Food

Having had writers' block for a while (that's code for: "I was really tired and couldn't be bothered to sit down and think"), the Muse has finally struck. I was strolling down the stairs yesterday evening, and suddenly thought about food. I wasn't hungry, as I'd just devoured supper. But let me explain.
      In our house over half term there were 12 people for a period of 6 nights. It was great fun. Loved it. And some of the most enjoyable times were spent crowded round the dinner table, eating together. There's something about food that makes for a good atmosphere. Some of the funniest things happened at the table. On the first night someone said something so hilarious that I choked and had to dash into the kitchen to recover, which in turn caused general amusement. I spent a happy morning scoffing dry Cheerios and Crunchy Nut from a bowl, while a 2 year old pilfered most of them. And it made me think.
     Our culture has seriously messed up how we view food. Food is no longer seen as a blessing, something to be enjoyed. Instead, it's something we are made to feel guilty about. That makes me mad. How can we take one of God's greatest gifts and make it into a massive stick to bash ourselves over the head with? Instead of just being grateful for what we've been given, we are manipulated into believing we are doing wrong when we enjoy a good meal, when we have dessert, when we eat chocolate. Especially us girls. It can be silly, I know, but we really do care about how we look. No girl is ever going to be completely happy with her weight, let's face it. We're always going to find something to complain about. I could have a long and most vindictive rant about how much our culture is to blame for our insecurities, but I'll save that for another time. Something to look forward to. But girls, is anyone going to love you less if you weigh more than 9 stone? Or 10? Or 11? (That's 57, 63.5, & 70 kg for metric people.) And if they do, is their company worth pursuing? I say this to myself as much as anyone. Will that cookie really make a lot of difference in the grand scheme of things? We're all going to die one way or another, and we might as well die well fed.
    Now, as an obligatory disclaimer, I'm not advocating being a complete slob and overindulging. That would be wrong. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, etc. When you're full, stop eating. Just stop. But don't ever say no to pudding on the grounds that it's not "healthy". Arsenic is unhealthy. Chocolate isn't. Do some exercise. But don't obsess about it. Can you see your toes? Tie your shoelaces? Run upstairs without suffering a cardiac arrest and needing the iron lung? Then chances are you're in decent enough shape. Don't let man call "unclean" what God has declared "clean" (Acts 10:15).
     I think Tolkien was on to something when he said, "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." I also think having a right view of God has a lot to do with it. If we remember who we are as children of God, and remember what Christ has done for us, we might stop being so self-obsessed. That would make for a merrier world.


“Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.”   - Mark Twain