The Times They Are A-Changing

There are a few new things going on since I last posted. I'm 2/3 the person I used to be. My baby is going to go Kindergarten this year. My baby boy is now a great big 2nd grader. My husband has become the worship leader at our church, in addition to his "real job."

I'm back blogging because I wanted to share this journey God's had me on. I'm hoping it might help someone. Someone told me recently that my weight loss inspired them. I have never inspired anyone. To do anything, unless it was how not to be. You know what they say, if you can't be a guiding light, be a horrible warning. But starting with a late night in my own little bed 13 years ago, I asked God to change me and make me into the girl he wanted me to be, and I have seen the difference between what I was pre-salvation and post-salvation. It's been quite a journey and it is by no means complete, but I want to be the person that shows you that it is never too late. I want to be the person that says if you're praying for someone to accept Christ and you just don't think it's ever going to happen, keep praying. If you're the person who struggles with an addiction or just a bad habit and you don't think God will ever remove that craving from your life, I want to tell you to keep praying. I want to be the person that tells you God has a better life in mind for you than you could ever dream of, if you'll give it to Him.

This is going to go in no particular order, and I IMPLORE you to remember that not only am I not an expert in anything, I'm quite dim-witted about some things and downright brainless about others. I'm stubborn and unkind and impatient and snarky and sarcastic and ignorant and all the things a sinner is. But I'm also a work in progress, I'm open to what the Lord has in store for me, and I'm willing to change to be the best version of me that I can be. And I'm willing to share that journey with you.

So. Step one. Dallas and I are embarking on a new way of eating. Back in May of 2012, I went for a walk one day. It felt so good I kept doing it. I prayed that God would help me lose extra weight I'd been carrying for about 20 years, and He turned that walk into a life change that brought me to lose about 70 pounds and gain a new perspective on what's healthy and what's pleasing to God.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

I've since gained back about 20 pounds (I went a little too far) and now I'm trying to strike a healthy balance between exercise and eating. It's hard. Because I'm a naturally lazy person. I'm not into yoga and sweating and I like napping and Cheez-Its and pudding and Diet Coke. Oh the Diet Coke. Life gets in the way (buying and selling a house, moving, changing schools, holidays, 60-hour workweeks) and did I mention the laziness?, but I'm open to the work I asked God to make in me.

To that end, we've been investigating food. We started out watching a documentary recommended by our friend April (thanks, April!) called Forks Over Knives, and that led to a documentary called Food, Inc. They're on Netflix if you want to watch them. For me it was another turning point, similar to the weight thing. It's an extremely informative film about where our food comes from and how food is processed before it gets to us. The problem is that you can't un-know it. If you can't watch it yourself and are interested I'm happy to explain it, but if you can, I encourage you to watch it and be informed. Then watch Food Fight for an explanation of how we got to where we are now in the food industry. This was extremely helpful to me because I grew up in the 1970's and 1980's, when all of the processed food was already in existence, and this is just how things were. I didn't know of another way of eating and I grew up trusting that food is good and it wouldn't be available if it wasn't good to eat. Now granted, I always knew that you should eat more veggies than cake if you don't want to gain weight, but frankly I like cake, and for a long time I think there was this internal game I played with myself where I was on a mission to eat all I could because if I ate the most then I win. Win what, I don't know, but it was this ugly battle inside me that is for another post. But I thought if the food was in the grocery store then it was good food. Except maybe that's not the case.

So now we are starting a journey to eat organic, locally grown food that is healthy for us and supports a lifestyle that would glorify God. God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die for us. Think of it this way: do you want the best possible thing for your children? Would you feed them rocks and dirt and trash? Would you throw them to the winds and leave them to fend for themselves? No, you love them and you want the very best for them. You feed them good food, you clothe them, you educate them, you discipline them, you keep them clean and healthy.

Luke 11:11-13
11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

See? Well, how you feel about your children, God loves you more even than that. God loves you more than you can even fathom. And so being that person that God loves so much and wants good things for, I want to please Him by taking care of the body he gave me, and using the gifts that he gave me to glorify Him. So I'm going to do that as best I can and if you want to come with me then come on.