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I have not updated this blog since early March. I wrote new entries weekly until a year ago. The craziness of 2020/21 gave me a new goal of posting monthly. Since my last entry, I have not found time (or made time) to open my blog app. My stresses added up: teaching students in a public school during a pandemic, my mom’s death last year, and daily chores/challenges. I stepped on the scale during my last checkup and was slapped by reality. The scale passed an old number I never wanted to see again. When I got honest, I realized I was eating too much.Read More →

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My natural reaction is worry whenever troubling thoughts pop in my mind. I imagine the worst possible ending actually happening and plot how to “get even”. Worrying drains my energy and brings a deep spiral of anxiety. None of my problems get better and I feel worse. Psalm 55:22-23 is, “Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders – he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out. He’ll never let good people topple into ruin. But you, God, will throw the others into a muddy bog, Cut the lifespan of assassins and traitors in half. And I trust in you.” Holy Bible, The Message , 2002 GodRead More →

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Non stop stress seems normal these days. I am overwhelmed from dealing with one crisis after another. My tired brain runs on fumes. No matter how much I work, I get overwhelmed by what needs to be done. I turn to food even though I know it won’t solve my problems. Matthew 4:4 is, “Jesus answered… “It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth’” Holy Bible The Message, 2002, I need more than bread or food to survive. There is no way I can handle everything on my own strength. Trying harder burns me outRead More →

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2020 was a tough year and 2021 is off to a rough start. I hate to admit it, but I am guilty of stress eating. My stress and fatigue increase each day. Instead of seeking the Lord, I look to food for relief. Some of my pants no longer fit. I am tempted to accept stress weight gain as my “new normal” so I can enjoy food. 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 is, That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long…” Holy Bible, New LivingRead More →

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Positive vibes cannot cover the fact that 2020 has been a difficult and crazy year. It seems like a bad dream that continues every night. I have struggled to stay focused on the Lord instead of worrying. One of my friends recently said, “What if all I had today was what I thanked God for yesterday?” This hit me because I might have nothing. No matter how bad things appear to be, I find the Lord’s blessings when I seek Him. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 is, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” Holy Bible, NewRead More →

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My brain is cluttered like a computer with multiple browser tabs open. When I concentrate on one, another thought pops up. These distractions are my worst enemy. They interrupt my daily tasks and keep me from growing closer to the Lord. I waste too much of my prayer and Bible reading time trying to fix my problems. Psalm 37:4 is, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2015 God wants me to delight in His presence. The enemy uses distractions keep me from seeking Jesus. My mind goes from resting in the Lord toRead More →

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I did not intend to take a break from blogging. Teaching students in 2020 (with twice as much work) has drained my energy. My oven recently went out, making it tougher to throw together easy meals. It has been hard to balance everything I need to do. I would be lying if I pretended my eating was fine. Matthew 6:33 is, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2015 I need to seek the Lord first. He is my only path to peace. My mind turns pessimistic whenRead More →

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I feel like I have experienced a life’s worth of hard times in 2020. If another struggle/trial/obstacle is thrown my way, I might go crazy. When I focus on negativity, everything seems doomed. I hate to admit that my hopeless feelings lead me to excess food. Romans 5:3 is, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.” Holy Bible, New Living Translation Seeing the heavenly view changes my perspective. God is not finished with me and uses everything to make me more Christlike. Unlike food, the Lord comforts and helps me deal withRead More →

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This past week (more like an entire month) has been hectic. I feel like I will never finish everything I have to do. Everything on my list needed to be done yesterday. To say I am stressed is an understatement. I need rest, but don’t have time to relax. Psalm 91:1 is, “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2015 I find rest when I seek the Lord. No matter how busy I am, I have time to cry to Jesus. He gives me strength so I canRead More →

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I once sought pleasure in excess food. I enjoyed eating anything and everything I wanted to. The world tells me to seek what I desire and that food can comfort me. It whispers other lies such as, “You love pizza and should finish this last piece.” I fell for this lie and believed stuffing my body with food would make me happy. Psalm 37:4 is, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Holy Bible, English Standard Version, 2001 The Lord has changed my heart so I want Him more than food. I no longer get pleasure fromRead More →