Tea, Pringles and Reece's (What's for dinner?)

I went to the KCU football game today. Our soccer schedule has overlapped and this was the only game I will get to watch them play this season. I did something I have never done. I left early. The desire to stay and watch our team get soundly beat was not in me. In the past I have watched complete games in much more hostile weather with a larger negative point differential than the one I left early from today. The difference- none of my boys were on the field. All of them have graduated and moved on. Love and relationships make a difference in what we are willing to endure.

I went to Target to pick up a couple of orders I placed online and ended up doing some in store shopping. A large portion of my time was spent weighing options in the Halloween aisle. Candy was 80% off. Good stuff. So many choices, it was almost overwhelming, but my appreciation of chocolate gave me staying power. I price checked about 20 bags with different assortments in them. I wanted to buy what I like best. But not too much of what I like because I know I will eat whatever I bring home. I put several bags in my cart. Then took them out and put them back on the shelf. I repeated this cycle several times. I almost made it out with no bags. I am trying to discipline myself to make better food choices, but in the end I could not say no to Reece's and Almond Joys so I compromised and chose a smaller bag (45 fun size pieces) rather than a large bag (136 or 145 fun size pieces). The bigger bag was a better value by far. Except buying new clothes would cost more than I would have saved.

I did not want to eat fast food for dinner, 

(remember the desire to make healthier food choices?)

so I ate a dinner that was about as eclectic as this post.

Water and potatoes with beans and peanut butter for dessert.

Except that I went to dollar tree to buy supper and dessert was in the bag from Target so in reality it looked like this:

Peach tea has water in it,
Pringles are made from potato flakes,
Reece's has peanut butter and chocolate,
chocolate comes from the cocoa bean.
Some days the struggle is more real than it is other days.
 I would have been better off using the drive thru.
Any drive thru.

As I drove home, munching Pringles and sipping tea, I wondered;

"Am I guilty of masquerading in my walk with God? 

Do I hedge on what I am really doing, 

coloring the truth or leaving out portions 

to make my choices sound better?"

What about you?

"I drank water, ate potatoes, etc."

when you really had flavored tea, Pringles and Reece's

I have been guilty of these...

"I looked at my Bible at home this week."

as it sat gathering dust on the table or nightstand or shelf

"I took time to pray."

"Lord, help me to not injure, maim or kill that fool"

"I went to church." 

But I was so distracted by "life" as I sat in the pew that I wasn't there

"I wish I had time to get together to study the Bible with you but I am really busy this week..."

I am afraid you will ask me a question I can't answer 

"I meant to touch base with...

I wanted to check on...

That was on my to-do list...

...but I ran out of time."

because I spent hours reading, crafting, playing computer games or checking FB, Twitter, Snapchat, Insta-gram or ...

The thing that kept me at football games several years ago,

(and the thing that motivates me to be at the pitch watching soccer) 

is relationships with people I love. 

The thing that motivates and enables me to be vulnerable, transparent and honest about what is going on in my life everyday (persistently sharing my moments of Peach Tea, Pringles and Reece's dinners rather than claiming I have it all together, all figured out and am completely healthy) is the same thing. 

Loving and being loved by God.

Sharing that love with others as we live this messy thing called life.

Choosing Living Water over peach tea. 

I don't always get it right. 

But I want to.