Think About it

             Think About It

            On Sunday, September 15, a hot, humid August day in September, my parish held its annual major fund raiser—Festival on First—from 12:30 to 4:30.

            Festival goers did not lack activities in which to participate.  Children could have their faces painted, go fishing, or go down the bouncy slide.

            Adults could buy tickets for lottery drawings and hope they’d win a prize.

            They could sit in the shade and enjoy the entertainment—a Hispanic praise band and a medley of opera songs, including “Ave Maria” sung by the associate pastor.

            But the main attraction of the day was the food, and many choices were available.  A majority of foods were authentic Mexican or Central American, from posole, to burritos, to enchiladas.  Pork burgers and hot dogs were available, as were DQ Blizzards and various home baked bars. 

            To the dismay of late comers, most of the food was gone by 3:30.  The pork burgers held out until 4:30 and some hot dogs were left.  These were given away, and who turns away free food?

            The day was a delightful day of fun, fellowship and food.  When we read and study the New Testament, we see Jesus enjoying fellowship with his friends, and oftentimes that fellowship included food—he visited his friends Lazarus, Mary and Martha—and he ate with them.  He cooked breakfast for his apostles.

            Into the 21^st Century we’ve continued this custom of combining food with fellowship.  As I thought of this practice, in which even Jesus participated, I thought of how we tend to condemn ourselves for eating.

            Maybe we need to step back for a minute and think about this:  “Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens” (James 1:17 NLT).  Our bodies need food.  It is a gift from God to keep ourselves healthy.

            Too often, I think, we tend to look at our eating negatively—“Oh, why did I eat that?”  “Oh I ate too much.”

            Maybe we need to reverse our thinking and be positive—“Thank you, God, for the gift of food, which nourishes my body.”

            Think about it.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Sharon Witty

Strength to Change

        Today I want to eat. Nonstop. When I paused, I decided I needed something to chew so I found a piece of gum. That appeased the urge to eat and probably gave time for my brain to realize I was full. I have this trouble often but I forget to try the gum.

       Why don’t I learn? I binge mindlessly. The problem is I’m stuffing, pushing down emotions or feelings instead of eating for nourishment or true hunger. Emotional eating is common among those of us who struggle with overeating. But, there are options. Instead of continuing to eat, we can take a walk, ride a bike, read a book, go for a car ride, call someone, type, sew, mow, hand wash the dishes, build something or do anything that keeps our hands busy. We can also pray. So why is it the last thing I think of doing?

       “Summon your power, O God; Show us your strength, O God, as you have done before,” (Psalm 68:28 NIV).

       It takes strength to resist those powerful urges and cravings. I count on God’s strength to help me change my behavior. It doesn’t happen overnight for me and I revert back to my inappropriate ways too often. But, I must keep trying and working and God will care for me with His strength.

       I don’t give up. I must remember God loves me just the way I am but He will cheerfully help me when I ask. Let’s try it and see.

Gloria D. Stewart

Live To The Full

Sharing Glory, the blog Sharon Witty and I share authoring, was established to help encourage others who also struggle with food issues. We alternate writing the blog and find ourselves being helped as much as the readers, we suppose. 

Eating healthy is an honorable goal but it is not usually an easy one. We are tempted daily, if not hourly, by the multitude of food available to us. Some is healthy and delicious and some is not. Unfortunately the “not so healthy” category is large and promoted on television, in publications, at your mother’s table, at restaurants, and even on giant billboards and at the State Fair.

The temptations won’t go away. We have to learn to avoid them, resist them, ignore them, or deal with them in a healthy manner. The all-or-nothing process doesn’t work well. If we avoid a certain tempting food, say cake or ice cream, we will ultimately reach a breaking point somewhere down the road and be swallowed up by an attack of eating-everything–in sight. If that never happens to you, feel very blessed.

Health improvement plans always need to start in the same place: your doctor’s office. Get your doctor’s approval before beginning any fitness, weight-loss, or health-improvement plan.

No one can do it for you. 

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I [Jesus] have come that they may have life, and have it to the full,” (John 10:10 NIV).

Satan is the tempter. He comes to steal our wellness and kill our will power and destroy our health. It is up to us to fight the battle with the best tool available – Jesus. Let’s aim for a good life and enjoy it to the full! Amen.

Gloria D. Stewart

Do you ...

Do you …

Dear Reader,

            Can you and I have a confab today?

            How often during a day do you think about food?  Three times—at meal times?  Five times, adding in a couple snack times?  More times than that?

            I’d sure like to know if you are like I am.  It seems to me, I think about food some 18 hours a day (subtracting sleep hours and the three times I eat meals).

            Now I realize some of that think time consists of meal planning:  What shall I make for breakfast?  For lunch?  For supper?

            But much of the time is stinkin’ thinkin’:  When do I get to eat again?  What can I eat right now?  How much can I eat?

            Why do I think about food, what seems to me, most of my waking hours?  A major reason, I think, is that food is a sensual pleasure.  It comforts me.  Eating is something to do, especially in the evening when I am watching TV or reading.

            I am soooooo embarrassed to share this flaw with you, but maybe admitting these thoughts is a step toward healing.  Do you, Reader, relate to me?  If so, what can you and I do?

            Gloria and I have posted various suggestions of God’s provisions for our being freed from enslavement to overeating, and once again as I reflected on this particular eating dilemma, the Holy Spirit brought a Scripture verse to mind:  “…Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right.  Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Phil. 4:8 Life Application Study Bible).

            Is this my answer?  I pray for the grace to fix my thoughts on “what is true, honorable and right” when unnecessary thoughts of food intrude into my mind?  I think I’ll try it.  What about you?

                                                                                                                                    Sharon Witty

Our Bodies Aren’t Our Own

       “They [our bodies] were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies,” (1 Corinthians 6:13 NLT).

       I am tempted by sweets. Very tempted. In fact, I think I am addicted to sweets. I have to stay away from them completely; then I can reject them--only then. If I give in to that large vanilla shake from DQ it will lead to a cookie from the bakery, or a candy bar from the vending machine, or both.

       This verse reminds me that God sees what I put in my body. He listens to my thoughts as I decide on my next morsel. He understands when I select vegetables that I am trying to be healthy. And when I partake of the delicious cream-filled cake that slides down my chin, God knows I am letting my stomach call the shots. 

       I feel embarrassed that God knows I can eat a half-gallon of ice cream in three bowls but just one sitting. I’m ashamed of the volume of food I can eat if I’m given the chance, usually being by myself. 

       When I pay attention to God and acknowledge God’s possession of my body as a temple, I find different things taste sweet and wonderful. Carrot sticks are really delicious. Sweet peas get their name from their yumminess. Cucumbers and tomatoes, fresh from the garden, offer lip-smacking lusciousness. 

       The bonus is how I feel after I’ve eaten them! I feel good: not embarrassed or ashamed or guilty. I feel great! Clean eating (without sugar and fat) is almost as good as being washed by Jesus’ blood. Not really, but for illustration, you get what I mean. Eating clean is a good choice to make for many reasons but today the best reason I can imagine is that it is the choice God wants me to make because He cares about my body.

Gloria D. Stewart

Prayed Up

Prayed Up

              

               As I reflected on/prayed about a topic for today’s Sharingglory post, this question came to mind:  What is the most difficult time of day for me to abstain from overeating?

            Those hours after the evening meal is finished challenge me most.  The kitchen is cleaned up. I’m finished with the day’s tasks (or I’ve run out of energy to do anything more).  I don’t know what to do with myself.  I don’t watch much TV or Netflix.  I don’t have a husband to harass or to harass me.  What should I do?  It’s too early to go to bed, and I think, ‘You have time to work on your memoirs,’ or ‘You need to balance your checkbook;  you could listen to that CD by Richard Rohr on St. Paul’s teaching,’ and I respond, ‘I’m too tired for that.’ Usually I respond, ‘I don’t feel like it.’  So I wander into the kitchen—dangerous territory.

            I’m not hungry.  I’ve just finished eating dinner.  I’m bored, or lonely, or sometimes I just plainly don’t want to stop eating for the day.  After breakfast and lunch, I have another meal to look forward to, but after dinner several hours loom before I can eat again.

            As I write this morning, I think of Paul’s words:   “What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise” (Rom. 7:15, MSG).  I relate to Paul.  I have decided I want to eat according to my God-given appestat—what my body needs, when my body needs it and how much my body needs.  However, too often I eat what my body doesn’t need, when it doesn’t need fueling, and more than it needs.

            And those evenings happen when I ignore my God-given appestat and those few seconds God gives me to listen to that still, small Voice within my spirit, and I overeat, often ending up with a bloated belly and miserable,.

            Jesus set an example for me and for you.  When he was challenged, he prayed.  He went away by himself.  “Rising very early before down, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35, New American Bible).  He went to the Garden of Gethsemane the night before his crucifixion (Mark 14:36).

            Both Paul and Jesus give me the solution to the challenge I often face in the evening hours.  It’s not will power I need, but grace, the power of the Holy Spirit.  I need to pray and to trust.  This morning I also realize, I need to be “prayed up” for challenging times.  I need to ask for strength ahead of time, to surrender myself to the Holy Spirit in the morning, preparing myself for the day.

                                                                                                                                    Sharon Witty

Being My Summertime Best

Last time, Sharon talked about how we are wonderfully made by God. This is a glorious time of year for experiencing God’s Creation. Healthy eating is at its easiest in the summer. 

In addition to all of the beauty that spring provides, it also brings the bounty of springtime and summer fruits and vegetables. Anyone working at watching weight has an enormous variety of healthy choices at the supermarket.

Healthy eating is at its easiest in the summer. Nothing tastes as good as something freshly grilled outside. No fat or breading needed.

The biggest challenge for me is portion control. With so many great options it is easy to go overboard and load up my plate. Potluck picnics can be challenging. I try to focus on plain vegetables and fruits rather than mixtures like potato salad, cheesy potatoes, and creamy cucumbers…I see a theme…cheesy and creamy. Delicious but often loaded with extra calories.

To help me, I like to use a smaller plate. It might be fun to purchase a pretty melamine plate from the department store to use this summer. Maybe a pretty plastic glass to go with it, to fill with water as often as I can. Drinking water is essential in the warm summer to stay hydrated and feel full.

We can enjoy the fresh peas, spinach, asparagus and strawberries in season right now, and indulge in sweet watermelon, peaches, cantaloupe, and berries as they arrive in the stores at peek ripeness. Spring and summer can bring great success to our healthy endeavors. With the addition of exercise opportunities, such as walking outside, mowing the lawn, or weeding the garden (which also gives us Vitamin D), this time of year is a blessing.

“You realize, don’t you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God’s temple, you can be sure of that. God’s temple is sacred—and you, remember, are the temple,” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17 MSG). 

I am God’s Creation. I want to be my best for Him.

Gloria D. Stewart