My husband and I shared an amazing day at Six Flags recently. One of the best things about going to an amusement park--the food. First of all, you walk approximately one million miles, which offsets any caloric intake. Secondly, all food, even the mundane, seems foreign and exciting when eaten in the shadow of a sky-scraping roller coaster. In short, diet be darned.
Instead of lunching on the $7.99 kids' meal, which my painfully frugal, coupon-clipping soul yearned for, I chose to get the overpriced chicken tenders and fried sides. Having already consumed my liquid weight in PowerAde, I honestly didn't have much room left for solid food, but I gave it the old college try.
As I sat there staring at the leftovers--one monstrous piece of chicken and assorted and sundry deep-fried root vegetables--I attempted to allay my guilt at not wanting to clean my plate. Could I stuff down the food anyway? (Yes, but they might have to shut down Batman: The Ride for some impromptu cleaning of the rails.) How long would chicken last, wrapped in a cheap paper napkin in my pocket? (Probably until I unwittingly laundered the pants.) That childhood imperative was ringing so strongly in my ears: clean your plate. Don't be wasteful. Show your gratitude in times of plenty instead of turning down perfectly good food.
And then it occurred to me: the ways that I view food are sometimes unhealthy or antiquated. How many times have I used food in an inappropriate way, causing myself to become physically ill or, at the least, overweight and unhappy?
What if, instead of gorging on earthly food, I overate at the table of the Lord?
What if I woke up each morning and treated God's word as fresh-fallen manna, being sure to lick the plate clean? What if I chose to share the abundant blessings of love, resources, and talents I have been graciously given, instead of wasting them? What if I thanked God with a genuine heart?
I wonder how God might use me, should I be able to turn my bad habits into a desire for all the good things He's been cooking up.
Anybody hungry?
Great thoughts! I have been dealing heavily with the disrespectful way I have treated my body. I really think that the primary purpose in me losing this weight came from the conviction of God. In May I found a verse that I thought I would pass along. It is 1 Corinthians 10:31 and says "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever
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