December 5, 2013 - "Cheating"

GMA, Remember we have LIfe Group at 6PM this Sunday. Bring your Christmas share-a-dish and a recipe. ALSO, please bring your Bible. Feel free to invite a friend who wants to CONNECT to Freedom and WALK in health. in January we will begin a new curriculum that I am writing - Freedom Connections. Hope you can come. Please let me know ASAP, so I may prepare. It seemed that everywhere I went yesterday my eyes were drawn to candles. (if you missed yesterday's blog, you can go to my blogspot and catch up) I do want to say that serving as a decoration can be "one" of the purposes for a candle, but it was not their created/intended purpose. I think when electricity was invented, the intended purpose for the candle shifted. I certainly understand. However, there is something powerful and inviting when candles are lit and producing light as opposed to sitting. I am available to God and as such would love to be fired-up and powered-up daily. Sometimes we need to remember that being fired-up could be as simple as taking an extra 10 minutes to listen. Look for the simple ways each day to partner with God. Then poof - you're ignited and a container of purpose. This morning, I want to talk briefly about cheating. People frequently ask me about that in the area of my health. People are amazed that I don't "cheat." I addressed this a couple of years ago, but it seems to be a revolving thought. Let me speak to this again today. Also, I realize that "cheating" with foods over the holidays is different than cheating on your spouse. However, both walk from a place of stability to a place of instability. Right? Could I encourage you to remove the "I cheat occasionally" from your thought processes and declaration? I decided to check the dictionary this morning for the definition of cheat. Here you go: cheat |CHēt| verb 1 [ no obj. ] act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage, esp. in a game or examination: she alwayscheats at cards. • [ with obj. ] deceive or trick: he had cheated her out ofeverything she had. • informal be sexually unfaithful: his wife was cheating onhim. 2 [ with obj. ] avoid (something undesirable) by luck or skill:she cheated death in a spectacular crash. • archaic help (time) pass: the tuneless rhyme with which thewarder cheats the time. noun a person who behaves dishonestly in order to gain an advantage: a liar and a cheat. • an act of cheating; a fraud or deception. ORIGIN late Middle English: shortening of escheat (the original sense). I actually don't like any of those definitions. You? I really feel what we should say is, "I eat differently over the holidays." IT'S OKAY TO SAY THAT. Somehow declaring that we cheat occasionally could lend itself to deception or manipulation, I feel. And you and I both know - there is NONE of that with our health. The more I read and study, the more convinced I am that our daily health endeavors keep a score card. We often feel we can "cheat" a little, "fudge some," and "relax the boundaries." I understand - I REALLY DO. But do you want to really "cheat" your health? I don't. "Everything in moderation....." Really? Does that include poison? Just asking questions here. :) I tell people all the time, "I never cheat. I eat exactly what I WANT TO." That's the real truth, isn't it? If we didn't want the candy, we wouldn't eat it. I am trying to bring you a word of encouragement today - eat and don't cheat. Determine what your health will allow you to consume and smile as you do. All the "cheating statements" do is bring guilt which often fosters another "cheat." Let's be FREE of that. Eat what you choose and CHOOSE well. Right? I eat what I want - what I choose. No cheating. Praying for your holiday parties this weekend. Choose lIfe and eat to live - PK