Practice makes perfect, eventually

These past few weeks I've probably searched out encouraging words in the WORD more times than in the several years prior to this combined.  Always there is the desire to find "just one more" verse that speaks to denying the physical body as I draw closer to the Savior and seek His desires for my life.  So tonight I've been turning the pages of an old Bible that I'd not opened in awhile.  It's a New American Version which I've abandoned, for the most part, in favor of the NIV and New Living Translations.  But this particular Bible and I go back a long way; we have a history.  And that history is marked by fading highlighted passages and lots of notes scribbled in the margins. 

I thumbed through the once-familiar notations and prayed for guidance about a passage to meditate on this evening.  The verse I settled on is from Philippians 4:6...  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

At this moment I can name a minimum of six close friends who are going through difficult personal struggles.  Their battlefield is not as straightforward as mine.  Their journeys are riddled with debris along the way and potholes in the roadway. One grieves the loss of her father. Another is sorrowful over a serious accident.  Still another is searching for answers to a family issue that affects many people.  Someone else is facing life after cancer surgery.  The list goes on.  These are the battles where I believe the Lord is needed.  My little battle with food and the lust for things of this world do not even make the Top 100 Problems To Take To Jesus.

Yet, the Apostle Paul is clear when he says,  Be anxious for nothing...  We all have our own daily problems, issues, circumstances and disagreeable situations to put on our personal prayer lists.   And in my childlike faith, I believe that means the Creator of the Universe cares for every single one of us and whatever disturbs us, no matter the size or weight of the problem at hand.

I've walked those roads in the past that some of my friends are traveling today.  I've lived through cancer, through seeing my mother and brother survive a serious accident, I've made it beyond the loss of my parents and other issues as well.   And, understanding the need to be held up in prayer, today I am deeply involved in praying for those in my corner of the world who are currently under attack.  I love these women and care more than I can express about each of those on my list!

However, their current situations should in no way diminish my own need to lay down my burdens at the feet of the Savior as well.  Sounds shallow and a bit selfish, doesn't it?  Why would Jesus possibly care about whether I lose a pound while some are hovering between life and giving up on life?

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Reading the verse again and taking it apart phrase by phrase, I see the key: by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

I am not a theologian, nor a scholar of the Bible in any way.  I just happen to believe that the Bible was written for simple people to chew on just as much as it was for those with six letters behind their surnames.

Today, in spite of the serious nature of others' circumstances and needs, I can continue to claim GOD's promises for me.  In the area of food and lusting after things of this world, I make my request known to GOD as I thank Him for seeing His children as equally in need of His attention, no matter the current crisis, large or small.

Further down in chapter 4 of Philippians, I see verse 9, with my ballpoint underlining as follows, The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you.

Practice makes perfect.  In this life, I shall never reach perfection, but in the sight of God, one day I shall be perfect.  So today I commit to once again continue my own journey as I practice these things.

In the margin I see an old notation written near Philippians 4,

Contentment: freedom from the world.

O Lord, hear my humble prayer.  Grant me contentment as I give my own will over to you.  Be my portion, now and forever.

Satisfying my appetite

"All man's efforts are for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied." --Ecclesiastes 6:7

Today I offer my thanks to Mike Montgomery at Walton Christian Church for delivering a message that led me to read the verse quoted above.  His message did not focus on this verse, but it was among those he cited to make his point.  And you can readily see why this particular scripture spoke to ME!

I've read verses in front of this one and behind it since coming home from church.  Solomon had a lot to say about the emptiness of our earthly existence.  He found it all to be meaningless - and brief.

Perhaps the brevity of life is what has prevented me in the past for truly taking to heart the need to reign in my appetite for things I find pleasing to eat and drink.  After all, why BOTHER to be on a weight loss program when my life is no more than a vapor that evaporates in the wind?  Is it worth the torture of going without the tantalizing treats that beckon me from every TV ad, every restaurant billboard, every grocery or convenience store? 

And just in case you hadn't noticed, not only can you purchase coffee and Krispy Kremes from the corner quick-stop, you can now find frozen Cokes, latte's, cappucinos, delectable muffins, HUGE chocolate chip cookies, pies and, of course, the plethora of Hostess and Little Debbie cakes and rolls.  It's no wonder America is getting fatter by the year. (That's not a criticism - I have been as guilty as anyone  for being found weak in this area of temptation!)

But I digress... forgive me. 

It's true that my physical appetite is never satisfied.  I can sit down to a steak, baked potato, green beans, salad and roll and be completely FULL but not satisfied.  Hmmmm... I think I need something sweet to finish off dinner and to cleanse the palate.  A cookie will fill the bill.  An hour later I remember fondly the sweet taste and the soft chewiness of that cookie, and I think I need one or two more to tide me over until snack time. Well, you can't have a snack of cookies without milk, so I pour a coffee mug of the yummy cold stuff to dunk my two (or what it three?) cookies. Then snack time comes and I eat, because ... well, it's time.  I've been told (even by doctors) it's better to eat "6 small meals a day instead of 3 large meals".  Well, define a small meal for me.  I'm no good at portion control.  So I come to snack time and eat an apple - good choice.  Excellent in fact.  Then it's nearing bedtime but going to bed without a lick of peanut butter would make me cranky so I get out the peanut butter jar.  I'm not hungry, I just think I need the peanut butter to "tide me over till morning". 

My one large meal should have more than sufficed for my entire evening, but I've added at least three cookies, a mug of milk and a healthy tablespoon of peanut butter in addition to the apple.  Welcome to my past logic!  On their own, none of those snacks would be bad at all... if taken alone.  See how I used to rationalize my overeating? My bad habits are coming back to haunt me as I read this verse: "...yet his appetite is never satisfied."

Sitting here at the computer, pondering what I've written, I thumb through the Psalms. And sure enough - there it is. Another verse that illustrates GOD'S point about appetite.  "The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods."  (Psalm 16:4)  Although Mike did not cite this verse today, this was the point of his message... gods with a small g versus THE GOD with a capital G. 

Maybe I'm reading into these verses something that's not really there.  But I prefer to think that GOD is using His Word and other people to remind me of His basic truths when it comes to food and appetite.  1. He provides all I NEED every day, every meal, 2. What I want is not necessarily what I need, and 3. I dwell far too much on food and not enough on the Lord's goodness.

I am a recovering overeater.  I was made to crave GOD.  I was created in His image. I have a free will.  I choose to bring my will in line with His. I choose to dwell on His great love, His mercy, His goodness and His guidance.  I refuse to dwell on satisfying every craving for food and drink.

Thanks, Mike, for listening to the prompting of the Holy Spirit as you wrote your message for today.

One more verse..
"Lord,  you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure." --Psalm 16:5

Chiseling the marble

I've been reading a wonderful novel entitlted The Sacrifice by Robert Whitlow.  It contains many truths and the spiritual lessons cause me to think beyond the story line.

One of those lessons is this:
"The difficult people and circumstances in life are often the tools God uses to bring forth the enduring beauty of Christian character.  If we want to be transformed, we have to be changed.  One of the ways God uses is the challenge of difficult relationships."

In an earlier paragraph is this:
"God wasn't using angels to do the work of changing me; he was relying upon my enemies."

I've been extracting these spiritual truths and applying them to my own life in very practical ways.  For instance this particular lesson speaks to me in the area of FOOD.  Yes, FOOD can be my enemy!  And I have a history of a difficult relationship with it.  I've been asking God for several years why I must endure the extreme fluctuation of my weight.  Whether I've been on a "program" or not, my weight has never remained the same from season to season without a huge struggle.  And I will acept the blame for poor eating habits as well as lack of discipline. It's a vicious cycle: gain, go on a program, lose, feel better, lose disciplined habits, eat, gain, go on a program, lose, feel better... well, you get the idea.

Somehow God got my attention a few weeks ago.  And His persistence in bringing Proverbs 31 Ministries to my ears as I listened to the radio finally resulted in my purchasing Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst.  At first I thought, "What's the use?  I've done virtually EVERY weight loss program known to man or woman in the 21st century!  Why try THIS?"  But once I began reading, I realized that THIS one is truly different.  THIS one is based on God's promises, His love, His will, His discipline, His desire for me come into line with His will!  Without HIM, this book would be just another book.

So food can be an enemy.  I'll give you that.  Even though food is necessary for the sustaining of life, it had become my God. I love to eat - I repeat: I LOVE TO EAT.  Oh, I loved the Lord Jesus Christ.  And I followed much of His teaching.  But in the area of food, I held out because I could not imagine it was really a sin to enjoy the bounty around me.  Then a funny thing happened.  Through prayer, searching out scripture that extoled God's  many virtues including faithfulness, I decided I would give this a "go".  So I'm still putting down my fork.  And I'm craving food less.  When offered food selections that in the past would have put me over the moon in delight, I am saying "No, thank you.  I'll pass today." Refusing a tasty treat now does not mean I won't ever enjoy it again. It just means I'm choosing to eat healthier today.

Every morning I'm excited and a little nervous to once again get weighed!  But the only disappointing scale-moments have followed instances where I knew I had fallen off the wagon.  If I am faithful - truly faithful - to put down my fork, to experience hunger pangs and to pray when I'm unsure if I really need food, God is rewarding my efforts.  What a gift God has given me and many many other women!  Lysa TerKeurst hit the nail right on the head with her wonderful volume!

My weight continues to drop, little by little.  And food is no longer Public Enemy #1.  The healthier choices and smaller portions are seeing me through.  God is in this program.  And I am feeling closer to Him than ever before.

Keep chiseling away, Lord! There's a thin person clamoring to get outta this hunk of marble!

Fill My Cup Really Full... Please

At church yesterday we sang an old hymn that I grew up loving and playing on the piano.  But when we sang it yesterday, it suddenly sounded new. It was as though God had opened my heart to hear the lyrics in a completely new way!

Like the woman at the well, I was seeking
For things that could  not satisfy;
And then I heard my Savior speaking:
"Draw from My well that never shall run dry."

Fill my cup, Lord -
I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more -
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!

These past few weeks God has used a number of ways to show me that HE is enough for me.  Through books, devotional messages, sermons, music, conversations, a Sunday school lesson, a greeting card... it seems that my ears and eyes have begun to grasp the Truth that the LORD is my portion.

Weight loss is such a tired topic in our society.  There are commercials in virtually every format for a myriad of products to help me shrink the fat, suck out the cellulite, drink away the hunger pangs, exercise without moving, feel full without eating.  Stay up past 1 A.M. and you will find weight loss paraphernalia not advertised during prime time TV!  The problem with all of these products is that they don't get to the heart of the matter.  Eating too much food, making poor choices and exercising too little are sure-fire ways to find yourself fighting the Battle of the Bulge.

I've been fighting this battle as long as I can remember.  Really.  From the time I was about 12 years  old, my Mom and I went on "diets" together. With my calorie book, spiral notebook, pencil and school pocket-folder, I recorded my food and calories, weighed faithfully and held my breath for even a smidgen of success.  She and I would have moderate losses and then yo-yo back up again, gaining more weight until we had to start the process all over again. 

At the tender age of 63, I am coming face to face with the Truth:  Weight loss cannot ever be 100% successful without putting God into the mix. 

Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more...

I am learning to pray when hunger pangs threaten.  I am learning to search out Scripture that glorifies God and shows our dependence upon Him.  I am learning to make wiser choices, most of the time, by being better prepared to make my own meals at home.  I am learning to say NO to others who unwittingly offer me tempting treats.  I am learning.  It's still a process.  I will never "arrive" in this life!  But I can find victory in Christ Jesus who says He can make me whole.

So, my brother, if the things this world gave you
Leave hungers that won't pass away,
My blessed Lord will come and save you,
If you kneel to Him and humbly pray.

On the next page after Fill My Cup, Lord in the hymnal that lies open on my desk is this one: Higher Ground.  Coincidence? 

From faith to life?

In a really good novel I recently read these lines:

"...unless belief produced day-to-day trust in God,

it could not be considered faith."

What does day-to-day trust look like?  The list is endless.....

* trusting that I will wake up after a night of sleep
* trusting that my lungs, heart, brain, nervous system and vital organs will keep me alive for another day
* trusting that HIS grace is sufficient for me, today and always
* trusting that He will guide my thoughts and desires, Him always increasing, me always decreasing
* trusting that the world will continue to turn on its axis, the sun will continue to shine, and GOD will not sleep
* trusting that those on the battlefield will be protected by GOD Himself and one another

I'm all over the place with this thought.  There are far too many possibilities to list.  But this evening, I am focusing on this one:

* the belief that I can trust GOD to carry me through change - I have faith that He can and will continue to do so because He loves me

Let's face it: GOD could, right now at this minute, redesign this human body of mine into a perfect size 6 with no hills and bumps, no bulges and dents, no muffin top or unsightly dimples in places they are not very attractive.  But His will for me is that I lean on Him for strength to make this temple into something healthier and more pleasing to my Heavenly Father.  I have serious doubts that a size 6 is in my future in THIS life, but there is lots of room for improvement between my current size and the ethereal size 6.  No, a miracle of a new earthly body is not going to happen.  Plain and simple.

I needed a biblical perspective for relying on GOD for food so I turned to the story of the Israelites AGAIN, how the people rose up against Moses and Aaron, complained about their plight of needing food (Exodus 16:2-4), and how God rained down manna.  I've written before about this instance on my blog.  It has a different slant this time......

God used the Israelites' food issues to depend upon HIM daily.

I believe that I can trust completely in my Heavenly Father for the food I need.  This belief must become FAITH for me to continue an eating "plan" that is not a plan at all.  It is simply TRUSTING God to say "You've had enough for now, My child.  Put down your fork.  There will be other meals.  Soon."

On my own, I cannot do this.  I have tried - I have cried - I have wailed - I have complained - I have pouted - I have wailed again.  On my own power, I cannot do this. But by faith I can continue to trust GOD day-to-day to show me His willpower in the area of food.  My willpower is worthless and of no use.  His willpower is perfect. And it is sufficient for me.

Last evening at a casual dinner with some old friends, I received a small gift from the only gentleman in the group.  It is a beautifully crafted card.  Inside the card he had personally inscribed these words:

"Let us in peace eat the food that God has provided for us. 

Praise be to God for all his gifts." --Armenia

How much more plain can this food issue be?  Read those lines again.  I praise God for all his gifts.  And I thank Him for friends who are His instruments.

Weekend or Weakened?

Today is Friday and it's been a good week for me.  First there was the Monday holiday, followed by allergy tests on Tuesday. So my work week was only 2 days this week which was a real treat.  A 4-day extended weekend culminated with a day off on Tuesday, almost like a mini-vacation.

In the past, this chain of events would have sparked a celebration - and celebrations are synonymous with food.  Bring on the treats! Splurge!  Live it up!  However this time, although my Old Self yearned to head to Blondie's for those Amish sugar cookies with the frosting and colored sugar on top, my New Self put on the brakes before I could make such a drastic turn.

What came to mind during this little internal battle was something Lysa said early on in her book:  "Define your week by obedience, not by a number on the scale."  You see, the number on the scale has not moved in the right direction for two days.  And that disappointment, coupled with the celebration of the mini-vacation, would normally be enough to send me back to Sugarland where Blondie's Cookies and frozen Cokes abound.

I am reminded once again that GOD knows my struggles and He cares for me, not necessarily my contentment.  And while He cares for me, the real lesson to be learned is the "O" word: obedience.  He cares so much for me that He wants my thoughts to turn to Him in the same way those thoughts used to turn to food.

I finished my first reading of Made to Crave yesterday during my lunch break.  As with many books, I was sorry to see the last page turn.  What I must do now to keep the momentum going, is to consult the notes and highlights.  And it's time to make the ingestion of GOD's Word a regular meal, not just a snack.  For too long I've gone to His well of Living Water for just enough to get me to the next drinking fountain.  For too long I've nibbled on the crumbs of notes left from a sermon stuck in my Bible instead of sitting down to the banquet He prepared for me.

It's a shame that a silly little instrument like a scale has so much impact on my life.  But that has been my yardstick for success in discipline and weight loss always.  The scale does not lie.  Getting weighed was proof positive whether I had been obedient in following the rules of whichever particular diet I was supposed to be following at the time.  How will I measure my obedience-success now?  GOD is in control.  And while I will continue to weigh my body striving for downward trends, the real "plan" is not about the food: it's about following God and feasting on His Word.

From Lysa: "Each time I craved something I knew wasn't part of my plan, I used that craving as a prompt to pray.  I craved a lot.  So, I found myself praying a lot."

This evening I am thankful for a God who loves me too much to leave me this way.  And I am thankful to a woman named Lysa who cared enough about other women to share her inspirational story in a way that encourages me forward.

Made for holiness

"It is good for God's people to be put in a place of longing so they feel a slight desperation.  Only then can we be empty enough and open enough to discover the holiness we were made for."  --Lysa TerKeurst

To be completely honest, I had never considered the prospect that I WAS CREATED for holiness.  Ok, I read it somewhere in the Scriptures that we are to "be holy" as the Lord is holy.  But holiness is a BIG word which means to be set apart for His purpose.  Me?  Created for holiness?

Through studying Made to Crave, certain truths such as this one are being awakened in my soul.  Things I had HEARD or READ but never truly took in or comprehended.  You see, to say that the LORD GOD who created the universe wants ME for His purpose is quite humbling and a little frightening.  If He has created me for His purpose - if He has set me apart to be holy as He is holy, then much is expected from me, much more than I have ever before been willing to give.

Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.  --2 Corinthians 7:1

Out of reverence for God... hmmm. There's no way around it.  What I have been doing for most of my adult life has been offensive to God.  By taking liberties with all of the less than healthy food choices available to me, by failing to exercise (sigh), by failing to develop discipline... I have been showing irreverence toward God.  My heart hurts to think I have caused Him grief.  Yet these choices are clearly not His will for me.  So, an abrupt about-face is in order.  Ask me if I'm ready for this change, and the response is a resounding NO.  But God expects me to act on this information - not just read it and put Lysa's book back on the shelf.  Since He made certain that it got into my hands in the first place, it's readily apparent that I am to be a doer of the Word, not just a hearer. (that's in the Bible somewhere, too)

Today's effort to sneak up on holiness involved food choices.  I was tempted by hot dogs, peanut M & Ms, real Coke and cookies.  But with the Creator of the universe encouraging me forward, I denied myself these tasty treats and chose salad, lowfat yogurt, a rice cake and celery.  The taste buds are still surprised.  And they are in for further surprises in the days ahead.  This is my journey.  But God is my Guide.  To stop along the way at the Buffet of the Forbidden Feast would disappoint Him, and would keep me from entering the Promised Land of Holiness.  He would soon grow tired of my circuitous route to the city limits!

As Lysa points out, becoming holy is not necessarily pleasant.  Like her, I want my very next choice to be high in calories, fried in fat and drizzled with something that makes my taste buds sing.  Yet do I want the victory?  You bet.  But I am a weak, pathetic human being who has been spoiled.  I can say I have been influenced by the media, advertisers, food artists, my family, the snack aisle at Kroger and the Food Network for my sordid past, but they cannot control my future.

Get this:
I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. (!) emphasis added Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. --Romans 6:19

This verse is aimed right at me in the 21st century, in Indiana, USA.

Make no mistake: I am not talking to anyone but myself here!  I know that I need to make strides toward holiness.  Discipline will be important on this journey.  I need for God to super-size my portion of discipline! I start projects with vigor and good intention, but fizzle before the finale.  Yet, He can show me how to develop this trait that I lack. And He will do so with the love and patience of a compassionate Father.

This day I am thankful that we serve a God of miracles!  Let the miracles unfold in my struggle. 

Lord, make me holy as You are holy.  Change my heart and mind. Change my focus and thinking.  Change my desire for the tasty treats that have brought me to this place.  Change my taste buds that they might no longer call me to destruction.  In the name of the One who loves me more than His very own life,  AMEN.

Please pass the celery

Celery is a delicious vegetable!  It's green and good for you, it's crunchy and helps keep the plaque off your teeth, and it's versatile.  It can be eaten raw alone, raw with peanut butter filling its little trough, raw with sour cream, chopped up raw in salad, sauted with fennel and onions, a great addition to a stir-fry concoction, a necessary ingredient in vegetable soup and an interesting basis for a creamy soup.  The problem is that I rarely CRAVE celery. I eat it and enjoy its flavor and various applications.  But it's not chips and salsa or salty potato chips.

Without a doubt, my mother fed me lots of celery when I was young.  She wanted me to love it so that my taste buds would accept it as the snack of choice.  While I did enjoy eating it from time to time as a child, I never asked for it if there was a ghost of a chance at getting something REALLY tasty like chips. Or cookies. Or cake. Need I go on?

Lysa TerKeurst addresses this issue head-on in Made to Crave, along about chapter 15.  Until that point in her challenging volume, I was not quite so convicted to rethink my desires for foods that are not quite as beneficial to the human body as celery.  In this important chapter, she introduces the idea of "parking her mind" in a place that does not call up saliva that would drool down the chin in eager anticipation of partaking of the not-so-good-for-you snack choices.

"I had to stop thinking about what I shouldn't have and park my mind on thoughts of being thankful for what I could have." (Lysa, chapter 15)

So today I purchased a ready-to-eat package of celery sticks.  A big one. No trimming needed, no waste, no cutting to the right size for the snack bags.  It couldn't be easier to make the healthy choice.  I'm counting big time on God's still small voice to remind me often the next few days that celery is good for me in every way. 

On my own, I cannot make myself crave celery.  But I am learning to turn to the One who created all the vegetation that we have in abundance to call me to the High Road.  When I'm tired and feel I "deserve" a handful of chips, I pray He steers my thoughts toward Him... and the benefits of ignoring the chips and heading toward the celery bag instead.

Some day I will taste chips again.  I will not live my life without ever tasting those treats for which there is no substitute.  But for now, while I'm still getting accustomed to making healthier choices, I am too fragile to consider veering off that path.  I have only just begun this journey. 

Lysa suggests focusing on 3-5 foods for which I am most grateful.  Notice she did not say which I most desire.  This evening I am most grateful for eggs, fresh tomatoes from the garden, cottage cheese, and, you guessed it: celery.

The journey continues to a healthier me. But the real benefit is learning to lean on GOD.  He is my hope.

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive."  --Robert Louis Stevenson

McManna Happy Meals

I've reached the point in this book (Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst) that things are getting serious, I mean serious.  She is hitting all my buttons and providing Scripture to show me the ugly truth about craving things that are not beneficial to me.

From the book:
They (the Israelites) were never to gather up extra and build storehouses of manna supplies where they could set up drive-thru windows for McManna Happy Meals. No, God wanted them to take only their portion for one day.  The next day they would come to Him and again receive their daily portion."

Ok, for starters: Has Lysa been peeking inside my purse?  The extra candy bar, bag of pretzels, hard candy or Tootsie Roll Midgies have been there for food "emergencies".  Ouch!  While there is nothing inherently wrong with having any of these items in my possession, the hoarding has become a problem in itself - we can discuss the nature of those particular items at a later time.  For now, the hoarding is the issue.

As for going to God for my daily portion?  Well, I've had admirable intentions and sometimes even carried through at meeting with Him privately before my day gets underway... for limited times.  I am easily distracted and seem to get caught up with the getting ready part of the day, and then I'm off and running to town and work once again.

Sigh.  So here I am at a crossroads.  His voice is loud and clear, coming through this book and the wisdom of one of His own children who has learned some lessons the hard way herself.

"You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not bow down to an alien god.  I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt.  Open wide your mouth and I will fill it."  --Psalm 81:9-10

There it is.  All I need to DO is get myself up every morning and go to Him for my daily portion before anything else gets in the way... before the busyness of the day grabs my attention... before planning lunch or dinner clouds my thinking... before emailing my kids and friends take my precious time.

As I said a few days ago, I am learning to let God have all of me.  A work in progress!  Life is a process.  Today I am thankful it is not a "done deal".  There is still hope, because the sun came up today and God is still in the Heavens.  He may be smiling at my child-like ways, but He loves me just the same.

"For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things" --Psalm 107:9

What "manna" do you long for most from God?  I invite your comments.....

What does it mean to be beautiful?

Today's question can be answered in a number of ways... at any given time, even I have more than one answer to this simple question.

We live in a culture that demands women be preoccupied with their appearance: hair, nails, make up, wrinkles, weight, clothing, accessories and the most attractive friends.  It's all for the purpose of looking good, but what lies within?  Where is my beautiful truly located?

Ralph Waldo Emerson put it like this: "Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not."

Sounds like he might be on to something, and I'm betting he and God have a similar view on this topic.  Even if the movement of my upper arms can create enough wind to blow down a small building, my arms are not what matters.  And even if the cellulite in my thighs resembles cottage cheese, that doesn't matter either.  And even if my stomach has a life of its own and ignores my efforts to keep it corraled and hidden, that doesn't matter either.

And neither does it matter if my skin is perfect, without blemish or flaw; my hair is silky and shimmers in the noonday sun; my jeans are a size 10; my wardrobe of purses matches my collection of shoes; the number on the scale is lower than the day I was married... none of this is beauty in the truest sense of the word.

My beautiful must be what God put within me the moment I was created in HIS image.  Don't get me wrong: I'm as vain (or more so) than the next gal walking down the street, but I'm trying to change that.  With God's help, I am making strides toward making my inner self into what He would call "beautiful" on any day, whether my hair is frizzy or not.

Made to Crave is certainly speaking to my heart in this particular area.  I'm learning to Remain in Jesus Christ for all my fulfillment. I'm learning to Remain in Jesus Christ for my personal peace and contentment.  I'm learning to Remain in Jesus Christ and let the world go by.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.  "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."  --Isaiah 55:8-12

Oh God, YOU are so beautiful to me...  make me into Your image.

Learning to let God have me

It's Day 5 of Made to Crave... and I'm learning.  It's becoming painfully obvious that God is not finished with me yet even at my tender age of being a great-grandmother.

Today's lesson from the book: "We are taught 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 if we are wearing our skinny jeans or not. Complete...."

For most of my adult life, my HAPPY has been tied to my weight.  There, I've said it.  The number on the scale was EVERYTHING to me.  As I read Lysa's book and think back on my own experience, I realize what a pathetic confession I'm making.  It's only a number. A number that nobody else in the whole world need ever know. And yet it was my #1 thought and my #1 aggravation.  Pretty shallow when you put it like that, huh?

Today I am seeing myself in a new way.  Today I accept myself as a child of the King, and, as such, entitled to the riches He would like to shower upon me.  The riches of His love, His mercy, His compassion, His comfort, His wisdom, His Everything. 

It's only Day 5.  And I'm on a journey to become what He wants me to be.