God-Incidences To Encourage Dieters ... by DianaDee Osborne

April 19                                                                                      SUBSCRIBE  

Woke up this morning thinking, "Hey I was GOOD yesterday!"
About dieting, of course.... as First John 1 says, none
     of us are "good".  I got pretty impatient at some __ drivers...:}

Then remembered: "Oh yeah, I had the cheap buffet at lunch..."

I  WAS good about sorta countering mid-day calories by
having coffee and just a few calories for supper, but the 
day was still just normal... not losing-weight good.

So my next thought was "I always wrote down everything I ate
back when I was losing weight.  Even if my thyroid still isn't
working right,  I'd still probably 'succeed' more if I did that again."

At least, I'd know whether or not I had reason for disappointment
on the scale!    So....... that's what I decided to start doing.
But for now -- spare room needed cleaning.
FIRST BOX -- I kid you not, the FIRST box  I opened to sort
contained a barely used calendar book I'd recorded calories in
back in 2007 .... but only the first 3 months. (Musta lost it!)
So NOW  there's no "a good record book costs too much" excuse!

COINCIDENCE?  Nah... 
      and I'm still waiting for Dictionary writers
          to smarten up and add a common TRUE word:  It's another   
GODINCIDENCE !

God's Supporting Word 

 Another  Joy for us Dieters:        

FIRST CORINTHIANS 10: 13             Click  HERE  to see many versions 

"The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."

 But

       God still gives us free will

              to turn down His help.

    To reject King God and put Self on the throne.         

PRAYER

LORD GOD,  I thank You so much for all You have done, do, shall do --
and most of all for Who You are, Your character of caring and help.
I pray as Jesus promised I could In    John 14:  26-27,   dear Holy Spirit,
Please help me! I don't really know how to pray right... Romans 8: 26.
And I sure need Your help to obey you... Romans 7.
Thank you that Romans 7 always leads to Romans 8!  I love You!


©2014 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

Passover Lamb Parable & Wisdom for Dieting ........... by DianaDee Osborne

April 18                                                                                       SUBSCRIBE  

This AM for some odd reason, was thinking of how much fun it is to get a new kitten or puppy. (My poor hubby wd say Oh No!) They're so sweet & innocent, and make you feel so SO good within a couple of days as they run to you with love. Haven't yet learned to look at you in defiance & deliberately _ (claw sofa, etc). 

Within 4 days, most of us really love baby animals dearly.   Dearly. 

Exodus 12:3, unexpected instructions God gave one day:
Bring a cute lamb into house... 4 days later, this Lamb must die.
WHY? So you and your family can be saved from death. 
For 100s of years,  
      God gave His people this                     
                  PARABLE of Crucifixion:            
They had no idea it was to teach them 
        the horror of His Son Dying,
  the INNOCENT,   sin free,   LOVING  
  Lamb of God --  to save us from eternal death. 
Exodus 12:23 on: 
God says to remember the innocent lamb's sacrifice for our Lives, throughout our lives.   QUIT taking Jesus for granted
just because we've heard "the story" all our lives.

Here's why this applies to us dieters: 
God's Supporting Word 

God KNOWS we're sometimes (usually) "dense".
He gladly helps, gives wisdom when we ask   (James 1:5-6).
God TEACHES us in ways we can understand --
     including in parables like Jesus taught. Or
     the parable of the Passover Lamb, beloved for 4 days...

From Isaiah 2: 3,  God's promise:
"Many people shall come and say,                       
     'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
     To the house of        the God of Jacob;         
                 He will teach us His ways,                      
     And we shall walk in His paths.'     
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem."

The Joy for us Dieters:        

When we ask, God gives wisdom - Yes.  But also often LONG BEFORE we pray.
Let us remember Jesus the innocent Lamb... what He did for us.
And ask God to help us remember throughout our day, that we might
make choices that do not further hurt our loving Innocent Savior and LORD.

PRAYER

LORD GOD,  I truly do NOT want to hurt You. Please help me to REMEMBER
to pray.... Help me choose Your Way.  Always.

©2014 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

Small Wins Dieting .......... by DianaDee Osborne

17 April                                                                                       SUBSCRIBE  

In high school, I made almost straight A's
            (not bragging,    it was easier when calculus was 12th grade only).
College thus was a shock - I had to study???
But I managed mostly A's... until my NEMESIS.
             Anatomy &  Physiology.   
I really really studied for every test... kept doing poorly.
Back then, you had to wait until your grades got MAILED
at end of semester.  When mine came for that class,
I was SO EXCITED - literally jumping up and down for JOY.
       Because I got a  D.       I thought for sure I'd failed.

My father was especially unimpressed.

Woke up this AM with a sigh.... have been GOOD - 
really! - for 6 weeks, but have seen no "success" at ALL,
according to the scale.

Got on my un-friend to get this morning's news, 
got off and on again (in disbelief)
and went   Y_E_A_H!   Quite a few times !! 
Burned up a few calories with my heart racing, excited!

And then I thought about the actual number on the scale.
And sighed again. It's pretty pathetic to get excited.

BUT our FATHER God is PLEASED by our efforts DESPITE
our failures... 
             Despite WHATEVER that stupid scale says....
and, more importantly, by our honest sorrow
if we fail Him.  God even provided an entire chapter to
encourage us to see even those who DEARLY love Him fail. --
   Romans 7.  Followed by Romans 8 - that He HELPS us.

God's  OTHER  supporting Words
Book of First John... God wants our honest confession. 
No lies, no excuses, just confession and seeking His help to
do better "next time".                Click   HERE   for link

First Corinthians 10:13 -- God ALWAYS helps us do right...
if we ask.                                   Click   HERE   for link

PRAYER

LORD GOD,  I'm so sorry for anything that I do that is unpleasing to you,
that does not show me growing in reflecting you (2nd Corinthians 3:18)
so that others see through me more of what You are like.
Please help me to KEEP doing what is right... including fighting temptations to
overeating and materialism and wasting time ....
even when I don't see what I call "success".  Even if the scale won't go down.


©2014 DianaDee Osborne (all material), all rights reserved. First published 17 April 2014.  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

Unavoidable Ignorance Dieting ......... by DianaDee Osborne

April 16                                                                                 SUBSCRIBE  

As I sat here praying for an idea from the LORD to share,
the TV in the background had yet another one of those commercials, "If you've used talcum powder anytime in your lifetime & have been diagnosed with ____" ...
         [...call us so we can SUE someone].
Oh, come on. It's always something, isn't it?
Seems like all sorts of things are blamed for how we feel today.
And too often we don't want to accept... sometimes it's our fault.
Sometimes it's unavoidable ignorance
         [Who knew in the 1970s that bologna's nitrites might....].

Years ago, we assumed that a grapefruit fast was a great diet.
Then it was "all protein, no carbohydrates".
Then it was "no eggs or avocados or olives" -- now replaced by
         seeking to eat normal quantities to raise GOOD cholesterol.

Here's why we don't give up dieting, we keep moving on: 
God's Supporting Word  - Philippians 3:12 on:

12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.
13b  ..focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,
14   I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

          Keep praying for God's help. Keep moving on.    

PRAYER

LORD GOD,  I am SO tempted to just give up, sometimes.
I am SO overwhelmed by what seems to be repeatedly changing information -- 
      I feel so ignorant, and tempted to believe that my ignorance shall never end.
Please give me Your wisdom.... James 1: 5-6.................   CLICK HERE FOR LINK.
Please give me Your comfort.... Isaiah 40: 1    ................   CLICK HERE FOR LINKS     

Please give me words to comfort others.     2nd Corinthians 1: 3-4

©2014 DianaDee Osborne (all material), all rights reserved. First published 16 April 2014. 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

New Restaurants Dieting Parable .... by DianaDee Osborne

APRIL 15                                                                                 SUBSCRIBE  
When traveling, I look for new restaurants to try.
Not knowing their reputations as I drive near one,
I look in the parking lot.

If it's meal time and the parking lot is rather full,
I decide that a lot of customers must have decided that this
        restaurant has pretty good food.
And if it's meal time and the parking lot is pretty empty,
                    I pass on by.
When traveling,  I look for a church to worship in 
          by the same method.
Look to see if many people feel comfortable worshiping God there.

As I move through my days, proclaiming God's great news,
proclaiming my love for the LORD God,                              
declaring my praises for all He has done for me and others...
         people are watching me.    And watching you.                    

* Deciding if my words about God are worth listening to.
* Learning from watching me whether I really believe those words
     about how God is willing to help us deal with
           all our problems, all our temptations.
And -- like it or not --
my weight might not matter as much as my
attitude seen toward food as I go through my day...
   how much time and energy and interest and  $$   I spend    
        on something that simple.                                                  

PRAYER

LORD God, help me remember to look at myself
as others see me
not just for me, but for Your Kingdom's sake...
for if my lifestyle distracts people from believing my witness about Your greatness, then I assuredly need to change it.
Please give me both wisdom and the will to reflect you...
2nd Corinthians 3;18... with Your Holy Spirit's empowering.

God's Supporting Word
2 Corinthians 3:18
So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.  -- New Living Translation


©2013 DianaDee Osborne (all material), all rights reserved. First published 15 April 2013. 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

Torah Letter Counting and Dieting ..... by DianaDee Osborne

APRIL 14                                                                                 SUBSCRIBE  
The date of 14 April 2014 is abbreviated like this: 41414
The next day, April 15th, is 41514 or, backwards:                        41514
The next day, April 16th, is 41614 or, backwards:                         41614
and etc for three more days, through the 19th's       41914

History fascinating fact about forwards and backwards:
When a Jewish scribe  (writer)  was meticulously creating a new handwritten copy
of a book of the Torah (one of first 5 books of Bible),
He would count letters of each line forwards & backward
            to be sure nothing was added or deleted.
If there was even one mistake, the entire page had to be re-written.
From http://www.myjewishlearning.com/practices - 
Writing a Torah scroll is a religious act. First and foremost, a kosher Torah scroll must be hand-written. This is done by a sofer (scribe), a specially trained individual who is devout and knowledgeable in the laws governing the proper writing and assembling of a scroll. Sofer is from the Hebrew root 'to count.' According to the Talmud (Kiddushin 30a), these scholars would count each letter of the Torah."

WHAT  DOES  THIS  HAVE  TO  DO  WITH  DIETING?
 Consider:  God's scribes were entrusted with ensuring
       that people saw God's exact word, so they spent 
MUCH  time and effort counting and re-counting to check that they were right.
  It's been said that each Christ follower might be the       
ONLY  BIBLE  that some people ever  read.                
What do people "read" about God as they look at you, me?
Do our lives reflect selfishness?  OVER-spending, OVER-TV watching, OVER-concern with social media? OVER-eating, of course a concern for a diet blog?


The word DISQUALIFIED is in God's Book 6 times in New KJV.
The one that makes me most sad when I look in the mirror is this:
    First Corinthians 9:27,
"I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified." 
I love chocolate, I love cheesy foods, I love buffets....
Do I check myself "forward & backward" 
       to be sure that my loves
   do not keep people from listening to me when I share
       how great God is.... when I try to encourage them saying
               how God will help us win over addictions? 

PRAYER

LORD God, help me remember to look at myself
as others see me
not just for me, but for Your Kingdom's sake...
for if my lifestyle distracts people from believing my witness about Your greatness, then I assuredly need to change it.  Help me to not cause others to doubt
YOUR Word because my self centeredness looks as if
I do.

God's Supporting Word
2 Corinthians 3:18
So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.  -- New Living Translation

2 Corinthians 3:5
Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

©2014 DianaDee Osborne (all material), all rights reserved. First published 14 April 2014. 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

Ignoring the GPS -- God's Positioning System-- Dieting Parable... by DianaDee Osborne

APRIL 13
While traveling to a destination 700 miles away,
I knew the familiar route.  But I used the GPS anyway
as a guide to know how many miles were left to specific places.

Sometimes I get off the interstate highway and explore.
Every time I did on this trip, the GPS would keep yelling,           
"Turn around when possible."  "Turn around when possible."
Eventually it would give up and recalculate the route              
to reach my destination... and then start barking orders at me.

** Sometimes I turned up the radio louder to avoid hearing it.
** And sometime I just turned it off.  No more guidance.
I was going whatever way I wanted, no matter what the GPS wanted.

The dieting parable is pretty obvious.
When we earnestly want to lose weight,
   we will be willing to do what we're told will work.
But when it gets hard, or no longer fun,
     will we decide on a "vacation" and start ignoring the plan?

And start ignoring God's call to us that is an answer
to the prayer we already asked, that He help us make wise decisions.

PRAYER

LORD God, please forgive me for ignoring Your gracious help
that I had even prayed for.  
Help me to *want* to follow
YOUR guidance... even when I'd like to explore new foods or
new shopping purchases or new ___ or more ___.  
I pray in the Name of my Jesus who came to save us.
To save me from my sins.

God's Supporting Word

First Corinthians 10:13   works ONLY if   we  LISTEN
to God's Positioning System GPS --  guiding us to safety
  out of our temptations so that we can get to our goal
       as we prayed when we set our destination.


©2013 DianaDee Osborne (all material), all rights reserved. First published 13 April 2013. 
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

Broken Restroom Latches Dieting Parable .... by DianaDee Osborne

APRIL 12
Have you ever noticed now often latches don't work
               in store restroom stalls?
You would think that employees would tell managers.
And you would think that managers would arrange to have the latches fixed,
knowing that customers  really do consider this:
      If a store doesn't care enough about its property to
      take care of something small like bathroom stall latches,
         how can the customer trust its care of whatever 
             the store is selling?  Or of the customer?

Perhaps this is an obvious parable:
God gave us our property... our bodies.                                          
God calls our bodies our Temple, where we show Him worship. 
That's not just God's wording thru Paul in First Corinthians 6:19.
Jesus also spoke of the body as a temple in John 2: 18-21.

How are we doing?  how are YOU doing?  

      Do you care anymore?                        

Or are you willing to ignore the 

      seemingly un-important broken latches in your life   
              that show other people what you                           

                        think of your temple   for God?

 
PRAYER

LORD God, I confess:  Sometimes I get tired of caring.
Oh God, you know how often I start thinking,
"Does it REALLY matter if I keep my weight down to a
more healthy range?
    *   After all,  I am well enough to serve God.
    *   After all, I'm a lot smaller than a lot of people.
    *   After all, we're supposed to care about spiritual things
                 more than physical stuff.
    *   After all, I have so many other better things about me...."

At least, those are the thoughts that keep tempting me
to stop caring about the broken latches in my life.
LORD God, help me to be holy, set aside for you in a
  temple that I take care of simply because I love you dearly.

God's Supporting Word
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. -- Colossians 3: 12

©2013 DianaDee Osborne (all material), all rights reserved. First published 12 April 2013.  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

Pleased to be Conned Dieting Parable.... by DianaDee Osborne

APRIL 11
I am actually quite   pleased  to have been conned at a huge (acres and acres) Tennessee outdoor market a few days ago.

  Say  WHAT?? you may ask.                        

Well,   I still can use what I had bought as name-brand socks and, in my rush, didn't remember that the brand always puts its logo on socks.
       And I did get 21 pairs of socks for $10.
       And they actually are a decent enough quality, to have   
               fooled me at first.
Best of all,   I  NEEDED this reminder to stay aware.
To remember that some people are self-ish, some find joy in deceiving others,  and some are themselves deceived.
God describes it well through  2nd Timothy  3:13....

But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived."   

(CLICK HERE  for full description).

Only a few days earlier, I had shown someone why a "discount" COACH purse was a cheap knockoff.  
I had let myself be careless, but the cost was small.

But you and I must be careful lest others deceive us 
(often wanting to be kind)...

tell us what we want to hear:

(You're not overweight... just big-boned.  A nice compliment that tempts us to not get healthier.) 
      (This pill taken 3 times a day with water will just melt the fat off.)
              (You weigh less than a lot of people do ....)
                    (God doesn't care what you weigh....) 

which is true in terms of the scale reading.

But when we don't take care of the temple He's given us to
worship Him in, our bodies.... we deceive ourselves to

say God is satisfied with our  poorly managed  sacrifice of ourselves.

No -- the scale does NOT matter.... but let us each pray for wisdom to not be deceived,
      to find the right medical help if needed.......
           to know that with God's help, we CAN fight any
temptation, if we just humbly and repeatedly ask Him.

Don't let Satan con you saying God doesn't care.

James 4: 7 and 8 .... let any thoughts that might be a con
simply drive you to be closer to our wonderful LORD God
Who PROMISED   First Corinthians 10: 13...
We can survive ANY con with God's help!

PRAYER

LORD GOD,  I dearly do love You.  Help me to show that through my life... my body.

God's Supporting Word
For the WORD that your body is to be God's temple,  CLICK HERE.



©2013 DianaDee Osborne (all material), all rights reserved. First published 11 April 2013.  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

Look Before You Sit On An Ant -- Dieting Parable ... by DianaDee Osborne

APRIL 10
I've learned a few things visiting the gulf state of Alabama:
At the top of the list:  Some of God's critters are even less fun than others.  A really high-on-the-list new priority:
When you pull out a guitar and blanket to go write a song in the grass, NO MATTER how lush and green the grass looks........

  Look -- Before You Sit On A Fire Ant!          


Seems like these critters are popping up nests everywhere this time of year....

It would be easy for people who live here to feel overwhelmed.

After all, they're outnumbered in   millions-to-one   ratios. 

People have several choices: 
(1) Give up, live as long as you can in the house before the ants cover the yard;  or

(2) buy some ant killer and hope the ants haven't gotten immune; or

(3) Go find someone trained to know about ants with the materials to HELP you win this essential battle. 

I've learned a few things about dieting that's related to fire ants.   At the top of the list:
(1) I can NOT give up.  My health would eventually suffer, and I'd be less able to serve our LORD... and for less time;

(2) If I'm not careful, I'll get immune to the awareness of #1;

(3) I can CHOOSE to go find a doctor to help with various issues including thyroid problems;
    and I can CHOOSE to pray First Corinthians 10:13, asking our LORD God to help me win the battle. 

PRAYER

LORD GOD,  I do want to stay alert... I do want to see the fire ant mounds in my life before I just sit on one and end up in pain or ill.  I do need help.  I pray James 1:5 -- please give me WISDOM in my choices,  DETERMINATION to follow Your way.  Please help me, I pray.

God's Supporting Word
First Corinthians 10:13,  "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."

©2013 DianaDee Osborne (all material), all rights reserved. First published 10 April 2013. 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

A Sad Sins Psalm 51, by DianaDee Osborne

APRIL 9

Psalm 51   always has seemed so sad to me.
For GOD  as well .  Because it's so true for all of us to pray,
          if we are honest about ourselves.  First John 1: 8 and 10.
God had done  SO  much for David...  and yet David had to
completely ignore God for a number of days -- weeks maybe -- in order to be able to willfully choose to do what he knew would disgust God.  Are not these words of verse 3 SO sad?

           For I recognize my rebellion;                 
             it haunts me day and night.                   

Yet they can easily be our words to God, too.

After all He has done for us....   after all His blessings.

PRAYER

LORD GOD,  I dearly do love You.  
Psalm 51:2 --
Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.


Psalm 51:3 above.  Psalm 51:4 --
Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.

Psalm 51:7  to 9 --
Purify me from my sins,  and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Oh, give me back my joy again;
you have broken me— now let me rejoice. 
Don't keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt.

Psalm 51: 10 to 12
Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. 
Do not banish me from your presence,

and don't take your Holy Spirit  from me. 

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. 

--------------
Notice the ancient reference to God's Holy Spirit.

©2013 DianaDee Osborne (all material), all rights reserved. First published 9 April 2013. 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