The Ghost of Valentine's Day Past

Emotional eaters don't like to
reveal their shameful secret!

Don't give anyone permission to steal your joy!

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.  
- 1 Corinthians 10:13


 

 A few years ago, I was working a full-time job.  I was promoted into a position that was created "just for me" (their words, not mine) and was just sort of left hanging.  The lack of training caused me to feel some additional stress.  At that time, I was an emotional eater and eating junk food was my way of coping with stress.  I don't recommend it!  One February 14th, after an extremely harsh meeting, I bought some very unhealthy Valentine cookies from a bakery across the street from the office.  I took them back to work and hid them in my desk drawer. Eating junk food at my desk was not something I liked to advertise.  Emotional eaters don't like to reveal their shameful secret!  

A co-worker happened to walk by as I was binge eating.  She gently reminded me, "Linda, this was a bad day, not a bad life.  Don't take what happened in that meeting personally.  It was just business, that's all.  Nobody hates you personally."  I handed the cookies to my co-worker and said, "Here, please throw these away!"  That's when it hit me - I needed to cope with stress in a better way.  I was not hurting them - but I was killing myself!    

We get to choose every single day how we will cope with the stresses of everyday life.  We can stuff our faces with junk food (so-called "comfort food"), or we can face our challenges head on and make some positive changes and make the world a better place for ourselves.  I choose the latter - every day!  

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.  - Maria Robinson

I've been thanking God for the turn of events in my life every day since that memorable Valentine's Day!  It's been quite a learning curve for me, but once I realized that eating junk food was an act of self-destruction and did not help the situation one bit, I began to find more constructive ways of coping with stress.  

Take back your power!

For one thing, I don't just sit idly by and let circumstances overwhelm me anymore.  If I'm in a bad place, I move to a better one - it's as simple as that.  If I'm in a work environment and things get bad - I no longer sit quietly by and allow them to get worse.  I've finally learned that it is not wrong to speak up for myself and let it be known that I don't know what is expected of me and demand to be given clear instruction.  There's nothing worse than trying to figure out what people want from you - and guessing incorrectly.  If I'm ever in doubt about what is expected from me these days, I definitely speak up and let people know I don't understand and I need further clarification.  

Getting out of your comfort zone is not an altogether bad thing.  It hurts to fail, but it hurts even more to be too frightened to get back up and try again.

 Stop holding on to the past.
Release your regrets about whatever you may have done
or failed to do that turned out poorly.
Forgive others for whatever they may have done
or failed to do that caused you harm.
...

Declare today to be a new beginning.
Let go of the past and move on with creating
a joyful new future for yourself.
 

- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

 

Emotional eating leads to nothing but guilt.  I want a joyful new future because God has not given up on me.  I will not stop pursuing happiness.  Today when I feel stress building up, I unwind with exercise.  The release of pent up energy through exercise is most effective.  There are many benefits to exercise in stress management, as we all know.    

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  - Romans 8:28

Don't confuse the function of food with love.  Food is simply the fuel you give your body to keep it running efficiently.  Love is love - and no amount of food is going to take the place of love - ever! 

Have a very happy Valentine's Day! 

Eu stress???  A good stress?  Really???

http://youtu.be/kgJFpE1tq0k
 

Did you know the first mass-produced VALENTINE'S DAY cards were produced in the 1840's?  The invention of the Valentine is credited to a woman named Esther Howland from Massachusetts.  She is referred to as "The Mother of the American Valentine".




 

From the BAD GIFTS FROM HUSBANDS file we repost this oldie but goodie for Valentine's Day.

Jim asked his friend, Tony, whether he had bought his wife anything for Valentine's Day.  'Yes,' came the answer from Tony who was a bit of a chauvinist, 'I've bought her a belt and a bag.'

'That was very kind of you,' Jim added, 'I hope she appreciated the thought.'

Tony smiled as he replied, 'So do I, and hopefully the vacuum cleaner will work better now.'