When I Bottom Out

 The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepared their food in the summer. Proverbs 30:25

When I read this brief Bible verse, I thought about how significant this advice is in my life. Because I'm Hypoglycemic and get what I call the cranky crabbies after I eat sugar and my blood sugar bottoms out, I find it's extremely important for me to pay attention to this. 

When I am going to someone's house for dinner, if I prepare a substantial side dish to take with me, I know there's going to be something healthy for me to eat, no matter what they are serving. Also, I've found that if I eat some protein and or a glass of milk before going out to eat, I am less apt to crave sugary or unhealthy foods. When I am going somewhere to eat with others, it's sometimes helpful for me to scope out the food menu ahead, so I know there is going to be healthy food for me and often, I can check out the ingredients, online. 

The thing is, I am telling you healthy eating tips, but this blog is about how Christ changed my life from letting food and the scale control my life to putting my life, my food, body, stress and eating into Christ's very capable hands. Once I started doing that, all the other things started to fall into place and I didn't feel so tempted by unhealthy foods, as I had in the past. I can't say I'm never tempted, nor can I say I've never started slip-sliding back into old patterns. Fortunately for me, Christ is very gracious and helps pick me up and refocuses me on habits and foods that are healthy for me and my relationship with Him.

Since I am writing how I've applied this Bible verse to my own life, you should know that it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

A Regular Diet of What is Allotted to Me

 Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches- Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, And say, "Who is the Lord?" Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God. Proverbs 30:8-9

This reminds me of Daniel, who could have eaten of all the king's delicacies, but only wanted healthy food allotted to him, instead of the fancy foods, and dining and hob-knobbing with others for attention from the nobility.

Although I don't hob-knob with nobility, it still is important for me to eat the food or to have the other things in life that I am allotted, and not get caught up in desiring things that are counterproductive for me. It can make us loose sight of our Lord and what He deems are healthy for us. Is it healthy for us to have a regular diet of trendy foods? Is it healthy for us to have a regular diet of social media, to the point, these topics keep us from sleeping at night? Is it healthy for us to have a regular diet of patriotism, to the point, that we forget who the Lord is and how He was compassionate to the less fortunate and marginalized of the world?

This is lots to be prayerful about and it transcends just eating food. It could be easy to get caught up in the fast-lane trying to out do the Jones's even if we have to lie a little or use God's name in vain, because everyone else is. I am a sinful human being and I have verged on slipping into these patterns, but the Lord shows me that my life is so much simpler and healthier when I am content to have the food and life style choices that are allotted to me.

Since I am writing how I've applied this Bible verse to my own life, you should know that it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Not Sensitive to the Needs of Others Who are in the Same Spot?

 A poor man who oppresses the poor Is like a driving rain which leaves no food. Proverbs 28:3

This passage about the poor man who oppresses the poor who are in the same predicament, reminds me of those who are heavy and put down every heavy person they see. They poke fun at what other heavy people are wearing, what they are eating, etc.

I can't say I've never done this, because I'm a sinful human being like the rest of us. What I do know is that Christ's showed me how I turned to food as a crutch during times of stress. It ended up being a false god in my life, where I turned to food for comfort in those times, instead of turning to my Lord and Savior to heal my aching heart.

It was very significant, in that He also showed me that if I was eating over stress, that others were probably doing so, as well. It gave me a deeper sense of compassion of what they were going through and it reminded me of how lonely I was inside, until Christ showed me that I didn't have to be lonely anymore. He filled me with a sense of self-worth, and showed me that the comments of others, the number on the scale, or size of my clothes didn't tell me who I was. I was a blessed child of Christ, who loved me the way I am, faults and all. In the process, He showed me that I no longer needed food for comfort when I was stressed, all I had to do was to put my concerns in my Savior's very capable hands. As soon as I did, I felt like a big burden was lifted off of my shoulders and I no longer had the urge to eat the door knobs off. If He could do this for me, He most certainly can do this for you, if you let Him!

Since I am writing how I've applied this Bible verse to my own life, you should know that it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Is Any of This Really Worth It?

 When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you: and put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food. Do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven. Proverbs 23:1-5

I'm just going to share the things that I relate to my eating issues. I always admired those people who eat fancy and exotic dishes specially prepared for them on a regular basis. I drool when I've walked by confection shops that show fancy delicacies, but is any of this really worth it?

It could be easy for me to get caught up in trying to live in the fast lane, to be able to afford these fancy foods, to only go to trendy restaurants and try all their delicacies. The thing is, when I've found myself caught up in desires like this, I loose sight of what is truly important in my life. Food controlled most of my life and even became a false god. Christ showed me, years ago, that I was going to food for comfort in times of stress, instead of turn these stressful things over to His very capable hands!

Is it really worth it for me to set my eyes on things of wealth, fancy restaurants and food delicacies? In the long run, the joy of riches and fancy foods certainly make themselves wings, and fly away and there I am stuck with the remorse for haven been taken in by the lure Satan dangles in front of me with these tempting things. Sure, it's not robbing a bank, or being unfaithful, but maybe I'm being unfaithful to myself and to Christ when I think that fancy foods will satisfy my aching heart, when only He can!

Since I am writing how I've applied this Bible verse to my own life, you should know that it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Food for Waste or Waist???

 Proverbs 13:23 says: Much food is in the fallow ground of the poor, And for lack of justice there is waste. 

I decided to check a couple of interpretations for this passage, before writing my post. The interpretation that I chose, although all are valid, is more aligned to: The poor people of the world have ground that could produce food for them, but they are too busy working the ground of the businesses owners, to be able to work their own ground for food for themselves. 

This seems especially significant to me, in that, yesterday was Thanksgiving. I always tell myself that I will eat moderately, but I heap my plate up so high, that things are dribbling off the sides. You wouldn't think I would still be doing this after Christ has blessed me with the vast majority of an 80 pound weight loss staying off for over 30 years and how He changed my life significantly to focus on what is important, Him, and to not let my food control my life. Unfortunately, it's two steps forward and one back, and other times it's one step forward and two back. 

This Bible passage makes me think of how these poor people in countries around the world, who are barely living on rice or peanut protein to get enough to keep their children alive are working to help provide all this food that I take for granted. I feel so guilty that I contribute to these inequities and feel sorry for mindlessly eating without being thankful for those who have given up so much to provide it for us!

Since I am writing how I've applied this Bible verse to my own life, you should know that it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie