Thursday, September 5, 2013

My treasure is in my stomach

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." -Matthew 6:21


A few nights ago I listened to a sermon about money.  The pastor told a story about a friend saying to him, "Let me read your journals, then I can tell you what your treasure is."  The pastor said I don't think I can let you do that.  They're too private.  So the friend said,  "OK, let me see your bank statements.  Because wherever you spend your money, that's where your heart is."

I had to try this out.  I went through about 50 transactions on my bank statement categorizing with labels like: house, clothes, entertainment, etc...  But there was one category that took the cake, literally! 

FOOD

That's right.  FOOD took a whopping 30 out of just the 50 transactions I went through.  This included things like groceries, Starbucks, eating out.  My treasure is literally going into my stomach.  I know I shouldn't have been surprised.  I've read plenty of books on the unhealthy relationship so many of us have with food.  I just had no idea my relationship with it was so out of control.

The saddest part was the 2 categories that I would swear are super important to me: giving and fitness.  Both categories only had 1 transaction out of the 50.  

There's really no good way to conclude this blog.  Not yet anyway...

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Consider it pure joy

As another school year is about to begin, it is no accident that I happen to read James 1:2-4.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Everyone's trials come in different shapes and sizes, and in different areas of life.  Mine tend to come in the area of motherhood, in particular with one child and school.  This particular situation started 5 years ago.  Every year I think it will be over.  I hope and I pray.  But every year it pops back up in one way or another.  

And when it first started 5 years ago I cried and and I screamed and I was mad at God and wanted to run away from it or ignore it, hoping it would just go away.  But it didn't.  So I surrendered and faced it head on believing God's promise that He "works for the good of those who love him"-Romans 8:28.  And He has worked for my good and the good of my child.  More than I even know He has worked for my good.  And sometimes I still scream and cry and want to run away.  But not at God and not from God... to God.  I run as fast as I can and say, "HELP ME!"