Boundaries: Good or Bad?

A baby stands in his crib shaking the rails, crying to be let out.

A child peers between two fence posts pouting, wanting to play on the other side.

A man looks over the guardrail of a bridge disheartened, desiring to swim in the current.

We see boundaries as limiting, restraining, holding us back. We pace the border like a caged animal wondering how to be set free. We are enthralled, obsessed even. We wonder what exciting adventure the boundary keeps us from experiencing. And occasionally we break out. In giddiness, we escape.

But what do we find on the other side? True freedom? It depends. Who built the barrier and why does it exist?

Some need torn down, but . . .

Some boundaries protect us. They keep us safe. The crib keeps the baby from falling. The fence keeps the child from running into the street. The guardrail allows the man to walk over the water safely. These boundaries protect.

Non-Christians see a Christian’s life as confining—a list of do’s and don’ts. And it’s true. God’s word establishes boundaries in our lives. The question becomes: Are those boundaries a chokehold or a place of freedom? Is “no” negative?

In this case, God’s word—the boundaries He establishes—protects, guards, shields. Safety is inside the fence, within the perimeter. Outside are distractions, temptations, strongholds and idols.

Freedom lies within the boundaries. When we leave the perimeter and move toward the interior we realize we have room to roam. And it’s good. Very good. That’s where God’s love and protection exist. That’s where the abundant life is found.

Jesus understood this truth. He used the word of God as a shield of protection against Satan’s attacks.

Do you see God’s boundaries on your eating as restricting or freeing? When you see His guidance as a means of protection and preservation, a loving act of kindness, you may say with the Psalmist,

³⁵ Direct me in the path of your commands,
for there I find delight.
³⁶ Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.
³⁷ Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to your word.^[c]
38 Fulfill your promise to your servant,
so that you may be feared.
³⁹ Take away the disgrace I dread,
for your laws are good.
⁴⁰ How I long for your precepts!
In your righteousness preserve my life. (Psalm 119:35-40)

Does Your View of God Need a New Coat of Paint?

We recently re-modeled our bathroom. As the ‘60s décor came down and the floors and walls were stripped, I wondered if my thoughts on God and who He is needed a make-over.

I have been looking at God and His word through a particular lens (my life experiences, how I met Him, and who He has been to me) for quite some time. I liken it to staring at that ‘60s décor for the past several years. I recognized my bathroom by those ridiculous square tiles and the drawer I could hardly budge. I had grown accustomed to reaching for my hairbrush in that spot and opening this cabinet for my mascara. 

I see my God as having particular traits and talking to me in a particular manner. Most of us do. Some of us see Him as loving and full of grace—others as just and righteous. The truth is, He is both and He portrays the characteristic we need at the time we need it.

After we removed the cabinets with the big knobs, the gray bathtub, and the decaying carpet, the foundation of the bathroom was the same. It still had the original walls, windows, and floors with which it started. God and His word are still the same, never-changing.

So . . . I want to strip away the tradition, the expected, my angle on how this relationship with God should work. I want to dig down until I find the foundation. I want to analyze my thoughts and my habits (yes, that includes eating!) to see if they line up with truth.

THEN I will build on that foundation by exploring all aspects of God and updating my thoughts on Who He is. I want to look at Him as I would a prism—turning it and peering at it from different angles to see what I’ve been missing and how I can re-furbish my thought process. I want to re-new my friendship and love relationship with God, learning more and more so I can aptly reflect Him.

 Does this apply to food and eating habits? Absolutely. I have taken the same approach to eating (or not eating) for years. Maybe my approach needs an update. We’ll see. I hope that as I renew my relationship with God, He will renew my relationship with food.

Alton Brown on Food and Thanksgiving

This morning I read an interview of Alton Brown in the November 2011 issue of InTouch. He has a terrific perspective of food and its purpose. To whet your appretite, here are a few quotes. To read the entire interview, click here.

"To me, cooking and faith and my relationship with God are all intertwined. I could not do what I do in food, around food, if I did not have the relationship that I have with God."

"Unfortunately, the food media, of which I’m a part, have turned chefs into rock stars. But the best chefs always remember that cooking for people is an act of service. That’s an important piece of symbolism, and you see it throughout the Bible. Many of the great miracles we see performed by Jesus are food-related—the feeding of the masses, for example. I always think about those loaves and fishes and the fact that every time I prepare a meal for people, I am, in a way, replicating that act of service."

"There’s no perfect meal, other than one that brings a lot of people together. Thanksgiving is important as an icon. Americans don’t have much in common with each other anymore. But at Thanksgiving, we see the real power of food—the connectivity that helps us draw together around these cultural “sacraments.” We need it because it unifies us."

Happy Thanksgiving!

Let's Face It

I saw this cartoon and thought, Isn’t that true?

Sometimes we need someone to sum up the long and short of it in one slap-you-the-face statement.

You aren’t retaining water.

You don’t have more muscle mass this week than last.

It isn’t just the day before your period. (Yes, we women use this one too.)

There is a bigger problem that needs looked at.

My readers who struggle with bulimia or anorexia may not relate to the above. For you I’d say:

You don’t look fat.

Skipping another meal will hurt you.

Purging is not normal.

If I haven’t hit on something you tell yourself, ask God if there is one for you. What slap-you-in-the-face statement do you need to hear today? What truth do you need to face head on?

Decide TODAY to face it.

Housekeeping:
Blogger changed something in May that caused a glitch in the comment section. It has to do with third-party cookies, which means nothing to me, but may to you. Anyway, I changed the comment section to help with the problem. Do not be dissuaded by the new format. Additionally, if you have been told by blogger that you are “not allowed” to comment on a page (I was getting this on several blogs), one way you can get around this is by unchecking the “remember me” box when you sign onto google. Again, I don’t know why this works, but it seems to have solved my problem. Well, at least the problem I have trying to comment on blogs. ;-)

My husband and I are on the board of a new ministry, Christian Adoption Resources & Education for Hancock Co, IL (CARE). I'd love for you to check out our website and facebook page. Click on the ministry logo to the right of this post to go to the website.