Ugh weight gain! Is it time to renew your thinking about it?

I used to be one of those women who could eat anything and never gain a pound. I was the constant envy of friends everywhere. And also the butt (no pun intended) of many jokes and jabs about my weight.

It didn't matter to them that I wasn't healthy, all that mattered was that I could scarf down a dessert or two with no apparent consequences. I'm not saying that I didn't enjoy eating junk food at will - I did.

So sad . . . the word did.

But I wasn't healthy. I never worked out (because it hurt too much) but that's also a lack of discipline and is nothing to brag about.

That's changed now. It seems that every new medicine has me packing on the pounds or maybe my body's heading into menopause land. Either way, now I'm busting out of my weekend jeans and find myself having to carefully choose outfits that will hide my fluffy muffin top.

Have I mentioned that usually I love fluffy things and muffins - especially fluffy decorated muffins also known as cupcakes?

The other day I was standing in my closet staring at the many things I can no longer wear when it occurred to me that maybe my weight gain is a sign of health. Instead of lamenting those skinny days gone by, maybe I should celebrate.

Except not with cake!

Ephesians 4:20-24 says: But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

The truth is, in my old life, I was a glutton. I am a glutton. Now, I have to change the way I eat and move my body so that whether I eat or drink or whatever I do, I do all to the glory of God. (1 Cor 10:31)

Changing the mind about eating habits is not easy, as hundreds of yearly articles in women's magazines shows. But I aim to start this phase of my life as a renewed thinker with a healthy body and spirit.

Now you: Do you have anything you need to renew your thinking about?

in·grain

verb (used with object)

1.

to implant or fix deeply and firmly, as in the nature or mind.

Do you think it's possible for something from your childhood to be so deeply ingrained in your psyche that it changes the nature of your entire being?

As I think about some of my habits - good and bad - one common thread runs through all of them.

     Time has a hold on me. A freaky, and very powerful hold.

It's this feeling that I'm running out of time, or that I'm going to miss something really important... so I'd better hurry up. As I thought about it and asked God what my problem was, one distinct image popped into my mind.

                                                       The White Rabbit!

When I was a little girl, and we were late, (and now I'm thinking that was probably often) my dad would repeat this little chant from Alice in Wonderland:

"I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date. No time to say hello. Goodbye! I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!"

We said that rhyme CONSTANTLY, and when my kids were little, I'd repeat it to them while I rushed from here to there. Isn't that amazing? Could I really be that heavily influenced by Lewis Carroll's book turned cartoon?

I think I've nailed down one of my biggest hindrances to being, or at least feeling productive. In Romans 12:2, Paul says, "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." (NLT)

I often repeat this verse and sink it in my mind like a mantra, but I don't think I've ever really allowed God to change my way of thinking about it. I asked Him to do so today and do you know what?

   It's more ingrained than I imagined. I found myself saying, "I don't have time for that." to my kids and "Hurry up. You're making us late." It's going to be difficult to change my speech and thought patterns, but worth it to release me from this negative thought habit and to know I won't pass it on to my kids.

                                           I'm not afraid of difficult.

I'm not late. I'm not late. I'm not late!

What negative thought habit is holding you back from learning God's pleasing and perfect will for your life?