~Heather’s World~

Well, I haven’t blogged in a really long time! I have been lingering around. I must admit at times I am just very busy at work and just don’t have the time to do anything except work. However, I am alive and well.
Now, onto business:
First, this blog has a biblical aspect to it, if you care NOT to hear/read it, click that little x in the right hand corner or just leave my page-NO hard feelings-just a mere fore warning! That’s all. Okay, so let’s talk.
A few days ago I ran across a verse in the book Proverbs. The scripture is as follows:
Proverbs 23:2-3
(2) And put a knife to your throat
 If you are a man given to appetite.
(3) Do not desire his delicacies,
 For they are deceptive food.
So, I read this and I had to take a step back, because I am a person given to appetite! I continued to read it over and over-trying to allow the words to literally marinate in my mind. Well, I went to get coffee today and bought 2 doughnuts. Yes, 2. So, I ate one and drank my coffee, I started to eat the 2^nd doughnut, even though I was content and didn’t really want it, but-simply because their good and the fact that it was there, I was going to eat it. I took all of one bite and tossed it. I stopped and this verse came rushing into my head. I thought, my God-I think I got it.
Okay…so, I sat and pondered on this verse yet again trying to break it down in a manner that everyone could understand.
Okay, verse 2 states: (2) And put a knife to your throat
 If you are a man given to appetite.
I mean, basically to me, its saying; if you are a man that is controlled by food, put a knife to your throat. So in other words, kill that appetite, control it, make it cease! A knife could be symbolic of a choke-hold, or anything. It could also mean to simply control your emotions. Anyone w/ any sort of biblical knowledge knows that a person is supposed to always control their emotions and never be controlled by them! Hence, if our appetites controls us, that is a big problem w/ flashing red lights. How many of you are controlled by your appetite or cravings? I am, I won’t lie or deny it! I have always been controlled by food, I have NEVER controlled it. So, that to me was a big time eye opener!!
Alright, now look at the 2^nd part of the scripture, verse 3 states: (3) Do not desire his delicacies, For they are deceptive food.
Okay, the 3^rd verse to me says a lot. First it’s telling people, do NOT even desire what he (or others) eats or has-why, because it is deceptive food. Deceptive food? I pondered that, deceptive food?!
Okay, here are my 2 cents on deceptive food. To deceive is to mislead, is to be unreliable, to be regarded w/ suspicion, etc. So, it’s saying that desire this food because it’s deceptive! How? This is what I came up with!
Deceptive food in my opinion is food that has absolutely no purpose in our tummy; it serves our body no good. Examples are sugar laden cookies, candy, ice cream, deep fried food, chips, Trans fat, deep fried foods, fast food, processed foods, most garbage on a shelf-foods that are far from their natural state. They really have NO place in our bodies. Our bodies were not made to take in all of the garbage that we  have become accustomed to eating!
Those are deceptive foods, because they mislead people to think they are good-because they look good, smell great, come easy, taste good going down-but whoa to who eats w/out restraint, because you will be sick as a dog!
Now, continue this behavior for a few years and you will merely be another over weight, obese American! Most Americans eat these ‘deceptive’ foods and wonder why their body is in the state that it is in. I mean, it’s not even about vanity, it’s about being healthy and it’s about having self control. So, we as Americans fall extremely short! I mean, obesity is a pandemic, not just an epidemic!
Why are we so out of control?!  Now let’s look at these ‘deceptive foods’ from another angle. These foods mislead as we have already discussed. Now, all these foods that we crave and desire actually have the potential to kill us! Not over night, unless you choke on a chicken bone, but in all seriousness you think about people that have given into their desires for these deceptive foods! Do I need to list all of the diseases that stem from obesity that we as Americans are suffering from? Diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, etc and etc!  Besides diseases, you are going to physically feel bad, you will have joint problems, you will not want to experience life the way that you should, you’ll more then likely have a low self esteem, the list goes on and on and on! Obesity is NO joke! Being controlled by food is a serious issue that I personally deal w/ and a lot of other people.
We all think, oh-hell, 1 slice of cake won’t kill me-like hell it won’t! 1 slice leads to 2 slices and then to 3 slices and then there goes the neighborhood, because you have just downed the whole cake! Sugar is a lethal weapon, as fat is also. My weapon of choice is sugar, not the fatty, fried foods-but-a gun is a gun is a gun, they all shoot bullets and kill at the end of the day. Understand?
Now, if we were to all eat the way that the Lord intended for us to eat, would we as Americans be in the state that were in? I highly doubt it! Now, here is a brief list of what it actually says to eat in the bible, this list is NOT complete, but it should give you an idea
Barley—Ruth 2:23
Bread—Luke 22:19
Butter—Isaiah 7:22
Corn—Ruth 2:14; I Samuel 17:17
Cheese—I Samuel 17:18
Dates—Genesis 3:2
Eggs—Job 6:6
Figs—Numbers 13:23; I Samuel 25:18
Fruits(All)—Genesis 1:29
Herbs (Leafy Plants) and Vegetables—Genesis 1:29
Honey—Deuteronomy 8:8
Meats—(Beef, Fish, Lamb, Poultry, Venison) Deuteronomy 14; Leviticus 11
Milk—Isaiah 7:21-22
Nuts—Genesis 43:11
Olives and Olive Oil—Leviticus 2:4; Deuteronomy 8:8
Salt—Leviticus 2:13
Wheat (Bread, Cereal, Pasta)—Psalm 81:16
Now, if you were to eat these foods in moderation, in their natural state-where would we all be? Even if we just ate selected things from this list that we preferred-what state would we be in?
2 words should be ringing extremely loud in your ear-EAT CLEAN! I mean, it even says in the bible to eat clean and eat w/ restraint! Yet, most of us can’t or just don’t. I know, this is MY personal struggle. I know and understand what I need to do. I know why I can not obtain exactly what it is I try, DIET. I do NOT eat clean, I try, but I reason, I half ASS! Well, just a bite won’t hurt, well, it usually does hurt-because for me leads to a binge! Or I have to much of a good thing, anyone familiar w/ PEANUT BUTTER OR ALMONDS??? Yeah, I have another passage for that, but I don’t have time to discus that.
Anyhow, I just wanted to take the time to share what I was personally learning. Take faith and intertwining it w/ my fitness.
So, next time you want to over eat or indulge in deceptive food, remember-
Put a knife to your throat!!