Sugar. Who needs it. I do!

I have developed sugaritis. Sugaritis is an obsessive desire for sugar (though I don't think sugaritis is a real word). It's not just cakes, pies, chocolates or chocolate covered candies that I desire, though any of them will do in a pinch. :-) What I want is pure unadulterated sugar though preferably flavored, puffed, powdered, and/or spun. Give me marshmallows, cotton candy, candy corn, jelly beans, Dots, gummy bears and/or Twizzlers, and I'm a happy girl!

Though having sugaritis isn't good, sugar itself isn't necessarily bad. The body needs it to function. Carbohydrates are one of three necessary macronutrients that provide calories for our body. The other two are protein and fat. Carbs, or sugar, provide most of the energy needed for our body to function in life and are considered simple or complex based upon their chemical structure. Both types contain four calories per gram and are digested in the bloodstream as glucose, or monosaccharide sugar. It is then used to fuel our body for our daily activity and exercise. 

Complex carbohydrates are packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals, and take longer to digest.  Examples of these are vegetables, whole grain breads, brown rice, and wheat pasta. Simple sugars are broken down and digested very quickly and usually contain very few essential vitamins and minerals. A few of these are table sugar, fruit juice, milk, yogurt, brown sugar, ice cream and the cakes and candy that I love. 

The simple sugars I eat digest quickly and rush into the bloodstream, giving me a quick burst of energy. I love that! Unfortunately though, my body then reacts to that spike and calls on the pancreas to produce extra insulin to remove this excess sugar. I then feel tired because of low blood sugar and crave more of these simple sugars. This is the sugar-craving cycle that I call sugaritis.

It was three days ago when I first recognized I had sugaritis. They say the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem, so I'm on my way! Since that admission to myself, I contemplated the next step needed to end my sugar addiction. Though in the last couple of days I gave much thought to how I could reach this goal on my own, it was only after eating almost a half-bag of marshmallows, 16 oz. of candied fruit slices, and 2 pieces of chocolate cake that I knew I needed God's help to win this battle with sugaritis.

Lord, help me curb my desire for sugar and to eat better overall. I also ask that you help me be OK with myself when I struggle in these goals and don't do as well as I'd like. Though I may have temporary failures, I know in you, I am never a failure. Thank you for your faithfulness. Amen.

What a blessing to have the Lord to turn to for all of our issues. Makes me want to celebrate by eating a sleeve of Smartie candies, though I'll limit it to just one, or maybe two. :-)

Take care,
Peggy

Fasting

I'm fasting today for good friends who are without jobs. I pray for them every time I think to, and then when I feel hunger or think of food, I pray again. I ask the Lord to bless Len & Gloria with work and the insurance they desperately need. I also pray that He give them the confidence to know that they do not walk this difficult path alone. Our God is with them every step of the way.

As I sat here feeling hunger pains earlier today, my mom came to mind again. It made me realize that during this time of fasting, I should pray again for God's help with my ongoing grief. I still can't think about my mother without crying. Tears fill my eyes as I write this. My dad died before Mom. I was very close to him too, but had a little preparation before his passing. He died from lung cancer after a two year battle. I was still struggling with losing him when Mom died a year later. Her death came without notice and I was totally unprepared for it. When she died something inside me broke. After a lifetime of being strong, in one blow I lost all my strength, both inner and outer. I collapsed into this darkness that enveloped my soul and was left with a void in my heart that no one could fill. Though on my own I scramble to find my way out of that hole I escaped into, I know that it's only God who can pull me through. So as I fast and pray for friends, I pray for me as well.

Praying for myself is something I don't do enough. I'm not sure why that is. Maybe it's a memory problem or maybe somewhere inside I don't feel deserving enough. It just seems easier to think about others' needs. It's been that way as far back as I can remember. I must remind myself though that I deserve the Lord's loving grace too. We all do. This road of life is too hard for anyone to drive through if not relying on God's support.

It doesn't have to be a fast when we look to God in prayer, but today I noticed that I went to the Lord more often with the needs of mine and those of my friends. Aside from the benefit of prayer, I believe this fasting time also brought me closer to the Lord. That void inside me doesn't seem so large and my soul feels a little brighter. I'm sure the loss of my mother and father will continue to have a grip on me, probably for a long time, but for now it's God's grip that I feel. I have His strength. Because of that, I see the importance of fasting, especially in the more difficult times.

Lord, I trust that you will answer my prayers...for my friends and me. I ask that along with jobs, you give Len & Gloria peace as they wait on you. I need that too. The pain of losing both parents still feels unbearable at times. At times I feel like an orphan, but when I pull myself closer to you, I know that I'm not. Mom and Dad will always be a part of me and some day I'll see them in Heaven. And I am your child now and forever, so never an orphan. Knowing that gives my heart joy. As you did today, Lord, continue to shine light into my soul so that I can shine your light onto others. I ask this in your son, Jesus' name. Amen.

Time to eat! :-)