Quiet Time...Tuesday

1/14/14

After a very busy morning I finally have some quiet time. I decided to sit down at my desk and work on February’s school lunch menu. As I was creating the menu for all the schools in my district, I realized that February 7^th is Sugar-Out Day for my state. We will be promoting the importance of making healthy snack choices.  The school kitchens will not be serving anything with added sugar on this particular day. Instead of selling ice cream  and chips as a la carte items, we will be selling more fresh fruit, cut up vegetables with fat free dips, and fat-free frozen yogurt. Although we all know the importance of eating healthy, it is good to be reminded about the benefits of choosing wisely.

According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, one-third of adults in America are considered obese. It is obvious that we (American’s as a whole) have a problem with self-control and making wise choices when it comes to our health. Some people believe that if they don’t have chips with their sandwich then they are eating healthy, but did they really need two sandwiches? How about a diet coke with that slice of pizza? Is that considered a balanced diet? Would a person be successful at losing weight if he or she decided to just exercise and make wise eating choices on Sunday only? 

Probably not! You cannot lie on the couch all week and eat cake if you want to lose weight, even if you ate only salad on Sunday and walked a mile after church service. We can compare this way of thinking with our spiritual life. Many Christians attend church every Sunday. They sing a few songs, read a couple of scripture verses, and listen carefully to what the pastor says during his/her sermon. What about the rest of the week? 

How can a person maintain a healthy spiritual life if he or she is not feeding on the Word, spending time in prayer, and staying connected with God daily? Every day we are bombarded with “junk” from the enemy. Just as food filled with saturated and trans-fat clogs our arteries, “junk” from the enemy clogs our life line with God. Instead of planting and feasting upon junk (jealously, bitterness, a loose tongue, unfaithfulness, lust, deceit, etc.) in our spiritual gardens, we need to plant and feast upon things that will help us grow healthy and strong (forgiveness, peace, compassion, self-control, gentleness, etc.). 

We need to exercise our spirit man every day by reading the word and spending time in prayer. When people are not careful about what they put into their mouths, before they know it a problem exists, 5 lbs turn to 10, and 10 into 20, etc. Diabetes or a heart attack could be just around the corner. The same thing can happen to a person’s spiritual life. A once spiritually active life dedicated to God can turn into spiritual death if not careful. It’s a slow fade.

                     John 6:53-58 reads... 

“Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

Written by 

S.G.H.

 Today's song is "Slow Fade" sung by Casting Crowns. The you tube video has the lyrics on it, or they are posted below.

Be careful little eyes what you see
It's the second glance that ties your hands 
as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day

The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white 
have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, 
a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day

Oh be careful little eyes what see
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see