Comments for Transforming Me

Comment on Days gone By (Are you singing the Full House theme? Cause I am!) by Amber Wood

Amber Wood — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:14:53 +0000

Aw! Good ole card catalog! I need to check out our local library to see if they have story time.

Comment on A Weighty Issue by mumofone

mumofone — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:48:46 +0000

Erin – you raise many interesting questions in this post. And I think you have a point about how the church approaches sin. It has always been easier to look at others and see their sins than look to ourselves – hence the oft quoted verses “let him who is without sin cast the first stone”, “take the log out of your own eye”. I guess its also human nature that if many people share the same sin (e.g. overeating) but only a few people share another sin (e.g. murdering someone) it kind of seems easier to focus on the small number of people with the same sin. Which is why the church seems to go on about some sin to the exclusion of others. I think its also human nature to downplay things we see as less important and/or things that are so difficult for us. Most people would find it easier to restrain from having sex with their friend’s partner than they would to eat that extra chocolate bar, gossip about someone’s clothes or weight or whatever. Somehow that makes it seem okay to do those things but not others.
But the issue of weight is bigger than many other things. As you have pointed out there is often an element of genetic influence which can be difficult or impossible to overcome. You mention self control and love for self/Christ. So much of our identity is tied up in how we see ourselves or how others see us. For some eating is a form of comfort when how we see ourselves conflicts with others. For others it is a means of control (commonly thought of as a key element of anorexia nervosa). Eating is a huge part of our social interaction – if you don’t participate in the social aspects of eating then you risk social isolation. And then there is the fact that food that has fat or sugar in it tastes good. It is well known chocolate releases endorphins which make us feel good. Then there is peer pressure to eat certain foods. Advertising informs us of foods available but advertising is far more prevalent for the latest soft drink than the latest grain (I have only just heard about quinoa – but I’m sure its been around for a while).
And then there is the current social climate that it has become socially unacceptable to comment on someone being overweight – there seems to be a trend towards everyone just “accepting” someone as overweight and it has become politically incorrect to point out overweight/obesity. Worst of all though are the consequences of over-eating. As a doctor I see more and more people with health complications of overeating/obesity. More people with Diabetes, more people with cardiac/cerebral vascular disease, more people with ruined knee joints secondary to them carrying too much weight, more people with infections secondary to poor skin healing secondary to either Diabetes or increased weight leading to poor circulation, more people with hypertension leading to more cardiac/cerebral vascular disease….the list goes on and on and on….and don’t even add smoking into the mix or you triple/quadruple risks. The ultimate health conclusion is a shorter lifespan – less time to see grandkids (and sometimes even your own kids) grow up.
But I think you are right that the church should take a greater responsibility for our views on overeating. We should be talking about. We should be taking responsibility for it. But in saying this I need to remind myself that I am the church. So the buck stops with me – I need to be talking about it. I need to be taking responsibility for myself. I need to set an example for my child, my family, my friends. And maybe by my example their lives might be changed and isn’t that one of the ways how Jesus suggests we share our faith – by the example of ourselves?
I wish you every success in your journey of weight loss

Comment on A Weighty Issue by Marty

Marty — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:27:58 +0000

You already know what I’m going to say here, but I’m going today it anyway. You are beautiful, brilliant, strong, and a wonderful blessing to me and my ministry. You are my best friend and I know these issues are hard for you to process but I admire your strength in doing it. I love you so much.

Comment on A Weighty Issue by Dallas

Dallas — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:18:09 +0000

I really appreciate your transparency and courage on this issue. Especially considering the level of emotional pain that can come with it. Humbling and inspiring.

Comment on Lesson learned by Erin (Marty's wife)

Erin (Marty's wife) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:02:07 +0000

Maybe I should do his eyebrows to match!

Comment on Lesson learned by Emily

Emily — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:16:24 +0000

I like it. Very Vanilla Ice.

Comment on Thunder, Lightning, and….Tornadoes? by Marty Estes

Marty Estes — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:21:58 +0000

That’s possible, yes. But, if I can decrease the chance that I won’t get blown away along with my home, I feel better.

Comment on Thunder, Lightning, and….Tornadoes? by James

James — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:26:42 +0000

My take on tornadoes has always been that if you get hit by one, it’s just your time to go. They’re just too random to predict and therefore fear. I might say a car ride during the storm is a bigger risk than staying in your home. All in how you look at it though, I suppose.

Comment on Who Is Lying to These People? by Erin Estes

Erin Estes — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:06:46 +0000

Isaac often corrects me on my pronunciation. I blame it on the British actor who reads the stories on the CD they listen to every night.

Comment on Who Is Lying to These People? by Erin Estes

Erin Estes — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:05:48 +0000

I think I didn’t make myself clear, didn’t elaborate enough. I know kids can get better, that’s the struggle with me. When to cut it off and say, ok, we’ve tried, it’s not working.
I’m all for pushing kids to do their best, I didn’t quit the basketball team even though I rode the bench the entire season and it was evident that I just did not have the talent. I finished what I started. But you know the coach didn’t beg me to come back like he begged me to start before that year (I was a pretty tall 7th grader, however tall does not equate great basketball skills!)

I desperately want my kids to do what God calls them to and will support them in whatever that may be, but I don’t want to prolong the agony if He may be telling them no with the obvious lack of talent.

It’s one thing to tell my 3 year old that the blob she draws is great, I mean it is for a 3 year old, but at 23 if she’s still drawing the same thing, I need to tell her the truth that she may not want to go the artist route. Some of the ones on the show were singing like they were 12 at 25. I think I was just really frustrated with the 25 year olds on the show who had been told the truth by talented judges and they were acting as if they were really surprised, because people had been telling them they were good when they obviously weren’t.