Outgrowing my ZITS

There was a time when I wondered if it was going to happen, if there would really ever be a space of  time between the application of blemish-drying cream and anti-wrinkle lotion…a time in which I would enjoy the benefits of clear skin at long last. I simply had no choice but to wait my hormones out in anticipation of the day when I finally outgrew my zits.

Only last fall did I literally outgrow another ‘z-It in my life. My weight had ballooned to the point that I had no choice but to do something about it, and it was with real regret that I had to put the bright red box with Cheez-It written across the top aside.

It’s never been the sweet treats that have tempted me (my passion for frosted brownies a notable exception); I’ve always been one to favor the salty snacks. Add a taste of cheese to the mix and I’m done for. Such has been the case with my love for the little baked snack cracker. Normally a fan of cheaper alternatives and store brand substitutes, I’ve found that only the little orange squares made by Sunshine fit the bill. Their product has just the right combination of crispness, salt and cheese to overcome my self-control. I especially like the ones that are a little darker than usual, maybe just a bit burned around the edges. While people everywhere pray about a lot of things, I bet I’m the only shopper who asks the Almighty to direct her hand to the box on the shelf that is most likely to be filled with the same.

Lately I’ve had to ask Him to help keep my hand out of the box, a much more difficult task. You might ask why I didn’t just quit buying them altogether, and there are some things now that are indeed out of my life completely because of my lack of self-control where they were concerned. Instead I’ve learned a lot in the last six months about trade-offs, giving up something here to gain something else I want more down the road. The wisdom I’ve gained on the subject is worth more to me even than the weight I’ve lost.  I’ve learned that counting the cost, be it of calories or countless other temptations, is what keeps me on track for success in the long run. I also had to be accountable somehow, even if only to myself using the app I downloaded on the phone to keep my from cheating with Cheez-Its as well as in every other area of my life.

The appearance of a random blemish the other day reminded me that issues I need to deal with spiritually will likewise continue to pop up and demand corrective attention for as long as I live on this earth. God’s taught me that keeping my hand in His keeps it out of trouble altogether.

“Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel…And being with you, I desire nothing on earth.”
(Psalm 73: 23-25 NIV)