Eat to live. Don't live to eat.

Eating to live instead of living to eat can be easier said than done, and can be so true during the holiday's!  I LOVE food!!!  My family does too....in fact we can be eating a meal, and while we are doing so, planning for the next meal:)  Food is fuel for our bodies and that's a good thing.  It helps us to repair, recover, heal and live an active healthy life.  It's when we get out of balance and use food for comfort when it becomes living to eat.  I physically and spiritually have to slow down and remember how I can honor the Lord in the meal I am about to eat.  I have a challenge for you with this week leading into Thanksgiving: Try to slow down and worship God with every bite you take, and make sure God is honored with the amount you eat.  What a great way to give thanks to GOD!!
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
     ~Romans 15:13

Wishing you a WONDERFUL weekend!

Holy Hugs :)

Having a balance!

Life can be crazy enough....and then you throw in the holidays...YIKES! How will it all get done?  I have been guilty with this, but have come to realize when I have a "balance" in what I do, life is less stressful and it becomes a wonderful journey!  My daily devotion is one I shared with my exercise class this morning and I want to share it with you:
"Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding."
       ~Proverbs 23:23
"The commercial countdown began weeks ago, and today advertisements urge: Only forty shopping day until Christmas!" In other words, spend! Buy! Get ready!

Forty days has often been a special period for God's people.  Jesus Himself fasted and prayed in the desert forty days before beginning His ministry.  Although I can't take off to a desert, the coming weeks provide precious opportunity to do some spiritual spending and the Bible gives an interesting shopping list: truth, wisdom, discipline and understanding.

During this hectic season, what I need to seek as doggedly as I search the stores or the Internet for those "perfect gifts" of toys, books and clothing is God's wisdom.  It seems no coincidence that discipline is next on the list.  Too often I've seen a connection between lack of discipline in my life and a shortage of understanding how to love God and the people around me.  This Advent I want to establish a small discipline of taking a few quiet moments each day to think about Jesus, the Wisdom of God, Who is He? Who can He be for me?

Even in this busy time, God wants to come to me in the midst of my everyday life.  Moses was busy going about his daily work, tending sheep, when he came upon an incredible sight: the Angel of the Lord appearing in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush.  Moses' response? I will now turn aside and see this great sight...(Exodus 3:3)

God, a consuming fire, comes as an infant in a virgin's womb!  Forty days isn't enough even to begin to ponder His appearance, but I want to try--to run aside and gaze on Him a bit more each day.
           ~Mary Brown, contributing author Daily Guideposts

ATTITUDE!

As easy as your ABC's!  That's the motto I have with keeping a balance in your lifestyle plan.  A: attitude, B: believing and C: consistency.  It all starts with your ATTITUDE!!  Have you ever woke up and had so much to get done in a little amount of time, the weather was gloomy and nothing seemed to be going your way?  How did you handle it????  Honestly, there have been days like that for me and I just want to crawl back into bed or dive into a bag of chips or ice cream! :) LOL  The problem is if I give into this, my attitude doesn't change for the better....I actually feel more guilty.  What helps me is to stop and ask God for help and strength during these tougher times.  It gives me a sense of calmness and feeling of me being in control and not the food or stress.  As stated in the Life Application Bible: God's love must so permeate our motives that all we do will be for his glory.  Keep this as a guiding principle by asking, "Is this action glorifying God?" or "How can I honor God through this action?"  Start your day and everyday with the right ATTITUDE and enjoy the blessings that will follow!

Holy Hugs!!

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
        ~1 Corinthians 10:31

Daily Accountability

Following a "diet" is not easy!  I can't tell you how many times or how many different "types of diets" I have tried over the years: low carb, no carb, low sugar, sugar busters, all veggie, cabbage soup, Atkins, South Beach....you name it, I've probably tried it:)  The good part is that you can learn from my trial and error times.  Although many of these may show results, they are rarely results that last a lifetime. That's because it isn't living a lifestyle.  What I have found is you need a balance, and find that balance that works for you.  A crucial part to this balance is having someone else with you for support.  It is been studied that teamwork is critical in overcoming gluttony and laziness.  Find that accountability partner; a spouse, relative, friend or hire someone to help you follow through with being accountable!    YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Holy Hugs
~Deb

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.  For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.  But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up."
       ~Ecclesiastes 4:9-10