Things I Live For

So, as a family we are doing fairly well with this 7 experiment.  Hubby makes cracks about not having dessert but we are all staying the course.  The kids had a sleepover and they had dessert that night and, now that I think about it they had a treat at church last night.  My thoughts about that are, they didn't ask for this so sometimes I let a little bit slide.

Two things I have noticed that I live for:  dessert and coffee.  Over the course of a bunch of years I have tried to have a regular quiet time in the morning before the kids get up.  I brew some great smelling coffee, sometimes light a candle and read my bible and pray.  The mornings I get up and do this I am always so thankful I made the effort.  But, it has become somewhat apparent to me that I actually get up to drink coffee.  And spending time with God comes in a close second.  Because I don't have coffee in the morning I am so less likely to get up and do my quiet time.  I am a little ashamed and very much thought provoked by that.

Secondly, I am at a loss at night when the kids go to bed.  For years I have saved that time for me to eat my dessert.  A positive, peaceful ending to my day.  I would turn on the TV and get my cookies and milk and just veg for a little bit.  It is such a habit and routine, that even my friends know that is what I do.  Honestly, now that I haven't been eating my dessert, I feel lost and little bit incomplete.  Honestly, like something is missing.  It all seems so shallow!  ;)

A few observations I have made:  I am probably gaining weight because after I have fed the kids the leftovers, if there is anything left, I have to eat it.  Whereas before I would have probably just tossed it in the garbage if it was just a serving or so.  I have been known to eat PB & J on an end piece of a loaf of bread.  I didn't do that before.  Yesterday for lunch I had spaghetti sauce, just spaghetti sauce on a piece of bread.  The spaghetti sauce is now gone.

I have been cleaning my plate at meal time as well.  My hubby dishes up our plates and fills them kind of full.  Normally I would just leave what I could not honestly eat.  Now I have to clean my plate.  As do the kids.  Needless to say, I fix my own plate from now on and we give the kids smaller portions and then they may ask for seconds.

And, we just make way too much food for all of us.  We have it available so we just cook it.  I need to learn portion control with our food prep.  All and all, it is having a really great effect on how we approach food.  I think some of the things I think about will actually stick when this whole thing is over.  Well, except for the coffee and dessert part!  I am going to be more mindful of the food we have in the house, buy only what we need.  Try really hard not to just waste food.  Just because we can.

My desire is really to have less of all of it and more of Him.  I am totally amazed by how we are blessed by the Provider. And, as with other things He blesses us with, we must also be a good steward with our food.  How we buy it, eat it, share it.

I have not had some profound spiritual moment that just rocks my world.  And that is OK.  I have had lots of those moments in just doing life with my husband and family and friends.  But, I have had many small moments of gratefulness and thanksgiving for God's continued provision for our much undeserving family . . .