Pressing On

I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1 Cor. 9:27) This is the verse that has been running through my mind a lot in the last six weeks. It may not be for the same reasons that Paul wrote, but somehow it resonates with me. I have always struggled with the final trait listed in Paul's fruit of the Spirit (found in Galatians 5:22-23): self-control. Ouch...that one always hurts. I speak before I think, I react before I weigh the consequences, and I live in the here and now, expecting immediate gratification.

And so, starting on January 2, Dan & I started a "healthy living campaign" (most people call it a diet). In the beginning, we severely limited our carb and calorie intake; now we are closely guarding our portion sizes and have eliminated most starches (potatoes, rice, bread, pasta...) I must say, 17 pounds later, I'm feeling so good. I still have 23 pounds to go before I reach my ultimate goal, but I've noticed that I have a waist again (and almost an hourglass figure.) I had to buy a belt, and it's already on the third notch. I'm not sharing this to let people know how wonderful I am (hardly!), but rather how much better I feel for having shown some restraint, or dare I say self-control, in my life.

We also purchased a Wii Fit as our Christmas gift to each other. I've been resistant to bringing any form of video games into our home, but this one is different. In December, I could barely do a three-minute run. Two weeks ago, I ran for two miles on a track. This morning, I completed a thirty-minute run and still felt good to go. In six short weeks, I've seen so many changes in my body. So now, as I feel like I'm dying while doing a 60-second plank, I remind myself that I am beating my body so I will not be disqualified from the prize of a happier, healthier me. Not that my happiness or joy are found in my health, but as a good steward of the only body God is going to give me, I do feel better about myself.

Having said all of that, I am now at the point where I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14) The finish line is still several months away, and at that point I hope to be able (with God's help and self-control on my end) to be able to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But I must press on...food hasn't been tempting until recently. I'm craving my sister's beef stroganoff, I won a bag of creme' brulee filled chocolates as a door prize last night and gave them to a friend, lasagna sounds SO good to me right now... I must keep pressing on toward the prize. It's about this point where food starts to consume me, not because I'm eating it, but because I'm thinking constantly about what I'm missing. I'm praying that I will continue to be filled with the Spirit so the fruit of self-control will win this battle with food. And I continue to tell myself that "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels."