Whats for dinner?

I make dinner for our family alot. I would like to say every night, but that just isnt true. I would also like to think, however, that I do it enough and probably more than most people. I enjoy it and it makes me feel good knowing that I have prepared a meal that we can all eat together and that is good for us. The kids seem to eat best when we have warm chicken, a seasoned pork chop, some fresh veggies (steamers, ya know. haha) some sort of potato and of course dessert.

My mom, Jeni and I have a little bit of a disorder, if you choose to call it that. Food and many aspects of food tend to make us sick. The over consumption of food by others around us, the smell of food often bothers us, and the thought of the food settling in our bodies sometimes freaks us out too. I have literally been in a restaurant and have been brought to tears because of the anxiety I felt watching my husband devour the biggest slab of steak I have ever seen. It just made me panic. I have to admit that it has taken me a long time to overcome much of this thinking and still to this day I struggle with it. However, I am trying daily to transform my thinking about food. It is, after all, the source of everything we need to be healthy and I'm all about being strong, powerful and healthy physically. Food is not the problem. The amount of food, the way we eat it, the amount of negative attention it brings all lead to the problem that food has caused this country.

Recently after I had made a delicious meal, my mom said to me "I just don't want to have to focus so much on food." Let's face it, when you are making a meal of any kind it is inevitable that you have to focus on the food in front of you. That's just how it works.

I replied to her by saying "It's not about focusing on the food; It's about preparing the food."

The word "focus" makes us feel like it's a negative thing but when we are "preparing" something it is used in a more positive light.

When I started on this journey a little over a year ago I really had to reshape my thinking about cooking, food and so much that goes along with it all. Now, I enjoy taking my time while preparing a sandwich for lunch. I slice the cheese, peel apart the turkey, cut the bread, dice an onion, spread the mayo, put a few chips on my plate, pour my drink and feel accomplished knowing that I just prepared for myself a healthy, nutritious, and good tasting meal. It's good for me, fills me up and leaves me feeling like I have taken the time to take care of myself.

Last night I made French's Fried Onion chicken. It is the most simple meal that I make and yet it is the greatest! Everyone, even my mom, loves how it tastes. She wants the recipe but she said hers never turns out like mine. "What about all of the skin and stuff on the chicken?" she asked me..."You have to take the time to cut it off before you can prepare it the right way," I replied. She gave me that same "I dont think I can do it" look and I reminded her about the above statement. It's not about focusing on it, it's about preparing it.

When I am done preparing it, my whole family eats and they are satisfied. They enjoyed it and it was so much good protein for their bodies! I took the time to make a healthy meal for my husband, children and whoever else is here at the time. I accomplished a great task in doing so! I have learned to feel that way almost every time.

Again, in writing this post, the Lord has spoken to me. I am reminded again that being healthy physically goes hand in hand with how we are spiritually.

I truly believe in my heart of hearts that when we focus on having a relationship with Jesus, it becomes a chore. It starts to feel like work and begins to feel negative.

However, if we were to look at our relationship and friendship with the Lord as a preparation towards who we are trying to be, preparing ourselves to be Godly, and loving and forgiving and kind...maybe it would start to feel more natural to us and less like work. The negative outlook and feels we feel towards this journey with Him would dissipate and the positive light surrounding our love for our Saviour would return. We would understand that we are making good choices out of our desire to do so and therefore we would feel accomplished in knowing that we have a positive outcome for everyone around us.

Challenge your thinking with that for awhile today!

Just remember that although you are trying to focus less on food in order to lose weight, although you are trying to focus less on food in order to focus more on exercise, etc...it is truly not about what we focus on but how we manipulate it in our minds.

Change your thinking about food. Allow yourself the ability to eat it and enjoy it, knowing that it is making you strong and healthy. It is the greatest gift you can give yourself and your body! Take the time to prepare your food and feel accomplished in the task. Know that by doing so, you are in control of what you consume, how much you consume and everything in between. It is the BEST way to live your life.

Focus or Preparation.

Which will you choose?