Something to chew on: Breaking my gum addiction one stick at a time

Hi, my name is Renee and I am an obsessive compulsive gum addict.  And I have been gum free for seven days now.  Insert people nodding heads approvingly and clapping here.

Yes, I am addicted to gum, this may not sound like a huge issue, one I really need to be concerned about, or even try to fix, but you would be wrong.  And for two weeks now I have been tackling my gum obsession.

Why gum?  And why us it such a big deal?

Beyond the Bunny

Happy Easter or should I say, Happy Resurrection.  This is the best day of the year, not because of Easter candy and Easter ham, but because of Christ's glorious Resurrection.  And not because of the cross, the cross was the beginning but the Resurrection was the end.  It was the end of the law and the beginning of the new covenant, the covenant of Christ living in us.  

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:11-15).

It is because of Christ being raised from the dead, we have life, if we choose it.  The cross wiped the slate clean, gave us a path to God, and the empty tomb was the yellow brick road to life.  That empty tomb is what we celebrate, it is because Christ is alive, he finished his work that he was sent for while living as a man on earth, and is now seated at God's right hand side.  And because of that we can have life.  We are forgiven because of the cross, but given life because of His Resurrection.

To read more on Christ's Resurrection please open your bible to Matthew 28 and John 20.  For a meaning of the Resurrection please read Acts 11:34-43.

And remember to give thanks today and everyday to Jesus for giving his life for us and to God for raising Jesus from the dead so that He could live His life through us by the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Easter bunnies are cute, Easter candy tastes good, but Easter is so much more than fluffy white fur.

Time to throw down some F bombs and soar like an eagle.

Here is my warning, my parental advisory lyrics label.  I have a pretty hard core potty mouth, something I am not proud of, but nonetheless it is the truth.  While I do not cuss all the time and all over the place, when I am angry or frustrated my favorite word has a handy way of being  an adjective,verb, and a noun.  So if you are sensitive to foul language close your eyes and skip reading until the next paragraph.

Made to Crave with a side order of Truth.

"My friend E. Titus sums it up what I am discovering as well:"


"When I get all caught in in how unfair it is that my friend is skinny and doesn't have to work at it, how she can eat what she wants when she wants, and how much it stinks that I can't be like her, I remind myself that God didn't make me to be her.  You see, He knew even before I was born that I could easily allow food to be an idol in my life, that I would go to food, instead of to Him, to fulfill my needs.  And in His great wisdom, He created my body so that it would experience the consequences of such a choice, so that I would continually be drawn back into His arms.  He wants me to come to Him for fulfillment, emotional healing, comfort---- and if I could go to food for that and never gain an ounce, well then, what would I need God for?"

quote from the book Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst chapter 10 page 105

I read this quote over a week ago and it still knocks me down every time I read it.  Reading it is like a punch to the gut the takes my breathe away and leaves me gasping for air.  Never in my life has something hit me this hard, making me feel so small, yet so free.  It is like God had that written just for me, a serious answer to everything I have asked Him about in the last 20 years of my life.  Just powerful words with just amazing truth.

Time to discover what else is in my box, open it, examine it, rip it to shreds, and toss it in the trash.  Time to replace trash with Truth.

What is inside your box?

A box.  Such a simple object, yet it can have such a powerful meaning.  It can define your life, and put you in chains.  It can lock you up and never let go.  Why?

I have been reading a fabulous book my sister suggested a couple weeks back.  Actually she discovered it from singer Mandisa's website.  She was going to read it, and then let us know if it was worth the read.  Well, I naturally got very curious, and since the last time we talked she had still not picked up the book, I jumped the gun and purchased it on my own.  The book is titled, Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst.  And so far it has hit home on several key points I have been struggling with and rediscovering since I started this new weight loss journey back in January.  One of them is about our box and identity.