Healthy Mama = Happy Mama!

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.  1 Corinthians 6:19-20

A temple.

The temple Solomon built was about 20 stories high at it's highest point, the building was 180 by 90 feet, and it was inwardly covered with gold.

I don't think our minds can imagine such a massive building in which the inside was completely overlaid with pure gold.

But something like this is what Paul metaphorically speaks of our body.  

If our bodies are temples (remember, think overlaid with pure gold), then what are we doing to keep it beautiful, the gold polished, and preserving it for the Holy Spirit?  Are we glorifying God with what we put into our body?  With what we do to our body?

Somewhere along the line, being so gradually seduced by the world, we, as the church, have forgotten the whole bit about glorifying God with our bodies. 

Somewhere along the line, we've accepted processed foods, white flour, and refined sugar as the staples for our dinner tables.  AND called it good.  

Oh yes, it's good...to our taste buds, but...hey, where'd that spare tire come from?

Why do we think that it's okay to eat this way, ignoring our body's need for nutrition and filling up on empty calories?  Perhaps we've filled up so much on empty calories, we've crowded out the Holy Spirit...

I was contemplating these things today, and I was considering how my eating habits directly affect the way I parent, worship, and my marriage.

When I give in to my insatiable appetite for chocolate (because I don't pretend that I've never done that...), then my energy goes down, my body feels yucky, and my hair lacks luster.  And when all of that happens, I tend to yell at my children, growl at my husband, and ignore my God.

Why do we sacrifice the harmony of our home for the temporary lust of the flesh (and the eyes...)?

Proverbs 31:27 says 

She looks well to the ways of her household

A little self-control can do a great deal to the ways of our households...  Will you, oh dear friend, look well to the ways of your household?

Ignore the chocolate on the grocery store shelf...buy whole grain flour instead of white...serve vegetables with your meals...and find someone with which to be accountable.  Accountability goes a long way...because there was no one here to tell me no, I ate about 3 too many monster cookies the other day...(I told you I have an insatiable desire for chocolate...).

Do your God a favor, and use a healthy body to worship Him and be a witness for Him.

Do your children a favor, and make their short time in your home the best it can be.  They are only little for a while--how do you want them to remember you as their mother?

Do your husband a favor, and have a healthy body for him to enjoy. And a healthy body also means a happy body...and men love a glad wife.

And don't hesitate to check in and see how I'm doing making myself healthy...we all need the accountability.