May 13
9

Faith in Action!

Brantley 1I feel as though I am pregnant!!  And I can’t wait for the delivery date!!

Two days to go!

I have been dog hunting for 3 months and look who I found!  Brantley, a Golden/Collie Mix.  This is a faith story in action for me.  

After putting my much loved 15 year old Gilley (Newfy Mix) down in January, I began dog searching in February and noticed Brantley on petfinder.com one day.  He immediately caught my eye because of those collie ears!  I have lived with three collies and I was searching for a Golden – so a Golden/Collie Mix was a delight to find!

However…

Brantley disappeared off the radar the same day I found him and I was quite disappointed.  He was also in TN, a bit far to visit him to see if he was right for me.

So I continued my search and in the meantime even applied for two Goldens, neither of which worked out.

But God! …

Two weeks ago, as his Connecticut adoption fell through, Brantley reappeared on the radar!  I couldn’t believe it!  So I immediately contacted the rescue organization and filled out the application.

Within four days, we were approved!  Wow!

Yesterday, as I was preparing the yard and pen for Brantley, I realized I felt pregnant.  And I sensed the Lord showing me this is a walk of faith for me – since I still haven’t met him yet. Just as we fall in love with our babies as they are in the womb, sight unseen, kicking, sleeping, causing us heartburn and tons of trips to the bathroom (!), we wait in anticipation to fully meet them on their delivery day. And we are surprised and overwhelmed when they are born, because of the unbelievable bursting of love we feel for someone we hadn’t even met yet.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Heb 11:1 NASB

As I have looked at Brantley’s picture and watched two videos sent to me from the foster mom, as I have prepared the home and yard in this nesting phase, as I think about how he was brought all the way to New England for me by a failed adoption, I am overwhelmed with excitement and anticipation!  I am falling in love even before meeting him, just as we do with our babies!  I felt the Lord stirring me to have faith for love.

Yes, this feels like a pregnancy.  I am expecting… !

And this is a personal God Hug to me, from my precious Dad, who loves me and knows my every need and desire.  Thank you, Lord!

We drive over 4 hours to meet Brantley on Saturday and I’m filled with faith that we will be bringing him home indeed!

Is there something you have been hoping for that is requiring this faith in the unseen?  Share your story with us in the comments!

Tune the Temple is a Christian ministry of faith for weight loss in a non-diet approach, and faith for other things as well! Consider taking our Online Weight Class where you learn about faith, God Hugs, practical nonstressful eating and freedom from weight issues. 

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Posted in God Hugs by Cathy Weymouth. 8 Comments

May 13
7

Your Body is Not Your Own

Scripture tells us in 1 Cor 6:19-20 CEV,

You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and is a gift from God. You are no longer your own.  God paid a great price for you.  So use your body to honor God.

 

Here are some great thoughts on this topic as described by one of our Online Weight Loss Class Members, Joni Zimmerman,
One Fit Body!

One Fit Body!

“One of the trains of thoughts I am following and digesting (no pun intended) is that fact that my body does not belong to me…

 

Our society continually sends crossed messages… if we have an undesirable physical challenge – weight, disability, simply unattractive to social standards, we tell that person that who they are inside is not relevant to their body… we disengage who they are with the body.

 

However, on the other side, society also promotes that we are what our body appears to be to the world… we perceive a person’s value by their appearance.  There are tons of studies on that one!

So who are?  The inside, the outside, a mix?

 

Just as our faith is an internal factor, our life style and decisions we make in life is a reflection of that faith.  Faith at work.

 

Our bodies are the same.  Who we are is internal.  We are a soul, who either gets to live eternally with God, or die in a fiery end.  We are not a body.  HOWEVER, God has LOANED/ GIVEN us a body to care for while we are here.  Just a Christ had a body.  But this body was created and is owned by God, it is not ours.  But we are the caretakers of it.   While different, there is somewhat of a parallel in the fact that we are caretakers of our children, yet do not own them… Most people would never desire to do things to hurt their children (even though we all do, partly from ignorance, partly from our sinful nature). 

 

If we start thinking of our bodies as something we do not own, but have responsibility for, it may change many factors in how we see ourselves, self image, gratifying desires, etc.”   by Joni Zimmerman. Bold font – emphasized by Cathy.

 

Cathy: Lord, may we indeed glorify You and honor You in the way we care for this body you have loaned us!  Thank you for the gift of this body which houses your Spirit.  May we be good caretakers, making good choices, so that You will indeed be honored! Amen.

 Tune the Temple is a Christian Weight Loss program designed to help you lose weight by changing the way you relate to food.  Jesus came to set the captives free and that includes people bound in extra weight and struggling eating issues.

Posted in Spiritual Lessons Temple Testimonies by Cathy Weymouth. No Comments

Apr 13
17

The Beauty of Vermont

Newark Dock Pinterest

 

 

 

Today is a beautiful day in Vermont!  I was walking and smelling the fresh air when I suddenly came across a peeping sound.  The peepers are out!!

We are so fortunate to have all this creation to enjoy moment by moment, day by day.  Sometimes I forget to be grateful.

You?

Posted in Weight Loss by Cathy Weymouth. No Comments

Mar 13
26

Make a Plan and Practice It

I am excited to help people make changes in their lives for improved health!

I am teaching a short series in our church called Self-Care 101, brainstorming ways to become healthier in body, soul and spirit.  And I am asking each of the members to actually make one choice in each of these areas and take action steps, which they have to report back  to us at the next session.

Making changes can be a challenge, but here is some advice that might help:

Make a Plan

In the wise words of Pastor Diana from my church:

“I think [making a plan] is a KEY to our success on EVERY level in our walk with God, physical, spiritual, relational, financial, etc.  I think we limit ourselves by not looking to God for a plan.  Once you become a woman who crafts plans for various areas of life, you do it out of habit.
 
So once I realized my Plantar Fasciitis was getting worse, it never dawned on me NOT to have a plan.
 
I think it’s a major roadblock to people.  If they don’t have a plan, or seek out a plan, they without intent, erect a roadblock to their own success.
 
Knowing you can always create a plan with God, frees you up to go to the  next level, even when obstacles seemingly pop up.
 
Then, you have to implement….”
 

Practice Daily, if Possible

Cathy: I am personally trying to increase my physical activity – with a goal of 60 mins – six days a week, as per my doctor’s advice.  I recently read Dr Oz’s recommendation of taking a 30 minute walk everyday, no excuses!  This strategy has helped me because I find it easier to adopt a new habit when I do the activity regularly.

So I am tagging on an afternoon power walk after teaching piano lessons daily – along with a morning 30 minute intense bootcamp-type workout with weights and gasps of breath!
 
And this is what I am finding – it is getting easier to walk in the afternoons when I think of it as a daily event.  Doing things sporadically is really hard and I find I resist it, thinking, “I don’t feel like doing it today, maybe I’ll do it tomorrow.”
 
But build the plan into your day every day (or nearly, as much as possible, and at the same time, if possible) and it becomes a habit more easily – in my opinion!  
 
Consistency is the key to success.  And if you schedule these health care activities into your calendar, you will likely experience more consistency – with more success – over time.
 
Then of course, give yourself compassion and grace if occasionally you can’t complete your plan.  Perfectionism is a sickness!
 

Plan and Practice – for Effective Change

So make yourself a plan and practice it regularly – hopefully you will be in a healthier place by next year!
 
Oh, and my daily flossing is going really well!  I don’t often allow for excuses and it helps.
 
 
Tune the Temple is designed to help you make better choices for health.  If you would like to lose weight naturally and never diet again, please consider taking the Online Weight Loss Class – you can sign up anytime.  See more info here. 

 

 

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Posted in Habits Wellness by Cathy Weymouth. No Comments

Mar 13
14

Hoarding Smells Like Compulsive Eating to Me Part 1

Last night I watched the show Hoarding: Buried Alive featuring a lonely, sad woman named Rhonda.  I was actually looking for something fun to watch on TV when I came across the channel and was drawn in by her story.  I have only seen this show once before, but it draws my attention because my heart goes out to these people who are so controlled by their addiction.  It reminds me of compulsive eating.

Rhonda  felt totally worthless as a result of her husband leaving her seven years ago.  She even said that if her husband didn’t want her or care about her, why would anyone?  My heart goes out to Rhonda, who felt she had no worth and wasn’t even able to have her grown children come to visit because of the horrid condition of her home.  She slept with cockroaches out in her camper because there was literally no room for her to sleep in her entire house.  The house stunk of odors including dog feces odor and rotting food.  There was barely any room to walk, as her house was piled high full of worthless junk.   If you have never seen the show, you may want to watch it once just to see the conditions that some people live in.  It is devastating.

 

These things about Rhonda’s story remind me of Compulsive Eating –

  • trying to fill her life with “other stuff” to help her feel better – According to the Mayo Clinic, hoarders are often lonely people – who bring in trash to fill the loneliness in their life. Rhonda literally brought in trash from dumpsters, etc, to fill her home.  Overeaters fill their loneliness with food – often junk food that doesn’t offer them any nutritional value. They stuff the food down to avoid the pain.  It creates an insulation of fat.
  • feeling no sense of worth – Rhonda did not feel that she deserved better.  She teared up whenever other people spoke to her that she deserved to live in better conditions than the filth of her home and camper.  Overeaters who stuff themselves with food often do not feel they deserve to be thin and healthy.  Something has robbed them of self-respect.  It may be unconscious, but is often very real.
  • she needs healing – I am frustrated with the show because they bring in a mental health specialist while cleaning out their junk.  I want to scream out that the person needs some healing first!  This is traumatic for them as they don’t seem ready yet. Obviously the external behavior is related to an internal reality that is warped and unhealthy and drives their hoarding behaviors.  Overeaters are motivated often by unhealthy wounds that drive them to abuse their bodies with excess food.  It’s not enough to ask Overeaters to change their behavior, you need to get to the root of what drives it and bring healing there inside the heart.  Then the eating becomes more normal.

 

More to Come in Part 2

I think I will write more tomorrow.  This is a heavy topic for me.  My heart goes out to Rhonda and hoarders who have no real life, are trapped in their homes filled with excess and useless junk, live in unhealthy conditions, have no sense of knowing they are worth more, lack self-respect and self-love, and are often left very lonely people.

Thankfully, the show does reveal that Rhonda is able to clean out her home!  There is a good ending to the story!  You can see her before and after pictures here starting with this first picture. 

 

Can you Relate?

Can you relate to any of these symptoms?  Does your eating and resulting unhealthy weight resemble hoarding in any way?  I know that my “Old-Life” did resemble this, sadly.  But there is a better future for you, I can say with humility and love.  If I could get out from under this, you can as well!  Please tell us how you can relate by commenting below.  Let’s help each other find freedom from troubling behaviors that are rooted in deeper causes that rob us of a fulfilling, peaceful life.

Cathy Weymouth

Tune the Temple is a Christian Ministry designed to help you find a lasting solution from your overeating and overweight struggles.  With God, all things are possible. 

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Posted in Addiction Root Issues by Cathy Weymouth. 3 Comments

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