Fuel or Filler

Today the book talked about whether we are fueling our bodies or filling our bodies. "Fuel keeps your body running, but filler often gets sent directly to your fat stores." It kinda hits on what I was talking about in my previous blog about eating less nutrient dense foods and more snacky foods. I really need to examine how much filler vs. fuel I'm putting in my body, and focus more on the fuels. "Low fat meats, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains" are all typically fuels. "Sweets, chips, and snack foods" fit into the filler category. Generally easy to grab, prepacked processed foods fall into this category.

I like that it says you can still have fillers, but that you should limit them. I really love this new chocolate indulgence mousse. It's made by Jello and it has a yummier flavor and more interesting texture compared to the pudding I've been getting. However, I want to eat the whole pack in one sitting. I can still eat this, but I need to learn how to savor it, instead of wolfing it down and scraping the sides manically haha. Also, sadly my Juicy Juice has 32 grams of carbs. That's all sugar. So I need to decide if that's something that I am going to keep, or if I have to modify it so that I'm not having a whole serving. Maybe I should just use half of a serving with my smoothie.

Anyway, part of the exercise is deciding these things. I think I'm on a good track :)

So, before I get started with my verses/daily Bible reading, I wanted to say that I've been having some really good prayer time lately. In fact, I've been having some of the most intimate, and amazing prayer times than I've ever had before. It's nothing special (as far as what I do physically), but it's been incredibly encouraging to me. I was praying today about my weight loss, and having life to the fullest, when it suddenly dawned on me that God wants this for me too. And you may say "duh" but I never thought that God really cared. I assumed he cared about my heart, and my thoughts, and my actions, and my character, but I guess I never thought he cared about my weight. I assumed that he chalked me wanting to be thinner up to vanity and that it wasn't that important.

How detrimental has that thought process been to my journey. If someone you supposedly love and trust doesn't support or care about something that you are working hard at, it's super discouraging. And more times than not, with that kind of "support" you just kind of give up. I realized today that God is apart of my support system that is being built up. That he wants the same things that I want as far as me being healthier. That he does care, and the he will help me and support me with this just as much as he will help me and support me with being more loving, kind, and wise. It's an amazing and wonderful feeling. God is good.

"Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and firm, because the Lord's coming is near." James 5:7-8

"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is any one happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:12-16

I begrudgingly added the first verse section because what I got from it, I believe doesn't really have much to do with the context of the verse and what it is intended to say. The systematic theologian in me cries "wrong!" However, it did encourage me to "be patient and firm" in this time that I'm trying to lose weight and allow God to change many aspects of my life. I really liked how it talked about the seasons and how the farmer has to wait for the land to yield crops, for sunshine, and for rain. The farmer plows and sows into the field, and then has has to wait awhile to see actual results. The first few months or so are bleak, but then he sees a little sprout, then leaves, then an actual plant, until finally the full harvest is there, ready, and beautiful before his eyes. That, is what I need to envision as I loose weight. Not that I'm going to see the crop ready to harvest next week, but that I will see little things start to change and develop as the weeks go by, and to be patient and firm in my goals and my decisions. Yay :)

I really liked the second verse, first because prayer and confession have been kind of forefront in my mind lately, and second because we talked about this verse in small group and it's a nice little reminder. Pray. Pray when you're in trouble, pray (praise) when you're happy, pray when you're sick, pray with each other. Pray when you've sinned. Ask, so God can answer and you can receive. I love how healing and forgiveness are intertwined with this verse. God is SO faithful to help and to give to us, but we need to be humble and trust him. We need to communicate with him! We need to tell him how we're feeling and what we need. God IS a mind reader, but he's not controlling or intrusive. He doesn't use what he knows against us. He wants us to come to him freely, not because we are forced to or as a last result. Sigh. God is good.