My Perfect Body

What is a perfect body?  In this modern day culture we have all kinds of images thrown at us.  From airbrushed magazine covers to plastic filled movie stars, we're told what "real" beauty looks like.  Young girls sense it from an early age.  We become increasingly aware as we mature.  We've been looking at these images (and more and more of them all the time) from the earliest we can remember.  It's easy to see where our culture places beauty on the importance scale.  It's also easy to see how our value is often linked to our image.

This year I've made a commitment to focus on my health, taking steps toward a healthier lifestyle.  I even started a second blog about my health journey.  As a result of greatly cutting out refined food, unnatural sugars and other things and adding in more "real" food as well as a little extra exercise, I've lost a few pounds.  That feels good.   But...a perfect body?   Is that possible?  What is a perfect body anyway?

Hey, I've under slept and overeaten most of my life.  I've had surgeries, and I proudly display various battle scars.  By golly, I've even carried and given birth to two 8 and a half pound babies.  This body ain't never going to be "perfect" again. Not that it really ever was, not according to the standards of the world.  I've never been the Hollywood type.  Reality, I never will be.  Perfect is an illusion when it comes to looks.   

The problem is, our culture changes the definition of perfect every time we turn around. Not only that, we tend to change our definition too.


So, I think the true question is how does God define a perfect body?  Because, really, He's the One we are here to glorify, not others or self.  Right?!

Before I go any further, I have to tell you, I believe God shows us clearly in His Word that He expects us to care for the "temple" He's given us.  It's obviously not right to abuse our bodies...and then expect them to work well for us.  We need to be good stewards of what God's given us.  That includes our body.  If we want a healthy body, one that's well and able to do the work He's called us to do, then we will need to take the time to care for it as we should.  Sooo...what I'm about to write is not an excuse to neglect the outside.  Rather, it's a reminder to focus first on what's on the inside, then work outward.  :)

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

So, I ask again, how does God define a perfect body?  I think He sees a perfect body as one indwelled by His Holy Spirit!  A soul empty of self, acceptable for His inhabitanance.  Now, that's a body He can use!

 

Turns out I can dress up the outside, workout 'til I'm blue in the face and eat every healthy vegetable I can find and still find myself with a hollow, ugly body in God's eyes.  Cellulite, decay and deficiency of the heart. 

Isn't that just like us humans, getting all caught up in the perishable things we can see while losing sight of the truly important, eternal things?  We need to focus!  God is looking for bodies He can use.  People who will die to self and walk in the Spirit.   God's Son, Jesus, came and gave His body so we could, not only have eternal life, but abundant life now.  We must give up our life to gain it.  Not that we're always going to get it right, we're not.  But we must choose to die to self, over and over again, so that Christ can live through us. 

Although I'm about 100% sure I'll never reach the world's "perfect body" definition, I now realize I can have a perfect body in God's eyes!  I can be a body He can indwell and use for His glory! 

What a joy to know when He looks at me, He doesn't see what everyone else sees.  He sees my heart, His temple.  My body, His image.  I can love my body, so called flaws and all, because He does.  And His definition of perfection never changes. :)

But the LORD said....The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." I Samuel 16:7

Friend, you can have a perfect body too!  :)

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2

Today I'm linking up with the Jill Savage's Hearts at Home Blog Hop.  Click the link below to read more of what others had to say on this subject.

 

Fun Things to Do and Something to Think About: Ice Cream In a Bag, Marshallow Shooters, Shoe Rack and Looking Fancy on the Outside

Hey, it's:

I have a mismatched variety of things to share today...from home to fun stuff I've down with my boys (with lots of pictures) to something a little deeper to think about (since I didn't find time to write it at the end of last week).  Variety is the spice of life right?!

Today I'm sharing 4 ideas:

1. Ice Cream in a Bag

2. Mini-Marshmallow Shooters

3. Shoe Rack...stop tripping over shoes on the floor!!

4. Something to think about: Being Fancy on the Outside

These first activities will give you (and/or your kids) something fun to do if you're still getting winter weather like we are here in Beranville.  This was the view from my front porch this morning.  A bit different than the one on the header of this blog, huh?!

 

This past week we made ice cream.  Perfect treat on a cold day, right?!  Hey, ice cream is good any time.  :)

 

Ice Cream in a Bag

 

My boys were so excited to make this simple, FUN recipe together.  Here we had almost everything we needed for our homemade ice cream.  Ice, milk, 1 quart Ziploc bag, an old coffee can (or you could use a gallon Ziploc bag) and sugar. You will also need vanilla and salt.

 

 

I put one cup of milk in the quart Ziploc bag.  I added two Tablespoons of sugar.

My littlest guy added 2 teaspoons of vanilla as big brother held the bag.

 

I made sure the bag was sealed tightly.

The boys enjoyed shaking the bag, mixing the ingredients!

 

I filled the coffee can 1/2 way with ice.  And added a 1/2 cup of salt.

I happened to have some old canning salt on hand so I used that.

You could use ice cream salt or just plan ol' table salt.

 

 

My littlest man got to put the bag in the coffee can.

As I said before, you could use a gallon Ziploc bag, but I was concerned the rigid ice might make a hold in the outside bag...resulting in a big mess.  Besides, we had an old coffee can handy. It worked well and didn't leak at all.

 

Look at that concentration! :)

Now it was time to shake, shake, shake. 

 

 

We had to shake for 5 minutes straight.

When we were done I cut off a corner of the bag and served it like soft serve.



Looks yummy, doesn't it?!



 

 

We added some sprinkles...and enjoyed the fruit of our labor! :)

 

Although it wasn't quite as good as the store bought stuff, the boys agreed they were proud of their accomplishment and had a blast making it.  We'll do this again.

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I saw this idea for making a 

Mini-Marshmallow Shooter

on Come Together Kids 

 

What a fun idea!

 

I love this action shot!

A little harder for small hands, but he managed
Please don't mind their messy play clothes,
they're making good, sometimes messy, memories! :)

All it took for each boy was 2 plastic cups (because the ones we had were flimsy, we used 2) and a balloon.  Tie a deflated balloon, cut the round end off (about 1/2 way up).  Cut two plastic cups in half.  Slip the balloon over the lip of the cups.  Fill with mini-marshmallows and fire!  Easy, cheap and lots of fun.  Guaranteed giggles...even for Mom!

 

Want more fun ideas?  Follow me on Pinterest or sign up for e-mail updates in the right hand sidebar!

 

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Want something to do that's a little more grown up?  Here's another little project for thos of you who are tired of tripping over your shoes.

 

I had seen a picture of something similar on Facebook.  I have no idea who's page it was on or where it came from.  It was just a picture, no directions. From that picture I got an imagine in my mind and decided my husband and I could easily make one...and that we needed it.  He thought the idea sounded silly...until he saw the finished product!  No he loves it as much as I do.

 

Shoe Rack 

 

 

We happen to be remodelling our basement at the moment.  We had an extra trim board (yes the basement trim is much prettier in the basement than the trim upstairs, ie: in this hallway) left over.  It is about 6 1/2 feet long.

 

I bought 20 cheap hooks in the hardware section at Wal-Mart, enough to hang 10 pairs of shoes.  We mounted the trim board using screws and a level.  We then measured our board to figure out how many inches to place the hooks apart.  Measured the inches, marked it with a pencil, used a drill to attach the hooks. Wallah!  Simple really.

 

This gives us easy access to our most worn shoes as well as time for them to dry (on wet days) before being put in the closet.  So glad we're no longer tripping over shoes in this well travelled hallway!

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Speaking of shoes...

 

Looking Fancy on the Outside

 

Last week my oldest little man (6) got a new pair of Sketchers.  Well, they're not exactly new.  They're a fabulous yard sale find that I'd stuffed away for the day he'd grow into them.  They're still a little on the big side, but he loves them so much that he wants to wear them regardless.

 

Anway, they're pretty cool Sketchers.  To make it even cooler little brother has a matching pair.

 

As my 6 year old inspected his newly beloved shoes he asked, "Mom, why is the S on the outside of my shoe sparkly silver and the one on the inside just plain gray?"  I said that was a good question, then explained (my assumption) that it's for show.  I told him other people more often see the outside of the shoe than the inside, so that's probably why the manufacturers chose to make them that way.  He figured they should make both the outside and inside "fancy".

 

 

I got to thinking about this.  Why do we work so hard at making the outside look fancy?

 

We do it all the time...

 

We gussy up our outside, hair, makeup and clothes, while neglecting our soul.

 

We show the world "out there" our good side and show those inside our own home (those we say we love and cherish the most) our ugly side.

 

We put up good appearances while we're falling apart inside...and our heart is crying for help.

 

We grin and bear it as we're bitterly fuming on the inside.

 

We exercise our bodies while starving our spirit of the time we need with God.

 

We can look so fancy on the outside, but the inside...Oh, the inside!  It's what matters most!

 

John 4:23-34 says, "...true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.  For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

 

P.S. There's nothing wrong with taking time to make your outside look good as long as your insides match!  :)

 

Want to learn about making All-Natural Homemade Lotion or 2 Ingredient Cookies?

Check out my other blog: Health In Beranville

 

If you like an idea on this post please share it with your friends using the bottons below.

 

Have questions?  Ideas?  What do you think?  Leave a comment.  I like hearing from friends both old and new.

Self-Control

Our topic at MOPS this month was “self-control”. Probably not the most popular topic. I mean, who really wants to talk about denying self, right? And, yet, I think it’s an important subject. If you are anything like me, you have probably felt more “out of control” than “self-controlled” in one area or another at some point in time…maybe even right now.

Does self-control seem out of reach? Impossible? Unrealistic?

I have felt like that at times and, in some areas of my life, I feel like that now. Yet, God’s Word says to think clearly and exercise self-control (see I Peter 1:13). Do you think He would have instructed us to exercise self-control if it were impossible to do so? Remember what you feel and what is true are often two different things.

I’m definitely not an expert when it comes to self-control. I still struggle in areas. But, I have learned a few things on the subject in my lifetime that I would like to share with my Christian friends, and remind myself of, at the same time.

1. It is not impossible!  You can change! How do I know? I use to bite my fingernails down to the wick. I quit. I was in a destructive relationship and living a destructive lifestyle. I was able to change. I use to recklessly spend money. I got out of debt and am now very frugal. If I can do it, you can too! Nothing is impossible with God! (Luke 1:37)

2. You can not do it alone (but you can do it)! It takes reliance on the Holy Spirit. You can try all the positive thinking techniques and “fast and easy” schemes out there. They might even work for a time. But, most likely, you’ll fall back into old habits. Truly practicing self-control requires a dependence on what I call “Spirit-control”.  Knowing we can not do it within our own strength, but we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength (Philippians 4:13). I’ve heard people say, “God never gives us more than we can handle.” I believe God gives us more than we can handle all the time, but He never gives us more than He can help us handle! You are able because He is able!

“But the Holy Spirit produces...self-control…Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” Galatians 5:22-25

3. You aren’t going to “just change”!  It takes a lot of Thinking and Praying to see lasting results! It requires a change of mindset. We have to think about what we are doing rather than merely going through the motions of everyday life. It takes active effort and thought. Even more so, it requires persistent prayer. We have to ask God for strength, will-power and to help us think clearly. We have to speak to Him often, asking for His help, throughout the day. We must recognize our moment by moment dependence on Him. Perhaps that is why His Word tells us to pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17).

4. The enemy will try to discourage you!  Don’t let him. You’re probably going to mess up at some point. A mess up doesn’t equal failure. Instead of beating yourself up, repent, move on and do better next time. He will tell you that you “can’t” and that you “won’t” and that your not able. He is a liar! He wants you to give up. Stand on the truth of God’s faithful Word rather than the whispers of a lying thief whose goal is to destroy you (I Peter 5:8). He wants to keep you in a place of defeat. If you are a believer, remember greater is He (the Holy Spirit) that is in you, than he that is in the world (the enemy)! (I John 4:4)

Self-control truly is not out of reach. We don’t have to live feeling like areas of our life are “out of our control”. God gave His Holy Spirit to those of us who believe for direction and power. Wherever you are struggling, know He knows and cares and will help you if you seek Him.

Let’s review! We must remember, it is NOT impossible. We can not do it alone, but we CAN do it! It takes thinking and praying. And although the enemy will try to discourage us, God’s Word is full of encouragement!

"So do not fear, for I am with you; be not dismayed because I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

Goodness Gracious!

Rise & Shine Women’s Retreat is only 8 days from today!! As we’ve prepared for the retreat the call to pray over the beautiful women who will attend has become increasingly apparent this year. We prayed for them earnestly last year as well, but this year we felt God impress upon our hearts to pray for each of them specifically BY NAME.

We wanted to pray specific scripture truth over each of them…and felt directed to Galatians 5:22-25, the Fruit of the Spirit.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS and SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Galatians 5:22-25

As registrations have come in, we’ve prayed for God to guide our hands to assign the names to a specific “fruit” that will be especially meaningful to that woman. Although we don’t know many of these women personally, we know God does and He knows just what each of them need. We’ve prayed that all of the fruit of the Spirit will be displayed in and through them. Then, that God will work on this one particular fruit in a very special way in their lives at this time.

Let me tell you, it has been such a blessing to pray for these dear, dear women. What is amazing to me is that while praying for them, my faith has been increased. As I’ve prayed for them to be blessed, I, myself, have been blessed, shaped and changed. Prayer is powerful because God is powerful!

That being said, I have a confession to make...I was kind of surprised when my name fell under “goodness”. At first, I though, “Goodness gracious, my name fell under goodness! Really, God? Goodness? I mean, I know I need some love, joy and peace…but goodness? I’m good, right?!” I know, I know, how arrogant of me, right?! I’m just being honest here.

Within a few moments I realized the error of my ways. I knew we had been praying for each name to get assigned to just the “right” fruit and I knew that included my own. I said, “I’m sorry, Lord. I know there must be a reason my name fell under goodness. Please show me.”

I realized I probably needed a better understanding of the word “goodness”. I sat down with the definition of goodness, “what is beneficial, being good; moral excellence or virtue; integrity, uprightness.” I looked up “moral excellence”, “virtue”, “integrity”, and “uprightness” for further clarification. Then, I looked up these scripture references…

I long to obey your commandments! Renew my life with your goodness. Psalm 119:40


Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:6

For the light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Eph 5:9

Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. Prov 3:27

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. Rom 12:21

I started asking myself some questions, Do I long to obey His commandments? Do I only say and do what is beneficial? His goodness and unfailing love are pursuing me, am I really aware? Does the light within me produce only what is good, right and true? Do I help others when it’s within my power, or am I too busy to even notice sometimes? Do I conquer evil by doing good? Is my life marked by His goodness…moral excellence, virtue, integrity, His righteousness? It became clear. I said, “Oh, LORD, I do desperately need your goodness to fill my heart and life! I need more of You and less of me.”

In the past few weeks it seems everything I’ve read or heard has to do with “God’s goodness” and the need I have for it. His goodness and unfailing love are definitely pursuing me…and I’ve noticed. From an e-mail devotional titled, “Do You Hate Sin?” to a chapter titled, “Speak the Truth” in a parenting book I’m reading, have shown me even more clearly the need I have for God’s goodness…what is good, right and true.

Goodness gracious, God! You are soooo good!! You know how to meet us right where we are!

What about you? Is your life marked by the goodness of God? Can others see Him in you, just by the things you do and say? Do you speak the truth in love? Do you long to obey His commandments which means hating sin? Do the things that offend Him, offend you? Do you help others when you can and conquer (which means overcome) evil by doing good? If we have made a commitment to love, honor and serve Jesus, then our lives should be marked by the Fruit of the Spirit...His Spirit living in and working through us.

Each of the fruit of the Spirit are important, but I know “goodness” is where my name was suppose to fall on that list…and just what the Lord wanted to work on in my heart and life at this moment in time. I pray that each of the women who will attend Rise & Shine on October 30th will find the “fruit” that has been prayed over them to be just as revealing and relevant as I have.

Goodness gracious, God! You are so good! Thank you for knowing each of us so personally! Thank you for being a loving Father who wants to grow us, stretch us and love on us every chance you get! Thank you for pursuing us with Your goodness and unfailing love. Thank you for revealing to me the need for more of Your goodness in my life. Reveal to me other areas that need work. I pray you will reveal areas that You would like to work on in the lives of those who are reading this as well. Thank you for loving us just the way we are, but also loving us enough not to let us stay there. Thank you for filling me and my Christian sisters with Your Holy Spirit…and reminding us to follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

P.S. If you’re attending Rise & Shine Women’s Retreat please visit the prayer room to find out what “Fruit” has been prayed over YOU specifically by name. We’ll have cards with the “Fruit“, the definition, and scripture references to go along with it. We believe it will be just one of so many blessings in store for you that day!!

If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you can choose to do so today. I would love to talk to you about it rachel.beran@yahoo.com