"The Garden of Eatin'"

Ok- so it's been a while since my last blog.   You can probably guess that I have been in the " Garden of Eatin".........It's amazing that when God wants you to be accountable for something...you tend to just, ommm, look the other way.  Pretend that He really didn't ask you to journal you journey.  If I am journaling...then I must be doing it right.... I wouldn't put the bad stuff in there , right?!  Well- He has finally convicted me that this is a JOURNEY......and He wants me to put the good , the bad , and the ugly in it.  Ugg!

Now- onto the Garden of Eatin'...you see...me and Eve are quite different.  If I had been in that garden do you think I would have been tempted by an apple?  Or any fruit for that matter?  Please!  I just don't think so.  

Throw some donuts, pizza or ice-cream on that tree and now we are talking!  But an apple?  No way.  Just no temptation there.  Ok- maybe I would give into a chocolate dipped apple like the kind at the Fair or some gummy fruit snacks but not just plain old fruit. 

I know, I know...the passage isn't really all about apples or donuts.   It's about obedience to God.  Oh, and that being tempted by Satan thing.  He is a pretty crafty devil isn't he?  For he says in Genesis 3 "Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the lord God had made, He said to the woman. 'Did God really say, 'you must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"    Oh, yes....the creator of doubt.  That little voice in your head that says " God didn't really say your body is a temple did He?  He doesn't really not want you to have everything that you want when you want it, right?"    From verse 4 the slithery slimy sneaky full of snickers bars  told Eve " you will not surely die,. For God know that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil".  What a dog. A big fat pig.  

And so there began the fall of Karen Barlow.  

I would love to think that if "I" were in that garden that beautiful day that "I" would have taken one look at that apple tree and said " plleeeaaaease, give me a break little man with horns.  Bring me something better than this.  Give me chocolate,  pastries, candy, skittles, caramels,

 hot fudge sundies, a tree full of donuts "hot now" from Krispy Kreme....but an apple???

Go on with your bad self.  

Go bug someone else with your slimy self.  I'm waitin' for the good stuff"     

But sadly.....as Eve said in Genesis 3:13 "The serpent deceived me, and I ate".

I am no different from Eve.  I may not think that my reasons are the same for "sinning" as were hers...but the bottom line.... verse 13 makes that very clear.  Satan deceives and I eat.  In the area of eating...Satan has more control over me than God does.  How sad. 

God has given me sooo many wonderful things to choose from to eat. He has not even specifically told me that any food is "off limits". Yet- I choose the foods that do not bring glory to Him or my body.  I choose to use food as my comforter.  The choice is mine.  Just because it tastes good doesn't mean it's what is best for me.  Instant gratification is not God's main theme throughout the bible!  

          Psalm 25

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;

in you I trust, O my god.

Do not let me be put to shame,

nor let my enemies triumph over

me.

No one whose hope is in you

will ever be put to shame,

but they will be put to shame

who are treacherous without

excuse.

And so the journey continues.....a few steps down......now hopefully a few steps "up" God's path.