MORE on God's glory with a subordinate end of losing weight

I have to say that I'm encouraged that I'm not alone.  Thank you sisters for your notes and emails and comments ........and I've been thinking more about this......because food is a daily activity that God has deemed fit to keep me thinking on Him.......he's a creative creator isn't He....infinitely wise and all? 

My latest thoughts are sort of ambiguous....but come from conversations from some friends and a husband who happen to be very .....'task oriented' people. (thank God for them, seriously, because without them this world would be chaos)

But when it comes to my heart before the Lord on this matter.....it's......not a 'list' anymore....to me it can't be........

In a recent discussion with my patient husband.....(because I am an external processor) 

I discovered that the reason that I dislike strict weight loss / weight training regimens is because it takes the freedom out of it.....the joy and the reality of being utterly dependant on Christ for help moment by moment.  For me, it is SO EXTREMELY freeing to know that I am no longer a SLAVE to sin to obey it's lusts, but that I am free to live for Christ.

I have the freedom to NOT obey my flesh.  DUDE! 

That............., just makes me want to skip.  brb :) 

Seriously though.....if you think about how you have the choice to disobey God, and think of all that He has done for your wicked self.....and then to look at an orange and be just dumbfounded by it's construction. (threads of juicy goodness if you look close enough)  Or a banana.....I've heard someone talk about it as just genius and it's true.   Comes in a wrapper that is bio degradable that also tells you when the fruit is ready to be eaten.....fits nicely into most human hands.  

Compare that to trying to rejoice in God through eating riboflavin or maltodextrin!! 

He's removed the wrath from our heads, freed us from the curse of the law and given us amazing foods that grow out of the ground to eat and be thankful and rejoice in the GIVER of all good things.

My skin is the only thing keeping me from going everywhere at once here..........legalism is dead.....God reigns and loves and provides.......

All I'm saying ....again....is that it's a GOD thing. Life is a GOD thing.....and changes and the unexpected happen....and learning to roll with the punches ...(to gain a disposition that loves righteousness and will choose it over sin at the drop of a hat) is my hearts GOAL.

My discussion with the dearest detailed friends of mine.....I've learned that they tend to be very routine in most things they do.  Routine is good, don't get me wrong.....but there is a danger as Ozzie Chambers says when he speaks about our devotions. Quiet times are at certain times of day, for a certain extended amount of time, reading a certain amount of scripture, and praying in a methodical order.

Order is good, as my husband reminded me, but my point is that if we have our quiet time just to 'check off' on our list that we've accomplished it....BUT it has NOT made us more tender more lovingly obedient (joy) and more in love with Jesus, than WHAT IS THE POINT!!!???

none.

It gets dangerous when your quiet time is not quality time to meet with Jesus, it is your hour with your habit.   Hence, relationships are spontaneous...and spring from love and desire.

Don't desire God ?  I know a great book for you..........that may be where to start for some.

So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do.....do all for the Glory of God.

My goal is God Himself, at any cost, my dear Lord.

May He be our peace.

Up out, 

JB2

Whatever you Eat, and Whatever you drink, and Whatever you do, do ALL for the Glory of God.

Lose Weight for the what??? The sake of my witness?
Now there's motivation!!!

I'm only posting about this due to the ever so cautious inquiries of sisters in the Lord in the last few months about how much weight I have lost in the last year.
I found it REALLY odd that no one ever asks me the HOW or the WHY questions.
(though I tell them anyway....cuz that's how i roll)
It seems that weight or looks, etc is a 'shallow' thing to talk about in the Christian circle because no one wants to be "that guy" (or girl) - you know...the 'vain one' who cares too much about the 'outside of the cup'

In December 2006, I found myself in this dilemma.........
On one hand, I was fine being the size I was, though, sure I felt that I could lose some weight......I just kept saying to myself "one day"
The war in my mind that went from being "geared up to do something about my weight"
TO
"Well, who cares - It's vain to think that I have to look like this or that"

The WHY ----- AKA the CRUX of the matter ~
That was the battle for 3-4 months.......more than anything because I KNEW without a doubt that the ways I was eating was not at all with the purpose to glorify God. Since as a baptist, we don't believe in transubstantiation......there is NO way that praying for my bacon cheeseburger or french fries was going to turn them into vegetables once they got past my taste buds!!! I felt like a hypocrite praying for God to "bless this food to my body" when I was eating low-nutrition - high fat / sugar foods.

BAM ~
Then, I read the text in Gal 5:22-23 and the last fruit jumped out at me.........
"self control"....the 9th fruit of the Spirit.
Food was on my mind often....as a reward for my doing something well, as a comfort for when I felt sad, as something to do to excite my chubby little heart when I felt bored......passively, controlling me.

The HOW ~

Simple 3 words that I saw come across my screen late one night in December 06'
Decide. Commit. Succeed.

Make a choice and make a plan to choose to be contented, but not stuffed......don't wait for the moments of decision to make the decision. Decide, "at this get together tonight, I will order a chicken breast" so that when you're there you look forward to it.
Then, you won't say, "well, maybe just tonight I'll let myself cheat"
(because - you will cheat every time if you are like me)

Don't take detours and don't excuse yourself from your commitments, let your YES be YES and your NO be NO. This is an integrity issue. Keep your word to yourself and to God in your commitment to what you eat, and what activities you commit to doing.

PRAY for help with the above- Ask the Lord to help you have integrity, ask Him to give you light and a sensitive conscience in this area as you walk into where you're having lunch even.
This is good, since we should be seeking His face always, and only then will we have joy that is not based on things that are passing away.

Set goals for activity levels, NOT for "pounds lost" and don't get on the scale every day.
I did turbo jam, and highly recommend it. You can find the first 5 workouts on ebay.....for
$8-20. I paid $75 back in 06 and it has been worth every penny. The workouts are super fun you can do it in your own home.....and the trainer says the right things at the right time to motivate you......haha, I guess I'm like pavlov's dog....cuz it works for me every time I know that it's COMING Up in the video. haha..

Set goals BASED ON eternal things - not for vain (empty) ambitions.......not to look better, although your husband will be pleased, surely, this is a subordinate end ;)

So now I guess, I'm hoping to connect with other sisters who have this same battle......
I'm determined to drop the last 15 stubborn pounds.......and I'm sort of blogging about it as a means of accountability for myself to not get flippant about it.........
The last few lbs as the first 35 were a bi-end to my seeking to honor the Lord and walk uprightly in things as menial as eating and drinking TO HIS GLORY.

I hope to blog more about this.........the white elephant and I will be eating 1/2 a chipotle burrito for lunch .....perhaps after we get back?
:)

love in Christ,
jen