A time to give thanks

This is a wonderful time of year. It's a time when many families and friends can come together and reunite after a long year away from each other. The majority of the celebrations, parties and gatherings we will attend between now and the new year will revolve around a plentiful table of rich dishes and decadent deserts. Most of us, including myself, will put our goals of loosing a few pounds on the back-burner in the spirit of celebration and the hopes that the new year will bring us more success. I tend to spend far too much time between Thanksgiving and New Years wishing I had done better obtaining my goals. Sometimes it can be down right depressing. This negative self talk only gives me more fuel to add to the fire when I'm presented with a table full of some of my favorite deserts that I won't likely see again for another year. In a way, I give myself permission to over-eat and indulge in a way that I wouldn't normally. I propose this......rather than making the food at the table of each celebration the focal point or even the reason we're coming together, how about we celebrate the relationships with the people we are with, remember the people that couldn't be with us and be thankful for all the Lord has given us.

Colossians 3:15-17 says:

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

God gave us food and food is a part of many celebrations in the bible. The bible speaks about feasts celebrating weddings, reunions and harvests, always giving thanks. If we were to take a step back, celebrate our successes of the past year, set goals for the new year and fellowship with the family and friends around us, suddenly the food is secondary. It doesn't matter if you are sitting down at a table with all the traditional Thanksgiving feast favorites, you're quietly sitting with your spouse having a plate of lasagna or you have a job that requires you to work and you simply have a sandwich with a bag of chips. Food isn't a destination; it's a gift.

Isaiah 12:4-5

In that day you will say: "Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world."

I pray that each and every person that reads this will take a moment today (and everyday) to be thankful for all the Lord had done for you. There is so much to be thankful for, it is almost overwhelming when you really take the time to think about it. 

1 Timothy 4:4-5

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. 

I have asked those that will be sitting at our Thanksgiving table to come up with at least one thing they are thankful for and share it with the rest of us when we sit down to our meal later today. Maybe you'd like to give it a try?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

What does God say about you?

I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that I struggle with self-image. Self-image is so much more than weight problem and many things can contribute to it. I used to think that taking off a few pounds would change everything and make me feel better about myself and my situation. And for a time, it would. As long as things were going well and within myself I was able to maintain my "will-power", I would 'feel' better......but it would be temporary. Something would happen. I'd have a bad day or a stressful week at work or get an unexpected bill in the mail or.....or.....or. You get the picture. I'm sure you can relate. It didn't even have to be something 'bad', it could simply be a change in the daily routine like having to work late or the stress of the holidays. The point is, my willpower would fly out the window and I'd tell myself that I'd do better tomorrow, it's just this one meal or I'll just skip this one trip to the gym. One day would turn into a week, a week would turn into a month and before you know it.....the weight is back on and my self-image is lower than it had been when I started because now, not only was I back at my starting point (or worse) but now I'm a failure. It's a viscous unhealthy cycle and it's exhausting. I'm sure you'd agree.

What if our self-image came from someone other than within ourselves? Measured by a different set of standards than the number on the scale or the size of your waistband?

Genesis 1:27 says:

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (NIV)

Wow! Just think about for a moment. God created mankind in His image. God had already made all the living creatures and none of them were made in His image until He made man. What does that say about Gods feelings for us? He didn't make us in the image of a horse or a dog or a monkey. He created us in HIS image. And if that wasn't enough, he gave us all that he had created on earth.

Genesis 1:28-30

God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground." Then God said “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.

Not only were we made in His image but He made us, all of mankind. Our bodies have been designed the way they are on purpose. Not only have our bodies been made to require food for nourishment but they have also been made to enjoy that food.

Psalm 139:13-16 in the Message Bible says:

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.

If we could just see ourselves through His eyes and not the number on the scale, the latest picture taken of us or the reflection in the mirror, what would our self-image be then? When that stressful situation comes knocking on the door (and it will) or when we've had that argument with our spouse; rather than seeking temporary satisfaction in a sleeve of Oreo cookies or box of cereal, lets take a moment to remember what God thinks of us and that our self-image was created in Him.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I pray that each person reading this today can see themselves as you see them. Help us to realize that we have been perfectly made in Your image. We take satisfaction in knowing You and being your children. Thank you for the life you've given us and the bodies we've been given to live it.

In Your Holy Name, Amen.

The Goal

I have struggled with my weight the majority of my adult life. I've tried just about every fad diet and weight loss program out there. Of course, I would loose some weight but it was always short lived and the weight would come roaring back leaving me feeling just as discouraged as when I started. Sound familiar? Its the nature of the yo-yo diet. 

Before I go any further, let me tell you right from the start, I know this is not a popular topic. I continue to struggle with this diet, exercise, fall-off-the-wagon roller coaster ride every single day. Truth be told, I'm probably at my heaviest in 5 years. In fact, while pondering the title of this blog, I turned to my kitchen and pantry to find my answers.......they weren't there (if you were wondering). I'm not here to tell you that there is a magic solution to the struggle. I'm also not going to share an eating or exercise program with you that will promise extraordinary results. To be honest, it's not about the weight. It's about drawing closer to God, learning what he says about us and learning to turn to Him rather than our pantry or the treadmill when we need comfort or encouragement. The goal?......To find, within God's word where food, exercise, our bodies and self-esteem fit into His promise and apply it to our lives. 

I hope you'll join me in this journey. Don't take my word for it. I'm not a teacher, a theologian or an expert. Get into Gods word and see for yourself what God says about you. Share your thoughts, your victories, your struggles.