My weekly weigh-in revealed a nine ounce loss. YES! Let’s get the party started! I’ll bring the veggie tray!
(Or, maybe I’ll leave creepy veggie-face-bot at home…) 
Funny, I remember times when I’d bring a veggie tray to a get-together; behave well in public, only to snarf at home for the post-party!
God’s doing a big work in short me!
Two sweet victories that I’d like to share this week before the “nugget”.
1. Sunday after church my family and I go out to lunch. I ate a spinach tart (that’s what we Jersey folks call calzones)! Northern Virginians are spiffy indeed! What’s the big deal on that one? Well, I haven’t permitted myself to eat one of those suckers in years! Why? Because they’re fattening! Lots o’ carbs and cheeses… yummy cheeses -ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan. I ate it and didn’t feel like I was off my plan and that is called – FREEDOM! I can have my calzones and eat it too!
2. Yesterday, I was feeling that urge, prompting to get my “binge on” – aka: over snack when I wasn’t physically hungry. I had just put my kids down for their quiet time, so I was a free woman. Know what I did? I said self, “we’re going to paint our nails while we talk to my precious prayer partner, Nancy. Then, I want to read this article on Palin; IF I’m hungry then, I’ll eat. And maybe by then, I’ll actually be physically hungry!” May sound all neat, tidy and easy, but it wasn’t. In those moments, saying, “no” to food means I’m saying “yes” to God!
Today, as I chose to let my, still unnamed, bike sit, I strapped on my sneaks for a power walk.
I biked a lot last week and need to keep cross training my muscles. I initially thought, “Woe is me…I have to walk, not run.” Then reality hit, “What am I complaining about anyway? I don’t even like running!!!” Perhaps this is due to too many field hockey field laps, or sprint sessions during basketball or one too many military formation runs…I dunno why, but I do know that’s just not one to complain about!
As I walked, God dropped this nugget:
I am enlarged when limited.
What’s that? I am bigger when smaller? Huh?
Well…yeah!
When I can’t run, I can walk…and I’ll have a longer walk/time with God because running is a shorter (gasp!) session for me.
When I can’t do high-impact cardio, like one I do like, kickboxing, I can bike. And I love biking!
And it’s much more than just my physical body. Last week I wrote about letting go and trusting God. Again, He enlarges my trust of Him when I can’t put my overprotective hand over our sons while they are in their respective school classes. No, that’s when my faith capacitor (I just made that one up!) is enlarged to trust the True Parent, God. God can and will protect them.
This whole enlarged when limited idea is not a new one that God laid on my heart. No. He dropped it on me months ago, but as a Teacher does, they remind us of former lessons, where applicable, so the lessons are understood!
Sadly, the first time this lesson was taught was when Dave and I couldn’t have children. As many of you know, we suffered three painful miscarriages before Jake’s birth. Yes, I was being completely enlarged, way beyond my desire. But God birthed something other than a child to hold in my
arms. He built something I needed, empathy, which I surely lacked. Empathy is a vital ingredient to being a good parent. Yes, God could have taught me empathy a different way, but He chose this way. He enlarged my small eyes to see hurting women that I previously walked past with the inner
thought, “get it together woman!”
Though I preferred my uterus to be enlarged, God decided to enlarge my spiritual dependence
on Him. And though it nearly killed me, Dad did know what was best for His daughter.
All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it’s not only around us; it’s within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We’re also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy. Romans 8:22 (Message)
Yes…both truth and comfort surround my still grieved heart with the specific above words, “That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting.”
As God is becoming more enlarged in my life, I am becoming more true to size, smaller..in both pride and jean size!
I now am inspired by my own limitation; as it is only then, I gain depth and insight into the vastness of God.
Is there an area where you feel currently feel limited? Could it be an opportunity for enlargement (and for my rebellious sisters out there…I’m not talking jean sizes!)?
