Healthy Mind, Body and Soul Journey 3-8-12

Yesterday I went tot he doctor and was very happy to see the number on the scale go down by 7 pounds.  I pretty respectable number for a two week  period of time.  I have to say I was feeling pretty proud. Then today came along.

I at bread.  And I ate crackers.  And potatoes.  I wish I could say they were all the whole grain variety, and therefore, not so bad for me, but  I won't lie, it wasn't.  They were all the white, no-nutritional-variety of each, just plain old bread, crackers and potatoes.  In my defense, I will say, I had a serving of crackers, didn't eat from the box until I felt numb, as was my pattern recently.  I had one serving of potatoes, not the three scoops that masquerade as a serving these days.  I had one biscuit.  Small victories.  I'm happy with those.  It's those small victories that spur us on to the greater ones.  It gives us a reason to strive for more the next time.

Today was a particularly stressful day, so to have even a small victory,  I count it all as gain.  Making changes in our lives is hard work.  Especially when everything and everyone around us seems to be working against, instead of for us.  We can't always count on people, though.  They have their own lives; their own struggles; preciously little time to spend focusing on us and our problems.  I understand that.  I too am likely guilty of the same single mindedness, so who am I to expect more from others than I give of myself?

Luckily for me, as a Christian, there is one who, no matter what, is constant, right there alongside, cheering the loudest at my victories, and gently pushing me toward the middle when I get off track.

God says, "I will never leave you or desert you" (Joshua 1:5).  He doesn't say - as long as you... or, if only you would... and attach it to his devotion.  His devotion is perfect and all encompassing.   There's no jealously behind his encouragement.  He genuinely wants to see us success in our goals.

It is His love that spurs me on today.  Not  because I have nothing else going for me, but because I am inspired to be the best version of me that I can, so that I can say, "Thank you, Lord, for believing in me, when no one else did."  I  want to ask him, "Are you pleased?" and have the answer be yes.  What a glory that would be for me.

I love my family with a fierce passion, and they me, but I know that as much as I care for them and they care for me, that love pales in comparison to the love of Jesus.  Try as we might, our love is just a shadow of the real thing.  I suppose, this side of heaven, it's the best we can hope for.

Tomorrow is another day, I  really hope it's better than today, but either way, I will do my best to honor my commitment to God, to treat my body with love and respect, as the vessel that He gave me, to hold my soul.  I will feed it well, move it well, and at the end of the day thank my body for carrying me through another blessed day.