The Biggest Loser

I've been a little convicted lately about the 15+ pounds I've put on since joining the staff at Grace and about my unwillingness to sacrifice even the simplest pleasures (such as Dr. Pepper) in order to be healthier and less gluttonous. As a result, I convinced Deneise (mostly because sacrifice is so much more fun with someone you love!) to give up Dr. Pepper with me for 30 days just to see if it made any difference in our weight...all other things were to remain the same. We gave it up on Monday, October 8. Fast forward to Friday, October 12, when Ryan Wayne Williams has the brilliant plan to have our very own "Biggest Loser" contest among the staff. His idea: everyone puts money in the hopper each week and weighs in and at the end of 12 weeks, the one who's lost the biggest percentage of weight gets to keep all the cash.

To make a long story even longer, most of the staff are in and we had our first weigh in on Tuesday morning (BTW, that scale weighs heavier than mine at home...hence, the + sign after my 15!). I've done pretty good so far. I can't tell you my top secret weight loss strategies, but if I win, I might write a book and sell them to you!

The point is: I'M STARVING! I know that, literally, I'm not. But, figuratively, I am! I'm sitting here without my Bluebell homemade vanilla ice cream with Reese's shell topping and I'm actually hearing growls from my stomach. It's probably taking wagers from my intestines on how long I'll actually stay on my health kick!

Isn't it crazy how we get so used to excess, we think we are needy when we don't have it. And, that is essentially what this is about for me. I am realizing more and more my greed (which is what gluttony is ultimately) and how it has infiltrated every aspect of me. I actually get a rush from buying stuff, eating stuff, and think having to wait to buy and eat stuff is a catastophe! So, I'm praying that God will change the way I think about gluttony. I want to be appalled at the sin that it is. I know that I will have to depend on Him to change me and for strength to actually do without something that is typically pretty high on my priority list...eating...or at least without eating so much!