Planning for Trials

Today I was reading TW chapter 8 and thought it would serve as a good reminder to me to do the planning for trials exercise again. I know I’ve covered some of this in previous posts, so it may not be of interest to you, but I know it is a good reminder to me as this is the nitty-gritty of TW for me, what sets me off 0-5 eating on a consistent basis.

A long time ago I talked with my daughters about dealing with temptation (at the time it was dealing with wanting to gossip about a kid in class). I mentioned how God provides us with an "exit" door (hence the graphics below!). Now my 6 yr old, whenever she is feeling very frustrated and can't get out of an emotional rut she is in, says "I can't find the exit!" Then we usually pray together and sure enough she finds the "exit" that God has provided....and we together we praise God for it.

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out [also known as the EXIT in our household!] so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

So, now here I am thinking ahead to where the exit may be or how to get to the point where I choose to actually use the exit that God always faithfully provides.

I bake, I eat—taste test trap…and often the trap continues to lure me if it is a sugary treat. Often the temptation is to finish up the tempting food so it won’t be there to tempt me anymore.
First and foremost, I plan on really limiting the baking I do, keeping it more for special occasions. The next thing I plan on baking is going to be a banana bread loaf as I have some really ripe bananas right now. My goal will be to pre-slice the loaf and bag each piece, probably freeze the majority of the pieces (out of sight, out of mind does tend to be true for me generally). Thirdly, for those times that I am being tempted to eat outside of 0-5 with these tempting treats, I know it would be beneficial to move to another room, spend some time in prayer and bible reading (be still before God and really “practice His presence”). I’m just thinking right now another idea may be to find a really catchy encouraging God-focussed song and put it on every time I’m tempted. I kind of like that idea! I think I’ll try that one next time. Anyone have ideas for songs that may fit the bill? I’ll keep you updated on that idea!

I don’t want to wait for hunger. I want what I want NOW! The food is calling my name. I want to eat it ALL (past #5)! Etc…
This one is probably one of the hardest ones for me to deal with. These are the times when I have a voice in my head that says “you shouldn’t be eating it, you know you’re not hungry/or when you’re full” and then it’s like I just tell that voice (the Holy Spirit I’m guessing!) “be quiet, don’t think about it, it’s just this one time” etc. These are the times that I probably need to especially work on as this is a rebellious attitude that runs contrary to my godly goals.

So, what do I do??? First I think I’ll try that music idea again. We’ll see if that works, as I associate a certain song with acting as the escape route provided by God. Second, I should probably make sure these times I spend at least a couple minutes far away from the temptation in prayer/bible to get my focus back on God not on self. Third, get busy with something of interest—go for a walk, have a shower (even if it is at an odd time of day!), read story to the kids, run to the computer, play the piano, clean up the house, read a magazine… Many options are available if I just move away from the present weak moment.

It’s mealtime.
Breakfast and lunch are always pretty relaxed around our house, so no real stress over that meal. However, the supper meal is always tough for me. It is important to me to be hungry for this meal. I think it is good to eat well-rounded meals (as long as within 0-5 of course). It sends a good message to my kids to eat these healthy meals, conversing and eating…of course 0-5. So I do value being at #0 for supper. However, in the learning stages, I know that won’t always happen… If this is the case, my primary plan will be to sit down with the family and drink some water or some herbal tea and just visit. If this is too tough, I’ll do a little TW reading on the computer while the family eats…or start cleaning up the kitchen if it is a mess.

Social events.
The main thing is just to make sure I’m planning ahead to be hungry for the event. If I’m hungry then the only thing I need to focus on is really being conscious and present for the eating as well as focussing on the conversation and company around me. If I’m not hungry I think I could generally get by with just a non-caloric drink without offending anyone or anyone really thinking much of it.

Another huge one is when I’m tired and need a pick-me-up.
This is a really tough one as I wrote about the other day. As I wrote previously, hosting company sends me to after-dinner treats often. The key is to be really conscious and present for the eating and also enjoy the company. Also, not letting myself get too worn out with preparations is probably key too. There are lots of other times that I get tired though. I often just feel worn out and feel like eating for that extra energy boost. I think at times like this I should just lie down on the couch and close my eyes and be still before God. Drinking some water may also help. If it works to nap, I should definitely take that time to nap. I’ve been working on this area for quite some time, as this one became a very evident problem for me back when I first started TW. My husband actually was the one who brought up that I should take note of this weak time. So, I’ve been more vigilant with this particular area.

Anyone have any other ideas? I’m up for suggestions!