Live Life

Ellen says: What cause compulsive dieting or gaining? It is almost always the result of an underlying problem. Maybe you were overweight as a child with critical parents. Maybe your emotions are out of balance or maybe you have a very low self-eteem.

If you withdraw from others for the sake of a diet, you are on the road to addictive behavior. Be realistic. Allow diet, exercise and nutrition to be a balance part of a normal lifestyle. Don't wait until you lose weight to live. That kind of thinking is destructive and usually bring about more weight gain.

By getting out and enjoying life, you will have more to think about other than food. Don't allow food and dieting to become your life.

Jesus came to give us life-an abundant life that He wants us to live to the fullest. Ask Him to come into your life. He has wonderful thing planned for you.

Rescuers

Ellen says: Some of us are rescuers by nature. We are always willing to try to help someone else, even if it is interferes with the enjoyment of our own lives. Sometimes our help may not be particularly useful, however.

If we are willing to accept the weight of other people's problem, maybe they aren't left with any reason to solve them themselves. It reminds me of a very big, awkward canvass ball that we used to exercise with in gym. Someone would throw it to us-OOOF-we would hold onto it, but we were supposed to try to throw it back.

What happen when we wake children up in the morning long after they are old enough to wake themselves? Or rescue them when they make mistakes, instead of helping them work out their own solutions? Or make explanation for a spouse who is always late or has some other problem. If we are tryng to carry the weight and responsibility, then they don't have to.

Throw the ball back. Offer them understanding, offer support, but give them the responsibility. Then they'll be motivated to try to make some choices to deal with their problems.

Quality over quantity

Ellen says: We're always told to take care of ourselves by people we don't even know. I remind you to reduce stress. I tell you to choose peace of mind, but I don't always follow my own advice.

One of the things that helps me is a rule to always try to choose quality over quantity. If you're not feeling satisfied, if you don't feel centered, if you think you are moving too fast, take a minute, take a piece of paper and make two columns. One you can call quality and the other, quantity.

Re-evaluate your week. How did you spend your time? What kind of choices did you make? In terms of relationships, did you choose quantity or quality? What about food? Did you choose quantity? Purchases that you made, decisions that you made-what was your choice? In how many things did you choose quantity and how many quality?

Once you can see the balance in your life you can make small shifts. You'll feel the difference.

Listen Without Judgement

Ellen says: When you are told something upsetting or disappointing, do you listen to what is being said?  Do you listen to the perspective and the feeling of the speaker? Or do you wait for your chance to disagree, to express your disapointment, to turn the conversation back to you?

Disappointments are part of everyday life, and every family's life. But the things you are disappointed about is often far less important than the message you convey by how you react. Being respoectful in the face of disappointment does not compromise your viewpoint, but it also does not compromise an atmosphere of love and concern.

A Godly Touch

Ellen says: Oh, the power of godly touch. Haven't you known it? the doctor who treated you, or the teachers who dried your tears? Was there a hand holding yours during a trials? a handshake of welcome during a new job?

Can't we offer the same?

Many of you already do. Some of you have the master touch of the physician himself. You use your hand to pray over the sick and minister to the weak. if you aren't touching them personally, you hands are writting letters, dialing phones, baking pies. You have learned the power of touch.

But others of us tend to forget. our hearts are good, it is just that our memories are bad. We forget how significant one touch can be....

Aren't we glad Jesus didn't make the same mistake?