I’m sticking to the schedule again. 3 days in a row! 😯
Molly blames Petra for turning me into a health food nut (for lack of a better term), but really, Dr. Garlick takes the bulk of the blame. Petra just reinforced what he has been telling me for years. Not that I trust her over an M.D., but I see and talk to her a lot more than Dr. Garlick. I don’t consistently heed her advice either. But she is pretty consistently right which is why when she looks me in the eye and tells me “You need to stop _____,” I tend to do it. Especially when she points out the glaring why. But I digress.
Anywho, I mentioned in a post a couple of days (or weeks) ago that my lax eating led to my constant “hunger.” I quote hunger because I am by no means really hungry. After reading Eat to Live and making an effort to eat that way (which was why I twice attempted to eat vegan), I learned the difference between how my body tells me I’m really hungry and when my body just wants to eat something. When I eat food that contains no msg or any artificial flavoring, I don’t have a problem with the stomach growling food craving. The craving is almost always for bread/pasta, cheese, or sugar. When I eat foods that haven’t been artificially flavored, I don’t feel the need to eat as much, and don’t get the overwhelming cravings for high-carb, low-nutrition comfort food.
Yeah, so above where I digressed, now I will get back to where I started to prematurely go. Petra called me out for comfort eating and drinking. Starting with “You need to stop drinking.” She didn’t say it all harsh, but I had been saying it harshly to myself. And she’s right. I was seeking comfort in alcohol and food instead of Jesus just like she said. I think it may go deeper than that, and that I have elevated comfort itself (or my ideal of it) as a god. This is why I have to abandon my old coping mechanisms because all they ever did was mask and deny the real problem(s) which in turn never got addressed.
All this said, I am turning back to healthier eating by eliminating the artificial flavorings and colors. And definitely the MSG. I know I need to eliminate the artificial preservatives as well, but while not eliminating totally, I am keeping those minimal. And no more Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks. :sigh:
I had to think about this as to not be misunderstood. Sometimes Christians miss it. Sometimes there is too much legalism. Now it is great that you want to watch how you eat, and awesome that you want to stop/quit drinking. But your walk with the Lord is a growth period of line upon line and precept upon precept. It just does not happen all at once. Oh, I have God now so these things can just be given up. No, the more you fill yourself with things of the Lord, reading the Bible, meditating on the word, those things that are addicting, over eating, eating wrong foods, drinking, smoking cigarettes will all pass away because you have filled yourself up with the Lord. It took me 7 years to quit smoking and I have been born again for 16 years. I had to learn to speak against it. “I am delivered from cigarette smoking and the ramifications of it.” I said that every time I lit up. Too many Christians draw you in as you are and then the next day tell you you are a sinner you smoke, drink, cuss and goes with those that do. So? Jesus came to save the sinners not the perfect.
Always remember what the Bible says, “It is not what goes into a mans mouth that defiles him, but what comes out.” So how do you speak? What are you saying? Is it in line with what the Word has to say about it and if you do not know go to the Word and seek it out. Do not condemn yourself or your well meaning friend Petra condemn you. Even the Holy Spirit does not condemn you, he is a gentleman. He is there to give you rhema knowledge and edify you, not make you guilty or tear you down.
I know, easier said than done. It is a walk Dragon Lady and you are doing great. Do not guilt yourself or feel guilt or condemn yourself. Jesus and God and the Holy Spirit do not. They forget your sins and shortcomings as far as east is from west.
Besides, the Bible says, “We all fall short of the glory of God.” Please do not be so hard on yourself and do not let others put you down and make you feel less than good in the sight of the Lord. God loves you just the way you are. Work with the Word and God and forget what men and women say.
I will pray for you and God bless you and keep you and your little family. Remember that Jesus died for sins, iniquities, shortcomings, and illnesses, so that we would be made free and prosper. The good Lord loves you! :star:
I left out a key part of the conversation. She wasn’t telling me to permanently quit drinking, but to quit drinking now for the reasons I am drinking (and comfort eating) so that later I can drink appropriately again. Because only she really knows how much and how often I’ve been drinking this time around. She certainly wasn’t condemning. She and I both grew up with legalistic moralism, and don’t play those games anymore. But, iron sharpens iron. 🙂