Are you taking care of yourself?

The holidays are upon us. Funny how they didn’t used to start this early. But, everywhere you go there are lights, decorations and the smell of fresh baked something. Parties are starting earlier and if we are not careful, we will fall prey to the 10 lb weight gain during this time of celebration and fun.

I speak with experience in this area. I had gotten really good at gaining weight, because I gravitate towards food when I am happy, when I am sad, when I am nervous, angry or stressed. I am really good a weight gain, and excellent at NOT exercising my physical body! I used to make jokes about it and think it was funny material. I never realized that not taking care of the body is no laughing matter to God.

This year, in March, I had a little medical wake up call. What started out as an ER visit, turned into a failed stress treadmill test, which landed me in a cath test…end result, a providentially early wake up call to a heart disease brewing under the service of my yo-yo unhealthy lifestyle.  My main arteries, all 4 of them, are getting grumpy with me, and getting blockages…..not enough blockage to “fix” yet, but enough to say ” Wake Up Young Lady and make some changes!”

Since March I had lost 3o lbs and exercised most days of the week. Until….about 6 weeks ago when I began to get lazy. Oh the treadmill didn’t sound fun one day, then the next, and again the next. I reverted back to my previous mission statement….Why do anything that isn’t fun?

Before long what had begun as a new habit, disintegrated right before my eyes!

Now it’s November and I am thinking that I better get on track, and I am reminded of the key verse that God had given me to chew on this year. A verse that is familiar to us all, you might even know where to find it and reference it, but the big question is….are we living in it?

Today’s Truth: 1 Cor 6:19

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”

When was the last time you let go of “ownership” of your own body? To let go of ownership would mean to treat our bodies as if they actually belonged to God, like Scripture teaches us they do. We would take care of things…like getting enough sleep, eating the right foods, and exercising, not to be a svelte size 2, but to be healthy, holy and honoring God!

This week I challenge you, as I challenge myself, to get on track with good and holy habits prior to the onslaught of holiday parties.

How? Pray about your own personal plan. Today let’s just look at one aspect. Denying the flesh of the foods that we want….

1). Fast. Yes that means don’t eat, and when you don’t eat, focus on prayer and on seeking God for another person’s need, and your own personal holiness. What a concept, prayer and fasting during these holy holidays!

Some tips: If you have blood sugar issues, try watered down juice, and chicken broth. You are still giving up the majority of your food, your stomach will still growl, reminding you to pray. The night before the fast prepre your heart, and plan what the prayer focus will be the next day, and arm yourself with a verse or two to recite and remember all throughout the day of the fast.

2). Partial Fast. Perhaps you would like to fast for the next several weeks, by intentionally giving up, sweets 6 days of the week, allowing yourself them only on one day. This is quite a sacrifice during the holidays. Each time you give something up, recite todays verse in your mind, or outloud if you are alone. And, each time you give sugar up, pray...Father, I am yours, I am yours, change me, use me, receive my life for your purpose, recieve my body for your use.

3). If sugar is not your problem area, then maybe snacks are. What about fasting your snacks the next several weeks? Perhaps reserving snacking for one day a week, or replacing your “comfort food snacks” with veggies during this time.

Today, just begin wrapping your mind around truth…You are His. Your body is His. What you eat matters because it affects your body, if you “move” it matters because it keeps the body opperating efficiently, and how you care for yourself matters, because all that concerns your body counts to God, as He is the true owner of YOU!

Keep coming back to the site this week….I will include some recipes and other helpful things to get us taking care of our bodies and paying attention. Let me know if you have any tips to share with the others who are reading this blog.

Today’s Prayer

Father, thank you that I am not my own, but I have been bought with a price. Help me today to see that through your eyes. Develop in my heart and mind a plan for the holidays that I might grow in holiness during this season. Forgive me for the years that I have abused the body that was not mine to abuse. Turn around the patterns that lead to not being healthy and create in me a desire to give my body to you each and every day. Teach me what is right for me.