Crying Over Scrambled Eggs

This morning was a pretty normal morning for me – up about 5:30, coffee x2, cozy blanket, journal, Bible – that’s how it goes. I have leisurely mornings with focused activity. I get up early to allow time to take my time if you know what I mean. After my thoughtful time, I got up – as usual – and made my breakfast. This morning I planned scrambled eggs. Sometimes, I have hard-boiled eggs, just to change it up a bit. But today the plan was scrambled eggs and a half of an apple, sliced. Simple. I heated the skillet, spritzed in some coconut oil and cracked my free-range eggs into the pan and began to scramble them. When they were just right, I scooped them onto a small Polish Pottery plate and went about halving then slicing my apple. I stood at the counter to gaze out the window and began to eat.

It doesn’t take too long to eat this breakfast so sitting down seemed a bit of a bother. It was just then, with my brain active and awake after being up for an hour and a half, that I realized what I was doing and what I’d been doing for so very many years. I was taking the gift – the blessing ­– of breakfast, of food, for granted. I was treating this privilege as if it was nothing.

In our home, we make it a practice to pray before most of our meals and thank God for our food. It’s very routine. In fact, it’s almost thoughtless. I’m glad that it’s such a routine that praying in a restaurant feels just as normal as praying in our home. Still, if I’m honest, it’s also such a routine that we do it too often without any real thought. We say words but don’t bother to really think about their significance.

Along these lines, I had another realization recently that relates to dieting. I often feel deprived when dieting. You, too? I look at what everyone else is having and I want to indulge, too. I don’t want to request steamed broccoli when others are having things coated in cheese and bread crumbs. Sometimes, in that state of feeling deprived, I go the other way and just order whatever I want. It’s a rebellious part of my personality that just goes for it, so to speak. When I feel deprived emotionally, I do the same thing. “Whatever!” becomes my mantra. I realized that in feeding my sense of deprivation I actually gain weight. Can you see the irony there? The collapse of logic? Clearly, I’m not actually deprived if I have choice.

This brings me back to this morning’s eggs. Those scrambled eggs may be my routine, but they are a gift. Wait for it – just like the ability to choose between steamed broccoli or broccoli casserole (or cheese dip, or a hot appetizer like everyone else) is a gift. I am blessed and if you are reading this, you are too. We actually have more than enough. We have choices. We, or at least I (and probably you), have a kitchen, pots and pans, butter, coconut oil, and utensils all at our disposal. We are not deprived. I am not deprived. And those basic, uninspired scrambled eggs? Well, they’re a blessing and as such, deserve special treatment.

 I immediately changed my course. I moved from my counter top location and went to the dining room table. I sat down and began to give heartfelt thanks for my eggs, my apple, my stove, my warm home. Scrambled eggs never tasted so good. I decided that the luxury of food – especially when it’s so easy to come by – deserves true thanksgiving and taking the time to sit down and enjoy the gift.

Now, I know myself. It won’t be long before I’ll be on to another great insight and in danger of forgetting this lesson. That’s why I’m writing it down. I want to remember. I need to be truly thankful for each blessed morsel. I don’t want to be shoving food mindlessly in my mouth anymore – at a counter top, in my car, eating in haste or mindlessly at any event. I want to honor the One who has so lavishly and abundantly provided for me. Once upon a time, God provided an abundant supply of manna and quail for His people. They weren’t grateful. They complained. How like them I have been!

Lord, thank you. Not just for the feast I have enjoyed over the past few days, but for what you provide every day. Thank you for the simple, fresh food I’m blessed to choose from. Thank you for the gift of indulgent foods that I am blessed to enjoy any time I desire. Please help me remember that I am blessed. May I not take my meals for granted. Please rebuke me if I’m found slipping back to my old ways.

How to Feel Thinner Immediately

I have tried all sorts of things through the years to be thinner, smaller, and more fit. As many as I’ve tried, there are still many more that I haven’t. The Thigh Master – never tried it. Suzanne Somers almost convinced me, but still managed not to. The Ab Roller – hmm. Nope. How about you? Have you jumped on band wagon after band wagon trying to feel thinner or be thinner? Most of us have. It’s the thing we’re supposed to do.

Now, hear me loud and clear. I’m all for taking care of yourself. In fact, I’m more committed to this endeavor than ever before. My life is a gift from God and I, increasingly, believe I have a responsibility to steward that gift well. I'm thankful for my body and I want to take care of it.  I haven’t always, but then I don’t know that I’ve ever thought about it quite that way before either. If I want to live long and live well, I am wise to care for this earthly dwelling and keep it strong, fit and able. After all, I don’t know what plans God may have for me that would require physical strength or fitness. I do know that I’ve neglected my body through the years and it’s cost me. My physical limitations made many things difficult and I was in a lot of pain as well. I’m sure it limited what I could say “Yes” to.

Back to the main point. Have you ever noticed how our perception of our bodies changes in direct proportion to the way we’re treating them? If I take a day and gorge out – eat junk, sit around, lie around – and even more so if that day extends to a week or a month, I’ve noticed that I feel fat. My actual weight doesn’t even have to change. I just perceive myself differently. Does that happen to you? I become hyper aware of my lack of fitness, my hip curves and my belly – and not in a good way. Of course, prolonged poor diet also makes one feel sluggish which doesn’t help. And it usually increases bloating. That doesn’t help my perception either. Before long, my attitude is suffering and I don’t like my reflection in the mirror. From there, a sort of spiral effect takes place and that spawns more of the unhealthy behavior that started the whole thing!

Here’s a trick. Really, I’ve found this works. I’ve tested it over and over and it really works. I stop the madness and start eating for my health. I make choices that give energy and are inarguably healthy by anyone’s standards. Instantly, I begin to feel better about myself. And almost magically, the negative impressions of myself begin to morph into good opinions. One day of good self-care with healthy thinking yields thoughts of feeling thinner and more energetic. I’ve noticed the same thing with exercise. Simply getting up from my chair and getting active instantly improves my emotional state and feelings about my body.

Yesterday, after days of increasing indulgence that eventually became detrimental versus fun ( i.e. eating when I wasn’t hungry, gorging on fattening treats even with a stomach ache), I felt awful. I felt less attractive. I felt disappointed in myself. I felt unhealthy. I finally decided enough was enough and reminded myself that I have the complete power to choose differently. My choices were mine and mine alone and I knew that I could turn that old train around. Furthermore, I knew I deserved it. I stopped the madness first by owning my decisions. I wrote a “Dear Diary” blog that I may share one day and admitted how unkindly I’d been treating myself. I accepted responsibility for my choices. Next, I made the plan to choose healthy food for dinner and get myself right back on my normal eating plan. I had a grilled meat dinner with steamed asparagus. Plain and simple. And do you know what? Instantly all of those bad feelings, even the physical ones went away. I immediately felt thinner and more importantly, I felt proud of my decision. This morning it was easy to make healthy choices.

Try it. Try making your next choice a choice that serves your best health. It’s not about “diet” or even “working out”. It’s about you and your value. It’s about self-care which starts with self-love. Only you can take care of yourself, sister. One decision at a time. One meal at a time. Your life is a gift. Are you treating it as such?

Tips on Feeling Thinner

1) Own your choices.

2) Accept responsibility.

3) Be thankful for your life and your body.

4) Stop the madness.

5) Make the next choice a healthy one.

6) Start now!