Legalism vs Freedom

My surrender journey took a more intense turn about one year ago, starting February 3rd 2008. I was 172 lbs one year ago and now am 153-155lbs. Prasie God for that miracle! Looking back I wanted to share one thing that has changed in the past 6 months in particular.

I was first introduced to hunger/fullness eating in 1998 through Weigh Down. As I remember the few years from 1998-2001, when I was more on track with hunger/fullness eating, I can see that legalism was completely holding me captive. I may have lost 50 lbs, but I was living in a prison of my own making.

My typical menu:
Breakfast: I'd start off the day with a small bowl of cereal or a yogurt and fruit (both healthy and delicious choices, clearly). I didn't go off course with these "safe" choices, because then I wouldn't "know" when I'd be hungry next...
Lunch: I'd usually have a piece of toast with cheese and a piece of fruit or I'd have another bowl of cereal with bananas and raisins. I'd very very very very rarely go off of those menu items.
Supper: Everything was up for grabs because I didn't have to worry about timing as much. I was not very conscious of what it felt like to stop at satisfaction.

I knew an apple would take me an hour to digest. A bowl of cereal would take 3 hours. etc. I was bound to a whole new "diet"! I feared trying new things because I didn't want any guess work with regards to when I'd be hungry. I dreaded going out with friends and encountering "different" choices.

This approach towards "timing" foods is still necessary at times I must admit. It helps with pre-planning, particularily when I want to be hungry for a special meal etc. However, it also can become a hinderance as I really wasn't FREE!

Since Summer '08 I feel there has been a marked difference in my approach towards eating. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that my kids are in school full time so I have more flexibility with my eating? I feel a degree of *relaxing* into hunger/fullness eating. I have experimented more with what I like and don't like, what I'm craving etc. It's been good.

Of course this has also come at a cost as I have struggled to be consistent with 0-5 eating. It's tough to patiently wait for hunger when Idon't know how long I'll have to wait! Regardless, it has taught me many lessons...

I have learned not to actually focus on the food as much. That may seem strange because all of a sudden my menu options have expanded (though I do go in spurts with certain foods day after day...yet I'm not afraid to try new things now)! Somehow being free to choose has helped me focus on the present more. Hmmm...as I write this it seems a strange paradox!

Somehow being free to choose WHAT I eat has freed me to NOT think about food as much! And in the process my focus has shifted away from "controlling" my eating to focussing on feasting on God's word and on Him and leaning on Him.

So, despite the weight fluctuation in the past couple months I can truly say God has His hand in this, doing a "good work" in me. I can see some rhyme and reason to the past few months :-)

"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:31-33

Seek first his kingdom... Somehow true freedom and satisfaction is found when we seek God. I guess that makes sense since this is the way God "wired us" and made us. We were made to glorify Him and seek Him. Nothing else will click with us like that! When I seek to control my life~my eating, my finances, my friendships, my family, my work, my schedule....my focus often veers far from God's purposes and will and His best.

How the day went...

Yesterday went okay... I actually ended up being quite stressed for a large part of the day because my older daughter was really testing me! Grrr.... Oh well, it was still a good day. It's just hard to see her growing up and not my "little" girl anymore:-( And I really have to learn to display the fruits of the spirit to her~love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

So in regards to eating, here's how it went.

Breakfast: As I said, I was hungry (though not rumbly) for breakfast and had a moderate amount of food, staying within 0-5.

Lunch: I was actually rumbly hungry, which was a surprise for me:-) I wish, in hindsight, that I'd eaten a little lighter of a lunch. I ended up eating just one small piece of bread, a cheese string and some veggie/fruit juice...staying within 0-5 once again. Doesn't seem like a lot, but that seemed to tide me over right until supper.

Supper: I didn't have rumbly hunger, but was beginning to feel hunger. I thoroughly enjoyed the meal at my parent's place and enjoyed the conversation and visit. My mom always spoils me on my birthday! She's pretty special:-) I took a very small sliver of cake (which stunned my mom!) as I wanted to have some room for treats later.

Then Jon and I went to DQ and I had a blizzard which I thoroughly enjoyed and then we went and rented a movie (Becoming Jane) and snuggled, with some popcorn in hand, to watch the movie. (We were originally going to go to the movie theater but then the timing was just off...so we opted for a movie at home.)

I was pushing it with regards to 0-5 in many ways, because my evening eating was over such an extended time. I would say I ate to about a #6, just a bit past hunger being satisfied.

So, that's how things went at this end:-) Now I'm officially another year older! I'm very thankful for the past year and all the ways the Lord has grown me. And I truly look forward to what He has in store for the upcoming year! For...

"He who began a good work in you (me) will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil 1:6

I'm still HIS work in progress! I'm thankful for His faithfulness, patience and mercy despite all my setbacks and failings!

Thanks, Lord!

Ironic Timing!

Last night, as I lay in bed, it hit me that my last post was posted with quite ironic timing! I wondered why on earth I decided to post about "excuses" when it was my birthday the very next day! I was looking forward to "treats" no matter how far outside of 0-5 boundaries they were! Now that is ironic and willfully rebellious, isn't it?! And I groaned (yes, groaned...and had a grumbly attitude!) because I knew I'd have to be accountable HERE for my choices! I have to laugh aloud at the irony of that! God must have been speaking to me last night for a reason:-)

Anyways, I will rest and lean on Jesus today. I will aim for Him to increase and for me to decrease. And I will make it my aim to joyfully and gladly try to stay within 0-5 boundaries :-) And I WILL give account for my choices today:-)

So, here is my action plan as I pre-plan for the challenges that lay ahead for the day...

Breakfast - I was hungry and enjoyed a pancake breakfast. Thanks, Lord!

Lunch - I don't think I'll be hungry for lunch after the larger breakfast....though maybe I'll be surprised:-) If I am hungry I will aim for something really light, maybe even just some juice, to ensure I'm hungry for supper.

Supper - It's dinner at my parent's place. One thing I'm prepared for is some birthday dessert there and then Jon and I have already planned to go out for DQ blizzards (at my request)... That's quite a lot of sweets potentially.... Anyways, I'll aim to savour and enjoy and eat minimal amount at supper (main course and dessert)...yet ENJOY each and EVERY SINGLE bite to the fullest as my mother is cooking a special dinner and dessert for me, bless her:-) I'll aim to drink lots of water and put my fork down between bites and focus on wonderful family times and conversation. After that Jon and I will go out for blizzards and a movie and I'll savour that as well, stopping by a #5.

I gotta end this post with a favorite scripture I memorized in the past week and which I have been praying over my kids...and would like to pray over every one of YOU, my blog readers today!

[May] The Lord bless you and keep you.
[May] The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
[May] The Lord turn to you and give you peace.
(Numbers 7:24-26)
AMEN!

Excuses

I have been feeling a little discouraged lately with regards to my eating. I often want to make excuses....

• It's hard around my birthday and valentines day.
• It's hard around halloween.
• It's hard around christmas.
• It's hard during summer vacation and travelling.

Oh the list could go on and on and on, couldn't it!!! It's never easy! It's hard to stay within 0-5 eating boudaries, especially for a full day! But oh so rewarding when we persevere!

I've been struggling, in particular since halloween I'd say. It felt like a slippery slope that I just kept sliding and sliding down and down and down into the muck and mire!

Today didn't start off fabulous in regards to eating. In fact I felt on the greedy side as I took a second scone at our ladies bible study meeting. I had missed breakfast as I knew my friend was bringing these scones especially as a treat to celebrate my bday.... Yet another excuse, isn't it! I didn't eat past #5, but know that I could easily have been content and satisfied with simply one.

However midafternoon I felt wonderfully hungry! Yes, WONDERFULLY hungry! I love that feeling...at least when I know that it is within my "control" to eat something! I probably wouldn't like or relish that feeling if I had been deprived of food. But for me hunger is getting in tune with my body's needs.

I was on the phone with a friend, so I postponed eating for about an hour. Then I wasn't sure when to eat...wait for supper or have a little snack???

I decided to spend some time feeding on God's word and praying first. Now, that was a step in the right direction for me. Praise God!!! He certainly met me there. Oh how I long to do that more often!

Then I moved into eating an early supper. I relished and savoured that meal. Thanks, Lord!

So, why on earth do I CONSTANTLY make excuses??? It drives me nuts!! Imagine how God feels...

I guess, if I look at it from the perspective of dying to self I can say that DEATH IS PAINFUL. It hurts to cut lose all the sinful habits that I cling to. Yet I cling to the truth that Christ lives in me. He doesn't leave me to wallow in the pain of death...but rather brings me life, hope and future!

For...."I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

So I fix my eyes and continue to focus on the Lord with the desire for more of Him and less of me... I long to delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on it day and night. I desire to be a tree of righteousness, planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. (Ps. 1:1-3) And I continue taking one step at a time...

I will remember the truth that the ONE who lives inside of me is GREATER than the one who is in this world (1 John 4:4)

I'M NOT GIVING UP!

For I know that God hasn't given up on me!

Thanks, Lord!

Made to Love

I was dancing like crazy (seriously CRAZY) this morning to get my kids out the door:-) LOL! I really love this song:-) It's hard to have a bad day when listening to this song!

"Made to Love" by Toby Mac

This is the Day!

(Jon took this sunrise picture last summer, our last morning in Mexico)

This morning started off so beautifully...for a change. My blood pressure wasn't rising. My youngest daughter was happily getting dressed (which is HUGE for her!), ate her breakfast and got her morning routine completed HAPPILY! We had lots and lots of snuggles and laughs together. And she was ready BEFORE her big sister (a miracle I tell you!) and was singing every step of the way!

PRAISE GOD!

Walking step by step through my morning so far...

This morning the Lord woke me up at 5am. I couldn't fall back to sleep and finally at 5:30am I decided it was indeed the Lord waking me and I silently tiptoed off to the livingroom and cracked open my bible. I had a wonderful time of reading and prayer and also managed to memorize another verse (one of my goals). What a great start to the day, feasting at the Lord's Table!

Next I had an early breakfast as I was feeling hungry, though my tummy didn't give me the normal and usual rumble. I figured I'd fuel up for the day at this point. Then I snuggled with our guinea pigs for a bit. (btw we found new homes for the two baby guinea pigs...praise God! Seriously, that was a prayer of mine lately as it was looking like it was going to be tough to find new homes for them.)

Then I got out my jump rope and got to exercise while watching "The Mom Show," a Canadian talk show whose title is self-explanatory.

Then I got those little guinea pigs and brought them into my youngest daughter's room so they could wake her up with a "good morning" snuggle. This set her off into a great mood right off the bat! Praise God!

After that I started singing a few songs, one of them being "This is the day." Well that really was a hit. I don't think she's ever heard that song before! It was one of the classics I grew up on. And then we moved into all the usual morning chores and routines. And finally, in the last five minutes before they needed to get ready, we snuggled together.

The best part of it all was when it was time to head out the door. I challenged her to get dressed in her snow gear in the time it took me to sing "This is the day!" Well, that got her going! She was ready SO HAPPILY in no time at all! And then she proceeded to start singing it over and over again as my oldest daughter got dressed:-)

Wow, praise God for a new day! Praise God for THIS day! He is good!

This is the day the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 100:4-5

He Has Made Me Glad

Reflections (Jan. 26)

I think I'm going to put my food & exercise blog on hold once again for awhile...at least for a time.

However one thing I thought I'd like to track here at "Rainbow Promises" in regards to my eating are observations/corrections noted, verses that speak to specific circumstances, struggles, victory steps, answered prayers, intentionally pre-planning for trials etc. These posts will be called "Reflections."

I have to say things feel quite out of whack and out of routine with regards to my eating lately. I know these times come and go and I just have to roll with it:-)

Here's a quick recap of the weekend...

Friday (as previously posted on my food/exercise blog):

A step in the right direction...

I was REALLY craving a hot chocolate or coffee drink mid afternoon, though I wasn't hungry... But I walked away while my water was heating up, prayed and kept asking myself if I was setting myself up for victory at this moment... And praise God, I made it through the test, and chose an herbal tea instead! Thanks Lord for showing me the way out! Amen.

O&C: At supper I thought I'd hit a comfortable #5....but then we went swimming right after supper and I have to admit my stomach was feeling a little heavy! I guess that was a signal that I need to slow down to make sure my body signals when I'm done, when hunger has been satisfied.

A step in the right direction...

I had been feeling a craving for ice cream after the pizza supper and mentioned it to my husband. But then I decided to just opt for some jolly rancher candies instead for dessert. Jon asked, on our way back from swimming, if I still had my craving (because he would go get ice cream any chance he got!)...and in all honesty I didn't feel ANY craving for ice cream or any food for that matter right now. That is huge for me! Usually, after something like this outing, I feel like something soothing. So, praise God for that!!!

Sunday (as posted on my food/exercise blog):

Observation: I went a little overboard once again with dessert at lunch. It pushed me over that comfy #5 unfortunately as I munched on more of it after my parents left our place after lunch.

Correction:

#1 Once again I need to re-evaluate how i handle desserts when I have company. I always desire to sit back and relax and fully enjoy the dessert once company leaves... I think the best way to not add a link in a chain towards a fall would be to REALLY eat a small amount and savour savour savour when company is present. Then take a moderate amount after company leaves and FULLY SAVOUR and apply all the conscious eating tips. If I followed that plan of action I'd feel like it was a victory. This would be as Jesus said to do in the face of temptation...WATCHING.

#2 Also, did I prepare for victory by praying and praising? I don't feel I was very intentional in this area. I was certainly enjoying the company of my parents. I was certainly hungry for lunch. And I certainly ate wholesome, whole body pleasers. But I wasn't quite prepared for temptation, ready to break any links of the chain that would lead to a fall. I DID let Satan have a foothold unfortunately, by not setting myself up for victory by intentionally by throwing myself at the Lord's feet in regards to my eating today. This would be doing as Jesus said to do in the face of temptation...PRAYING.

Later in the evening I experienced a step in the right direction...

I wasn't hungry, so instead of really digging into the food and going all out...I had a small amount. Not only that, but Jon brought down a small bowl of ice cream for me (the last of the carton which was bought on Saturday by the way)...and I actually said "no" which is truly a miracle in itself! That's a God thing! This was a victory step for me. Thanks, Lord!

And that brings me to...

Monday (today):

I'm struggling with waiting for hunger tonight. I had a big lunch and probably a bit too much sweets. I've resolved I'm going to go and spend some time in the Bible after posting this and find satisfaction there.

Lord, I choose to sit at your feet now and experience YOU and the way YOU want to meet the desires of my heart. Thank you, Lord! Amen.

Focus

Isn't this a freaky picture?!! I found it very hard to focus:-)

On Friday I was watching a christian TV talk show and one of the guests was a man named "The Diet Doc", Dr. Joe. I watched, curious to see what he would have to say and to hear a christian perspective to weight loss. I was so saddened as I watched the program unfold as they interviewed this fellow.

First and foremost nowhere did I hear that he is a believer (nor did I find it anywhere on his webpage that he is a christian)... I'm figuring he must be a christian if they are interviewing him on a christian program???

Secondly, everything was about following plans, rules, regulations, watching carbs, watching calories, watching what we eat....all focussed on FOOD! Nothing was addressed in regards to emotions, spiritual well being....focussing on God or His Word!

Then one of the talk show hosts continued to share how she had lost 60 lbs over the course of the past 10 years. And what followed was lots of congratulations and pats on the back, "Good job. What hard work. You did good. etc."~you get the idea. She looked very proud of herself...granted, I'm not going to judge her and her journey from that snapshot.

But the sad thing was that not ONCE was God glorified in the process...not once was any praise given to God for even something as simple as giving her a way out of temptation....not once was God given any air time. Oh how sad. I walked away quite shocked actually! The importance of THIS scripture was missed...

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the GLORY OF GOD. 1 Corinthians 10:31

God doesn't want us to keep Him out of this area of our life. I loved the way TLT (day 48) reflected that our need for food/physical nourishment is a shadow of the reality that we need spiritual food/nourishment. We NEED God MORE then we even need food! Imagine that! I know I certainly need Him every moment of every day!!! I am very weak and have many fleshly lusts that draw my focus away from my Greatest Treasure, Jesus Christ.

"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit..." Romans 1:17

"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:31-34

I choose to fix my eyes and FOCUS on Jesus! (Hebrews 12:2)

I'm ready!

I appologize that my posts have been a bit lengthy lately, for those of you who come by to visit my blog. A good part of the reason I blog at all is to essentially pull together my own thoughts so I can put a cohesive thought together:-) Sometimes it takes longer then other times to get that thought cemented:-) What a great God we have, who can actually know what I'm thinking (and fully understand it) before I can even put it into words (Ps. 139:4)! Pretty cool!

Okay, the reason I'm writing today may end up being a bit premature... I just have this feeling inside me that I'm ready for the next phase of my weight release journey! I feel like God has equipped me with so much real "food" (meaning His word and teachings) that I feel ready to just fly and soar on the wings of the eagle! I feel such hope!

"...but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

Something inside me is just saying "I'm ready Lord!" So I sit at my Lord's feet, feed on His Word and humble myself before Him. I am so well aware that I am simply a "jar of clay"~a weak, everyday, ordinary, chipped, cracked weak pot!

BUT I also am very well aware that inside of me resides the GREATEST TREASURE~God Himself! And He is all-loving and all-powerful!

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7

Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8

He who began a good work in you [that's me too!] will bring it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Phil 1:6

The Lord's Table~final review

Well, I have reached the conclussion of TLT workbook study. What an awesome study! (As noted before: I did not follow the eating schedule, but rather simply ate 0-5 within hunger/fullness boundaries.)

In regards to weight release...I started TLT back on November 23rd 2008 at 153 lbs....and I have ended TLT today, on January 21st and am 153 lbs, within my BMI range (on my scale at least:-)! I'm okay with that! I'm obviously in a bit of a maintenance mode phase right now and that is a good thing. That is a whole new lesson in and of itself for me!

I can hardly begin to express all that I have learned! As I look back it is such an incredible journey I've been on:-)

Here are the TOP TEN thing I've learned...

1.) My motivation for losing weight needs to be for the glory of God alone.

2.) As I open wide my mouth, that I'm actually opening my ears and listening to His Word. As I pray and read the bible and listen to the Lord He fills me up! Him fillings me up truly meets the desires of my heart! Jesus and His words are the Living Water. I want to drink of the pure, refreshing source rather then a mucky mud puddle!

3.) Broken, helpless and contrite before the Lord is a good place to be, because I will depend on God so much more, and He will lift me up out of the muck and the mire and set my feet on solid ground! I can in no way claim glory for myself when I am depending on Him!

4.) Over the past two months, I have been "putting on" reading God's word, spending time with Him, praising Him, getting back to the basics of 0-5 eating. I'm still working on the "putting off" area!

5.) I've been reminded of the importance of the concept of confession and repentance and have come to truly appreciate the Thin Within concept of observation and correction. I want to do much much more of that!

6.) Just as the Israelites were ready for flight when they were leaving Egypt...so do I! I need to remember to fill up on God's word and spend time in prayer and praise prior to battle! And for me there are countless battles...some so small and some large! Battles all the same! I need to remember prayer and praise precede victory!

7.) I was reminded of the value of being intentional and pre-planning for trials. I must watch and pray as Jesus commanded. There are many links in the chain that leads to sin. Another way of putting it is there are many rungs to the ladder...I must not let Satan get even one foothold! I need to watch out for those steps, those links in the chain and break them as I drag every known sin into the Light!

8.) This study also reminded me how I must make my body a slave to Christ--my thoughts, my eating, my exercise, my words, my actions....

9.) Another key truth that has been hitting me over these months as I did this study are lining up my thoughts with God's word. Combatting a known beilef/lie/trigger with what God says. Then present it to God so the thoughts are in submission to God and His word. I must meditate on His word, fill up on good and excellent things and do His will.

10.) It is so important to stick close to Jesus, sitting at His feet and abiding in Him, fixing my eyes on Him alone. When I focus on Jesus I am sitting at His feet, abiding in Him, listening to him, humbly receiving His words, not pridefully harboring sin, but rather humble. When I fix my eyes on Jesus I'm focussing on seeking first His kingdom not on sin and my selfish wants and desires and fleshly lusts. When I fix my eyes on Jesus lies are automatically lined up with the His truth! He forgives. He loves. He frees. He teaches. He equips. He gives us His promises. He makes me into a new creation.

In conclussion the changes that have taken place in my heart and life are that I'm hungry for God's Word---REALLY hungry! That is a huge answer to prayer and I pray this continues! I can see how important it is to sit at Jesus' feet and fix my eyes on Him and fill up on Him and His Word. What a joy this has been! All praise and glory to God for the good work He has been doing in my life...

The Lord's Table~Day 55 through 60

Day 55~All Food is Acceptable

I think the title of this lesson is self-explanatory!

"Are you so dull?" he asked. "Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him 'unclean'? For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body." (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods "clean.") He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.' " Mark 7:18-23

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 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. 1 Timothy 4:1-5

Let us be people who eat whatever we want with rejoicing and thanksgiving, worshipping God in our hearts, remembering to be moderate in the amount that we eat. This is what honors the Lord and provides spiritual and physical health. TLT workbook pg180


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Day 56~How to Lose Weight...Worship

Though we will never hear this from the world, becoming free from overeating is a matter of learning how to enjoy the Lord. Freedom comes from learning how to drink Him in, how to quench our thirst in Him, how to feast our souls on Him. It is impossible to enjoy sin and enjoy teh Lrod at the same time, and those who are learning to nourish their souls and quench their thirst in Jesus are done with overeating. TLT workbook pg182

Joe writes: "The result of pursing food was weight gain, the result of pursing God is gaining a relationship with Him and learning to rely on Him." TLT workbook pg182

The four principles unpacked in this lesson are:

1. Focus: fix my eyes on Christ
2. Bow: surrender and submit to His Lordship
3. Offer: give myself to Him as a living sacrifice.
4. Enjoy: take pleasure in God and His Word.

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Day 57~Losing Weight By Delighting in the Lord

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

God will give us the desires of our heart because He will be the desire of our hearts. TLT workbook pg184

The whole key is to find ways in which our hearts rejoice in the Lord, and then explore new methods of making ourselves happy in Him. TLT workbook pg185

I desire to dwell on God's word and grow deep roots to feed upon His Word, just like I wrote about in my last post. I will delight in the Lord and find my Greatest Treasure as I return to God and turn away from sin.

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Day 58~Praise Brings Victory

An interesting story from 2 Chronicles was unpacked in this lesson. The Israelites were in battle. Jehoshaphat was the leader of God's people. And as he sought the Lord for help in the battle this is what is written...

This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. 2 Chronicles 20:15

After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever." 2 Chronicles 20:21

Did you notice the singers were teh ones who led the way?! I thought that was such a cool observation that was noted in the TLT study.

Focussing on God, His strength and power, His purposes, His sovereignty...rather then myself...reflects SURRENDER to Him! It also reflects trust and dependance on Him.

Here are some ideas on how to put this into practice (a brief summary of what was noted on pg 189 of the workbook)

• Create and seek to get away to a secret place of devotion with the Lord....make your heart glad in Him.
• Using a hymnal or praise song book read the words and sing the songs.
• Learn to use every temptation from the evil one as a stimulus to turn your heart toward praising God.
• Let it become an automatic response, over time, that when you receive bad news, you instantly worship the Lord.
• Learn to know when you fail the most, and prepare in advance to praise the Lrod instead of gratifying your flesh...preplan your victory... So we must learn to recognize the usual times when we fail, and replace them with pre-scheduled praising of the Lord.
• Count your blessings.
• Listen to music that lifts your heart in praise to God.

I loved all of the above ideas. I personally would like to carve out more times to play the piano and sing in worship to the Lord. It fills the sails of my heart as I praise the Lord:-)

Later in this lesson it was noted how prayer and praise preceded victory and freedom for Paul and Silas when they were supernaturally released from prison.

Here's a worthy goal that Mona writes about on pg 190: "Instead of eating out of habit, I will replace that with praising Him out of habit."

Day 59 & 60 were review days.... I'll write a bit about that in the next post.

A Deeply Rooted Tree

I love going for walks along the river banks in our city. There is usually a lush green grassy area and then closer to the river, in a lower spot, there is a mucky area (only wet mucky in the spring season) where the river levels were higher during the spring melt. Not much grass grows in those areas because our growing season up here in the Canadians prairies is relatively short. However, what DOES flourish in this "mucky" area are the TREES! They are absolutely MASSIVE! So, when the mud dries up after the spring melt, then my husband and I love to go for bike rides along those dirt paths near the river. We admire the strong hardy trees. Oftentimes the roots are exposed...and we have to watch for the gnarled roots popping up on our path!

Summer '07 we took a trip down the west coast and enjoyed the beauty of God's creation along the way. Some of the trees we saw in Oregon and California were absolutely unbelievable! One of our favorite campsites was in Oregon, at Beverly Beach, close to Newport. We had this beautiful stream flowing right behind our campsite and it was so lush and green and the trees were absolutely stunning.

Right in our campsite. Those are quite the trees to attach a clothesline to, aren't they?! Absolutely massive!

The massive size of our "clothesline" trees in our campsite in perspective next to the kids.

A really cool tree we actually DROVE THROUGH in northern California! Very interesting experience! And an ABSOLUTELY MASSIVE TREE!

I want to be like those trees!

Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
Psalm 1:1-3

I want to "delight" in God's Word (like streams of water or the river that I mentioned above) and be nourished spiritually, rooted and built up in Him (Col. 2:6-7). I want to yield fruit, more specifically the fruits of the spirit~love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5:22-24).


The trees stretch so tall, seemingly almost to the sky. The thickness of the solid tree trunk is unbelievable...so sturdy, so hardy, so ancient. The roots of the trees twist this way and that...but they gravitate towards the stream. They soak up the nourishment. They grow strong. In the springtime and summer they are lush and green and sweet smelling. They stand the test of the storms, drought, heat, cold and time. It's hard to miss them as we walk along those river banks! And it's hard not to think of my Creator when I see these trees. They point straight to the awesomeness of God!


That's the way I want to be. I want to be a planting for the display of the Lord's splendor just like those trees, as He nourishes me, grows me, protects me, teaches me, equips me. I want to point other's to the Creator, my Lord! That is my prayer today.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.
Isaiah 61:3

Weekend Winter Fun!

Today it was around -10 degrees C (with windchill) which converts to about 14 degrees F. After the past week of consistent -45 degree celcius (-49 F) weather (and colder), it was such a relief to finally have some warmer winter weather this weekend!

We took advantage of escaping the "deep freeze" temps by going to a park nearby. We enjoyed a hike and then happened upon a few "hills" that we could slide down:-) Then we made supper over a bonfire~bannock, chips, s'mores and hot chocolate. (Do chips count as a veggie??? :-)

I thought I'd share a few pictures of our fun. Hope you enjoy:-)

Whee! Those "crazy carpets" were fun! I wish I'd taken a picture of Jon as well!


We made some pretty cool snow angels as the snow was so deep and clean.


Jon made a great warm fire for us:-)


Then we made some bannock. See this link for the recipe.





I like my bannock smothered in butter and cinnamon sugar! Yum!

We finished off with some "dessert" (like we needed some after bannock with cinnamon sugar??!) of s'mores. Bannock was my eldest daughter's request and s'mores was my youngest daughter's request. While I'm on the food topic... Chips was my husband's wish. And hot chocolate was mine:-) We're a very democratic family, aren't we?! :-)

All in all it was a fun family outing. We all were a little chilled by the end, but couldn't have gotten better winter weather for an outing like this!

Well, that's a sneak peak at our weekend winter fun!

Thoughts Captive to Christ

Here is a continuation or maybe even better yet, a completion, of what I had set out to do here and here.

I'll think for now I'll just tackle the main triggers for overeating (in TW terminology "fat/flesh machinery") that come to mind...

1. More is better.

This is a common thought I have as I shovel in more and more and more of my favorite foods. I'm particularily vulnerable when I'm tired or when I'm eating something very sugary and sweet. Does it satisfy me more?

God says I am to be content with my portion.

LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. Psalm 16:5-6

He meets my needs and has set pleasant boundaries in my life which lead to a delightful inheritance. I'm not sure that I'm interpretting these in the most theologically sound way! However, I appreciate these verses tremendously as I need to remember that 0-5 boundaries are pleasant! They are natural! They allow me to fix my eyes on Christ rather then on rules and regulation and FOOD! But I must be content with my portion! And the delightful inheritance is truly finding my greatest satisfaction in Christ and the icing on the cake is that I won't be carrying around excess weight if I'm truly content with my portion and the pleasant boundaries.


2. I can't resist!

When that homeade bread, cinnamon buns, chocolate bar, ice cream is staring me in the face...I often feel like I just can't resist! Yet God says provides a way out!

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 so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

3. It just taste SOOOO good, I want more!

I may taste very very delicious but God satisfies ever so much more!

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8

And the only thing that eating past satisfaction brings is shame and guilt and excess weight!


4. Just this one time!

This is my usual rationalizing at it's best (or worst!).

God says in the bible,

...sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." Genesis 4:7

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

...and do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:27

That's just snapshot of some of the thoughts that try to gain entry into my mind with regards to the temptation to eat outside hunger and satisfaction. I continue to look into the mirror of God's Word for truth to hold up in the face of Satan's lies and temptations.

The Lord's Table~Day 49 to 54

It's hard to believe that I'm nearing the end of TLT study! It's been such an awesome journey! I highly recommend the workbook to anyone and everyone....though am not too comfortable advocating the eating/exercise expectations that they line up for the 60 days. Ultimately the goal of the book is for everyone to essentially be a 0-5 eater (in TW terminology), no longer being gluttonous and greedy for food, but rather just eating when hungry and stopping when satisfied. The strong point of this book is it's incredible studies that point the reader straight to filling up on God's Word. I really and truly didn't expect to learn and grow the way I have! So, PRAISE GOD!

So here's my latest summary of my readings.


Day 49~How To Feast at the Lord's Table

This lesson had such a great overview of George Mueller's approach to reading God's word and prayer. Mr. Mueller used to start his mornings in prayer, but then he began to change his approach. Here's a snapshot glance of what Mr. Mueller was writing about:

The first thing I did, after having asked in a few words the Lord's blessing upon His precious Word, was to begin to meditate on the Word of God; searching, as it were, into every verse, to get blessing out of it; not for the sake of the public ministry of the Word; not for the sake of preaching on what I had meditated upon; but for the sake of obtaining food for my own soul. The result I have found to be almost invariably this, that after a very few minutes my soul has been led to confession, or to thanksgiving, or to intercession, or to supplication; so that though I did not, as it were, give myself to prayer, but to meditation, yet it turned almost immediately more or less into prayer... It is plain to me as anything, that the first thing the child of God has to do morning by morning is to obtain food for his inner man. TLT workbook pg 157-158

I thought this was such an interesting perspective. As we read, confession, intercession, thanksgiving and supplication all flow naturally as led by the Lord's word. We are drawn into prayer in the process of reading. I appreciated this perspective.

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Day 50~Be a Doer of the Word

I think I summed up this lesson and my response to it here.


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Day 51~Gluttony and Laziness

Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine, or with gluttonous eaters of meat; for the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe one with rags. Prov. 23: 20, 21

I definitely don't struggle with drinking as I don't even drink alcohol. I really don't like the stuff.

Yet I definitely have my ups and downs in struggling with gluttony and laziness. I'm beginning to experience more victory with regards to gluttony. Laziness (lack of exercise) feels like a challenge for me right now. I need to get moving. I still haven't gotten consistent with that. In all honesty it takes some motivation to get moving with the kind of temperatures we have here during the winter! I'm looking forward to spring and jogging again:-) In the meantime I do find skipping rope a reasonable exercise routine for me in the winter months in particular.

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Day 52~Take Every Thought Captive

Of course this is based on 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

This whole concept has been BIG for me over the past couple months as I contemplated what lined the walls of my mind. I'd say TW was my introduction to really and truly examining my thoughts and beliefs more closely and getting into the practice and discipline of lining up with God's Word. Breaking Free touched on that further. And then this TLT study has further pushed me to use the Bible as my foundation for life.

If I fail to take every thought captive for Christ, *I* would be the one in bondage! But God wants it to be the other way around-the lies of Satan are to bound and taken captive and God's truth replace the lies! How awesome!

Here was a fantastic illustration from Max Lucado that I can't skip posting because it really is very good. It's lengthy, but a very worthwhile read!

...Your heart is a fertile greenhouse ready to produce good fruit. Your mind is the doorway to your heart-the strategic place where you determine which seeds are sown and which seeds are discarded. The Holy Spirit is ready to help you manage and filter the thoughts that try to enter. He can help you guard your heart. He stands with you ont he threshold. A thought approaches, a questionable thought. Do you throw open the door and let it enter? Of course not. You "fight to capture every thought until it acknowledges the authority of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5 Phillips Translation). You don't leave the door unguarded. You stand equipped with handcuffs and leg irons, ready to capture any thought not fit to enter. For the sake of dicussion, let's say a thought regarding your personal value approaches. With all the cockiness of a neighbourhood bully, the thought swaggers up to the door and says, "You're a loser. All your life you've been a loser. You've blown relationships and jobs and ambitions. you might as well write the word bum on your resume, for that
is what you are."

The ordinary person would throw open the door and let the thought in. Like a seed from a weed, it would find fertile soil and take root and bear thorns of inferiority. The average person would say, "You're right, I'm a bum. Come on in." But as a Christian, you aern't your verage person. You are led by the Spirit. So, rather than let the thought in, you take it captive. You handcuff it and march it down the street to the courthouse where you present the thought before the judgement seat of
Christ.

"'Jesus," this thoughts say, 'I'm a bum and a loser and I'll never amount to anything.' What do you think?" See what you are doing? You are submitting the thought to the authority of Jesus. If Jesus agrees with the thought, then let it in. If not, kick it out. In this case Jesus diagrees.

How do you know if Jesus agrees or disagrees? You open your Bible. What does God think about you? Eph. 2:10 is a good place to check: "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (NIV). Or how about Romans 8:1: "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus"? Obviously any thought that says you are inferior or insignificant does not pass the test-and does not gain entrance. you have the right to give the bully a firm kick in the pants and watch him run.

Let's take another example. The first thought was a bully; this next thougth is a groupie. She comes not to tell you how bad you are, but how good you are. She rushes to the doorway and gushes, "You are so good. You are so wonderful. The world is so lucky to have you," and on and on the groupie grovels.

Typically this is the type of thought you'd welcome. But you don't do things the typical way. You guard your heart. You walk in the Spirit. And you take every thought captive. So once again you go to Jesus. You submit this thought to the authority of Christ. As you unsheathe the sword of the Spirit, his Word, you learn that pride doesn't please God.

"Don't cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance" (romans 12:3 Phillips). "The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is my only reason for bragging" (Gal. 6:14). As much as you'd like to welceom this thought of conceit into the greenhouse, you can't. You only allow what Christ allows.

One more example. This time the thought is not one of criticsm or flattery but one of temptation. If you're a fellow the thought is dressed in flashy red. If you're a female, the thought is the hunk you've always wanted. There is the brush of the hand, the fragrance in teh air, and invitation. "Come on, it's all right. We're consenting
adults."

What do you do? Wel, if you aren't under the authority of Christ, you throw open the door. But if you have the mind of Christ, you step back and say, "Not so fast. You'll have to get permission from big brother." So you take this teamy act before Jesus and ask, "Yes or no?" nowhere does he answer more clearly than in 1 Cor. 6 and 7: "we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids committment and intimacy, leaving us more lonely than every... Is it a good thing to have sexual relations? Certainly--but only within a certain context. It's good for a man to have a wife, and for
a woman to have a husband. Sexual drives are strong, but marriage is strong enough to contain them" (6:18; 7:1-2, MSG). Now armed with opinion of Christ and the sword of the Spirit, what do you do? Well, if the tempter is not your spouse, close the door. If the invitation is from your spouse then HUBBA, HUBBA, HUBBA.

The point is this. Guard the doorway of your heart. Submit your thoughts to the authority of Christ. The more selective you are about seeds, the more delighted you will be with the crop. Max Lucado "Just Like Jesus" as quoted in TLT workbook pg 168-169

Isn't that an amazing illustration?! I thought it was a great way of looking at taking each thought captive and making obedient to Christ.

I should finish my homework that I assigned myself way back here... I think I'll put together a whole new post for this.

The next amazing poing that Mike Cleveland pulls out is:

So we reject sinful thoughts, but here is the next step; we must also embrace good and godly thoughts. It's not enough to reject sinful thoughts, we must go on to fill our minds with good things. Notice this passage: "Finally bretheren, whatever i true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things" (Philippians 4:8). TLT workbook pg 169

So, my battle plan for actively thinking on Christ and the things that are good, right, noble and pure is: wake up with God as my alarm clock and spend time in His word and in prayer, read, pray, fellowship, play the piano and sing praise and worship to my Lord, memorize scripture... Those are a few things that came to mind.

So, here's a summary of what this lesson laid out...

1. Take our thoughts captive to Christ.
2. Meditate on what is good and right.
3. Practise these things.

That last step is key. I need to apply and look into the mirror of God's word and not just ignore it, but actually be a doer of His word. I must BE living God's truth and DO His will.


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Day 53~Change Comes Through Seeing Jesus

Basically I must fix my eyes on Jesus. Don't let anything hinder me from doing this. God reveals Himself to me through the Bible, prayer, fellowship, music, books and His creation.

Looking to Jesus has filled me with things that are excellent and praiseworthy. Looking to Jesus has freed me to see who I truly am~sinful and powerless in my flesh. Looking to Jesus has allowed me to humbly depend on Him and His power, to be transformed into His image each day. Looking to Jesus has been realizing that CHRIST LIVES IN ME! That's powerful! I may be a weak and powerless clay vessel, but I have the Greatest Treasure that dwells inside me~Christ Jesus!! That's powerful! Looking to Jesus has equipped, inspired and empowered me. Looking to Jesus has taken my focus off self and deepened my love for God.

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Day 54~Psalm 23 and The Lord's Table

This lesson unpacked this psalm so beautifully. One quote that I really appreciated was, "We are not valley dwellers, but valley walkers." (Karen Wilkinson, TLT workbook pg 176)

I don't think I could ever do justice to this lesson in a snapshot! I just know there is so much meat in this one short passage that I could dwell on for a long time and keep learning from!

Counting My Blessings...

Fantastic first bible study.
Today was the first day of a Beth Moore bible study that I'm facilitating. We're doing the fruits of the spirit study called "Living Beyond Yourself." I'm thankful for each of the dear ladies who is going to part of this group. I know God has certainly divinely directed this whole process and each of the ladies who will be attending. I praise Him for an awesome time of sharing and sharpening today:-)

Flowers from my husband.
I really should have taken a picture of them when they were fresh. I don't get flowers very often from him, so it was a real treat when he (out of the blue) brought home flowers last Friday!

Strength and courage for my eldest daughter.
She had a vaccination at school this past Tuesday and was very brave. I was very proud to hear she not only was courageous in the face of a real fear of hers (particularily considering her traumatic experience with kawasaki disease at 3 yrs old and all the needles she faced her week in ICU)...but she was also apparently being a strength and encouragement to her classmates, consoling them and helping them with their fears! Wow, praise God!!!

My husband's spiritual growth.
Wow, what a difference lately! He's been ON FIRE! And we've been sitting around for hours and hours talking about God and spiritual matters! How awesome is that!!!

Friends who help out.
I'm thankful for friends who help out when there is a need! With our van not starting this week in the midst of the Canadian prairie deep freeze (-50 celcius/-58 farenenheit) I was VERY thankful for a friend who picked up and dropped off my kids to and from school the past two days. What a blessing:-)

School kids.
I'm just really thankful for each of the kids in my lunch supervision classes. They are so cute and a blessing to me. I pray that I would be a blessing to them.

Kindred spirits.
We have some friends who are truly like our kindred spirits. We just seem to understand each other and how we're wired. What a blessing they are. We constantly support, encourage and sharpen each other. They are a gift from God.

God's Word.
Wow, I can't begin to say enough how much I am NEEDING it and soaking it up. It is amazing! It has become my sword. It has become my food. I'm so thankful that God has revealed truth to us through His Word.

Venting

There's not too much reason I'm writing right now except to vent :-)

Let me start off by saying that it is a crazy -50 celcius (-58 farenheit) with windchill taken into account this morning! This is one of those crazy cold canadian days that we get the reputation for!

We woke up an hour earlier then usual by Jon's work phoning to say school was out (but he still had to come in~he's a high school teacher by the way). Next, I offered to do a carpool swap with my friend to get our kids to and from school. I offered to drive the kids all to school this morning. But I went out to start the van and it wouldn't start. I guess it didn't help that it was sitting in the cold, not going anywhere, for the past two days. So I had to call back and ask my friend if she would mind doing the driving at the last minute, which she graciously did. And now I discover that Jon must have taken my set of keys to school, so there is no chance I can get that grocery shopping in that I had planned...if the van would start a little later which was my aim to try!

So, I'm stuck indoors I guess... Not so bad. Ironically I was up at 7am this morning getting supper in the slowcooker so I wouldn't have to fuss with that (as I had a number of errands and jobs I was planning on getting done today). So, supper is already on the go. I may get to baking some bread later. I have been thinking about getting back to making my own homemade bread instead of using storebought bread. I have a bunch of recipes I want to try out. I'll prep a little for teaching piano lessons this evening. And I'll get some prep also done for the ladies bible study that I'm facilitating and that is starting up tomorrow.

Of course I do need to venture outdoors for lunch supervision today...so I'm not indoors for the entire day:-)

"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

I'm extremely thankful for a warm house on days like this. We are very very blessed to have a warm house, warm clothing and transportation. I'm thankful for Jon's job which provides us with a good income. I'm thankful for friends who I can call up for favors like carpooling the kids! I'm thankful for the time to sit at my Lord's feet today. Hmmm....I'm beginning to wonder if I need to connect the dots here! Today would be a perfect day to sit at Jesus' feet:-)

Thanks Lord for all of these blessings! I'm thankful for this day, no matter how my plans have all gone upside down! I will be glad for this day and all that YOU have planned for it. I pray that I will glorify You in all I say and do and think! Amen.

Well, that's it for my "venting"/"sharing"! And one last thing, while I'm on the theme of "sharing"...here's a cute picture I ran across and brought a smile to my face:-)

Looking in the Mirror

I wasn't going to post today as I really need to get to cleaning my house! However cleaning can wait a few minutes and I just can't resist getting my thoughts processed here! Today's reading in TLT reminded me of something that has been resonating with me lately...

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-25

Mike Cleveland gave such a great illustration of this as a lesson to his kids...

The other day I thought I would teach this truth to my children. I had been working out in the yard and had gotten quite dirty. As I was washing my hands in the sink I looked in the mirror and my face was very dirty. I decided to leave the dirt on and go sit down to the table to eat dinner (I informed my wife what I was doing so she wouldn't think I had lost my mind along with the garden gloves). As I sat down one of my sons said, "Dad, your face is real dirty." I said, "No it isn't, it's just fine, I just looked in the mirror, I'm great!" The children started laughing and said, "Dad, REALLY, you're FILTHY." I started laughing too, and said, "I left the dirt on there for a reason, to teach you that it does no good for us to look in the mirror, see the dirt, and do nothing about it. Just as it does no good for us merely to read or hear God's Word, which exposes areas that need to be cleaned, without obeying it." TLT workbook pg 161

I've sure been hungry and thirsty for God's word lately. What a blessing it has been to my soul, nourishing me and feeding me for the day. When I posted about being transparent the the other day, these verses in James came to my mind...but then I'd already typed up the post so I didn't bother going back and adding them... But they stuck with me.

[*Editted] *As I look to God's Word of truth* and am honest with God, myself and others I am looking into the mirror and seeing the areas that I need God's help in transforming. I don't want to simply be convicted of the areas needing change... I want to do God's will and obey Him.

I appreciated a line from my TW reading this morning, "If you find you are flesh-controlled, stop and ask God to fill all your empty places with Himself." (TW pg 136)

I am reminded that when I look into the mirror, it's not about ME fixing everything up, cleaning off the gunk and becoming new....

It's about me surrendering to God and GOD HIMSELF cleansing me, filling me, empowering and equipping me to do good works (2 Timothy 3:17), for His grace is sufficient for me, for His power is made perfect in weakness so therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me (2 Corinthians 12:9)! For I have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from me (2 Corinthians 4:7).

So as I proceed with the day my goal, as I read scripture and pray, is to "look in the mirror" and deal with the reflection I see.

As God reveals sin I accept His amazing grace. Not only will I "observe" (confess) as TW encourages...but I will also "correct" (repent and turn away from my sin). I desire to be filled with the Spirit, empowering me and equipping me into action to surrender, obey and do the will of my Father, crucifying the sinful nature and it's passions and walking in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:24-25) as a new Creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

So, what have I seen in the mirror lately?

I have seen that I need to sit at Jesus' feet and be still in His presence. I get sidetracked from this most important step. I must be still before the Lord.

I see that I have often not been loving, kind, gentle and selfless with my husband. It's time to display the fruits of the spirit and shower my husband with love!

I see that I am often impatient with my kids and don't give them the time and attention they need to flourish. I don't want to exasperate my children. Rather I want to love them and encourage them and help them be all that God wants them to be.

I see that I often say things without thinking... But I want to build others up in their faith, in all I say and do.

I see that I often give in to my fleshly lusts to eat outside the good and pleasant boundaries that God has convicted me to follow (0-5). I don't want to be mastered by anything but Christ!

Okay, I've got quite a list here! That's a lot of stuff I can see in the mirror!

Time for ACTION! What hope I have as Christ LIVES IN ME!

The Lord's Table~Day 43 to 48

Day 43~One Thing Necessary

Studying the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42) the following point was made...

The first priority necessary in the Christian life is sitting at the feet of Jesus! TLT workbook pg 137

Here are the six teachings drawn out from that image of Mary sitting at Jesus' feet. Sitting at Jesus' feet indicates:

1. humility.
2. submission.
3. learning.
4. faith.
5. holding to His teaching.
6. that she (Mary) loved Jesus.

If I'm humble, I'll be repentant, broken, contrite and willing. If I'm submissive I'll surrender. If I'm learning, I'll soak up His word. If I'm holding to the faith, I'll trust and hold onto the promises of His Word. If I'm holding to His teaching, I'll be a doer and do His will. If I love Jesus, He will be my #1 priority.

When I think of sitting at Jesus' feet I have the image of prayer~quietly meditating on His words, worshipping Him, expressing gratitude to Him, listening to what He speaks to my heart, and humbly presenting my requests/concerns to Him. This is a lesson I need to apply. I know I need to sit at His feet in prayer more often.


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Day 44~Ministry Mindset

As God has worked in my heart and life and released me from the chains of sin He
has turned my focus upward and outward. TLT workbook pg 140

So, to summarize today's teaching, there is an importance in the Christian life to begin shifting away from self-centeredness and inward focus, to ministering to others. We need to cultivate a ministry mindset. Jesus told us that unless we follow Him to the place of death to self we will "remain alone" and be fruitless (John 12:23-25). TLT workbook pg 142

God has deeply, specifically and clearly impressed on my heart the various ways He desires me to be looking upward and outward. I always find that very exciting:-)

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Day 45~Freedom brings Spiritual Health

The one who turns from God to pursue satisfaction in something/someone else
goes into a spiritual famine. The soul becomes parched, malnourished, dehydrated and to use a medical term, it "fails to thrive." TLT workbook pg 143

I know I've never been so aware of the practicality of needing to fill up on God's Word as I am now. It was an aim of mine before, but not a priority. I now can sense a HUGE difference in myself when I'm feeding on His word and when I'm not.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD and in his law he meditates day and night. Ps. 1:2

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does he prospers. Ps. 1:3

When I overeat I feel ashamed, angry at myself, overwhelmed, feel like giving up and giving in.

As I feed on God's word and am in relationship wtih Him moment by moment I begin to experience victory, a renewing of the mind and these feelings dissapear and are replaced with joy, contentment, peace, excitement, anticipation, praise, gratitude and a deeper more intimate relationship with the Lord.

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Day 46~Key to Victory-Ongoing Humility

Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. James 4:10

When I fix my eyes on Him and His greatness I am humbled by the reality of His greatness and of my complete need for Him and dependance on Him for existence.

I desire to pray the following prayer (or something like it) prior to eating...

Dear Lord, thank you for this food. You are truly a giver of good gifts. I pray that you would make me content with my portion. I pray your Holy Spirit would remind me and prompt me when to stop. Please make my spirit and flesh willing. Thank you Lord. Amen.

I also desire to constantly offer thanks while enjoying the blessing of the food He has provided.

He truly is a great God! I AM COMPLETELY DEPENDANT ON HIM FOR EVERYTHING, even when I think I've got things under control! Gratitude to the Lord is key to true humility.

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Day 47~Running to Win

The main gist of this lesson was that you can't run as fast or as far with extra weight. It will tire you out. Hebrews 12:1-4 and 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 were unpacked.

My main thoughts are that I need to be intentional and alert. I need to get rid of distractions. Keep my focus on Jesus. Seek Him. Tell my body what to do by setting goals and be intentional about my eating and exercise so I'm not being waved back and forth by my feelings of laziness/lack of self control and emotions. Ex. "It's time to go and jump rope, go for a walk etc." "No more sweets. I've had enough." Take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ, lining the walls of my mind with truths from God's word.

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Day 48~Shadows and Reality

I thought this lesson was so thought-provoking and interesting. The scripture that this lesson drew from was:

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

Colossians 2:13-17

The author presented a few different OT and NT images/stories to reflect on shadows and reality parallels: Moses hitting the rock and water gushing out paralleled with Jesus being our spiritual rock (Exodus 17:6 and 1 Cor. 10:1-4), the provision of manna to the Israelites in the desert parallels Jesus being the living bread out of heaven (Exodus 16:4 and John 6:47-51), Noah's ark being their safety in the midst of the flood paralleled with Jesus being our savior in the flood of sin (Gen. 6:17-18 and 1 Peter 3:18-21).

I know there are many many other shadows and realities in scripture that could be dug into! I think this would make a fantastic sermon series:-) I may just present this idea to my pastor:-)

Now when I eat I let the food point me to Jesus. As I savor a bite of food I think of how we are to "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps. 34:8) When I am nourished by a delightful meal I recall taht we are to truly feast on the forgiveness Jesus gave us at the cross (Hebrews 13:10). When I'm hot and take a drink of cool water I'm reminded that if I drink of Jesus as the Living Water I will never thirst for sinful things again. Food and drink are "shadows" that point us to the reality which is Christ. TLT workbook pg 134

I find this point very interesting. I definitely need to change my perspective of food. Everytime my tastebuds explode with enjoyment as something tastes amazing I need to remember this is a shadow of Christ, that HE tastes ever so much better! Everytime my belly is satisfied I need to remember this is a shadow of the satisfaction that God brings. Everytime I gain energy and strength from the food I need to remember that God provides much more!

Counting My Blessings...

A fixed tooth.
My dentist appointment went okay yesterday...well it was quite painful as they put a filling in the spot I broke my tooth and didn't give me any freezing. Owie! But, I am thankful that it all went smoothly and my tooth is now feeling pretty much normal and I am able to eat on that side of my mouth already! I'm thankful that I was able to get in to see the dentist so quickly. And I'm thankful for our dental insurance coverage which covered the whole cost of the procedure and work.

He is able to keep us from falling!

I just posted here at my counting my blessings blog on the truths contained in the following verses...

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. Jude 1:24-25

And as I continue meditating on the truths contained in this verse I had another few verses hit me. As I applied the above verse directly to my desire to glorify God with my eating and drinking, I was reminded of the following verse...

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 so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

God makes a way. He provides an exit plan.

He provides a way so that we can STAND and NOT FALL!

I am going to be alert and intentionally looking for those exits that He provides in all areas of my life when I am tempted to sin.

Secondly, another verse started literally flooding my mind...

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us... Ephesians 3:20

More than all I could ASK or IMAGINE! Wow, that is powerful! What an awesome, loving God! He is ABLE!

I can't help but get excited about these truths. THESE truths from God's Word are worth lining the walls of my mind! I am going to cling to these truths.

Counting My Blessings...

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. Jude 1:24-25

This is a great truth to hold on to. He is the One who keeps me from falling. He is able. I can trust Him on that one. He is transforming me into his likeness (2 Cor. 3:18). He is the author and PERFECTOR of my faith (Hebrews 12:2). He is doing a good work in me and will bring it to completion (Phil 1:6). He is making me mature and complete, not lacking anything, as I persevere in the face of trials (James 1:2-4). I must stand firm in the faith (1 Peter 5:8-10). And I can TRUST that God is able to keep me from falling! I continue fixing my eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2). It is all about HIS strength, grace and power in the face of my weakness and failings. Praise God!

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7

Thank you Lord for this great truth, that YOU are able to keep me from falling...because I know that I am certainly prone to falling! I pray that you would help me stand firm in the faith and keep my eyes fixed on You alone. Amen.

Edit update: I continued meditating on these truths here at my Rainbow Promises blog.

(Explanation behind focussing on the names/titles/descriptions.)