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by by Rebecca Ingram Powell“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
“If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:1–8).
Did you know that there actually was a real-life Battle of the Bulge? It occurred during the second World War, lasting for six bloody weeks with great casualties on both sides. They called it the Battle of the Bulge because of the bulging shape of the battleground area as seen on a military map. The Allied forces almost lost this one, and at one point, the German ground commander asked for their surrender. Allied Forces Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe replied, “Nuts.” Within a few weeks the Allies had recovered all ground lost in battle and trapped more than 300,000 enemy soldiers. Our contemporary use of a “battle of the bulge” is to describe people’s personal struggles with body weight. I certainly hope this is not an issue with you, but if it is, read on.
Moments after I delivered Danya, the O.B. nurse took my hand and said gently, “You remember, it took you nine months to gain your baby weight. Give yourself nine months to get it off.” I said with the good Brig. Gen. McAuliffe, “Nuts.” It has been my personal experience, and well-documented by the medical profession, that the longer that weight stays on you, the longer it stays on you!
Breast-feeding helps to get it off, but so does your own common sense. If you’ve never been at home full-time before, you may be thankful you are miles away from tempting vending machines—but beware, if you load up on goodies at the grocery store, you’re asking for trouble. Try to keep it out of the house.
You will need more calories now, but as you may have read in the “What to Expect” books, make sure those calories count. No empty calories, but get those extra calories from foods rich in protein. When your doctor gives you the go-ahead, return to your exercise program or get started with one. Put that new stroller to use and go walking. Babies love to stroll—through your neighborhood, at the mall (avoid the food court), and at a nearby park. You can do it!
More important than your physical training, as Paul told Timothy in today’s Scripture, is your spiritual training. Are you filling up on empty calories? Think about the choices you are making regarding what you watch, read, and listen to. You are not home alone. Do your habits reflect those of a person who is spending her day with Jesus Christ, modeling His likeness for her new baby?
I confess when I began staying at home I had a favorite soap opera that I had started watching at work. It aired during my lunchtime, and my boss and I would watch it together in the breakroom. I got to put my feet up for an hour, chat with my sweet boss, and keep myself busy by making excuses for why it was okay that I was watching these people on television break all 10 commandments every 20 minutes and call it entertainment.
It doesn’t take long for Satan to spot an area in your life where he can gain a foothold. I was ripe. Once Danya was born, my famous excuse of “I’ll stop watching this when I’m at home” turned into “This is the only time I get to sit down.” I was hooked. I was under conviction, too. I realized this was five hours a week of wasted time—valuable time, time that could be much better spent. Why was it so much easier to turn on the TV instead of to pick up my Bible? When I began dreaming about the characters in the program, I knew it was out of my control. It was way past time to give it up to the Lord, and so I finally did. It wasn’t easy, and I was sorely tempted in the beginning, but the Lord helped me to turn it off, keep it off, and not look back.
God alone can give you the discipline to avoid empty calories in your life, both spiritual and physical. I know He can. He’s done it for me.
Ask the Great Physician today if He has a diet and exercise program for you.
~ From Baby Boot Camp, Rebecca Ingram Powell (Birmingham: New Hope Publishers, 2004). Used by permission. Available in January 2004 at Christian bookstores everywhere.
