Change Up
So, this past week, my wife suggested changing to a diet for our 8 year old, which would basically cut out over half of the foods he is currently eating. This new GFCF diet is supposed to have some positive effects after 6 weeks, so after today’s shopping expedition, it looks like we are ‘all in’, so to speak. No, our whole family is not adopting this diet (yet), but trying to limit other things in the house from a hungry 8 year old may prove to be a challenge as well. We have tried some of these recipes already, and honestly our whole family enjoyed them, despite being a bit more money and more work to prepare. The change will not be an easy one, but we will see within a couple months if it is worthwhile. What have been some difficult changes you have had to make recently, and were those worth the time and effort it took?
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7
We are all creatures of habit, and this becomes more noticeable and ingrained in us the older we get…eventually leading to the Grumpy Old Man syndrome. But ask anyone, no matter their age, and we all most likely have something that we would like to change about our daily routines, whether it be our diets, activity level, sleep routines, how we spend money, or just increasing or decreasing the amount of time we spend with people or doing different daily activities. Like our new year’s resolutions, we all endeavor to make some changes, but often lack the plan and determination to follow through on them. This year, I have been wanting to make more time to read and run, not at the same time, but just being more disciplined about scheduling them into my days. It has improved, but not to the level of consistency I would like. As Christians, we could also ask ourselves whether our time in the Word and in prayer are what we would like. What do you think?
“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12
We may think we are free, but we are all slaves to something in our lives, often unknowingly, and it could be anything from our own selfish desires, or fear, or sin, or a Savior, or something else. We often have a say in what those things are, but depending on when and where you live, sometimes you may not have much say. There are some people today born into the Dalit or Untouchable caste in India which basically says they will be the most despised people in that country for the remainder of their lives, just because of the parents to whom they were born. But there is hope for these people when they are born again and choose to become slaves to Christ. There is hope even for us, who often surrender our freedom to the demands and lures of the world around us. But when we pledge our allegiance again to the One who brought us hope, and grace, and redemption, we again gain our freedom when we surrender to Him. May you find new life and freedom in Christ – each and every day!
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
Yours in Christ,
Clark
