Pride

This past weekend became a difficult one.  Oh, not on the outside.  Someone watching me may have commented, “Sharon’s having a good weekend,” as she observed me buying healthy foods at the Farmer’s Market, then finding bargains at a yard sale and even sitting on my patio, reading a fictional novel.

            But the watcher would not have been able to see the battle going on in my mind and heart, a battle between food cravings and me.  Had oatmeal raisin cookies, caramel nut ice cream and/or Fritos to be found in my cupboards or freezer, I’m not sure they would have still been there at 9 p.m. on Sunday.

            Did I turn to the Holy Spirit during this battle?  Nope.  I kept fighting on my own power, which was exhausting.  Finally, finally, I cried out to the Lord, “What is going on?”

            The answer came quickly, “You’re bored.”  That answer was right on.  I had been looking to myself as to what I needed or wanted to do, rather than asking the Holy Spirit, “What next?”

            Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians to “Pray without ceasing” (5:17, New American Bible).  Personally, I don’t think this means to be using words all the time, but to be aware of God’s constant presence, of the Holy One’s unfailing love.

            What would have happened had I cried out “Jesus, help me,” early on during my struggle?  I suspect help would have come, my cravings ceased and peace descended into my heart.

            Now I pray this lesson learned be a lesson applied.

                                                                                                                        Sharon Witty

                                                                                                                        July 19, 2018

What About Portion Control?

Sharon Witty and I started this blog one year ago at the end of July. So Sharon will get the honor of writing an anniversary blog in two weeks. In 24 blogs we have discussed eating, dieting, and trusting God in many different ways, but I haven’t discussed one of my problem areas: portion control until today.

I have been using a small dinner plate for several months now, to try and scale (ugh) back the size of my portions. But, that isn’t working very successfully so I think it is time to start weighing my portions. There are some healthy foods (mostly vegetables and fruits) that I have been serving up rather liberally. It’s time to reel in the elastic pants and faithfully measure my food. I’m nearing a nice weight loss goal (one of several on my journey) but it has taken me far too long to reach it. I need to step up my progress and portion size may be key to achieving it.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1 NIV).

God wants me to be transformed in His image. I still have a long process of change ahead of me. I’ll never be perfect like Jesus, but my life is a constant gradient of striving toward that impossible goal. God wants to help me every step of the way. I just need to surrender to His will and do everything I can to move forward, even when I end up backsliding for a stretch.

We never face the struggles of our lives alone. God is with us, even when I’m reluctantly setting up the food scale on my counter. He will count it all joy. And so will I.

Gloria D. Stewart

I am sooooooooo. . .

I am sooooooooo. . .

“I am so angry.  I am so overwhelmed.  I am so tired.  I am so hurt.  I am so depressed.”

Do these statements of emotions sound familiar to you?  This morning as I write, I wonder—how many times do we overeat because of our emotions?

On Thursday, Friday and Saturday of last week, Gloria and I and Marilyn Schuler from Grinnell attended the Cedar Falls Christian Writers Conference.  Having attended this conference last year, I looked forward to gaining information to help me improve my writing skills and to be inspired to write, write, write.

By Thursday evening, my mind was swirling with information—What did it mean to me to be a successful writer?  What does my heart want me to write? Media in which to publish. . .  Overstimulation caused limited hours of poor sleep.

On Friday, further information swirled through my head—The Five Love Languages for Writers, Creating my Digital Footprint by Using Social Media, Travel Writing. . .By dinnertime my brain was scrambled and my head ached.

Sitting next to Gloria at dinner, eating my second serving of spinach manicotti, I asked, “Why do I get so hungry at these events?”  Quickly, I realized the answer to my question, “I’m not hungry.  I’m eating to stuff down my fatigue, my being overwhelmed, my ignorance.”

My subconscious brain had been asking, ‘How can I comfort myself, make myself feel better?  FOOD!  Of Course’!

As I’ve reflected on emotional eating, I’ve had various thoughts.  The need to begin my day with prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to give me strength and guide me in what I do, say, think, feel—and eat.  And to keep my mind focused on Jesus 24/7 as Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:2, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” (NIV)

If I do this, I pray I can take those emotions to Jesus and talk them over with the Holy One.

                                                                                                                        Sharon Witty

                                                                                                                        June 21, 2018

P.S.  The conference was wonderful with inspiring speakers and fellow participants.

Catch Up Days

Recently, I’ve been doing better on my healthy plan - logging my food, exercising, eating the right foods most of the time, and staying active. But, I’ve noticed I still have one bad day a week. Usually it follows several really good days or a day of heavy exercise. I feel like those bad days undo all the work I’ve done the rest of the week.

So I need to control myself some how on those “catch up days”. Do you have days like that? When you feel you could eat anything in sight or within reach? Maybe our bodies are trying to tell us something. And we should listen. Did I have enough protein the day before? What did I miss on my plate? Was it a balanced diet? Am I constipated? It’s always good to stop and ask yourself why? And it would be best to stop myself before I have the day of non-stop eating.

There are always challenges. Right now these “catch up days” are my problem. I’m searching for answers and will try to do better in the weeks ahead. The important thing is to not give up. ‘Don’t throw the baby out in the bathwater’…so they say. 

Take heart, the Bible says, “The righteous eat to their hearts’ content, but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry,” (Proverbs 13:25 NIV).

Have a blessed day.

Gloria D. Stewart

A Few Seconds

A Few Seconds

‘Tis the season of graduation parties, weddings, bridal showers, barbecues, picnics, ice cream. . ., a season difficult for those of us overly attracted to food. 

A couple of weeks ago, I attended my eldest grandson’s graduation party.  His parents presented to the party goers a buffet of enticing Mexican foods—burritos with all the fillings and sauces, chips and salsa or guacamole plus a candy buffet (kids loved it) with Swedish fish, kissin’ cousin of cherry Twizzlers, M & M’s . . . .  When I’d finished my serving of burrito and chips, you know what?  I craved more.  I wasn’t hungry; I just wanted the continued pleasure of good taste.  So, I went to the candy buffet—mistake.  I can’t eat just one Swedish Fish. 

Do you relate?  When you eat food at such events, do you find yourself craving more?

Eating involves so much—satisfying hunger, of course, providing nutrients to the body. When we eat with others, eating provides fellowship.  But eating is also a sensual pleasure.  We like the feel of food in our mouths and the pleasure of taste.  Thus, that pleasure  provides comfort in times of anger, sadness, frustration, even in times of joy, right?  Let’s celebrate—with food.

God provides food for us.  He created our bodies, so also He provides the nutrients our bodies need for health.   Food is not an evil, but we humans have­­, at times, distorted the appropriate use of food.

As I think of  times I crave more food than I need or use food for comfort, I think of those few seconds before I choose to have a second helping, even though I’m no longer hungry, or when I stop for an ice cream cone, but I’m not hungry.  Those few seconds before I act when a still, small voice speaks in my heart, saying, “You really don’t need or want that.  Turn away.” 

And I am reminded, God never tempts us, but He always provides a way out. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1Cor. 10:13, New Living Translation.

In those few seconds before we reach our hands out to take food we don’t need, the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts and provides to us the power to turn away.

May you enjoy happy, healthy eating.

                                                                                                                        By Sharon Witty

                                                                                                                        May 17, 2018

Pleasing to God

Spring is a season of newness and I love that about spring. So to give me a fresh start on my healthy weight plan I have returned to an idea that has worked for me in the past: logging what I eat each day. Writing down everything I put in my mouth helps me see the volume and quality of what I ingest. That is beneficial in evaluating the amount of empty calories – those that provide no value to my body: no protein, no vitamins; just calories and a temporary delight, especially things like potato chips and candy.

Just looking at what I eat helps me see if I’m getting enough protein, vegetables, healthy fats, and fruits. I can visually consider the balance of the foods; how would that look on the food pyramid or a divided plate. The daily food log confirms when I’m doing a great job or offers glaring evidence when I’m heading the wrong direction. A personal food log can help us become “His Best” as Sharon shared last time.

“…Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” (Romans 12: 1-2 NIV).

I want my body to be pleasing to God so I must resist the temptations that the world offers. All of those food commercials on television! The aisles of snack foods in the grocery store! The junk food for sale at track meets and baseball games!

Let us claim the strength of the Holy Spirit to help us create healthy food logs in the weeks of spring that remain. God is so good! He provides a helper for the exact moments we need Him. May God bless you.

Gloria D. Stewart

His Best

His Best

Recently, I became acquainted with the writing of Barbara Taylor Brown, an Episcopal priest.  She writes that God loves all of me—every wart, wrinkle and fat cell.  That is, He loves my flesh as well as my soul and spirit.

Hm, you say, “But you haven’t seen my body.”  Doesn’t make any difference.  He loves every inch of us.  And why wouldn’t He?  Because He loves us, He created us; we are His. True, Scripture tells me gluttony, which is a type of greed, is a sin:  Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity or greed among you.  Such sins have no place among God’s people (Ephesians 5:3 New Living).  But would overeating be a sin?  Does it offend God?  Hurt Him?  I don’t think so.

I am no theologian, but these are my thoughts on those questions.  You probably agree with me that because He loves us, God wants only the best for each of us.  One aspect of being our best is to be healthy.  And how often does the medical industry tell us that being overweight causes cancer, heart problems, strokes, etc., etc.  Obviously, being overweight is not our best.  Medicine continues by telling us that to live healthy we need to exercise, rest, and eat healthy.

So maybe God, in His wisdom, calls overeating a sin because He wants His best for us and His best for us includes being healthy.  The Scripture verse Gloria responded to at the beginning of this month tells us how to do that: “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV)

So we can achieve God’s desire for us to be the best we can be through God’s power, the power of the Holy Spirit.

                                                                                                            Sharon Witty

                                                                                                            April 20, 2018