TW Summer Study - day 8

Day Eight ~ Overcoming obstacles to Restoration: Part 1

It's been awhile since I posted. I actually have had an on-track 0-5 week, which is wonderful, praise God! Though I have to admit I'm still struggling through the freedom from the scale issue.

Okay, moving on... As I thought about taking every thought captive, here are a few beliefs about food that came to mind:
* I need sugary treats each day to feel better. Nothing else will hit the spot.
* Just this one time (overindulging or eating outside 0-5).
* I am doing myself a favor eating up the treat so it won't tempt me later. I'd be back for more later anyways.

Creative options in moments of temptation:
* call a friend, ask God who I can minister to even with a phone call
* write an encouragement note or email to someone every time I feel tempted
* read a book
* have a bath...put out candles and all to add to the distraction!
* put on some music...and maybe even dance to it

As I type this up I'm hit with the realization that an effective way out of temptation is focussing on serving the LORD and OTHERS, rather than serve MYSELF in those moments. I'm looking forward to applying this thought.

Preplanning for trials:
I have so much appreciated this concept, the intentional nature of everything, not being blown around by every whim and desire. I try to do this a lot, calling it "setting myself up for victory." I don't want to give the devil a foothold. In TLT the concept of links of a chain was described and how we need to make sure we destroy the links that lead to sin. (or something along those lines! I'm just remembering off the top of my head:-)

Wise choices:
These words on page 81 hit me like a ton of bricks. I need to make wise choices more frequently. Something for me to think about more.

Okay, that's the summary of what hit me for this chapter. Onto the next chapter:-)

Keeping on keeping on

(This is just a google image by the way! I'd never be that brave!)

It's amazing how one day (or even moment) I feel in a place of surrender to the Lord...and then within moments, minutes, hours, days I'm in a place of rebellion and not listening to or leaning on the Lord.

I've had a couple "off" 0-5 eating days once again. It's at these times that I get discouraged. But one thing I've realized in the past day is that I *do* keep on keeping on:-)

I know that our God is a gracious, forgiving, personal, merciful, loving God... I know that He is walking right alongside me throughout my entire life journey.

I feel I need to take the step and do some observation and correction in regards to my past weekend and week. I've pinpointed that tiredness is a major hinderance when it comes to 0-5 eating. I am definitely vulnerable and VERY open to temptation. I go into a willful rebellion mode in those moments. Sometimes it is mindless...but most times I'd say it is willful.

So, what can be done???

Here are some ideas I've brainstormed in this moment:
1.) Take a nap when I'm tired.
2.) Lie down and shut my eyes and meditate on the Lord, be quiet before Him and acknowledge His presence and also His promises to help and strengthen me.
3.) Stop, watch and pray.
4.) Delay and put off giving in to the temptation at hand.
5.) Put some God-honoring music on.
6.) Crack open the Bible. God may speak to me in that very moment through scripture.
7.) Call a friend.
8.) Write out what I'm feeling. Maybe I could delay by coming straight to this blog and typing out what I'm feeling in that moment. This may be the way out that God is providing me at that very moment.
9.) Make a cup of hot herbal tea (no sugar/cream) and savour the flavor and aromas, curl up and relax.
10.) Get busy with something else--reading, crafts, watch a t.v. show, go for a walk, read a story to the kids, chat with my husband, go on the computer etc.
11.) A hot bath may be just what I need in that moment...plus it would help me delay (aka stop), relax some tired muscles, be quiet, and pray.

There are probably many other ideas that I could come up with... These are just a few that come to mind at this moment.

I have to confess too that I really don't know what to do about the scale. I have hopped on it a couple times in the past week, despite my plan to wait until the end of the month. It was a bit discouraging to see 152lbs on the scale... However I have noticed that I tend to fluctuate between 149-152 lbs lately. Maybe that is entirely normal. I hope so. I just don't want to let the weight creep back on. I'm afraid of failure once again. I'm afraid of NOT keeping on keeping on....

So, I give this to the Lord. I give Him my heart, confessing I have missed the mark again and again, that I have been willfully rebellious and that I long for sin to be purged from my heart and life. I want Him to make me new. And I want Him to help me keep on keeping on.... And I'm thankful for His pardon, presence, provisions and power that He is making so readily available to me EACH moment of EACH day! Thank you, Lord!

Music

I am very excited about the music that God drew me to almost immediately after coming up with the idea of music helping me combat temptation! The first song God laid on my heart was "Get Away" by Matthew West. It is really upbeat and I could see it really motivating me to resist temptation.

GET AWAY by Matthew West

I just can't take it anymore
Your tricks have fooled me for the last time
You know I've had it up to here
With the way you bring me down, down
You're wreaking havoc on my world
You're calling question to my sanity
But I'm not gonna let you get the best of me
Not anymore, anymore
So here I go, watch me run
A million miles under the sun
That's what I'll do if that's what it takes
To get away

[Chorus]
I gotta get away
I gotta get away
I gotta get away
I gotta get away

Give us your strength to run from evil Lord, lead the way
Lead us into a better day
Give us hope
Give us faith
Help us, oh Lord, to get away
Hear our cry everyday
Help us, oh Lord, to get away

The second song the Lord placed upon my heart (from the same CD) was "History". I have loved this song for a long time, but it just seemed to be so timely right now. This would be my follow up song to "Get Away".

HISTORY by Matthew West

Its been a bad day, you've been looking back
And all you can see is everything you wish you could take back
All your mistakes, a world of regrets
All of those moments you would rather forget
I know it's hard to believe
Let me refresh your memory

Chorus:
Yesterday is history
And history is miles away
So leave it all behind you
Let it always remind you of the day
The day that love made history
You know you can't stay right where you fell
The hardest part is forgiving yourself
But let's take a walk into today
And don't let your past get in the way

Repeat chorus
Yeah Yeah
Would you believe that you are history
In the making, in the making
Every choice that you are making
Every step that you are taking
Every chain that you are breaking
History is in the making
Every word that you are saying
Every prayer that you are praying
Every chain that you are breaking
History is in the making
History is in the making
History is in the making

I especially love that last part. We don't have to be stuck in the past. Focus on TODAY--each choice, each step, each chain, each word, each prayer... God graciously forgives us as we turn to Him and He also equips us with the strength for victory and provides those "exits" that we need.

Thank you Lord!

"Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat." F. Scott Fizgerald

April 8

April 8th food log:
(Chapter 8)

Creative options rather then eating not “0”:Bath, walk, exercise, pray, devotions, go on internet, email, call friend, dance/sing with kids, do a chore, play piano, brush teeth, run an errand…..

MARCH - TW ch 28

March 28th food log:

Interesting chapter today. I find it interesting how our time management is being dealt with. Quite interesting. So, the things about which I procrastinate are (p. 299):
cleaning up the laundry room
doing laundry!
Doing my budget updates
Cleaning up under the bathroom sink and the medicine cabinet
Correspondence/keeping in touch with family/friends
Devotions
Exercise
Those are some of the first that came to mind.

Some things I can do to relax (p. 302):
play piano
nap
take a bath
journaling
devotions/prayer

MARCH - TW ch 8

March 8th:

Yeah! I had a full day of 0-5 eating! The last two days of reading have just really drove home to me what TW is all about. I have come to the conclusion I really wasn’t following much of TW at all the past month. I was following some hunger/fullness but not really applying all the concepts that TW has to offer. I’m feeling SOOOO excited again! I remember all the “aha” moments in November as I read the book daily. I’m back there again and learning so much about myself and really know this is the place to be! Praise God! I’m feeling very thankful!

What a powerful quote on p. 75 “As we surrender our hearts fully to His Spirit, we continue now to build in the strength of the Lord. He knows our hearts. He wants to give us His strength and He doesn’t expect us to succeed apart from Him.” I find this very encouraging!

Also, the verse in 2 Cor. 10:5 “we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” resonates with me too.

Some of my answers I could relate to (from the list of beliefs about food/eating/weight that participants had shared on p. 78):
* Chocolate makes me feel better.
* Once I eat one potato chip (or in my case one bite of cookie etc.) I won’t be able to stop.
* I always gain weight during the holidays.
* Losing weight is so difficult.
* I always gain weight back after I lose it.

Now the exercise the REALLY excited me the most today was the Planning for Trials Exercise. I think it is an AWESOME exercise that actually makes me feel quite empowered. I was talking with my husband, Jon, last night saying how it just feels like this whole weight issue/food has mastery over me and I know God wants nothing to master me except HIM! So, it is a challenge for me to find ways to deal with temptation. So, here are my answers to the "Planning for Trials Exercise" pg 81:

Trigger: Supper is ready, but I’m not hungry yet.
Emotions: I feel impatient, the pull of food is like a magnet.
Godly strategy: I could go to my BR (far away from the dinner table) and pray, do devos. Another option would be to have a cup of herbal tea and sit at the table and visit with the family.

Trigger: Eating out at a restaurant.
Emotions: I feel like I must clean my plate to get my $$’s worth.
Godly strategy: Eat only half the amount, eat the best parts! Pack the leftovers of course.

Trigger: Offered something when I’m not at “0”.
Emotions: I feel the magnetism toward food and also guilt if I say “no”.
Godly strategy: Just say “NO thank you!!!!”

Trigger: After company I usually dig into another helping of dessert in front of the TV.
Emotions: I feel the magnetism, the greed for food and very tired out wanting to relax.
Godly strategy: A better response would probably be to have a bath and relax and pray there….or have a herbal tea in front of the TV.

Trigger: Baked goodies are calling my name for a taste-test.
Emotions: I feel greed, impatience (“I want it NOW!”).
Godly strategy: I should leave the room, go to BR and spend tiem in prayer. Wait for “0”.

Trigger: I want to eat it ALL!!
Emotions: I feel GREEDY!!!
Godly strategy: I should leave the room, go to BR and spend tiem in prayer. Wait for “0”.

Trigger: I am tired out and just want to eat to get some extra energy or to just move on with the day.
Emotions: I feel tiredness, grumpiness, impatience.
Godly strategy: I think a better response would be for me to have a bath or to have a nap to rest up. Or just have a little tea to get me by….I’m taking to herbal teas as you can tell!