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Manna 12
#1
Manna Issue 12

Proverbs 25:16 "If you find honey, eat just enough -- too much of it, and you will vomit."
Romans 14:20 "Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food."

Oh boy, you just knew it would be a matter of time when I would get around highlighting sweets as a food sermon, or should I say avoidance of certain foods for dieters as a food sermon. Today we not only look at Scripture, but common sense as dieters. Processed sugar was not even known back when this Scripture in Proverbs was written , but the sweet tooth and its effects were. The Scripture from Romans just might become our personal dieting Scripture when we are faced with caving in under some of the various temptations out there when we dine out, or in our own homes staring us right in the face that entices us.

You might say, eating is a habit, and we not only learn to like what we eat, be we especially eat what we like. If we habitually eat junk food, we learn to like junk food. If we eat nutritious food regularly, that's what we learn to like. It's amazing how much sweeter natural fruit tastes when we don't eat refined sugar! Our consumption of sugar year-round is a growing problem. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Americans eat 20 percent more sugar now than they did in 1986. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says the average American consumes 20 teaspoons of added sugar a day (added sugar doesn't include the naturally occurring sugars in milk and fruit); that's equivalent to about 16 to 20 percent of total calorie intake! This may seem hard to believe, but many two-ounce candy bars, 12-ounce sodas, and one-cup servings of ice cream contain 10 or more teaspoons of added sugar. The USDA recommends adults get no more than 6 to 10 percent of their daily calories from sugar (about 6 teaspoons per 1,600 calories).

Now you just know I am going to ask you if you get into the children's Easter basket, Halloween treats, or Christmas stocking and have a few sweets on top of your regular consumption? Here is a skinny on a few items. 1 York Peppermint Pattie: 57 calories, 1.3 grams of fat. 3 Hershey Kisses: 75 calories, 5 grams of fat. 20 Jellied Bellies: 80 calories, 0 grams of fat. 1 Russell Stover milk chocolate caramel: 190 calories, 8 grams of fat. 1 Godiva solid Dark Chocolate: 230 calories, 14 grams of fat. It sounds harmless enough, but who eats just one and quits? And I won't even go into our heavy duty gut buster slices of pecan pie or German chocolate cake. You may well have almost a full day of allotted calories by just having one "innocent" slice of dessert! If you're getting too many of your daily calories from sugar, you will have a hard time getting enough of the healthy calories meant for weight loss.

I was talking online to a friend from Britain, and to prove a point why I do not eat frozen vegetables if I can help it, I took a bag from the freezer and emailed to her what one ingredient of this "stir fry" veggie contained---sugar! She was amazed because in Britain things like that are not processed with sugar, and she is a nutritonalist so she knows. We know that our canned fruits contain sugar, our cereals, our muffins, pancake and waffle syrups, and yet we believe we are starting the day off perfectly by having breakfast with a "healthy" start of one or more of these items. Could it be that you are sabotaging your own diet efforts? For two years in a row on one Message Board that I moderated I led a Lenten fast where we gave up one food or drink item during the Lenten season. Many, the first year gave up sweets or colas, and many didn't last very long at it because it was such an essential part of their diet. The following year we had less than a handful that participated. The ones that did discovered increased weight loss, feeling of not only well-being but accomplishment and they will continue to be abstinent of the non-essentials that they gave up. Myself, I permanently gave up colas through this discipline. It is water, water, and more water for me now.

We can make a change in our habits if we want to. Richard Simmons said, without changing any of his other habits, he lost 16 pounds from switching from cola to water. He is a believer now, and spreading the word. The longer we maintain abstinence and eat the kind of food that makes us feel good, the better we like it and the less tempted we are by so-called "treats." We are re-educating our tastes and the results include a healthier body and greater serenity. (How would you also like for a real bonus better dental check-ups?) Do you have a treat or snack that is plaguing you? Disrupting your ability to lose weight? Would you consider trying to go without it for 21 days and see what happens? It is said that it takes 21 days to form or break a habit. This would be so helpful to those of you who are on a plateau. Sometimes we need to fine tune our weight loss efforts and it might be that your snacking is undermining your efforts.

God wants you to be successful in your endeavors and His Word tells us not to eat too much honey! He is giving us a recipe that we need to listen to. We are further exhorted in today's Scripture not to destroy the work of God for the sake of food. Interesting Scripture there isn't it? If you pray daily for God to help you along with your diet, give you weight loss, ease your cravings, then He most certainly will, that is a guarantee. But if we continue to change nothing in our eating habits and then lament that He is not helping us, then we are in a grave area. We are told, do not destroy the works of God. He is working, He is moving, He is delivering you from bondage of food, but you have to co-operate with Him and give also. It must be a lifestyle change, rather than just another fad diet if you hope to achieve permanent success. Perhaps today's two Scriptures should just fall under the category of common sense; or perhaps a light just went on for you. Man working hand in hand with God, that is how we get results. This is how the weight comes off and stays off.

What are we teaching our children about sweets? What were we taught? Both the same, that sweets are a reward for eating all of our meal? Children learn what they live and we have taught them how to grab a quick fix with a sugared-up treat. The following is a true story, an adorable story, but the point is made how we teach our little ones all about dessert. And why they will continue on to teach their children. Remember that processed food was not available when God designed the Garden of Eden to fuel our bodies. The story is called, "Pass the Ice Cream." Last week I took my children to a restaurant. My six-year-old son asked if he could say grace. As we bowed our heads he said, "God is good. God is great. Thank You for the food, and I would even thank You more if mom gets us ice cream for dessert. Amen!" Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby I heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice-cream! Why , I never!" Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?" As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at my son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer." "Really ?" my son asked. "Cross my heart." Then in theatrical whisper he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started the whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes." Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment and then did something I will remember the rest of my life. He picked up his ice cream sundae and without a word walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, "Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes and my soul is good already." Hallelujah! And pass the ice cream!" (by James Murray).

We admit saying grace is a good thing. We admit comforting a six year old by telling him God was pleased with his prayer is an excellent thing, we admit that the little boy performed a miraculous gift of giving, but today, I draw the line at "Halleluiah and pass the ice cream.' We are dieters and we cannot give praise for that which adds to our weight gain dilemma. We must discover discipline and self control once more. We cannot have the sweets that other's do, and as people that have weight problems, we cannot pass those treats on to our household. Folks, simply said, we can not get away with such things as others do. Today's food sermon was a little out of my ordinary style because I got preachy with a substance called sugar. (Well what would you expect from someone with the given name of Candy)?

Keeping with today's theme I am going to give you two great sugar free recipes for when that sweet tooth cries out to you during your attempt at breaking the excessive sugar habit. Try them and see if you can refine that desire to be smothered in sugar. Try giving up just one poor nutrition item and see if it doesn't make a difference over time in your weight loss success. It truly is all about you making the difference daily in what you consume. The only reason I am picking on sugar today is because I have always believed that I had undeniable cravings for it that needed to be pacified. Giving it up, other than an occasional treat has debunked the myth of cravings. As stated earlier " If we habitually eat junk food, we learn to like junk food. If we eat nutritious food regularly, that's what we learn to like. It's amazing how much sweeter natural fruit tastes when we don't eat refined sugar!"

Orange Burst Smoothie Serving Size 2
12 ounces (non sweetened) orange juice
2/3 cup frozen nonfat vanilla yogurt
1 cup peaches
1 whole banana
1/2 cup crushed ice
Pour orange juice in blender. Add the frozen yogurt, peaches, banana and ice. Blend until smooth with a thick consistency. (My daughter, a successful dieter and former sweet tooth junkie has a smoothie like this every morning for breakfast) .

"PINK" SALAD
1 lg. container cottage cheese
1 med. container sugar free Kool-Aid
2 c. fruit, diced
1 lg. pkg. sugar free Jell-O (dry)
Mix together. Chill at least 1 hour before serving. (Try serving this when company comes; they'll feel that they have had a special dessert) .

Gracious Father, I am trying to do the right things by dieting, and I pray that You continue to guide and help me. I am always so tempted to revert to my old habits and comfort zone, but I have asked for and desired deliverance from my past habits, and by Your grace and goodwill I know that I will be victorious. May I be willing to amputate from my diet those things that will not contribute to my health. Thank You, Lord for the help that You will be extending to me to get through this day and the next. Amen ©2001-2007 www.gracetoday.com
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