replacing lies, embracing truth

"Food was never meant to fulfill the deepest places of our hearts reserved for God alone. Not on the good days. Not on the bad days. And not even on the stinkin', rotten, horrible no good days. God says, "See I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut" (Rev 3:8). May it be that we walk through that door, head north, and never look back."

This paragraph was taken from Made to Crave. I am gonna quote some more from this book also because I really took a lot from today's reading. :)

This is week 1 of the rest of my life. I made it. The whole week without one sweet thing, one soda, and mostly no preservative foods! This is a huge accomplishment for me. I've learned that food being fulfilling is a lie. God gave us healthy foods so that we could make his temple Holy and healthy. I don't need junk food to fulfill any part of me.

Another thing I have taken from this book is that I tie food to the wrong things. Get ready for an exert... that I am sure most of you will find yourself nodding to.

"There were too many experiences I enjoyed primarily because of the food that was attached to them. The movies were tied to popcorn. A birthday party was tied to cake. A ballgame was tied to a hotdog. School parties were tied to cookies. A morning meeting was tied to gourmet coffee. Getting gas was tied to snack crackers and a soda. Watching TV was tied to chips. A summer outing was tied to ice cream. A winter outing was tied to hot chocolate."

She goes on to say that tying food (or anything else) to happiness sets us up for failure. As I read that paragraph above I nodded my head to every one of them. Every single one of them. When I talked to Tim about doing this healthy eating thing... I was sad because when I went to parties I would miss out on cake, when I went to the movies I would miss out on popcorn, and when I went to the Roadhouse I would miss out on rolls. How sad is that? My happiness seems completely tied to food. It's no wonder I have always had issues with my weight. I am finding my happiness in the wrong places. I have to learn to attach my happy to the only eternal stability there is and remain.

"As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (John 15:9-12)"

These verses teach us to remain in God's love so that we won't tie our happy to anything but God. So that our joy will be complete.

"Complete. As in not lacking anything. Complete. As in filled up to the brink with joy no matter is we are wearing our skinny jeans or not. Complete. As in satisfied with a fullness we can't get any other way. Can you imagine how beautiful it would be to live as a complete person?"

This is how I made it 1 whole week. I learned to remain. To be complete.