Redefining retirement, Saint Francis of Assisi, and the sin of gluttony have been the potential themes of the next entry I have wanted to write in my blog. I started with 573 words to talk about how I wanted to redefine my retirement. I read through it quite a few times trying to tweak the post but could only feel the words rambling on. Plus, I reread my last blog entry to only realize that was the basic theme. Who really wants to hear a writer go on about their life woes? A day or two later I wrote about Saint Francis of Assisi’s concept of want verses need that spoke to my heart about eleven or so years ago. It turned into the same drivel. I haven’t yet tried just talking about the real point of the post, sin of gluttony.
On Catholic Radio, there is a host who does the Catholic Guy show. When Jerry told me about him, I was hooked. Here is a guy who made me laugh and think about Catholicism in a whole different way. Plus, he is a sinner. Boy can I relate to that! So I listened as he shared his struggles in life. I enjoyed the whacky things he and his staff did over the radio. After about a year, he started to irritate me. He whines all the time about his terrible life while he just returns to New York from Italy. Italy! How can you whine after returning from Italy? There were a few times I wanted to call the show and tell him, “enough all ready.” I would give my eye teeth to go to Italy. I have never had all that much empathy for whiners and try really hard not to whine myself hence the not posting the two entries I have written that are whiny.
As much as Lino annoys me, I still like him. He is a kooky Italian American from Minnesota who is almost forty and single. Most of his whining comes from being single. I can understand that. I love being married with children. However, I could fine enjoyment in Italy as well! At any rate, Lino wrote a book called Sinner which is about his life. He is so candid about his sins. I find it very refreshing. We all sin. Why can’t we just say it? So here it goes….
Gluttony is one of my bigger sins. I fight it daily. Well, that isn’t quite right. In high school and in the military I fought the temptations of food daily. I took a break from the war while I was pregnant with all three kids and gained too much weight which proceeded to take too long to take off. When I started struggling with my health, I kept fighting, but losing badly. Part of my strategy to fight the gluttony was running, biking, and lifting weights. I lost this at the intensity I loved. A ten minute walk drives me crazy. So, when I retired, I quit fighting altogether. Not a great tactic, but it is what it is. I also succumbed to my favorite hobby, baking. My prayer was acceptance of who I am. Of course, I would squirm when the word glutton crossed the battlefield or I stepped on the scale.
This summer I was determined to not gain any more weight. The D[iet] word kept creeping into my thoughts as well. I thought about exercising, but I knew I would start aching, hurting, and end up on bed rest. I hate bed rest!!! When I went out to Creations Northwest, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to stop eating 24/7. No, I did eat just three meals a day without the tons of snacking or eating my delicious cookies. Due to the enormity of the event, I had to walk about half a mile to the main stage. I still kind of cringe at the thought of only walking a half mile. I so miss my running days and mountain biking excursions. When I got home, I actually had lost two pounds. Hum…. Small walks and eating right do make a difference. Yes, I realize this as an intelligent concept and I am an intelligent person, but sin never talks to us when we are intelligent.
To make a story shorter then longer like I so love to do, I started a diet on Saturday. I need to redefine my retirement by not baking for every occasion (my boys are pouting, but trying to be supportive). So far the new eating style has been fine, but yesterday I struggled with not baking. Wednesdays are my slow day in the house when I always baked and I was getting a bit stir-crazy. But, I keep thinking of the want verses need concept. Do I need to bake or do I want to bake? It is just a want, so I will ignore the urge.
Our bodies are a temple. Doing a quick search, I found three verses that discuss this. The one I am most familiar with, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.” 1 Corinthians 3:16-17. So I will leave you with this. My body is a temple that I need to take care of in all ways. I will probably not hit the standard the military set for me, but the extra, extra weight on my joints will only make my rheumatoid arthritis worse in the long run. In essence, I will be destroying my body. I need to fix it. Besides, gluttony is a sin and I don’t want to destroy my soul either.
Blessing to you all.
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