My flesh is a spoiled brat that needs to be told "NO" more often!

Earlier this evening (after 7) I fixed spinach salad for supper.  Spinach leaves, chicken, and hard-boiled egg.  I had two small bowls of it even though today was one of my half-portion days.  Around 8:45 or 9:00 I started getting hungry and wanting more.  I almost got some, rationalizing that it was salad, and very simple salad at that, not my usual salad with about 10 ingredients.  It was GOOD for me, doncha know?  Then I remembered my guideline of waiting 1-1/2 hours after feeling hunger before eating.  This helps me keep my flesh under control and be sure the hunger I'm feeling is really my body calling for fuel.  So I wrote 10:30 on a piece of paper next to where I'm working.  That's when I'll have some more salad.  It's 10:10 now - 20 minutes to go.  I'm not ravenously counting down the minutes, but I do look at the clock occasionally. 

I hope this encourages you that (1) I still battle with my flesh.  I haven't arrived at perfection. (2)  Flesh CAN be brought into submission.  Galatians 5:16 (NLT) - ¹⁶ So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

10:25 - My eyes see the clock and tell my stomach, "Only 5 more minutes!"  My bratty stomach says, "If I can make her feel exhausted (really, a feeling of complete exhaustion came over me), maybe she'll cut it short by a few minutes!"    HA!  But I'm too smart for them now!  I said 10:30 and 10:30 it shall be! 

10:34  - Been working but getting up now to get a small bowl of salad. 

10:50 - I fixed a bowl of salad.  I measured another one in the set and the bowl holds 16 ounces.  I ate about 2/3 of it,then realized that was plenty.  I'm done.  I'm in charge.  Me and the Holy Spirit in me.  Not my flesh.  Aaaaahhhhh!!!!!  This feels good!  : )

Day 3 of Training for two 5K races

If you haven't heard already, I'm in training for two 5K races, one in December 2011 and one in February 2012. Today was day 3 of spiritual, mental, and emotional training and day 1 of upping my physical training. I now walk 2 sections and jog 1 plus 60 steps and repeat that for 3 miles. Maybe I'll get some pictures up soon of my route so you can see what I'm talking about.

My reason for taking up this blog again, which I set up 1-1/2 years ago but never did anything with, is to encourage you to allow God to dream big within you so that together you and He can do amazing things, hard things, things that you'd never be able to do on your own. And to encourage you to give Him the glory and credit for them.

As I stood watching the Gasparilla 15K and 5K races in Tampa Saturday, tears started to stream down my face as I saw people who were as big as I am running those races. There's no physical reason I can't do this. There's certainly no spiritual reason. God was putting a dream in my heart that I never considered.

Ephesians 3:20 (MSG) - God can do anything, you know - far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us.

I NEVER had any interest in running or anything athletic even when I was thin (ner), so I know this is God and not me. Also, as I stood watching the race I saw no one, absolutely no one, wearing a T-shirt, headband, visor, or anything giving God glory. I'm going to change that! Pictures of that will come in the near future too!

I'm new to blogging, so bear with me as I figure out how this works, make it look better, and learn how to add pictures. Comments and encouragement will be greatly appreciated! : )