Forgetting to Eat

Today that book talked about forgetting to eat. Either you day gets crazy, or you want to save up calories for a bigger meal, or whatever. Basically, it's bad to not eat. It causes our bodies to go into starvation mode.

"Our bodies know how to manage fuel sources very efficiently. When you undereat during the day, your body believes it may not get enough food, so it conserves what does come in. Even if Susan eats the same total number of calories as usual, her body will store a portion of that large evening mean, causing her to gain weight....if you routinely follow a one-meal-a-day plan, your body will train itself to get by on a small amount of food. Eventually it adapts so well to the low-calorie level that it refuses to lose weight."

I need to fuel my body efficiently and regularly in order to keep losing weight. I think the above reason is why people stop losing weight after adjusting their eating. Their body eventually gets used to it...so you really need to couple it with exercise. I'm going to try to get up and eat an apple in the morning before I work out. I've been wondering about how to fit in breakfast, and Meghan said something about how she always works out better with fuel, so I'm going to try to do that before I work out. Two birds with one stone! And if I decide to go to jaliscos or something like that, I won't not eat, I'll just eat a salad or something low calorie.

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it it the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith." Romans 1:16-17

The gospel, the good news, those words sometimes become meaningless when you have gone to church as long as I have. But I love how this says that the gospel is not, "work hard, follow these steps, and you'll get into heaven." It's from God AND it's by faith. Faith, this quality of being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not so. True faith is shown in our actions. If we believe, if we have faith, then we'll show signs of our belief. The good news is not the we do things first, but that we believe that God loved us, he died for us, that his sacrifice is freely given to all, so that we can live FULL, AMAZING, lives. Better than expected. That is good news. The gospel. It's beautiful and simple and so easy to miss.

As the chapter goes on, it talks about the wrath of God. I'm of the mindset that God is good. He would not to do bad things to us just for shits and giggles. He's not masochistic, and he wants the best. It says in this chapter repeatedly that "God gave them over..." to their desires, wickedness, etc. He didn't hold them back. As a result, people have suffered the natural consequences that come from sin or disease (I use this reference because the Bible seems to equate forgiveness with healing). The more that I think about it, I think about God like a parent. Which, I've realized this before, but it helps me understand how God can be good, but that in order to be good, he has to be just, and he has to discipline us so that we can learn.

So just like if I tell our kids to walk and not run and they do it over and over again, eventually I'm going to have to put them in time out. They have choices, and there's a consequence for bad choices that are made. The great thing about God, is that mercy triumph over judgment. He doles out mercy to his heart's content. So God can still be good, and still be wrathful. He can still be good and discipline us. We have to be careful of what we say is God's discipline though...ie Pat Robertson...because who are we to know God's thoughts or what's happening. I don't believe God caused the earthquake to happen. I believe he knew that it was going to happen, and as far as my knowledge goes I believe that he did not stop it. Isn't there a verse that says even the earth groans under sin? Is this just a natural result of our choices? Hm...that's kind of a heavy thing to think about. I do know that God can take the terribleness of this disaster, and make wonderful things come from it. So, I pray that your plans of goodness will come through in this God.