Friday, October 22, 2010

You Can Still Get There From Here

You know, like most dieters, I have failed multiple times.  What a roller coaster of a ride to be on with Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Weight Loss Center, Sugar Busters, ephedrine pills, Under 10 Grams of Fat Daily Diet and No Limit on Sugar Diet, Fruit Only Diet, and of course, The How Long Can I Go Without Eating Diet and back again for more rounds of the same.

Roller coasters are supposed to be fun but, can I get an Amen that trying multiple diet plans is NOT on the fun list!

Also, like most dieters, because of all of the failures, that's all we think can happen when we diet....FAIL.  But thanks to my friend Kellee, who wisely asked me, what if I tried and this time I didn't fail, I am thinking differently today.

There is a story that I heard Pastor Joel Osteen tell that literally changed my life.  I love Pastor Joel and you will probably hear me share lots of his wisdom.

He tells about how when we have God in our lives, it is like having a GPS system.  You know how you put the address in the GPS and it calmly gives precise turns and travel clues to your destination.  But sometimes we miss the turn or someone distracts us and we drive too far, and we find ourselves no longer following the map.

What does the GPS system do at this point?  It recalculates the directions to GET YOU TO YOUR DESTINATION.  It doesn't matter if it was YOU who missed the turn or YOUR TALKING FRIEND who distracted you, the GPS is on the job, making a way to get there.

Isn't that just like God?  There is no limit or cap on our messups, He can make a way.  We can still get to our appointed place and be all that we were created to be.

The struggles in my life had made me feel so bad about myself.  And I allowed the voices to tell me, see, no one likes you.  They all think you are a bad person.  There is no hope for you.  No one will ever love you.  You have had your chances and there are no more.

My daughter and others mentioned to me from time to time that I needed to forgive myself and move on.  Of course, I practically screeched my reply of, how do I do that?  It's so much easier to say than to do.  Add to that my personality that likes a check-list to work on and, well, abstracts are not my thing.

But it did put it in the forefront of my personal inventory (that's a good AA phrase).  Recently, I was on a short, weekend road trip and coming home from Ashland through the beautiful and forested drive to SunRiver and home again.  It was so beautiful.  And somehow God used that beautiful drive to renew my spirit and I felt forgiveness flow.  It was a miracle.

When I woke up the next morning I felt like I was seeing my room in color instead of black and white.  I cannot remember the last time I felt like this.  I haven't been the same since. 

God knows what we need and when we need it.  Until He provides His answer, we are to "just do the next right thing".  And keep doing it.  And do it some more.   You can still get there from here. 

I haven't arrived yet.  I am traveling this road of change and growth.  And I thank God that He is with me.  He comforts me.  He provides.  His answers are the right answers so why would I want anything else?

Dear God,  Thank You for another day of life.  I desire to do my part to make it a life worth living.  After all You have done for me, my life should shine for others to see.  Nothing else will do.  Amen.

ps  Had a slow start to eating my food plan today but still working it!  Weigh day is next Tuesday so we will see how successful I am this first week.