Guilty, or Not?

Guilt....that feeling seems to creep over me a lot in life.  It probably has something to do with my perfectionistic and people pleasing nature.  It is a plague that I need to do something about!  I am sure that you have found yourself in similar circumstances from time to time, and yes sometimes there is a very good reason for that feeling to come creeping in.  During those times forgiveness needs to be sought out, but I am thinking more along the lines of guilt that is there unnecessarily.

Guilt is described as self-reproach for supposed inadequacy or wrongdoing.  It is placing upon ourselves the feeling of failure, where failure is not due.  It can creep in when you feel as if you did not do what others thought you should, you are not good enough at what you have to do, or maybe you set too high of a standard for yourself overall!!  Whatever the case may be, Satan loves it when we dwell in the plague of guilt!  Then we are not claiming what is rightfully ours, that is above his control.  He cannot take away the fact that we are redeemed and made righteous, but he sure knows how to distract us in to forgetting!!!  Whether we are a mother, sibling, friend, spouse or child, there are many things thrown our way that could cause us to have unnecessary guilt, that is a fact, but it is what we do with them that matters.  I am going to share yet another part of a writing by Marie Chapian that touches on this subject so profoundly.

"Examine the words you speak, because it is you who are hardest on yourself....You shall establish yourself in righteousness, in conformity with the Father's will and order.  Hear me in the wrestling of your mind, for My call of love is true and powerful.  

I shall put you in a place far from the thought of oppression or destruction.  I shall lift you up above the guilt and shame, and sin shall no longer be your master.  I shall lift you up from fear and from terror, for it shall not come near you.  

Do not caress guilt as though you deserve it.  Confess to Me your wanderings, and the ease with which you curse the One who loves you.  Guilt is not your friend, and feelings of guilt do not make you holy or clean.  Be holy as I am. 

I give you the garments of praise so you can throw away that old tattered and foul-smelling coat of collected sins and guilt.

When you are forgiven, you are free.  Whom the Son makes free is free indeed."

Are you truly guilty, or not?  The freedom in our minds comes from resting in the peace that we are forgiven and made free, knowing that He who began a good work in us is faithful to complete it, and has not, nor will not give us more than we can handle.   Be still, allowing yourself to accept with confidence that which you are and all that God has given you!

"I have blotted out as a thick cloud your transgressions, and as a cloud your sins.  Return to Me, for I have redeemed you." Isaiah 44:22 Amp. Bible

Finding Balance

Finding balance is something that I think we all struggle with in one area of our life or another.  For me balancing work and motherhood is sometimes the most challenging of them all, especially during this season of the year. Keeping with the focus of the blog though, let's think about balancing caring about our appearance versus it's what on the inside that counts.

I will be honest, I really do not know a black and white answer on this one, but rather a few tidbits of thought out responses.  We know that it is stated in the Bible that "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  Instead it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."  1Peter 3:3,4  That would lead you to the thinking that it is not right to think of your appearance as having any such importance.  Yet on the other hand you think of the example of Esther in the Old Testament and before she was chosen as queen she had to complete 12 months of beauty treatments!  That was to make her presentable in the king's presence. Now we are left with the impression that it is important to place great care in our outward appearance!  To really get a grasp on what God is trying to teach us, more of scripture needs to be taken in to account.  We are commanded over and over to place God first, to not live as the world does, and to care for that which He has given us.  We are to live by the examples of the lives that are shared with us in the Bible.  People that are more concerned with the eternal than the external.  Serving, not obsessing.

Where exactly am I going with this?  I do not believe that it is necessarily the right response to pick one side or the other to live by, but rather to find that balance. Are we so preoccupied with what we weigh, the size of our thighs, or the style of our clothes, that we put time with our Savior and that which He has called us to do, in any other place than first?  Are we so obsessive about getting in that exercise and analyzing every morsel that we put into our mouths, that time spent with those close to us gets pushed aside?  It can be a great struggle to find that balance, and yet we are fully able to do that which He has called us to do.  We are the temple of Living God, and we are to care for it and treat it with the utmost care, while not placing unnecessary attention on ourselves. I encourage you, (and myself included!!!) to step back, take a look, and ask God if you have found that balance between external and eternal.  May you find that beauty which comes from a gentle and quiet spirit!

Does She Have An Eating Disorder?

Since I did partially create this blog to spread awareness and understanding of eating disorders, I thought that I would take the time to share some key signs and symptoms to look for when wondering if someone is struggling with an eating disorder.  Keep in mind that the person could have just a few or a combination of many symptoms depending on the length and severity of the disorder. 

 BE AWARE: A sufferer DOES NOT need to appear underweight or even "average" to suffer ANY of these signs and symptoms. Many men and women with Eating Disorders appear NOT to be underweight... it does not mean they suffer less or are in any less danger.
Anorexia/Bulimia

1. Dramatic weight loss in a relatively short period of time.
2. Wearing big or baggy clothes or dressing in layers to hide body shape and/or weight loss.
3. Obsession with weight and complaining of weight problems (even if "average" weight or thin).
4. Obsession with calories and fat content of foods.
5. Obsession with continuous exercise.
6. Frequent trips to the bathroom immediately following meals (sometimes accompanied with water running in the bathroom for a long period of time to hide the sound of vomiting).
7. Visible food restriction and self-starvation.
8. Visible bingeing and/or purging.
9. Use or hiding use of diet pills, laxatives, ipecac syrup (can cause immediate death!) or enemas.
10. Isolation. Fear of eating around and with others.
11. Unusual Food rituals such as shifting the food around on the plate to look eaten; cutting food into tiny pieces; making sure the fork avoids contact with the lips (using teeth to scrap food off the fork or spoon); chewing food and spitting it out, but not swallowing; dropping food into napkin on lap to later throw away.
12. Hiding food in strange places (closets, cabinets, suitcases, under the bed) to avoid eating (Anorexia) or to eat at a later time (Bulimia).
13. Flushing uneaten food down the toilet (can cause sewage problems).
14. Vague or secretive eating patterns.
15. Keeping a "food diary" or lists that consists of food and/or behaviors (ie., purging, restricting, calories consumed, exercise, etc.)
16. Pre-occupied thoughts of food, weight and cooking.
17. Reading books about weight loss and eating disorders.
18. Self-defeating statements after food consumption.
19. Hair loss. Pale or "grey" appearance to the skin.
20. Dizziness and headaches.
21. Frequent soar throats and/or swollen glands.
22. Low self-esteem. Feeling worthless. Often putting themselves down and complaining of being "too stupid" or "too fat" and saying they don't matter. Need for acceptance and approval from others.
23. Complaints of often feeling cold.
24. Low blood pressure.
25. Loss of menstrual cycle.
26. Constipation or incontinence.
27. Bruised or calluses knuckles; bloodshot or bleeding in the eyes; light bruising under the eyes and on the cheeks.
28. Perfectionistic personality.
29. Loss of sexual desire or promiscuous relations.
30. Mood swings. Depression. Fatigue.
31. Insomnia. Poor sleeping habits

Compulsive Overeating/Binge Eating Disorder

1. Fear of not being able to control eating, and while eating, not being able to stop.
2. Isolation. Fear of eating around and with others.
3. Chronic dieting on a variety of popular diet plans.
4. Holding the belief that life will be better if they can lose weight.
5. Hiding food in strange places (closets, cabinets, suitcases, under the bed) to eat at a later time.
6. Vague or secretive eating patterns.
7. Self-defeating statements after food consumption.
8. Blames failure in social and professional community on weight.
9. Holding the belief that food is their only friend.
10. Frequently out of breath after relatively light activities.
11. Excessive sweating and shortness of breath.
12. High blood pressure and/or cholesterol.
13. Leg and joint pain.
14. Weight gain.
15. Decreased mobility due to weight gain.
16. Loss of sexual desire or promiscuous relations.
17. Mood swings. Depression. Fatigue.
18. Insomnia. Poor Sleeping Habits. 

(Information taken from www.something-fishy.org)

Shine

Inspired by the wonderful sun shine filled weekend, I thought that I would share this song and lyrics with you.  It is amazing just how much the sun, moon, and stars draw our attention and desire.  The sun has an amazing effect on me I know...my mood for sure.  When the sun is shining my spirits are definitely lifted.  It is so peaceful to relax and gaze out at the moon and stars in the evening.  Yes, I do think that God created them just not for a physical purpose but also for our enjoyment.  I can't help but think that we also are like the sun, moon, and stars created for a purpose and allowed to shine for Christ in this world.

SHINE 

by Salvador

I woke up to another day 
Another day to celebrate 
Your beauty and Your mystery,it’s more than any eye can see 
I’m not the man I was before 
With You, my life is so much more 
Break the chains and open doors to a world I can't ignore 

Lord let me shine, shine like the moon 
A reflection of You in all that I do 
Lord let me be a light for Your truth 
Light of the world, 
I wanna be used to shine for You
   

As simple as a passing smile  
Or listening a little while 
To someone that's convinced that they are in this all alone 
Here's my chance to share the news 
To introduce the good that's You 
Here You go again, 
You never cease to blow my mind 

Lord let me shine, shine like the moon 
A reflection of You in all that I do 
Lord let me be a light for Your truth 
Light of the world, I wanna be used to shine for You 

You're the love that we all need 
You lift us up to our feet 
You hold the key to eternity 
The King of Kings alive in me.