In a Rush Clothing Choices ...... by DianaDee Osborne

May 31                                                                                       SUBSCRIBE  

            In a rush today.  Heading for church, 3rd day in a row,

for wonderful gift-from-God new worship musician ministry.

But... the bad news from a dieting standpoint....

I usually can dress, add touch-ups like makeup and a quick hair fix, and be out the door with a cup of last night's leftover coffee in

10 minutes tops.  Today I spent that long just trying to find a 3rd blouse for a 3rd-day-in-a-row job that looked OK on me.  Trying to hide a bit of the extra of me.

If you've been dieting awhile, you know what I mean.

How can it be, that this new summer finds me even a bit more snug in cool clothing than last,  after a year of being relatively careful in food choices,  of gym 4x a week minimum,  of.....  and etc.

So as I looked in my somewhat full drawers and closet of outfits 

that (1) almost fit, (2) will fit "in 3 or 4 or 5 months",  and

(3)  go along with my dreams of losing that 30 pounds,

 

I find myself facing not just clothes but 2 choices:

Shall I just de-clutter and give AWAY those clothes in Categories 2 and 3?   And then reward myself with new clothes when (if) I lose weight?  Going to Goodwill a lot, already,   means this is NOT really an  expensive choice.

We each might face that choice.  For me.... for now... the answer is...

that if I give away snug clothing,  it's saying "I give up."  

And my earnest prayer is to never give up.  

So... for awhile... there are some boxes of temporarily useless clothes in my home....

Here's 
God's Encouraging Word  :   STAND

Ephesians 6:11.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 

Ephesians 6:12.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,  against the rulers of the darkness of this age,  against spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]. 

Ephesians 6:13.   Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day,   and having done all, to stand.   

======================================================================

  (Besides.... when we stand,                                 
       our clothes look more slenderizing....   :)    

PRAYER

LORD GOD,  please give me wisdom for ALL things in life....
even the "little"  things like my closet inventory of clothing.                     Jesus's Words Link:
Please help me to remember what's most important in life is NOT food and clothing...
      it is You.   I NEED Your help in *remembering*  this moment by moment....
            and then *making the right choices to act as You guide me.*  I do INDEED
PRAISE  YOUR  HOLY NAME,  my LORD JEHOVAH YHWH.... Lord JESUS.

©2013 DianaDee Osborne (all material), all rights reserved. FREE personal usage; see website.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
With thanks to BlueLetterBible.org  for providing God's Word in easy-to-research format.
Additional encouraging resources at 
http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com

Daily Victory Prayer Dieting (I Need Thee Every Hour)... by DianaDee Osborne

May 30                                                                                      SUBSCRIBE  

song  "Daily Victory Prayer"           LINK to free audio

by DianaDee Osborne;  copyright 2009, all rights reserved.

SOURCE  for audio file:  http://dianadeeosbornesongs.com/Songs-2008-2012.php

LINK TO  FREE  LYRICS  FILE  
Based upon Ephesians 6:  10 to 18                                          
Dedicated to our God Who Strengthens Us, 16 October 2009
Album:  Amazing Power  'n'  Prayers
Part 2's  “I Need Thee Every Hour” lyrics by Annie Hawks;
    melody by Robert Lowry  (Public Domain CCLI 78811)   
 
1
Good morning, Father God.  Thank You for this night's rest.
Thank You for Your gift of You -- of all Your gifts, that's best!
Thank You for this new gift day.  I give You each hour.
I need Your great Spirit's Help.  I need Your grace and Power...
through this Day --  I need You, God!

CHORUS        I need Thee ev'ry hour, most Gracious Lord.  
                Temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh.....
2
Now I prepare for this day.  I choose to follow Your Plan.
I choose to obey Your Word in Ephesians Six.
Thank You for Your true Promise, I shall win each battle
if I follow You my Leader and dress for success..
through this Day --  I need You, God!        <CHORUS>
 
3
I put on Your Belt of Truth.  God help me believe just Truth.
I put on the breast-plate of God's holy righteousness.
Help me guard my emotions.  Guard my heart from wrong feelings.
I choose to live by Your Truth and not by my feelings
through this Day --  I need You, God!         <CHORUS>

4
I put on Your shoes of Peace.  God, help me believe Your Peace.
I hold high Your Shield of Faith.  I trust in God -- not me.
I hold high Your Shield of Faith.  I trust in God -- not me -- 
              I REPEAT!
I shall hold up God's Shield when I'm tempted to do wrong
through this Day --  I need You, God!        <CHORUS>

5
I put on God's helmet.  God, protect my mind, I beg.
I need Your salvation -- Help my thoughts always please You.
I take up God's Sword, God's Word.  I choose to live by God's Word.
God's World always brings to us God's promised victory,
through this Day --  I need You, God!        <CHORUS>

God's Supporting Word 
EPHESIANS 6:  10-18 NKJV
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places].
 
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;   praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--”

          Are we ready to really pray this song?         

PRAYER

LORD GOD,  I am.  I am.  With Your help.  Please remind me to keep asking for Your help.
To NOT get careless and stop praying Ephesians 6.........


©2009 - 2013 DianaDee Osborne (all material), all rights reserved. FREE personal usage; see website.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
With thanks to BlueLetterBible.org  for providing God's Word in easy-to-research format.
Additional encouraging resources at 
http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com

Bicycle Dieting Parable, Part 6 GETTING CARELESS... by DianaDee Osborne

May 29                                                                                     SUBSCRIBE  
I am STILL tired of dieting.  Yesterday was 'ok' --- 
    but I assuredly fought against that lovely looking fancy coffee.... Life isn't always fun.  I suspect you agree whole heartedly!

So what ABOUT that coffee to put a bit of enjoyment into life... 
or chocolate.... or (ummm) crunchy fried chicken with mashed potatoes..... 
              Are these really so bad??? .......  we start to ask ..................

John 14  is a comforting word from Jesus when we're weary.
This Bicycle Dieting Parable reminds me to "hang in" when 'tired'---
Click HERE  to view PART 1     of the   BICYCLE DIETING PARABLE  
  Other parts can be viewed also, with the parts in date order.


This   BICYCLE  PARABLE  is designed NOT just for dieting:

May it bring you MUCH JOY in  fighting ANY temptation..

THE PARABLE STORY  SETUP  from the May 22nd blog:

1.  Your mom loves you dearly and knows that having a bicycle would give you great joy.

      And seeing YOU have joy gives HER joy.

2.  So Mom makes an offer that you agree to.... You'll do 10 things for 6 months.
==================================================================================== 

                                 PART 6 --   GETTING CARELESS......

 3.  YOU'VE been doing Mom's list of ten things for SO long.  It takes SO much of your

      mental energy.  All your friends are having fun, and here you are at the house

      doing so much stuff you don't WANT to do.

4.   So you start thinking.... 5 more months until I get that bicycle are so long...

     SURELY  IT CAN'T HURT FOR ME TO GO PLAY SOCCER TONIGHT....

     I'll work harder tomorrow.

5.  Tomorrow comes.  You start thinking,

     MOM LOVES ME AND WANTS ME TO BE HAPPY.  SHE'LL UNDERSTAND IF  I .....

6.  A few more weeks pass by,  with you thinking,

     I  KNOW --- I'LL LEARN HOW TO BE MORE EFFICIENT,  AND THEN I CAN DO 

             THESE THINGS  ***BETTER***  FOR MOM....  in a few days.

And we know how the story ends.  I'll admit that I have absolutely LOVED the cartoon strips 

of Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes  for a reason....  When it comes to dieting "homework",   I'm  "with"  Calvin. >>>>>>>

Why waste today's enjoyments when I can suffer later?

BUT.....
  Jesus said in John 15 that his friends  SHOW they're His friends by obeying Him. 
 Why's that so hard after all HE's done for us?

WHEN I GET CARELESS ABOUT ANY temptation,

I am telling God that I care more about myself

than I care about all that Jesus did for me... all He suffered for me... so that

     God  CAN  make "mom's"  offer of a bicycle in the future.

BUT -- IMPORTANT -- we CANNOT earn heaven's  "bicycle"   by good works.

So don't assume that the Bicycle Parable Parts so far add up to what you might be tempted ---

      (there's that word again) --  to think any ONE or 6 parts = the WHOLE parable....

PRAYER

LORD GOD,  I am so sorry that I get careless so often.
Please help me to truly focus on Your Goal for me...
heaven... because You really want to be with me for all     eternity.  What an AMAZING concept!     I assuredly don't deserve Your love... Thank you.  Please help me follow You.

God's supporting Word:
John 15:   whole chapter is essential.  Starting at 13 is the point of this specific blog:
JESUS is speaking:
"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.  

You are My friends if you do whatever  
                                    I command you."

©2013 DianaDee Osborne (all material), all rights reserved. FREE personal usage; see website.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
With thanks to BlueLetterBible.org  for providing God's Word in easy-to-research format.
Additional encouraging resources at 
http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com

Bicycle Dieting Parable Part 5, FEARING .... by DianaDee Osborne

May 28                                                                                     SUBSCRIBE  
I am tired of dieting.
How 'bout you?  Tired of not being able to enjoy what I want....
This Bicycle Dieting Parable has helped me so much when 'tired'---
      especially where God led it to go....  
explanation  coming in a few more days! 
It's  the  process  that really makes God's encouragement  excitingly more clear.

Click HERE  to view PART 1     of the   BICYCLE DIETING PARABLE  
   Click HERE  to view PART 2     of the  PARABLE (where it's going)
     Click HERE  to view PART 3     (slacking off because you see no bad results)
Click HERE  to view PART 4     of the PARABLE - Comparing & Questioning 


This   BICYCLE  PARABLE  is designed NOT just for dieting:

May it bring you MUCH JOY in  fighting ANY temptation..

THE SETUP  from the May 22nd blog:

1.  Your mom loves you dearly and knows that having a bicycle would give you great joy.

      And seeing YOU have joy gives HER joy.

2.  So Mom makes an offer that you agree to.... You'll do 10 things for 6 months.
====================================================================================

                                 PART 5 --   FEARING......

Completely FORGET all the previous questions and ideas in the Bicycle Dieting Parable   so far.
This is a COMPLETELY  DIFFERENT  question,  idea for your consideration as you wonder why it's so difficult to fight the temptations against over-anything-ing   including shopping, smoking, drinking, Using "bad words", slouching in front of the TV or Internet, gossiping, trying to 'look good' --- there are MANY things that distract us from the Important things of our VERY limited Life.... that seems more and more limited as we watch all the easy ways to get killed that  News media and TV shows us: 
====================================================================================

Suppose you really have been working hard to
earn your bicycle... You've 
1.   Taken out the trash to the yard bin every day.            2.  Kept your room really pretty clean.
3.   Washed the dishes right after each meal, without Mom having to remind you.
4.   Did your homework each night.                              5.  Kept that bathroom clean, even the seat.
6.   Hung up not only your coats and clothes, but even sometimes your brother's.
7.   Did your own laundry.                                          8.  Didn't watch much TV and didn't complain about it.
9.   Was nice to Little Bro' who definitely deserved your occasional mumble under your breath.
10.   Went with your family to church without complaining, as an honor and obedience to God.

SUDDENLY  this thought comes to your mind:

IF I DO THESE  10  THINGS WELL,  Mom might see that I *CAN* do them--- and add ANOTHER 10 things in the future.

The fear catches you by surprise.  You know Mom loves you.  But isn't it logical to be afraid she might "compliment" your work by using you to do more?   What do you do?
  

Since this is a parable, there's no foolin'  ya:

        You know this is about God.        

And your first reaction might be "I'd never think that".   

But perhaps this is the time to pray James 1:5, and 

               ask God if perhaps there might be something to this in the reason 

                         why dieting (etc) is such a struggle for you.  

      Yesterday's question is always an important one:

       God -- like the Mom in this Bicycle Parable --
  loves to talk with you .... as long as you're being 
  respectful.  Not blaming God for  things, but sharing 
  your respect-filled, honest questions.  God already 
  knows your thoughts.  May as well be honest... it will help 
  YOU -- God doesn't need the help.  Like most Moms, God  
  might  say "Not now, you'll understand more later."
    OR God might answer.      We DO know this: 

GOD CANNOT LIE.    TITUS 1:2  and more. (It's simple logic: how COULD God  who is perfect become imperfect by telling even a single lie or 'fib'?)

James 1:5-6 is God's promise.

Earnestly seek His wisdom, and He WILL give it to you in the BEST time for you.

  It is a JOY to reach a point of honestly just asking our loving God for answers....

      .... We still have 2 choices:            

1.  Trust that God wants my good more than even I do.

2.  Get angry that God seems unfair in presenting us with a list of 10 things that reflect what His Heart wants us to do: 

Between the two, which attitude honors our God Who knows far more than even the best of Moms?

God's  Ten simple command-ments,  
which are LOGICAL  in (1) honoring God, and (2) taking care of people -- including you & me. They're in
  Exodus 20     which begins with a  REMINDER of all God had already done to free the people from decades of slavery.  

Have we listed what God in Love has done for YOU and ME?
The list start with Number One at verse 3, summarized:
    Put nothing and no one                         
as more important than God in your life.   

  God demands that we honor Him.   
 Why's that so hard after all HE's done for us?

PRAYER

LORD GOD,  I admit what You already know:  Sometimes I deliberately force my mind to stop thinking something it's heading toward because I know it's wrong of me. And sorta hope You won't notice if my thoughts get off of it quick.  Such as....  l sometimes start thinking that if I do the 'right' things that I should,  that I will discover that there are MORE 'right' things that You call me to do.  Please forgive me.  I know in my head that You love me and want what is best.  I know in my head that You know Everything... Your "List of Ten" truly is for OUR good as well as to give You God the honor You not only 'deserve' but right-fully require from us.  
      Please forgive me.  And help me to Want Your Wants.
      And to have Your help in following Your Ten --- NOT for 

salvation -- oh, no, You make it quite clear that Jesus is the

only Way to You (logical since He IS God, so the way to God).  Help me to follow Your Ten out of HONOR for You.
And help me to follow any other way You call me to... even if 10 thousand.

©2013 DianaDee Osborne (all material), all rights reserved. FREE personal usage; see website.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
With thanks to BlueLetterBible.org  for providing God's Word in easy-to-research format.
Additional encouraging resources at 
http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com

Bicycle Dieting Parable, Part 4 - QUESTIONING .... by DianaDee Osborne

May 27                                                                                     SUBSCRIBE  
Have you ever been SO frustrated after  2 “Good” weeks.... 
or 4.... when the scale still would not go downward.
 But if you had just a few “bad” days, it seems to soar?
If so, you'll enjoy where God's Bicycle parable 
is heading....     hang in  a few more dieting days!

Click HERE  to view PART 1     of the   BICYCLE DIETING PARABLE  
   Click HERE  to view PART 2     of the  PARABLE (where it's going)
     Click HERE  to view PART 3     (slacking off because you see no bad results)

May this   BICYCLE  PARABLE  as it develops
bring you MUCH JOY in dieting or fighting ANY temptation..

THE SETUP  from the May 22nd blog:

1.  Your mom loves you dearly and knows that having a bicycle would give you great joy.

      And seeing YOU have joy gives HER joy.

2.  So Mom makes an offer that you agree to.... You'll do 10 things for 6 months.

PART 4 --  QUESTIONING......

Suppose after a few weeks of trying to do the 

10 things Mom says to do to earn your bicycle, 

you start looking around at all your other friends. 

They might not have a nice bicycle like you're trying to earn,---

          but they have all sorts of other great things. 

            Video games, skateboards, cell phones, 

                 designer clothes, …. and your Mom didn't get you 

THOSE either. Those 'blessings' just 'came' to your friends...

THEY  didn't have to do any work like YOU do.

THEY  didn't have to wait 6 months of hard work first....

The comparison is really bugging you.  What do you do?

My suggestion may surprise you:

ASK MOM. 

      You already know Mom loves you.

       You know she likes to talk with you .... as long as
 you're being respectful.  If you start blaming her for not
 giving you what your friends have, that conversation
will  NOT lead to pleasant results for you.
        But a respect-filled, honest question?  Mom might
             say "you'll understand more later."
    OR she might answer.  What can it hurt to just ask?

As dieters... or fighting ANY thing, 
including illnesses, financial stuff, loss of friends, frustrating jobs.......

  It is a JOY to reach a point of honestly just asking our loving God for answers....
     respectfully, of course.   While asking for help.
It's a logical question:  Why do some dieters struggle while others easily shed pounds as soon as they start cutting back to the same number of calories? (Why do some people seem so blessed by God when others seem to struggle for each "bicycle" in their lives?)

      .... We have 2 choices:

1.  Trust that Mom's method of teaching me to work for the bicycle is for my good.

       Philippians 4:13... Practice in prayers that You'll help me IF I ask.

2.  Get angry that Mom seems unfairly hard. 

Between the two, which attitude honors our God Who knows far more than even the best of Moms?

God's supporting,  encouraging Words:  Hebrews 10

35-36   Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.  For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 
38  Now the just shall live by faith; But if [anyone] draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."

        God cares more about me than my   
         weight... or my "bicycles" in life.      

PRAYER

LORD GOD,  I've often looked at other people get their "bicycles" -- their blessings that I yearn to have -- and questioned why You won't give me the same.  Sometimes I get so irked at this body that will  NOT  lose weight easily when I'm dieting, and gains weight so easily if I get careless.  Please forgive me.  Please help me to look ahead... to see that there's something else far more important to help me grow in faith and trust of You.  But please... if it's Your Will... please also help this body start to become more and more healthy as I seek to follow Your will  in my eating and exercise and even amounts of sleep.

©2013 DianaDee Osborne (all material), all rights reserved. FREE personal usage; see website.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
With thanks to BlueLetterBible.org  for providing God's Word in easy-to-research format.
Additional encouraging resources at 
http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com

Earning a Bicycle Dieting Parable, Part 3 ...... by DianaDee Osborne

May 25                                                                                       SUBSCRIBE  
Click HERE  to view PART 1     of the   BICYCLE DIETING PARABLE  

Click HERE  to view PART 2     of the   BICYCLE DIETING PARABLE 

  We dieters often struggle.  Not just against   
  weight...     often against other temptations to comfort,             
   like shopping and over-TV.  Even over-vitamin-ing,                   
   trying *anything*.    And of course against annoyance        
  at all the 'lucky' people  who eat all they want without          
            gaining weight :{ grumble..... !                                     

 BUT  LORD GOD  has guided me to LEARN 
        this   BICYCLE  PARABLE  guide to a JOY..

THE SETUP  from the May 22nd blog:

1.  Your mom loves you dearly and knows that having a bicycle would give you great joy.

      And seeing YOU have joy gives HER joy.

2.  So Mom makes an offer that you agree to.... You'll do 10 things for 6 months.

      At the end of that 6 months,  if you have obeyed her,  she will give you the reward.

3.  And Mom promises though you won't get your bicycle for 6 months or any "Pay" for

     your work,  she'll occasionally surprise you with some things.

3.  At first you do your best... but after a few weeks,  you begin to increasingly notice:

      You don't always do all 10 of the things on your
       Mom's list.... and she doesn't punish you.
      She acts like she still loves you.

      You start thinking, "Hey, Mom loves me so much 
       that she's SURE to give me that bicycle, no matter 
       what I do.  After all, she's a Mom of Love."

As dieters... as people who sin .....

  (defined as doing what God says to NOT do.... OR not   

  doing what Father God says TO do,  like helping others or  

  going to church - Hebrews 10:25 plus that "Honor My 

 Sabbath" thing in Exodus 20;  
God has brought ALL of us out of some sort of bondage, and grafted us into these promises for deliverance if -- see Hebrews 11, God's Words.)

      .... we tend to go to two extremes:

1.  I can do all things that  I WANT TO

       Certainly a Satanic re-writing of Philippians 4:13 -- LINK

     and God will still love and bless me. or
2.  God must HATE  me for being a failure! 

Between the two extremes,  who  do you suppose is

easier -- more open to hearing -- for Father-Lord God to help? ..... 

the person who PRESUMES upon God's love -- 

       forgetting He is also Righteous -- or 

the one who humbly cries for help  to do what pleases God,  but fails so very often -- as we all do.  The person who cries out for God's promised un-deserved Grace and  forgiveness?

  The facet  (piece) of this part 3 of the Bicycle    

  Dieting Parable:  We are wrong to presume    

  God will "lower the bar"  and let us choose   

  a thing besides Him for comfort and "fun".   

God's supporting,  encouraging Words:  Hebrews 10

22 -  "let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold fast the confession of [our] hope without wavering, for He who promised [is] faithful.  And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as [is] the manner of some, but exhorting [one another], and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. 

26-28  For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,  ....

NOTE:  GOD NEVER had a system of sacrifice that would forgive deliberate sins...

     and if we reject Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins -- Jesus our High Priest --  NOTHING

     else is good enough to cleanse.     See Numbers 15: 25 - 31   and  

           Hebrews 2:17,  4:14 to 15,  5:9-10,  7:26-28,   8: 1-6,    9: 7-11,  **10: 12    LINK

... but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on [the testimony of] two or three witnesses.
                     [We MUST read God's WHOLE Word, remember,  to understand.               
                    Praying James 1:5 for wisdom is essential also.]                                           
29 - Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, 
will he    [you or me]    be thought worthy    [of deserving]
who has trampled the Son of God underfoot [taken it for granted] , 
counted the blood of the covenant by which he  [the person] 
was sanctified a common thing, 
        and insulted the Spirit of  grace?"      

PRAYER

LORD GOD,  I've often taken YOUR LOVE and GRACE for granted.  Thought of these as "common".  Maybe even as something natural... that the God Who created the universe would of course love me, His creation.
OH,  I am SO sorry,  LORD God!  Please forgive me.... give me the wisdom You've promised.  Protect me... I pray in Your Name, help me give YOU joy.   Ephesians 6:10...

©2013 DianaDee Osborne (all material), all rights reserved. FREE personal usage; see website.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
With thanks to BlueLetterBible.org  for providing God's Word in easy-to-research format.
Additional encouraging resources at 
http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com

Where the Bicycle is Joyfully Going, Part 2 ........ by DianaDee Osborne

May 24                                                                                       SUBSCRIBE  
Click HERE  to view PART 1     of the   BICYCLE DIETING PARABLE 

  The   BICYCLE   PARABLE    is a                  
       JOY   for us Dieters:                                     

Here's why:  
Have you ever stepped onto a scale... looked into a mirror...
      and angrily responded  "WHAT'S THE USE ?!"  
The parable tells you and me why.
The parable tells us that when we tell ourselves that we failed, 
        QUITE POSSIBLY   we defined "success" wrong.

I have struggled with weight issues for a couple of decades.

* At first, it was from loneliness.... new town, no friends, jobless.

* Then it was from plain carelessness.

* Then it was from Life's Upsets driving me to enjoy

       SOMETHING  that I could control in life.... delicious foods. 

At this point I was only 35 pounds more than college years...

and I had thought I was fat back then at  112 pounds.  

      Didn't get "thin genes" like so many of the other college girls....

             If you ignore what TV models "exemplify" for us,  I was still quite average in weight. 

My weight "exploded" as I began   angry "So What - It's My Business and mind your own"  eating after my daddy died.  
Ouch.............
not a comfortable confession from a Christ-follower  aka  Christian who truly did and does dearly love LORD God.

THEN  LORD GOD  guided me to LEARN something:

* First of all -- that I not only loved serving Him... I ABSOLUTELY LOVED being
         around high school and college youth... talking frankly with them... sharing
         about why Jesus IS INDEED  still quite relevant in their lives today.

* Then God guided me to "accidentally"  learn that my old failures in trying to learn 
         to play guitar weren't because I was dumb, but because my ancient guitar
         was more of a toy... Difficult for even excellent guitarists as He's helped me become.

* Then in 2006  I prayed for something I never DREAMED God would ever honor me

        with answering.... but 2 years later He did----
    WRITING SONGS to show those youth and others     what a holy yet LOVING and   
    EAGER-to-be-with-us  God  He truly is.            NOT to show off anything about me. 


            AND THROUGH  all THESE, my weight went down as I was busy-er...
                      until actual physical metabolism changes and doctors not finding
                                ways to help until very recent months............

 BUT  LORD GOD  has guided me to LEARN 
        this ESSENTIAL   BICYCLE  PARABLE  guide to a JOY:

    Don't give up!  Have the right GOAL.            
    Have the right DEFINITION  of "success." 
    After all,  you already have the ONE and Right 
    Daddy -- "ABBA"  
                Jesus called  God Father  ABBA (Daddy) (Mark 14:36)  
and    taught us to pray by calling God our Father  (Mark 5:16, 5:45-8, Matthew 6:9 etc)

           and God through Paul tells us it's OK for US to call

           God "Abba", DADDY,  if we choose to obey and love 

           Him.... to accept His 2nd Peter 3:9 and First Timothy 2:4

                call to us.    See   Romans 8:15   and Galatians 4:6.  

who's even more eager than you          
    for you to enjoy the joy of "bicycles"........       

    So:  Coming soon is more description of the             
            JOY of the Bicycle Parable ... see Part 3:)           

      Reminder for now ---  James 1:5  prayers for wisdom

              include asking God to help us understand why
              temptations to over-Anything so easily trap us.

PRAYER

LORD GOD,  I've made excuses.  I've reasoned in my mind and ignored YOUR invitation to reason with YOU about things.... Your amazing Isaiah 1:18   invitation.  Instead of
coming to you to confess my "sins like scarlet",  I've enjoyed the sins -- called them 
"earned self-indulgences."  Called them my COMFORTS.  Forgotten that

anything that comforts us BESIDES God  is what 

                                     YOU LORD God call an IDOL.

Please forgive me.... give me the wisdom You've promised.  Protect me... Ephesians 6:10...

©2013 DianaDee Osborne (all material), all rights reserved. FREE personal usage; see website.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
With thanks to BlueLetterBible.org  for providing God's Word in easy-to-research format.
Additional encouraging resources at 
http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com