It's the end of the month of July and I'm looking back over the past 31 days and marveling at what has happened. I wanted to give you an update.
1. We saved right at $400 this month by not eating out.
Can you believe that? I was shocked.
I kept track on my phone of all the times I wanted to eat out, but didn't, and then also all the times that I/we would have eaten out if it had been "business as usual."
My husband and son didn't abstain in the same way I did, but they cut back quite a bit.
There were 2 times that I purchased food, once where I sat and ate a burger with friends, and once where we ran through the drive thru to grab a chicken dinner for the drive in movie. But there was also 2 times where I met friends at a restaurant and sat at the table and didn't eat!
2. There are opportunities for food EVERYWHERE!
I guess you're never more aware of something until you are "giving it up." But I had never realized how readily available food was until this month. Grocery stores have soup and salad buffets. Gas stations have hot and ready pizza. Convenience stores have 2 ft. sub sandwiches and hot corn dogs at the counter! And it can all be bought with food stamps if you have 'em! So, it's no small wonder why America is dealing with an obesity epidemic!
3. It's not about the restaurant/eating out.
It's a heart issue. Always has been.
I've learned again that everything I do, EVERYTHING I do, proceeds from my heart.
You could put me in a foreign country where there was extreme food shortages and I could/would still desire my own way, still want to draw comfort from something other than Christ! It's the constant battle that I fight, and I don't think I'm alone. My peace, my comfort, my satisfaction MUST be in Christ alone! So God has once again shown me that it isn't about the food, or the restaurant, it's about the motive and position of my heart.
4. God will answer your prayer. And He's willing to do what you ask Him to.
I've been asking Him this month to really make me SICK of my sin, and even if it means literally making me feel sick to my stomach when I eat the wrong things. And guess what? He has done that! I have been tempted, and one day I gave in to purchasing some rich, sweet chocolate cake slice at the Kroger bakery. One bite was good; 2 bites was a bit much, and the 3rd bite I really thought I wasn't going to keep down! I ended up throwing the rest away. I actually laughed and said, "Very funny, Jesus! Answer to prayer noted!" :)
5. He is enough.
This is the theme that kept repeating itself over and over this month. It is something that I've been trying to teach my heart to remember. I cannot do anything to add to this salvation. There is nothing else I "need" outside of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Anything that I would try to substitute for peace or pleasure is rubbish! I do not need to work harder, or try harder, or be anything other than the completely adopted and loved daughter of the King.
He is enough.
And that makes me enough.
So, it's been a month of reflection and learning, growth and discovery. I can feel the stirrings of big changes coming on and I'm not exactly what that's going to look like but I'm excited.
Stay tuned!
