My Food Revelation

I’ve been analyzing food and the way I think about food. I enjoy food. I find food comforting, pleasurable, exciting even. I've been told that I should “treat food as fuel” and nothing else. But I’ve really been thinking about this. From the very beginning, God unites food with comfort. Nursing from Mother’s breasts is fuel, yes, but its also extremely comforting and enjoyable – and as babies grow they get excited about it! Belén is to that amazingly fun age where she can ask for it with her whole body. Her whole self leans into me with such need and eagerness – mouth open, making the cutest little grunting noises. And when I put her down on my lap, she kicks her legs and smacks her tongue. She’s so excited!

So, is it wrong then, for me as a 30 year old to find food comforting, enjoyable and even exciting? We ordered Chinese food tonight, something that we rarely do because of the expense, and I was so excited to eat it!

“But whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (somewhere in 1 Corinthians)

That’s the ticket right there. That’s the measure. Food is and can be enjoyed and celebrated and used for more than just fuel. BUT – is it glorifying God? Do I glorify God when I over indulge and make myself so full that I feel sick? Is it possible to love food, enjoy food, and yet not overdo it and even more, make wise choices about what I eat? Eating with a clear conscience. Eating WITH God, not without Him. Listening to my body. Stopping when I'm full.

I was handed a delightful looking cupcake at the park yesterday from a mom in my homeschool co-op - and my first thought was, "but I'm not hungry..." I'm trying to train myself not to eat unless I'm hungry and to stop when I'm full. But there are certain occasions when eating is not about hunger. It's about the person who spent time on that treat for you, its about the community and fellowship, or the celebration. So I heartily ate that cup cake (which, by the way, was probably the best cup cake I've ever had) and thanked God for it and for the mom who spent her precious time making treats for all of us to enjoy.

May I move forward in this revelation, enjoying food, but doing it for the glory of God.