Giving God My Best (even Diet) ..... by DianaDee Osborne

January 7   

Yesterday was the official day of EPIPHANY... 

celebrating when the wise men brought gifts to Jesus.  

Whether Jesus was still a baby or a toddler doesn't really matter to the story....  They 

      HONORED Jesus,  God's Son, 

       bringing of their BEST  gifts  to Him.

What of me?   I wonder.

Like many persons, I can come up with legitimate reasons for being larger than what Society calls normal.  Which is almost anorexic even by medical standards. 

(There's Excuse #1.)

Correct medical tests were finally given, and say what I'd been telling doctors for 3 years...

that my exhaustion and continual weight creep-up was *not* from depression.  I've been loving serving God with music, with writing, with adventures in prayer!

It was so encouraging to have the doctor look at my blood work and exclaim that I was "really working it" at the gym.  And then to say that no, the thyroid medicine was not working so it wasn't my fault to not make progress...

Yet I COULD have done better.  

                       I could have given God better.

I shake my head in wonder at the insults God describes in Malachi 1:8,

      to people bringing gifts to Him  (sacrifices).  God asks, 

And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice,  Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?" Says the LORD of hosts."

And yet how often am I concerned more for what 
             another person thinks of me
when I used food or shopping or  hours-upon-hours of 
                   TV watching as comforts...

than I am of God's opinion?

GOD'S ENCOURAGEMENT

Hebrews 13:8 -9,  15-16   (New American Standard Bible)
 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.  Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who  were so occupied were not benefited.
Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.    And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

PRAYER
LORD,  You TRULY are my Lord.  Forgive me when I put other things first.
Forgive me when I care about people's opinions more than of yours.
Help me to live in a way that PLEASES you.
Help me to enjoy sacrificing some of the old pleasures that keep me from  focusing on you,  I pray,  in Jesus's Holy Name.


©2013 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
Other encouraging resources:  http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com

DIETING PEACE - Encouraging Words from God..... by DianaDee Osborne

January 6    DIETING PEACE from God 

 

 ** PEACE  ** I leave with you, says Jesus.

 for   living.... living.... LIVING .....

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.   John 14:27

Ah.... so many things hurt us.  So many things scare us.
So many things provide TEMPORARY comfort and peace,
like food & drink & TV & internet & even gossiping and shopping..... but
true peace "beyond human understanding" is available only through
the Prince of Peace,  God's Son, Jesus, who came to earth out
of LOVE for you and desire to give you PEACE.
Hey,  that's what the angels we just thought about during Christmas time had said....

    God sends His Holy Spirit  HIMSELF to help you....     
"But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you."
-- Jesus,   in the previous verse,   John 14:26

And what did Jesus REPEATEDLY  say?
  "I love you."       "I offer  you  peace."  

ABOUT GOD'S BIBLE:

“.....These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name .”    

 -- Gospel of JOHN 20: 31

God's supporting words:

PEACE--   Jesus's PURPOSE in coming:  Luke 1: 78 and 79
              "Through the tender mercy of our God"  Jesus the Dayspring from on high has VISITED us  To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace."

PEACE -- God was angry at church leaders and declared that He would VISIT his flock.

Zechariah 10:3,   a PROPHECY of Jesus being God as Man come to earth to bring PEACE to His people the Jews in person.... and bringing it to the rest of us who have FAITH in Jesus.  Wow.

PEACE   is ours when we have faith in Jesus. 
Luke 8:48  And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace."
Luke 7:50.   Then He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."

   PEACE  is our when we  DO NOT  

   have faith in Jesus,  if we ask for His help:

Mark 9:24,  a father who sought healing for his son was told by Jesus to "Have Faith" (verse 23).  Exact wording  Jesus said to him,  

"If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." 

the man replied tearfully,  "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"   

And INSTEAD of SCOLDING the man for lack of faith,

Jesus HEALED the boy immediately.

Much peace and comfort to you from God on this day.  From God who LOVES you and yearns for you to know PEACE.   --DianaDee

©2013 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!

Wisdom Words for Dieting ......... by DianaDee Osborne

January 5

James 1: 5 and 6.... These have always been my favorite words from God.

My logic tells me that if I don't have wisdom,  

I won't know that John 3:16 really  IS  important.

How can I know what a "savior" is   &    why I need one

if I don't have Wisdom?  So these James 1, verses 5 and 6 mean a lot to me:

"If any of you lacks     wisdom , let him ask of God, who gives to all   (all  all   all  all .....)

liberally and without reproach, 

and it will be given to him.   

 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, 

for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind."  (New King James Version) 

There's a super-modern (probably unofficial!)  translation of James 1:6 that says

a person who doubts is like a WIMPY  WEED..... :)

The church that I most love to worship in  is about to begin a 3-week "Daniel Fast."

Its purpose is for us to draw closer to God, seeking His 

WISDOM  and  EMPOWERING  to share His great news of salvation to others.

Others in the church are excited.
My first reaction:   FEAR.   How can I understood yet another set of rules on what to eat or not eat.  
How can I find mental energy to figure out how to not trigger my hypoglycemia?  or interfere with the
doctor's medicines for trying to get my metabolism to inch up?
And here we have a diet that apparently  GOD  approves....  talk about pressure,  trying to please God!  (Book of Daniel chapters 1 and 10)

My second reaction:   HOPE.   I'm not as smart as I'd like.  But God is telling me in James 1:5-6 and elsewhere that I can depend on HIM for wisdom.  No ---
           that's not quite right.
God says I  MUST  depend on Him for wisdom. 
And Dieting assuredly needs wisdom.

So with God's guidance,  I've found a "how to" internet site with 

PICTURES  that actually make sense to me.   http://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Daniel-Fast

And a goal that is put right where it belongs,  at the top:

The purpose of   not just "the Daniel Fast"  but

                  ANY  DIET  plan

is to develop      our relationship with God.

To put GOD  first,  before food & beverage & amusements &.

ENCOURAGEMENT

Proverbs 16: 3   Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.  

Proverbs 16: 2   People may be pure in their own eyes, but the LORD examines their motives.

Proverbs 16: 1  We can make our own plans, but the LORD gives the right answer.

PRAYER

LORD,  I respond to your James 1:5  OFFER with this prayer:

YES --- I very much want Your Wisdom.  Please help me to HEAR it.

Please help me to     HEART    it -- putting it in my heart.  This I pray, with deep thanks to You.

©2013 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
Other encouraging resources:  http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com/

Flu Season Diet Parable ............. by DianaDee Osborne

January 4
It's that lovely season when we try not to 
cringe during the "share the love" time in church.
When we sneak a sanitizing wipe out of our pocket
       after shaking hands with someone.... or touching the grocery cart.

      FLU   season.

People joke that when they meet God, they're going to ask Him some "Burning Questions"  like why He made mosquitoes.  Another question would be... what's the purpose of FLU anyway?

Well,  Flu does provide a few parables.  
And the SADDEST  one of all is this:

   Our   SINS  make  God   feel  sick.  REAL sick.  

He's done SO much for us with His love,

yet we keep sinning because we have a human nature....

And more than sins themselves,  our ATTITUDE that 

       "I'm Just Human God Will Forgive"

sickens our HOLY, Righteous, JUST  God.


Sins that we do AND think
are  like the natural consequences of     f l u      to Him.
They're like the natural products of animal bodies and ours   to Him. Sin nauseates  &  disgusts  &  is a horrendous SCRITCHING that      vibrates     against our Holy God's very being.

UNTIL we  let Jesus    CLEANSE  US     of our sins  by agreeing with Him that they are NAUSEATING -- and accept Him as our LORD (sincerely praying Romans 10:9 to 11)

  You have 'THE AROMA OF DEATH"to God.

  I  have     'THE AROMA OF DEATH"to God.  2 Corin. 2:16

If you do not know what that is,  you aren't feeling the nausea as you read this that is rising in those of us  remembering it coming from someone we dearly love   who was   dying.

You don't know the nausea that GOD feels while

         someone HE dearly loves is dying.   

 "PLEASE turn back to Me,   He cries out to you.... 

PRAYER
         Father God,  Please help me to SEE  how disgusting my sins are to You.  Please give me the MIND OF  CHRIST  that  You describe  in Second Corinthians 2:16.  Help me to be HOLY as You are holy --- which You tell us is possible, so I shall trust Your Word.  But I know I cannot do this without You.  I pray for Your guidance, wisdom, and protection from temptations.  Help me to stop making choices that hurt or disgust you -- whatever choices they may be.  Even if  something that humans call insignificant like Diet choices.  
I pray this in the HOLY Name and power of our LORD Jesus Christ -- for Your glory.

*ENCOURAGEMENT*

Hebrews 7:25.   Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

James 1:21   New Living Translation

So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
*God's WARNINGS*

Colossians 3:8 to 10
But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

LOGICAL QUESTION FOR A  DIETING  BLOG:

       Do my food and exercise choices match the nature that                        Jesus would have      (Colossians 3:10)?          
©2013 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
Other encouraging resources:  http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com

Blackboard Scritch Parable ...... by DianaDee Osborne

January 3
I love technology.
My college Keyboarding experience included a state-of-the-art  dinky electric typewriter and White-Out.   Why would anyone ever miss THAT?
One bad thing about technology:  We lose the meaning of wonderfully onomatopoeic words like  SCRITCH.   Because there's no longer any school  BLACKBOARD  in the classroom to teach youth   the HORRORs  of the
scritch scratch screech  (SHRIEK!!!)  experience of scraping fingernails   or hard chalk  on a blackboard.

If you are old enough to remember that quite 'unique'  shall-we-say

sound,  then you probably already feel the hackles 

rising on your back at the horrible remembrance. 
    (Hackles.... now, there's another word you'll probably never see 
           on your device that begins with some vowel.)
I also love parables...

Did you know that Wise King Solomon wrote 1,005 songs -- and he  spoke in nature  PARABLES?

Check out First Kings 4, verses 32 and 33. 

Besides wondering who counted up all those songs 

in days before computer spreadsheets,

you're probably wondering what any of this has to do with DIETING.  OK, here goes:

1.  Today's blog,   like many other of my blogs and of "my" (God's creative) 250+  published songs,  is a parable to help understand our relationship with LORD God.  I'm not as smart as I like (by far),  and I think in patterns and pictures.  

         So I feel a sisterhood   with the common people who learned more about God and His Love and Plan of Salvation  from Jesus's animal and door and wineskin stories   than they did from eloquent scripture examinations in "church."

2.  My sin.... your sin.... our sins -- whatever they may be -- are
like screeching  scraping  SCRITCHING  to our HOLY Almighty God.

That is what you and I do to Him ---

God who has LOVED us  SO  much --

when we CHOOSE  to be   self-centered   and

do what we know does NOT  please Him.    ALSO  Known As   "SIN".  Also known as over-eating,  over-spending,  over-using the internet or over-watching TV.

Also known as GOSSIPING -- even in church in the name of "Prayer concerns."
Also known as ANGER we claim is  normal frustration when things don't go our way.
       That INCLUDES  in the church "serving God."  2nd Corinthians 12:20 and others.

Also known as FEAR that God will not keep His promises to help us.
And not just LYING,  but believing Satan's original sinful words -- saying that God  lies.

We are Scritching,  Nauseating people..... to a Holy God who dearly yearns to make us Right with Him through Jesus Christ our Savior.  So that we can live with Him forever.

PRAYER
         Father God,  Please help me to SEE  how disgusting my sins are to You.  Please give me the MIND OF  CHRIST  that  You describe  in Second Corinthians 2:16.  Help me to be HOLY as You are holy --- which You tell us is possible, so I shall trust Your Word.  But I know I cannot do this without You.  I pray for Your guidance, wisdom, and protection from temptations.  Help me to stop making choices that hurt or disgust you -- whatever choices they may be.  Even if  something that humans call insignificant like Diet choices.  
I pray this in the HOLY Name and power of our LORD Jesus Christ -- for Your glory.

*ENCOURAGEMENT*

Hebrews 7:25.   Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

James 1:21   New Living Translation

So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
*God's WARNINGS*

Colossians 3:8 to 10
But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

©2013 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
Other encouraging resources:  http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com
SAMPLE PARABLE SONGS  (described there now  or scheduled for January 2013)
are located on the index website  DianaDeeOsborneSongs.com :

Calculated Trust    (Using a calculator to prove that 2+2+2 = 7)

Costly Love Gifts     (diamonds and coal)
Crunchy Coffee Blues    (one of my favorites)

Frogs Under the House

God's Pearl Necklace

Great Dane Faith

Jack in the Box NOT

Poor Little Fig Tree      (ok,   I  'borrowed'  the story idea  from Jesus)
Snow Off a Collie's Back

Does God Really Help Dieters? ..... by DianaDee Osborne

January 2

People are unemployed... struggling to make ends meet on the dollars they have.... fearful as they watch the evening news..... fearful as they open their mail..... saddened by loss of friends..... wondering at the purpose of their lives...... hiding their hurting hearts from even themselves as they try to distract their own thoughts using TV and internet and all sorts of things that may hurt them or others.....

DOES GOD REALLY CARE about helping those of us who want to lose weight?

DOES GOD REALLY CARE  to answer prayers for self-control and COURAGE and WISDOM as we face day after day of trying to once again become healthy?

The answer actually isn't that hard to reach.
And SURE,  the "SUNDAY SCHOOL ANSWER"  is 'yes'.  We all know that's the "right answer".

   Here  is  the   LOGICAL    support  of  that  answer :

1.   God loves you.  If you believe any of the Bible,  that fact is said over and over.
2.   Just as you enjoy helping those YOU love,  therefore God enjoys helping you. LOGICAL.
3.   You may not have time, energy, or money to help those you love,     BUT GOD DOES.

   LOGICAL   CONCLUSION:

Yes -- God cares about you & WHATEVER you care about. 

Including   your choices   and   your diet.

ENCOURAGEMENT

Hebrews 4:16

"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

PRAYER

LORD God,  I trust in Your love and mercy,  Your faithfulness even when I am not as I should be.  Please help me to grow to be Christ-Like,  pleasing to You,  not just for my own health or appearance,  but so that I will not hurt You.  I love you.  Thank you for Who you are.... for sending Jesus in Your love for us all.... 

©2013 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
Other encouraging resources:  http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com/

Swim Team Diet Parable .......... by DianaDee Osborne

JANUARY 1

My second child wanted to join the swim team at age 6.  The BIG area swim team.

      One problem:

          She could barely stay afloat.

She had to be able to get from the shallow end of the pool to the deep end's edge

       without drowning.  They don't like it when kids gulp down pool water.

I had several choices:

      1.  Laugh and tell her to wait until she was bigger.

      2.  Don't laugh.... but protect her from embarrassing failures by saying NO, she couldn't join.

      3.  Let her join,  while mentally preparing for a lot of encouragement discussions.

          I   CHOSE   number  3.  

She could float on her back awhile.  

She could flop her arms around to get some forward motion.  Or backward motion... it's confusing.  It was the backstroke.

So she tried out for the team.  On her back, drifting side to side in her lane.

For the entire pool length.    And she MADE it.  Age 6!

Probably STILL holds the record for the longest time of any trial lap  in the entire Club's history.

     WHAT DOES   A CHILD ON A SWIM TEAM   HAVE TO DO WITH 

               DIETING..... AND JANUARY FIRST?

We all know what a new  year often brings...

Resolutions,  or at least hopes that we may be afraid to put into writing.

Decisions that we will succeed.  Amid remembrances of last year's many failures.

We're going to give eventually on some of the days of this year, fall into temptation even though God promised to give us power not to....

power promised via First Corinthians 10:13.   

WHY?  Because Satan's still trying to get us to struggle against drowning in sins with our own power.

YET GOD NEVER  DISCOURAGES US.

1.  Doesn't laugh at our honest desires to please Him on His 'team', following Jesus's way.

2.  Doesn't protect us from failures...... never steals back the free will He gave.

         Yet

3.  Encourages us constantly --

         Friends......... Bible verses found at just the "right" time....... radio station sermons that touch our exact need for the moment......... a Word from God in our hearts.....

Like my persistent little kindergartener,  we succeed simply because we try:

NOT in our own power -- just as my daughter had a coach and parents teaching her and encouraging her.   As God's HOLY SPIRIT  teaches us and guides us as 

we choose to fight temptation of ANY kind, 

whether poor choices of food or other substance things,  or shopping, or technology-addicted,  or......... WHATEVER separates us from Holy God.

PRAYER

Dear LORD God,  I want so much to "be Holy as Thou art holy."  Leviticus 10:3  and  1 Peter 1:15.

Not to "earn heaven,"  but to keep from hurting You after all you've done for me.

I look back on the past 12 months.  And know I'll fail sometimes.  Like losing swim meets over and over.

BUT

I look back on the past 12 months and know that   fighting temptation gets easier as I   keep practicing.  As I keep talking to You my Coach to learn how to pray  (Romans 8: 26) and practice that also. Please help me remember to pray.... remember to refuse to be too proud to turn to you as my Coach, my Teacher, my Savior......

ENCOURAGEMENT

Psalm 18:2
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

©2013 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
Other encouraging resources:  http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com/