THM or A Plan On The Shelf Posted on March 11, 2015March 11, 2015 By pamela October 17, 2013 I received my book… and I wrote about the THM journey here with additional entries following. I wasn’t so much seeking to be a trim healthy mama as much as I was determined to be a healthy mama who happened to figure out how to be and remain disciplined and trim. I had such determination and such confidence. And success, too. Life happened. And failure. This morning I’m cleaning up from a few different events in the last several days and all I see around me are large bowls, serving platters, large carafes, stacks of other dishes, paper products… all the aftermath of food. Lots of food. My scale showed me that, too. In the early days, I was trying to figure out how THM was going to fit in with my life. This bookshelf in my kitchen sort of represents my life. But, I’m telling you, it took no time to figure out that that was the wrong question – the wrong premise on which to embark on the THM journey. I couldn’t even reword that premise to be: how can my lifestyle fit into THM? Though, I did learn to adjust right away, feeble as it was, it wasn’t at all bcz the THM plan fit into anything and not even bcz I fit into the THM plan. It was simple determination to deny self and walk on in faith that I could be free from the grip of undisciplined consumption and THM plan was the path to that freedom. Somewhere along the way, small compromises deterred me from wholeheartedly walking on that freedom path. Small and then absent minded great compromises dull the sharp resolve of discipline. Somewhere along the way I lost sight of the plan, of my resolve to be self-controlled and resolute regarding food (read: sugar). And nothing cements repeated failure more than repeated lack of determination. I typed and then removed a sentence here — it went something like “…lack of a plan.” But I had a plan. I had a very good plan. And when I stuck to the plan, it worked very, very well. It’s a good plan. But a plan on the shelf is not the same as a plan in the mind, a plan in the hand, and a plan in the will and a plan in action. A plan is worthless when not accompanied by resolute determination to carry it out. Excuses? Loads. Loads of ’em. Reasons? Many. Many valid reasons if reason excuses failure. And then there’s the worst of all: Compromise. I look at where I am today compared with where I was seven months ago and I reason that where I am is surely not where I was seventeen months ago. I reason, I’ve only gained 5 or 6 pounds in the last seven months… that’s not too bad, really. I mean, considering, I already lost 35 pounds, so only gaining 5 or 6 pounds is not that bad. Not that bad is one the greatest enemies I have. Compromise is an enemy when it’s not used very carefully and in the right situations. Rarely is that the case. Is the 5 or 6 pound gain the problem or the failure? No. Taking my eyes off the plan (could be any plan by the way — not stuck to the THM-only-no-other-will-do notion) is what’s disconcerting to me. Failing to be, and remain, determined is what I mean. I want to be, to become, and to remain: Determined. I don’t want my plans to be on the shelf… The irony of this thought was not lost on me this morning as I was reading my Bible — reflecting on the content and cross references. I thought, why do I ever get away from doing this? Why is this hunger for the Word so diminished sometimes? So prone to wander… Why are these precious insights so dimmed on one day and not another. Determination. So many areas of our lives are so inextricably linked. Isn’t the Lord so merciful to let us see these connections, fall and get up, by His grace, taking His hand? Isn’t it gracious of Him to bring to remembrance different parables to keep our eyes on Truth? my story Potpourri ThisBeautifulLife THM Trim Healthy Mama my storyThisBeautifulLifeTHMTrim Healthy Mama
Site Additions & Updates Posted on March 3, 2021January 15, 2022 Very recently I’ve had to update this site (some of the differences are very noticeable while others are unchanged) as I was using a WordPress theme that is no longer fully supported by the WordPress platform. I began to notice that certain functions were no longer working, necessitating the change…. Read More
♫ Green Shoe Studio Posted on September 25, 2013 In celebration of marriage, I want to share this beautiful story. It’s a precious testimony of long love… a story of a man missing his wife, his precious wife of seventy-five years… which he says was a dream. From Green Shoe Studio: A Letter from Fred Read More
Mother’s Happy Day… Posted on May 9, 2009 our daughters… and me I’m in awe…with more than I could ever have asked or imagined. my mother, mother-in-love and me Read More
Jennifer, Thank you so much for your thoughtful, reasoned, and loving letter on this often emotionally charged issue/topic. I’m coming to grips with all of this as I navigate past the first two thirds of my life. I say it that way bcz the first two thirds were so seriously wrapped up in sort of a ping-pong of contentment and discontent with body/health/weight/fitness. I know I don’t want to finish my life this way—I mean with the ping-pong game, that is. (No offense intended for those who actually play PingPong—or Pong.) I’m seeing what I’ve always seen——————-moderation, moderation, moderation. I don’t want, as a believer, to be defined by what I *do* or *don’t do* in life and it’s come to me recently that I’ve been setting myself up to be defined as a THM-er. And I don’t want to be that–never wanted to be that girl. It came to me last year when I’d had such a long run of *no* deviation and then was invited to a mother’s day tea where one of the items was a delicious/beautiful cake my daughter in law had prepared. It hit me at that moment, I was not going to “be that girl” who doesn’t eat this or that… and so, I had (and thoroughly enjoyed) a slice. That lead to further reflection the innumerable times I’ve served food that was passed over and I realized in those times that I never wanted to be that girl there, either. So… your letter reminds me: moderation, moderation, moderation. The Lord’s giving me great comfort/direction as I press on. Thank you, Jennifer (and you all) for your part in what the Lord is doing. I pray He will lavishly bless you (and you all) today. Thank you, again, for writing ♥ love, pamela
Go for off the shelf…but no diet books…use THE BOOK. The Bible. Thats enough….thats all you’ll need. Its a heart issue not a food issue…no matter how much you try to make the food behave, you cant. It’s hard to explain in a small comments section…but trust God..let him in…bring him to the table with you. He created your body perfectly. There are food principles in the bible. Jesus says worry NOT about what you eat or drink. Do you sense freedom comes from not worrying?? From letting go and laying it at his feet?? We do have a part. Proverbs also warns us about NOT overeating. That is where most go astray….simple overeating. And in Timothy we are told to receive whatever food we have with prayer and thanksgiving to sanctify it. So how to do all it? Bring God to the table every single time you eat. Praise him, thank him and have a heart to honor him. He created your body perfectly and has given you a mechanism to do this. He created the hunger and fullness sensations in your body. Wait to eat until you are hungry and stop when you are pleasantly full- not stuffed like a Thanksgiving day dinner. Dont become in bondage to the food or the food rules the world sets….those are their rules and they do not work. They create an idol out of food…..they set you up for guilt, condemnation and obsessing totally over food. They give you a false sense that you are in control of something. What you need mastery over is yourself…not food. You need to as God to create within you a clean heart and let go of the controls. Dont worry over the food….let it all go…clear the diet book shelf and set yourself free. Dont measure, mix, concoct, replace high fat for low fact….eat fake sugars, avoid carbs, no meat, no wheat , no sugar, meal plans, replacement drink, pills, potions, excessive exercising ( which honestly just masks an overeating problem) Lay it all down at the feet of our Lord. Search his word out for answers….dont get stuck in the old testament laws over food…they were rigorous and undo able….that why Jesus set us free from the law. When you are hungry- eat…when you are not- dont. Dont count calories – trust your body…if you work more one day you will get more hunger as you’ll burn more calories. If you dont know what true hunger is…do a mini fast till your tummy growls- feel that feeling?? God designed that. It lets you know WHEN your body needs food. Be thankful for whatever food God brings….ask him to show you and help you. He will. Do it as an act of faith….set him first. Ask him to reveal his plan for eating…..let go of the worldly items of the diet industry. God loves good food and he did not place it here to condemn us but we are to have mastery of our flesh. The land of Milk and honey is a sugar filled carb filled place of YUM….Did God say to worry that it’ll spike our bloodsugars?? God knows exactly the foods we’d have today….high fat, GMO, overly processed and all…yet what he said remains. Worry not about it, dont over eat it and whatever it is….be thankful and bless it to sanctify it <—- that alone is eye opening for to sanctify something means for it to be made holy…(WOW) God's got your answers in his book. Your diet information is right there wrapped up in an easy yolk….in its truest untainted by the world's influence…most trustworthy form. His word. His gift to you. You. You and God. The food is almost an after thought. Setting captives free!!! Many blessings to you <3