February 20, 2014 - "Don't Hide Trouble"

Yea, it's Thursday and we are walking toward the pools being opened and our summer shorts being pulled from the attic and placed in our drawers. Are we ready? I want to encourage you to weigh daily and keep your calorie content in check. I always remind people, "Five pounds is a lot easier to grab than 50." Let me remind you, unless you are weighing you have NO TRUE measure of whether your health goals are really working. I know, I hate to weigh as well, but truth is truth. I don't get upset about fluctuations, as they will occur, unless they start peaking above 3 pounds for several days. Then, it's probably not a water or stress issue but an over-eating issue. If you are in a starving phase, keep tons of veggies on hand and grab as many as you like. This really works. Yesterday, I had 2 apples back to back because I was extremely hungry. Let me encourage you to plan ahead before trouble arises in the form of serous temptation and the ONLY thing you have on hand are chocolate kisses. :) Proverbs 22:3 says it this way: "When you see trouble coming, don’t be stupid and walk right into it— be smart and hide." The wise King Solomon should have placed my name in capitals within that verse yesterday. For many years, I didn't hide FROM trouble, I HID trouble. Not good! It's the annual cookie sale for the young ladies we all love and adore, and for much of my adult life this was a temptation I PLANNED for. I laughed with a friend on Tuesday, I actually bought the cookies for "humanitarian reasons - being a kind person" and absolutely made a "plan" to ration them by placing them in baggies in the freezer so I couldn't consume them all at once. That never worked for me. I tried to HIDE trouble - but duh...I always knew where trouble was hiding and could reach trouble quickly. You know this procedure? When I got healthy, I had to decide that I couldn't allow TROUBLE access into my house, pantry, or body. Saying "no" is easier, but I still have to run from trouble. It is a conscious effort. If stupidity overcomes me, I pay. I always said, "it's horrible to pay money for something I know will eventually harm my body." As Proverbs states - that's walking right into trouble. Today - I don't purchase, carry home, or hide trouble. I cannot. I am following the advice of King Solomon and hiding FROM trouble. The good thing is that hiding from trouble means we don't have to hide at the pool or in our shorts. YEA! My encouragement today - rid your pantry, fridge, cabinets, office desk drawers and car of all hidden trouble and declare that you are smart, just as God's Word teaches. Life Group meets next week. Hope you can come. PK