and our blood pressure.

The debate over how much water to drink in a day will continue but it has been a staple for life since Jesus’ time.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward,” (Mark 9:41 NIV).

The kindness of offering water to a guest or a needy person continues to be a blessing as valuable as an offering to God. Let’s consider carrying extra bottles of water in our cars so we can share with someone in need and be refreshed as we need water, too. 

Lift a cup of water to our lips and savor the refreshment created by God alone.

by Gloria D. Stewart