How Drawing a Line Down the Center of a Page Can Change Everything

Ice cream has always been my downfall.

Not just any ice cream, mind you. It must include sweet morsels of cookie dough, thin mints, or chocolate chips⏤sprinkles, syrups, or anything fruity are simply not invited to the party.

Recently, while wiping minty green deliciousness from around my lips, the words Where is your self-control? rudely interrupted the moment. The words stunned me even more than the fact that I was returning a half-eaten pint of my favorite snack to the freezer.

We know when it’s time for a change. And this was that moment.

Scenes from the last two years darted past.

Let’s see. There was the stress of prepping our old house to sell, then the move, writing two books in one year, the heartbreak of returning a beloved puppy on Valentines Day, and struggling with a couple of ongoing medical issues that wiggled fingers from their ears, double-dog-daring me to just try and lose the weight.

Hmm…turns out, it wasn’t ice cream I tasted. It was my emotions. If only they were fat-free. *sigh*

Convinced I couldn’t gain control of my eating habits, or the expanding waistline, I gave up. I grew comfortable buying one larger size after the other, but way down deep, I knew my lack of self-control was costing a lot more than 4.99 a gallon.

So I whipped out my favorite sketchbook, turned it sideways, and drew a line down the center of the page. Each column claimed a title.

The left column: Results From Eating Poorly (Keeping it real here, folks.)

• Avoiding people I haven’t seen since the added weight.
• I’m not reflecting the power of self-discipline.
• Feeling dumpy.
• Slave to sweets.
• I run away from the camera and videos.

The right column: Benefits from Eating Healthier

• Live unashamed!
• Healthier body, mind, and spirit.
• Attention and energy will shift more to others (instead of worrying about what people think about me.)
• I won’t shy away from the camera, whether it’s snapping shots with my family, fun selfies with friends, or video opportunities.
• This time next year, I will be healthier, stronger, and more energetic. (One of the reasons we moved closer to the mountains was for the convenience of kayaking and hiking.)

It wasn’t until I took the time to draw a line down the center of a page that changes began to happen. Click To Tweet

There I sat, comparing the two columns and circling key words, like avoid, slave to sweets, not reflecting⏤followed by⏤live, unashamed, won’t shy away.

For the first time in two years, I saw my life choices for what they really were, as well as their cost. Two scripture verses quickly followed:

You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12

[Truth is, I had given food way too much control over my life. It was my comforter, my be-happy-for-ten-minutes drug, my thoughtless activity. I want my life to reflect what I believe, not what brings me relief.]

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 6:22, 23 NIV

[I agreed with the voice that had rudely interrupted me only minute’s prior, saying aloud, You’re right! I have no self-control. God said, “Wrong! I have given you everything you need to exercise self-control. My power lives in you. Depend on Him, not yourself.”]

I took three steps:

1. I prayed for help, wisdom, and a desire to eat healthier.
2. I came up with a simple plan to focus mainly on my eating habits. If I tried too much at one time, I would be overwhelmed. I re-started Weight Watchers, looked back at this post in 2015 for tips, and instead of finding ways it wouldn’t work for me, I found a way to make it work. Now I make a weekly menu and stock my fridge with all the right things (I use my extra points on the weekend for a cupcake — and I enjoy every bite!)
3. I dedicated the plan to God with open and outstretched hands, confessing I can’t do it without Him.

So why am I sharing this journey with you at ten pounds down instead of waiting for a whopping victorious number?

Because it’s the small, strong, day-to-day choices we make that are to be celebrated.It’s not about arriving at a certain number on a scale, or making “x” amount of money, or gaining “x” amount of social media followers.

It’s about arriving at the feet of Jesus.

Is there a situation in your life that might benefit by drawing a line down the center of a page?

Cathy Baker is an award-winning writer and author of Pauses for the Vacationing Soul: A Sensory-Based Devotional Guide for the Beach as well as Pauses for the Vacationing Soul: A Sensory-Based Devotional Guide for the Mountains. Cathy is a Hope*Writer and Bible teacher who has taught numerous studies and workshops over the past twenty-five years. Her work has been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul, The Upper Room, and Focus on the Family’s Thriving Family. She is a monthly contributor to The Write Conversation; Writer’s Digest 101 Top Websites for Writers. She and her husband, Brian, live in the foothills of the Carolinas with a beautiful view of Glassy Mountain and a soon-to-be tiny house, lovingly known as the Tiny House on the Hill.

To connect with Cathy visit her at https://www.cathybaker.org and receive a free gift, “10 {Tiny} Prayers that Offer Great Hope.” The tiny prayers included in this pocket-sized publication might just surprise you!