We hate to say good-bye, don’t we? My daughter left three weeks ago for a summer program in Wheaton Illinois and now she and her classmates are in England–London–and will be in Oxford. I won’t see her for another month. Saying goodbye to her three weeks ago was so painful as I knew I wouldn’t get to see her for a looong time and we would be separated by a “big blue wet thing”–the ocean!
Whether it is a precious family member, a friend, or that last bite, we hate saying good-bye, don’t we? We hate it when that last bite comes! We want to prolong the eating experience as long as we can, so we have “just one more bite” and “just one more bite” after that and so on. We don’t want to have to say “good-bye” to our meal time enjoyment.
This audio shares some truth you can speak to yourself about this.
[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/97877727″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]Summary: Eat half as much, twice as slowly and you land on the last bite at the same moment, but with the joy and victory of having not eaten more than your body needs for fuel! There is JOY and satisfaction in that place! Peace comes with submitting to the Lord’s leadership in this.
How about you…can you do anything to eat more slowly and to tell yourself the truth about the quantity of food that it really takes to satisfy? We aren’t talking about “full,” here. Nope. We are talking about “just enough.” It doesn’t take much!
Heidi,
Thank you so much for being there for us. I stand amazed at how God pours forth His wisdom through you and through your life circumstances and it is just what I need to hear today. You give us so many angles to conquer this addiction. I was told the other day that obesity is now a disease and we can’t help it. PLEASE, another lie from the enemy………thank you for the constant truths that you post. It is truly the thing that will set us free and God is being glorified through you. I can’t tell you how many years I have struggled with eating, knowing this was the path to freedom, but through Weigh Down, I knew in my spirit that I was not getting correct doctrine and feeling the condemnation of eating just one more bite. (LAW KILLS) I thank God for the grace path He has me one through your blog. He is surely doing a new thing and it is beautiful. Down 7.6 lbs from last week after a major binge on sweets the week before. Hopefully that has passed and the greater truth is taking over. Praise Jesus for you, may HIs riches abound on your life!!!!!
I no longer eat from the Tree of Good and Evil, but from the Tree of Life!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks, Debbie. I appreciate the kind words so much. You are right. It isn’t true that we can’t help it. So strange that we would swallow that, too, on top of everything else. I am SO glad you have joined us! God’s grace is abundant and free. Of course, this same grace that brings salvation teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions, but it is also a power, provision, presence and power in our lives…moment-by-moment! I love that…”I no longer eat from the Tree of Good and Evil, but from the Tree of Life!” Me, too!
I recently read the book “True Grit” (yes-same as the movie-I didn’t know it was a book! and pretty good, too) and in it the main character Mattie is having a bite of lunch and says “Enough is as good as a feast”. Well, I had to reread that and let it sink in! I’ve never heard that put like that before and it reminds me of the story of Daniel and refusing to eat the King’s rich food. It’s so simple and yet so true!
I love that… “Enough is as good as a feast.” Makes me think of one of my daughter’s best friends. She was asking about the book I was involved in writing with the Hallidays and it was clear this tiny waif of a thing 😉 didn’t have a clue what “desire eating” was. My daughter honestly asked her “Don’t you ever eat even if you aren’t hungry?” Her friend looked at her like she had grown a third eyeball and said, “Why would I want to do that?” Oh my…how wonderful that sort of innocence would be! LOL!
Heidi, I’m not seeing an audio. Is there something that is supposed to be with this email that I’m not seeing? Thank you. God Bless you on this wonderful Saturday!! Dalena
Date: Sat, 22 Jun 2013 11:20:11 +0000 To: simplydalena@hotmail.com
NEVERMIND!! sorry!!! I “found” the video by going to the website. Very, very wise words!!! Just what I needed to hear today!! Today is a new day for me!!! THIS is the day!!!!!!!!!!!
Date: Sat, 22 Jun 2013 11:20:11 +0000 To: simplydalena@hotmail.com
So glad, Dalena!
Beautiful photo.
Yep, it’s the last bite that gives me soooooooo much bother! I latched onto your words “eating more food will NOT be a blessing to me”, I’m putting this statement everywhere around me at work and home!
I eat 0-5 during the day but dinner time seems to open the flood gate to *want*, *greed*, and *lust* for more even when I serve myself a half portion! I need to find the turn off switch, which I am thinking is probably my being *willing* to stop eating at 5.
Beth: “enough is as good as a feast”, wow, I’m writing that down too!
You said it so well, Lesley. WANT, GREED, LUST for more! I am there, too. I have to really fire up new dedication to God in this…and will I BELIEVE that HE has CALLED me to these boundaries? Or will I keep watering down his call and justifying it as if he hasn’t issued it? Bruuuuther.
Heidi! Bless you, girl! I’ve heard these words before, but never the way you put them. You described me to a “T”! I took notes and will try this today. I do hate saying good-bye to my food and so lots of times, I don’t. I’ve been doing WW and lost some weight, but it’s so slow for me and all the tracking gets tiresome, not to mention the cost. I want to do things God’s way. Thank you for being here to encourage us!!
Hi, Mary Anne. So glad you found encouragement! Come on over and join us in the light of God’s freedom! 😀
Thank you Heidi,
This was very helpful for me. I will be applying this along with prayer and the word of God this week. ” I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”
” With God are all things possible”
Philippians 4:12-14
King James Version (KJV)
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
14 Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.
Mark 10:26-28
King James Version (KJV)
26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
The Holy Spirit leads us and guides us into all “Truth” It amazes me how whatever I am dealing with when I come to this blog Heidi you are DEAD ON or should I say TRUE ON! What you described on the soundbite is exactly what I have been dealing with, my love affair with food….there is another song called “never can say goodbye” As I go thru my day today giving God praise I will remember the truth, I can have more later and that I will survive if I cannot get to food immediately when I am at a “0” I was speaking lies to myself just last night after my husband and I had dinner out after a long four day trip…(saying im never gonna get this 0 to 5 thing down. God knows what we need and He is speaking to me thru you Heidi ! Thank you.
WOOT WOOT! So glad to hear it! God is so wise and loving! Mercy Me sings a song called “Here With You.” When I first heard it, I was convicted about how I was attached to food the way this song was singing… “I long for your embrace every single day. To meet you in this place and see you face to face.” I really looked forward to EATING the way the song sang of looking forward to meet with God! We all speak lies to ourselves, but God is making us wise to it. Thanks for your kind words Aretha!
Beautiful picture!! Thanks for the sound clip encouraging us to be at peace with eating just enough, which more than likely is very little food. It’s truly amazing that my body only needs tiny amounts of food throughout the day. Thanks for all your suggestions to help us slow down in our eating. I think practicing gratitude will help me to appreciate my body as well as help me to SLOW DOWN. thanks again!
YOu have such a sweet spirit, Lisa. Thank you for your encouragement.
Gratitude definitely makes a HUGE difference!
Beautiful photo of you and your daughter!
Thanks for the audio. It’s just what I needed to hear. My birthday dinner, last night, was at a restaurant with great food. I kept eating the last bite, over and over; and, came home with that bloated feeling which I am beginning to really dislike. I did socialize at the table and I knew I could bring half the food home. I’ve been eating at what I so far perceive to be 0 – 5 today. My most difficult part of the day is the evening; so, the inspiration from this audio is very timely. Thank you.
Thanks, Sheila. This was when she helped me to lead worship at a women’s retreat at Zephyr Cove on lovely, other-worldly Lake Tahoe. 😀 Isn’t it something how we get duped into believing that the last bite won’t be so bad if we keep having it again and again? It doesn’t get any easier and we end up frustrated with ourselves!
Evenings are the hardest for almost everyone I have talked with. I hope to have an audio file for you about that next week.
Thanks, Sheila. So glad to hear it! Thanks for the kind words about the photo. I miss her madly. She is in London right now. Sigh!
Evenings are tough for most people, too.
This just emphasizes what I know to be true and just am not practicing. When I was in college I had put on the Freshman 20. I was living in the dorm and at the mercy of the cafeteria. The staff portioned the food onto your plate. I would cut it in half literally and would eat half portions of.everything. LAB(low and behold) I fit into my clothing with out much effort. Now it is me who portions things onto my plate. Here are some tips I have learned allong the way: use a smaller plate(smaller portions look like more), be slow and thoughtful how you put that portion on your plate(how are you seeing the food. With greed, hunger, stress), eat some of everything then focus on your favorite (you will not die if you don’t eat all your veggies). I know there are other tips. Please share yours. 🙂
I have been noticing for me the issue of weight loss/using food properly is making me too self focused. I was thinking of this scripture reference. Philippians 2:1-11 (NIV)
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
It is important for me to follow the principle of 0-5. It however, needs to not be the focus of my existence. I have got to put my mind on how I can serve others not obsessing on food!
Anyone else in this boat?
May God bless your day, Joyce
Hi, Joyce. Many struggle with this, especially after years of dieting where the focus is intentionally on self. Hanging in there we begin (in time) to get the hang of it.
Jesus learned thru what he encountered and so must I to learn I have to focus for awhile prayerfully it wont be a long while!,
Great post & comments.
Heidi, I am going to use this as my “go-to” pep talk when I feel like making a poor choice! I downloaded it and it is ready for when those “munchie monster thoughts” try to overcome me! I am ready for them now!!!!
“Enough is as good as a feast.”…what a great quote for my truth cards!!!
Love this also: I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry… Philippians 4:12
I get so many truth cards from other’s comments!!
So glad it is helpful, Susan. 🙂