SEVEN

What does seven mean? It the Bible, seven is the “perfect number”. It is the day of rest. It is used many times in the book of Revelation. Seven times seven is how many times I must forgive my enemies.

When asked to pick a number, seven or a number using seven (like 47) is often chosen.  For us, it is also the number of days in a week. For me, at least this week, seven is my goal.

Since beginning this journey, I have had lots of ups and downs. (The sugar thing has not gone so well). I, as I have mentioned before, have been on a weight loss roller coaster for most of my life. Last spring, I reached my weight loss goal. Not my “ULTIMATE” goal but my weight loss goal; a goal where I realized I look good and I feel good. I know weight fluctuates and many things can cause that: high salt intake, stress, time of the month. I take into account that in a given month, my weight can fluctuate around 3-5 pounds due to these things. That doesn’t mean that I go crazy when I step on the scale and I’m up a pound or 2. I just take that fluctuation into consideration and watch my salt, take note of the date, etc. But since reaching my goal, I have noticed a “gentle” increase in the fluctuation of 7 pounds. Slowly, the number has gone up from my “goal weight” by about 7 pounds. So that is my next goal, to loose these “creepy” 7 pounds.

I am focusing on 7. Today is day 2 of 7 days straight of running. I have not run more than 5 days in a week. I want to run 7 just to see if I can do it. I am really watching my food intake for 7 days. But I am also trying to focus more on prayer these 7 days.

When I run, I have a crazy list of songs on my i-pod. I think some people might think I was schizophrenic if they heard it. But it’s just what keeps me motivated. I have made a new playlist of praise and worship music to motivate me. What can be more motivating then to hear of God’s love for me or to sing of my love for Him?

So I am focusing on 7. What number can be better? 

My Routine

My day today began as most: with my alarm going off at 5:10 am. And me quickly calculating that is not really 5:10am but rather 5 am. I, like many people, set my alarm clock 10 minutes fast. I always have. When I was younger I set it that way so I could sleep later....Not really sure what I thought I was accomplishing as I hit the snooze every 5 minutes. But, now it is just habit.

But this morning, as I was saying, began at...we'll say 5 am to be honest (and that is what I plan to be). By 5:15, I was out the door with my i-pod, some Kirk Franklin and Third Day and the stars to light my run. That's right, run. For anyone who's known me more than a minute, knows that I don't run...at least I didn't run until this past February. For a reason I am still not sure why, I decided that I was going to run 3-5K races before I turned 35 (get it...3-5Ks...35). Anyway, I started running. And as many told me, it stuck. An addiction you could say, probably one of my better vices.  And I like it. I like the feeling of accomplishment, the energy and the way my body has change. After years of damage that I have caused to "the temple" in which my Father dwells, I pray that the changes I have been making are cleaning it out. Just as King Joash did.

I teach 4 year olds at our church. This Sunday, we heard the story of King Joash restoring the temple after years of destruction by the people. It was broken, dirty and abandoned. I was reminded of our bodies being the temple of God. If we know Him as our Savior, Jesus dwells within us. As my blog is titled, I am a junk food mom. I love nothing more than to sit down with a bag of chips and follow it by a carton of ice cream with candy on the side. So for the past 25 years of my Christian walk, I have been filling "the temple" with junk and tearing it down with poor habits. Many people don't think of food as being a spiritual thing, but for me it is. I have looked to food rather than my Father for comfort in hard times and celebration in the good. I have used it to bring me "happiness" when I could of had amazing joy. And I am seeing the same things starting to happen in my kids. I would much rather them see me cross the finish line of a race rather than stuff it with a banana split. So now it begins...

I am learning that the "thorn in my flesh" that Paul wrote about is as different for each of us as are personalities. So my confession is that I am a Junk Food Mom...who is learning to break the cycle. I love my kids; I love my husband; but I adore my God. And I am learning that whatever is controlling me is taking His place in my life. So I begin a journey to allow Him to control me, to guide me, to be my comfort and my joy, to learn food is for nutrition and NOT love, and to teach my children how to care for the temple of God. I pray that through blogging this journey, ups and downs, highs and lows, that I will have accountability and maybe encourage others but most of all to bring Him glory as He guides me through. 

Thank you Jesus for loving me with all my mess ups and mistakes. I pray Father that You be glorified in all I do. Help me to cleanse Your temple so other can see Your reflection in me. Amen.

Oh, and I have completed all 3-5Ks with 4 months to spare :)