Hunger vs. Starvation
Well- I'm back. In reading some of my friend's blogs, I realized that I have been gone for far too long. So here is the latest, God -inspired revelation.
It all started this morning on the way to church. Once again, I hadn't prepared a Children's Message and I was operating on the faith that God would provide one. One mile from the church, I was still without inspiration, but I had a whiny son in the back seat who was complaining that he was hungry. I am not a breakfast eater, so I have tried to encourage my kids to take care of breakfast on their own. As one who possesses an eating disorder (or OVER eating disorder), I try to avoid food preparation whenever possible. I liken it to being an alcoholic bartender (buy the food, prepare the food, smell the food, clean up the food, but for Heaven's sake- don't EAT the food!).
SO- when Sawyer started complaining that he was hungry- I had no sympathy. He has been told time and time again to get up, get dressed, get breakfast, brush his teeth...you know the drill! He's almost seven. He's capable! How hard is a Pop Tart anyway! At the peak of the noise, I exclaimed, "NO ONE EVER DIED OF HUNGER!" This woke up my mental hamster and he started running on his little 'idea wheel' and I explored the differences between hunger and starvation, since I realize that you CAN actually starve to death.
Hunger is an emptiness. It is the lack of fulfillment. Physically, it can be satisfied with food. If we ignore hunger for too long, it can lead to starvation, but I stand by my original statement that no one ever died of hunger.
Hunger creates a desire to seek. It leads us to search and to find the things that we need. It puts us on alert so that we can meet the criteria for life.
Starvation, on the other hand, is the result of not satisfying our hunger. If we go long enough without food, without fulfillment, a part of us will die (or all of us, in the physical sense!)
Relate all of this to our spiritual self. When I am away from church and my church family and influence, I become hungry. I crave the companionship of fellow believers. I desire to be near them and influenced by them and feel a dissatisfaction. As with physical hunger, I feel 'out of sorts' when I'm spiritually hunger. As my Godly blood sugar drops, my world just doesn't seem right. I need to eat, be filled by the Spirit.
If I stay away too long, I feel like I may starve to death. My spirit begins to die.
As with physical hunger, we must put the right things in to truly satisfy our needs. If we fill ourselves with 'junk', it only creates a short term satisfaction and does not truly meet our needs. Sugar and sweets, though mentally satisfying, will not nourish us physically in the way that our body needs, just as the mere company of fellow Christians won't feed us spiritually if we do not spend our time appropriately.
So I challenge you to feed yourself today. Seek nourishment of your body and soul in a way that is pleasing to God. May you use 'hunger' to encourage you to seek and may it never lead to starvation.
posted by Lori Anne | Sunday, June 04, 2006
9 Comments:
How hard is it to make a Pop Tart, indeed? He's 6. You speak of being a Christian and yet you can't even make your own son breakfast? Then, you have no sympathy for him when he says he's hungry? Nice testimony.
I prefer to be a Christian who can admit to being fallible and who has a sense of humor. My testimony is that I can laugh at myself and the reality of life around me, and still love Jesus with all of my heart. I'm not perfect. God knows that.
I believe you missed the message of the story in your attempt to condemn me. What kind of testimony is that?
BTW- I choose to teach my children to be independent and take responsibility for themselves. Actions (or lack of them) have consequences. If you don't start them on small things like Pop Tarts and hunger (NOT starvation), they will reach an age where the issues are jobs and drugs. By then, it's harder to make them understand. I'm sorry if you don't agree with my parenting and that you can't take my blogs with a grain of salt. It's meant to be HUMOR...Laugh. Your face will thank you.
I would laugh if there were something to laugh about. I didn't miss the message you were trying to get across. It just seemed to be lacking something after your lack of caring for your son. Issues of jobs and drugs will come later. Now is the time for a 6 yr old to be a 6 yr old. You stated that you don't make your children breakfast because you are not a "breakfast person". Not because you are trying to teach them some kind of life lesson. If the only feedback you want is positive, you should say so. Not snipe at the people who give something else.
I will pray that you find your sense of humor somewhere and discontinue being so critical of people who are just trying to have fun and shine a light.
The thing that I find funny is that you obviously return to my blog time and time again (you were here late last night and again today)- so you must be finding something here that you enjoy.
I'm not sniping at you. I recognize that we obviously have a different view of Christianity and parenting. I respect that. That doesn't mean I have to like being attacked online, although I know I have left myself open to that possibility by allowing myself to be vulnerable to the public.
Feel free to comment however you'd like. I know that God knows that I love my son very much...I don't need the validation from you.
I only came back to see what your defense would be. As I suspected, you have none. I stumbled upon your blog and have found nothing that I enjoy. After reading some of your entries, the only thing I have found is a very sad woman that feels it necessary to beat down her husband and make fun of others, all in the name of Christianity. But don't take it personally.. "I'm not being mean.. you're just a sissy". I have a great sense of humor. I would suggest if you plan to keep doing this blog you learn not to be so defensive. I'll pray that you take a long look at yourself in the mirror and see if you really are a good spouse, parent, friend.. etc. Rather than having your readers ask your friends if you are.. Why don't YOU ask your friends. Ask your husband if he likes being publically ridiculed. Ask your Christian friends if what you call a "sense of humor" is really just inappropriate behavoir for a Christian. I think you'll be surprised by the response.
...and yet, it seems you have read extensively through my blogs. That's curious.
Defense- I find no reason to defend myself. I speak from my heart and tell the truth of my life. Some of it is good- some of it is not so good, but I know who I am. I know where I was, and I know who I have become through Christ.
I know what my heart is and so do my friends. My husband is aware of what the content of my blog is and he is encouraging. I speak no more ill of him than I do of myself- and it's all tongue in cheek.
If you knew me better, you would see that I am not mean spirited. I am open, honest and some people just don't appreciate that quality in others. You must be one of them.
Maybe this debate will keep you coming back and some day you will see ...
Until then, God's blessings to you.
My last entry/visit... do yourself a favor.. ASK the Christian people/friends in your life, that you are closest to, what kind of Christian you come off as. Trust me, you will be surprised by the response.
Far be it from me to not get involved in a good debate!
I think anonymous knows you and is to chicken to tell you how they really feel about you. I suspect it is someone close to you begging to be asked. Anyway that’s just my thought. Whoever it is hides behind anonymous while you say what you think and take the humility in stride. If this person really came across your blog by accident then they don’t know you. However, I do and you are what you are. You have come a long way. I have watched your struggles and I have seen you overcome and you did it in the name of Christ.
OH well they come in all shapes and sizes.
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