For our family, the calendar lines up like this: two birthday meals (I am blessed to share a birthday with my son – who turns 16 this year), three Thanksgiving meals, numerous Christmas celebrations, a New Year’s hoopla, and a go-all-out anniversary dinner. Add in a four-day trip to Chicago between Christmas and New Year’s, which may or may not include packing nutritious snacks, and it is one party after another.
Your next few months won’t look exactly like this, but I presume you have a similar schedule.
I begin this season with fear and trembling. Will it conquer me again? Or will I be the conqueror this time? I have, in the past, successfully entered and exited this time period walking after the Spirit and come out the other end none the worse. Possibly even more mature for holding my head high and staying the course. This knowledge gives me hope and a reason to persevere as I see the temptations fast approaching.
Recognizing that this season historically has been difficult is the first step to tackling the problem. The second is to stay connected to God.
As I approach each event, it helps to have a plan. Examples of plans are:
- eat dessert out instead of making a cake (which will tempt me for days on end),
- one reasonably-sized plate of food at Thanksgiving (thankfully I don’t like pumpkin pie),
- two cookies at the church gathering,
- eat half my meal at the restaurant and bring the rest home in a doggie bag.
These goals need to be God-led. When He gives us direction, He will provide the strength to follow. “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world.” 1 John 5:3
Have you entered tempting situations with a plan? What was it?
Do you have a plan for the upcoming holidays?
3 comments:
Good suggestions....thanks for stopping by my blog today, I am having fun going through yours.
Well we start celebrating next week...two birthdays, then go through the 8th of January...January we have three birthdays...all these birthdays are our kids and us! So not even adding Thanksgiving and Christmas, we are wall to wall food. My blessing is that I am the one who does it all and have learned to make just enough for the 10 to 12 of us and so food isn't hanging around!
Looking forward to reading more of your post...thanks...enjoyed and learning
From a home school mom of 22 years with 4 adult children and 2 still growing
I do have a plan for the holidays. Eat all the holiday food that I want, because i don't eat like that any other time of the year and workout twice as hard (maybe even triple as hard depending on what exactly I eat) as I normally do so that I am burning all those calories OFF!
I eat a lot during the holidays too, but I also fast a lot for my kids and grandkids. But... while I'm fasting I'm constantly thinking about all the goodies I'm missing!!! Its a cold cruel world! lol
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