Faithful Feasting

The holidays are in full swing, which means one thing. Lots of food.
Big turkey dinners at Thanksgiving, another big family meal at
Christmas, holiday parties, candy canes, tins with cookies or popcorn,
eggnog, gingerbread, etc. Most activities at church have some kind of
food or refreshment, and this is doubly so in the holiday season.

For those that have battled weight problems most of their life, this
season presents tough decisions. A potluck in the middle of summer is
bad enough, with all of the casseroles and yummy desserts. In the
holiday season, there are always multiple holiday parties and
gatherings, all with more food than necessary. Co-workers have a tin
of caramel or chocolate popcorn or a pile of candy canes. Holiday
treats are hard to avoid daily.

Someone who has battled a weight problem feels a great deal of tension
between the social settings of the holiday season and the desire to
abstain from the greatest temptation in their life. At Calvary, there
are refreshments at most meetings, most recently the Christmas
cantata. Potlucks are once a month, and most other Sundays groups go
out to lunch. It is very difficult to socialize at any church,
including Calvary, without being at functions with a large meal, a
cake, or a large amount of refreshments.

Most of you may not be aware that I weighed 250 pounds in 2001. I
have kept 50 pounds off for 5 years. Still, eating is a struggle for
me on a daily basis. My mother has developed a very mild case of Type
II diabetes, and my father had a heart attack at the age of 55. My
own health concerns are in mind daily because of my family health
history. I have chosen to not attend events at Calvary because of the
inability to control how much I eat at times, and the guilt that can
accompany poor choices. A balance between the social and the food
that accompanies it is difficult to balance.

I know of others at Calvary that struggle with this issue. At this
time of year, I would ask that we prayerfully consider not only those
not able to have the prolific food offerings available to them that we
do, but also to be sensitive to those who struggle with eating more
than necessary on a daily basis.

Peace,

Jeff