I MAY never eat Jack-In-The-Box again...

I MAY never eat Jack-in-the-Box again, and it's not their fault.

You see, today I had an appointment with my personal trainer at the gym. It was several hours after work, and I found a creative way of not going home and killing time (getting my nails done) so I had to get fast food for dinner. I'm sure you can sympathize. So I did. I had Jack-in-the-Box. Their dollar menu rocks, and they're pretty tasty. So I felt no shame. ....Until I went to my training appointment.....it went something like this:

Trainer: Hey, Jess! Let's run 1/4 mile on the treadmill.
Me: Ok! *runs* (Note: the term "runs" is used very loosely.)
Trainer: Ok, let's do weights. *Walks to weight area, gives me exercise to do*
Me: *Does weight routine. Get's too tired. Stops, and says I'm too tired*
Trainer: Jess, what did you eat today?
Me: I ate good, Trainer! I had fruit, a protein shake, a whole-grain wheat sandwich, *ahem*Jackinthebox, lwo-fat yogurt, and an orange.
Trainer: So what you're telling me is.....you had Jack-in-the-Box.
Me: *tiny voice* Um, yes.
Trainer: Was it good?
Me: *tiny voice* Yeah...
Trainer: Ok Jess, let's do squats.
Me: *inner monologue* Noooooooooooooooo!!

So we go over to a standing squat machine, and Trainer told me to do 10 jump squats.
Me: Ok. *ouch* Ok, done.
Trainer: *laughs* NOPE. Do 15 now, like this.

AND ON AND ON. It wasn't just 10 squats! I did over 40 squats for that tiny jack-in-the-box meal. My legs burn. I had to hobbeled up the stairs to get to my apartment tonight. And although I'm currently sitting down on the floor, I don't know exactly if, when, or how I'm getting UP.

Dear Jack,

Your tacos are tasty. But not worth it. Sorry.

Love,
Jessica

Cotton Candy, Churros, and so much more!!

Hello faithful readers,

Long time no post, I know. Watch in about a week for a blog on my trip to the Olympics. I can't wait to tell you all about it!

But before then... let's talk about food!

No, no - this is not a blog about cute recipes. (Although I do love those!) This is a quick blog about my family trip to Disneyland, and a thought I've had since then.

Some of my family were able to take time off work and take a short trip to Disneyland. There were 5 adults to escort 1 six year old on rides - it was quite fun!! We all had a blast going around the park, talking, riding rides, and eating - because who doesn't love amuesment park food?

Now my family may have a quirkly practice concerning food while at Disneyland - We eat lunch around 2 or so... and then usually don't leave the park and eat dinner until 8! (Does anyone else do that?) In the meantime we'll snack and the 6-year old's mom will have brought her healthy snacks. But we (the remaining 5 adults) each managed to pick a different amusement park favorite and snack on it at some point during the day. We'd each share some with my little niece, not thinking anything of it, to help finish off our big, yummy snack. It was a great plan! ...Until we got to dinner.

Dinner was a great meal at a sit-down restaurant outside the park. Us adults were practically ravenous for our food, but my little niece barely pecked at hers. I couldn't understand how she wasn't hungry until we reviewed what she'd had to eat.

"Well she had corn dogs for lunch, and a granola bar later."

"I gave her some of my cotton candy."

"Well, I gave her some of my popcorn."

"Really? I thought she'd like some ice cream..."

And the list went on and on until we realized she had ate some of each of our JUNK FOOD snacks - cotton candy, pretzels, popcorn, churros, ice cream, and whatever other candy bits and pieces we had partaken of. No wonder she wasn't hungry!

Fast forward to today... I'm taking a couple minutes to pray this morning. And I do mean a couple of minutes. I just don't feel it lately. So I ask God to help me. I feel like I'm just not hungry for him. The Bible is clear- those that WANT God, get God. And you can ask Him to help you want Him more. But God isn't going to force Himself on you. SO I'm wordering why I just don't feel hungry, when I feel God impress upon me that - just like my little niece - I'm not hungry because I'm filling up on junk food.

I don't have to go deep into the implications of junk food for you to get the point- it tastes great immediately, but there's no lasting value. So in the same way, I have been neglecting to put God first in my life. I'm skipping on the Bread of Life, but gorging on the junk- things that might not be all bad, but need definite moderation. TV. Music. Even hanging out with friends or going to movies. They're not bad- but they have a place and an order. Popcorn isn't bad, you know- as long as it's not your main diet. Just like these other things. Friends are not my source- my strength, my peace. Those come from God (2 Peter 1:3). And yes God uses people- but first and foremost, I am ministered to by God in prayer- not by friends. Not by food. Not by TV. Etc. Etc.

So I thought I'd share this with you. I need to take another look at my time diet, and see when I'm spending my time on... I want to be hungry for what really satisfies and sustains me- the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ! (John 6:35)