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| Monday's Manna 15; For Dieters | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Apr 4 2011, 03:33 AM (53 Views) | |
| editor | Apr 4 2011, 03:33 AM Post #1 |
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Manna Issue 15 Luke 10:38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" 41 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." Has anything upset you this past week? I would be surprised if you said, "No, nothing at all." As dieters trying to work our way through the recovery stage where we are no longer dieters, but maintainers, we find that upsets in our emotions trigger those things that we thought we had conquered---binges---cravings for junk food---desires to drown ourselves in a vat of deep dark chocolate ice cream with pecans. What do you use to soothe a restless emotion in you? And why do we return to our old food patterns when we are ruffled by life's upsets? Do you use food to drown in on occasion, or often? Do you ever become what I call food drunk, or is it only me that reverts to this in a frenzied moment of madness? Why does grabbing an item of food and cramming it down or throats seem to be a way of stifling our upsets? Is stress causing you to overeat? Or is overeating causing you stress? In our Scripture today, I do consider myself a Mary, but there are occasions when I can really relate to Martha also. Tired of being the under rewarded worker. Tired of being counted on. Tired of being the host and never the guest. Always looking at pots and pans and endless dishes and never having the time to look into the eyes of others for warmth. For conversation. For just kicking back and relaxing. Do these two personalities determine our diets? Our efforts? Our solution to success or failure? Understanding our personalities and how we can work out the quirks will make us better dieters. Today we are going to look at Christ's words to Martha and see if we can catch a glimmer of how being upset and anxious about many things can equate to weight gain, at least in my case it did. What is Jesus trying to say to you in this Biblical example of two women whom He both loved and called friends? Perhaps we cannot relate to either of these sisters, but we can learn by sitting at the feet of Christ and hearing Him out as to what we need to choose in life to gain His audience. Responsibility in our lives are ours, and we have to choose each and every day if we will have time to be diet conscious or not. And understanding is the first step toward determining the adjustments we have to make to receive the success we are seeking. It is not by blind luck that we lose weight. Looking at our Scripture, you will note it is called Martha's home. Is it because she was most likely the older sister? Was she a widow who was fortunate to have a home left to her by her late husband? Was she the one that helped scrimp and save to be able to have that roof over her head? We know that they did not have Section 8 Housing back then. In any case, it was her home and Mary and Lazarus lived with her. Great responsibilities were already heaped upon her it appears. She was the head of the household we are told from that verse. Martha most likely was ready to explode, enough so that she voiced a complaint to Jesus. I believe that normally Martha would not care to let her guest see her frazzled. She was used to being the hostess, but this day, perhaps there was an urgency to serve her Savior in a pleasing physical capacity. She was distracted, burdened and weighed down with worldly thoughts. She says, "Lord, don't you care?" As you diet day in and day out have you ever thought or said, "Lord, don't You care? Where is my relief? Why don't I see You springing into action? Are You also sitting idly by while I am overwhelmed? Nothing is happening that is encouraging me." Like Martha, we need to share our concerns with each other so we do not slip back into outlandish eating habits and so we can benefit from mutual support. We do not read that Martha touched base with her brother and sister. We need to express to God and vent, if we must, "Lord, don't You care? Enough is enough." We need to talk to Jesus also, as Martha did, He who understands, who cares about us, and who will give us honest feedback. When we are distracted, our minds and emotions are off of God, and onto grabbing anything at all that is handy to comfort us. But she turned to Jesus and sought advice or at the least a comforting word from Him, rather than stay in that kitchen, sampling, nibbling and tasting! Let's give poor Martha a hand of applause today! And we need to be like Mary, who found the time to listen, who was used to one on one, who quieted herself in Christ's Presence. Who clung to every word that the Lord said, maybe sensing that He may not be in her life as long as she desired. Listening intently because He had a message to always on His lips. Mary quieted herself in her spirit and strained to hear what the Master might say that would set her free from the Law and place her under the covering of grace. Even listening takes great effort and a willing of setting aside oneself. The mind must be stilled, the worldly duties must be forgotten and the willingness to learn something out of the ordinary, to be taught something startling, must even be desired. I don't know about you, but I picture Martha, somehow taller, more erect and definitely in the calorie burning range each day with her household activities. Perhaps Mary is slightly plump. After all we discover that Mary is sedentary, well, that is what today's Scripture hints at as her being the one who has chosen to sit and listen with her life. Perhaps she was quite used to being what we would call a couch potato. It does take practice. But no matter how the sisters looked, the lesson is in setting priorities and what God is going to bless. What Jesus commended Mary for was her piety, her devotion and her determination. She could have begged excuse until after they had dinner to listen, but instead she chose to listen while the opportunity arose. We need to diet while the opportunity presents itself to us, and not beg excuses for a later more convenient time. Although Martha would not commend Mary, Jesus did. Our family may not commend our efforts to lose weight, they may not support our ambitions but Jesus will, if we take the time to chose the better portion. Just before I wrote this week's issue, I received an email at 12:30 am saying, "Sometimes we get ourselves so busy that we don't have the time to follow the a food plan properly & get in all of the exercise we need. That is basically my problem right now. I am in need of prayers to keep on this program. My 2nd weigh-in is tomorrow & I have not had a good week. The weeks looming ahead show a lot more difficulties with family coming to visit, helping a son move into a new home, rehearsals for church programs, end of year banquets, luncheons & all. HELP! " I wrote back and said, "Too busy defeats our dieting plan. Each day, just as we budget our calories, we need to budget time for us---planning our meals, cooking healthy foods, shopping, exercising and journaling. Be prepared to squeeze in time just for yourself and to keep your diet plan on a momentum." Perhaps I should have said it better by saying, please try to be a Mary instead of a Martha in this upcoming time period. We need to set priorities in our life if we decide to lose weight. We can not grab a Snickers for lunch when we could steam some vegetables instead. We cannot drive through McDonald's and get a Big and Tasty to go, when we can make a turkey sandwich on wheat. We have to set aside time so that we are choosing the better portion. It is not selfish. It is being a Mary. Even if by nature we are Martha's, to serve our own interests must be anticipated. What is the better portion you are faced with choosing today? If you are reading this newsletter, congratulations. You have already taken the time to listen today. To reason with God as we read the Scriptures and as we together. Today is all about balance, not all or nothing. Maybe after today, we can learn to be like both of these beloved saints. Beside being sisters, they both had in common their love for the Lord, and their desire to serve Him, one by physical strength, the other by spiritual strength. Maybe we can find the right balance of both these traits to discover a suitable answer to our propensity to be overweight. So who are you most like, Martha or Mary (Hey, guys, for our male readers, Bart or Harry)? Can you see your strengths and work on them from there, and can you see your weaknesses and vow to change them? The whole point being is that Jesus sees us as we are, and He still speaks a word to calm, comfort and soothe. Martha was not afraid to speak her mind to Him, and Mary was not afraid to listen all that He might tell her. In reality, they both turned to Christ for answers and solutions, and we as dieters must do that also. Jesus has a word to speak to you today. If it be, "Why be distracted", or if it be, "Come spend more time with Me", it is a solution to what we are seeking, dieting or not---more of Jesus, less of me. Make the time today to give our Savior quality time, in service to Him or to others, so that He might help and guide us along the unique and individual path that we need to walk upon. I had taken awhile back an ivillage diet test that is no longer online. It was fun and informative. It's was a simple 7 question test that not only gave a diet personality, but also told what types of diet would work well for your personality. It classed at either, Team Player, Easy Does It, Do It Yourselfer or No-Nonsense. My test said I was a no-nonsense dieter, and you know what, I am a no-nonsense person by personality so naturally I came away feeling that this was so cool. I can see Jesus calling me no-nonsense. What might He reveal to you this day, if you take the time to listen? One thing that you will hear, and we have heard Jesus say it in today's lesson, "One thing is needful, choose what is better and it will not be taken away from you." Choose today to include quiet time first with the Lord discussing your hopes, your victories and your expectations. Choose then to spend a few minutes listening to Him through reading the Word, or your favorite Christian music, and then choose to plan your diet experience day. Make your plans more than plans. Plot out your route---how you will squeeze in exercise, make sure that you will drink your at least 64 oz. of water before evening, give preparation to meals and looking up calorie counts. Do this everyday, make it a routine that you do have time for. Do it early in the day before you are distracted by many things. Do it for yourself for a change! And do it so that the Lord can bless your efforts. Lord God, I bow my head to You and open my heart. I strain my ear to catch what You would say to me. Help me to choose today the things that are necessary to lose the weight I desire. Make me both a Mary and a Martha, one who contemplates and one who does her chores. Grace me with more balance in my life, and keep me sitting at Your feet and ever learning that which is necessary to achieve my goals. Amen ©2001-2007 www.gracetoday.com |
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2:35 PM Jul 11
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always on His lips. Mary quieted herself in her spirit and strained to hear what the Master might say that would set her free from the Law and place her under the covering of grace. Even listening takes great effort and a willing of setting aside oneself. The mind must be stilled, the worldly duties must be forgotten and the willingness to learn something out of the ordinary, to be taught something startling, must even be desired.
together. Today is all about balance, not all or nothing. Maybe after today, we can learn to be like both of these beloved saints. Beside being sisters, they both had in common their love for the Lord, and their desire to serve Him, one by physical strength, the other by spiritual strength. Maybe we can find the right balance of both these traits to discover a suitable answer to our propensity to be overweight. So who are you most like, Martha or Mary (Hey, guys, for our male readers, Bart or Harry)? Can you see your strengths and work on them from there, and can you see your weaknesses and vow to change them? The whole point being is that Jesus sees us as we are, and He still speaks a word to calm, comfort and soothe. Martha was not afraid to speak her mind to Him, and Mary was not afraid to listen all that He might tell her. In reality, they both turned to Christ for answers and solutions, and we as dieters must do that also.



2:35 PM Jul 11