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

Thoughts

Thoughts

            Old Mother Sharon, she went to the shelves of her brain this morning for blog posting ideas, and the shelves?   They were bare.  So I took the best action I could:  I prayed, and Spirit filled my mind with the following thoughts.

            Do you ever become embarrassed or ashamed of your food thoughts or actions?  I do.  I’m embarrassed that I seem to think about food all the time, except when I am sleeping, and sometimes I wonder about those hours.  After breakfast I think about how many hours to lunch and what I am going to have for lunch.  After lunch I think about supper and what I am going to have for supper. After supper I think about what I’ll have for breakfast the next day.

            If I eat out or am at a writing workshop, after I have finished the food on my plate, I often think, “I’d really like more of that mac and cheese.”  Ninety nine percent of the time, it’s not that I am still hungry.  No, it’s either that I don’t want to stop having the sensual pleasure of eating or that I really like the mac and cheese or both.

            I’m embarrassed and ashamed of/by these thoughts.  I don’t want anyone to be able to read my mind.

            So the question is what do I do about it?  One thing I know is this:  I do not need to be embarrassed or ashamed of myself—ever, for I am God’s child, and I am loved.

            Because God loves me, the Holy One gave me a verse, showing me what to do about  constantly thinking about food:  “. . .the mind controlled by the Spirit is Life and Peace”  (Romans 8:6, NIV).

            Peace—that’s what I want.  I want my mind to be at peace, resting in and thinking of the Lord.

            I pray you also, Reader, may have peace of mind.

                                                                                                                                   Sharon Witty

A Positive Perspective

We are a month into the New Year already. So how is your New Year’s resolution going? Don’t feel badly if you didn’t make one, nor if you are failing to live up to your expectations. It is okay to be human, especially an imperfect human.

My goal was to lose the five pounds that doesn’t want to go away.  Five pounds isn’t much to lose in a month but it is when you can’t seem to lose it. I have consistently exercised five days a week but my problem is eating. Eating brownies I made this weekend. Eating broccoli cheese soup. Eating tater tot casserole. Eating, eating, eating.

Instead of feeling down on myself for all the wrongs I’ve committed, I’m trying to take a healthier perspective. If I start looking forward instead of backward, I can begin to change my habits. I can think about how fortunate I am to be able to afford fresh fruits and vegetables and to have them available to me in the store. What a blessing it is to be able to eat apples when our trees don’t even have leaves!

There isn’t much that tastes better than a crisp, crunchy fresh salad as long as I am looking forward to the salad, not dreaming of a big steak. It is a matter of perspective. And I’m in control of my viewpoint. If I frame my thoughts in a positive manner, my meals will be more satisfying and delicious.

“He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy,” (Acts 14:17b NIV).

May we progress toward our healthy goal, one step or bite at a time.

Gloria D. Stewart