Re: Francisco, thank you--, you're welcome

[Guest guest]

!

De nada! You're welcome!

, I think we all have used food to mask pain and fill voids in

our hearts. I still struggle with it, but I've got this wonderful

tool that has been my salvation.

Another part of this journey is so spiritual. Once, about a year

ago, my pastor was giving a sermon about transformation. She read a

poem about God hearing silent cries of pain. And it hit me; my

prayers of so many years had not fallen on deaf ears. My silent,

secret cries were heard and God healed me, transformed me, and

brought me joy like I've never known. And then when she spoke of how

accepting God's unconditional love is difficult when we don't believe

we deserve to be loved unconditionally.

She invited us to look deep within ourselves and ask why we won't let

God's healing love into the core of our being, why we continue to

abuse ourselves in ways that are unhealthy. I started crying when I

heard those words come from her mouth because I wondered why I had

spent so many years with destructive self-talk and behaviors.

If God loves me so much, why can't I love me?

Penny (my pastor) asked, " Have you ever heard the voice of a loved

one say something good about you? " I thought of my mother and how

she is always embarrassing me in front of her friends with stories of

how talented or smart or wonderful I am. Penny said, " Listen to

those words of love because they are the voice of God. When someone

touches you with love, those are God's hands. When you hear a song

that brings tears to your eyes, that's God again. "

So I've had to work at accepting that grace and mercy. And I've

vowed to stay worthy of this gift. Not everyone gets a second chance

at life. Not everyone can see life from both sides of morbid

obesity. We are a chosen few who have seen miracles in our lives. I

want to always remember how differnt and empty my life was. God gave

me this second chance, and I won't squander it.

We may never know why some of us get this gift and other not. But it

is up to us to love ourselves enough to make the best of this

opportunity. And that was a hard lesson: I had to love myself

enough to let go of the weight. In other words, I didn't start

loving myself when I reached goal weight. I don't love myself

because I lost the weight. I lost the weight because I began to love

myself first.

If I hated myself, I never would have treated myself well enough to

get to goal weight. I love myself because each and everyone of us

deserves it. It's a simple as that. And it's as difficult as that.

Best of luck to you on your journey.

Francisco

>

>

> Francisco--Thank you for the sound advice for losing the 10%. I am

> working on it but I'm now working harder on the things I say to

myself.

> I seem to sabotage myself with negative thinking. I am now telling

> myself, " I can do this, I will do this, I am doing this! " I repeat

> these and other positive thoughts all day long to keep myself on

track.

> I have also written down something you wrote in another email. It

> really spoke to my heart. You said, " The feelings I get from life

are

> more delicious than any cake or candy bar or fast food burger. My

life

> nourishes my soul like food never could. " I tear up every time I

read

> it. It really hit home with me. I think, for years I have turned

to

> food to fill a void, an emptiness inside me. I look forward to the

day

> when these words of yours are also true for me!

>

> Francisco, you express yourself so well and I always enjoy reading

your

> updates, contributions, and advice. Gracias!

>

> []

>

[Guest guest]

Francisco, I have one word for your post. WOW! Love, Jenn P.S. I could never write as eloquently as you do. How do you do that? manisodream wrote: !De nada! You're welcome!, I think we all have used food to mask pain and fill voids in our hearts. I still struggle with it, but I've got this wonderful tool that has been my salvation.Another part of this journey is so spiritual. Once, about a year ago, my pastor was giving a sermon about transformation. She read a poem about God hearing silent cries of pain.

And it hit me; my prayers of so many years had not fallen on deaf ears. My silent, secret cries were heard and God healed me, transformed me, and brought me joy like I've never known. And then when she spoke of how accepting God's unconditional love is difficult when we don't believe we deserve to be loved unconditionally.She invited us to look deep within ourselves and ask why we won't let God's healing love into the core of our being, why we continue to abuse ourselves in ways that are unhealthy. I started crying when I heard those words come from her mouth because I wondered why I had spent so many years with destructive self-talk and behaviors.If God loves me so much, why can't I love me?Penny (my pastor) asked, "Have you ever heard the voice of a loved one say something good about you?" I thought of my mother and how she is always embarrassing me in front of her friends with

stories of how talented or smart or wonderful I am. Penny said, "Listen to those words of love because they are the voice of God. When someone touches you with love, those are God's hands. When you hear a song that brings tears to your eyes, that's God again."So I've had to work at accepting that grace and mercy. And I've vowed to stay worthy of this gift. Not everyone gets a second chance at life. Not everyone can see life from both sides of morbid obesity. We are a chosen few who have seen miracles in our lives. I want to always remember how differnt and empty my life was. God gave me this second chance, and I won't squander it.We may never know why some of us get this gift and other not. But it is up to us to love ourselves enough to make the best of this opportunity. And that was a hard lesson: I had to love myself enough to let go of

the weight. In other words, I didn't start loving myself when I reached goal weight. I don't love myself because I lost the weight. I lost the weight because I began to love myself first.If I hated myself, I never would have treated myself well enough to get to goal weight. I love myself because each and everyone of us deserves it. It's a simple as that. And it's as difficult as that.Best of luck to you on your journey.Francisco >> > Francisco--Thank you for the sound advice for losing the 10%. I am> working on it but I'm now working harder on the things I say to myself. > I seem to sabotage myself with negative thinking. I am now telling> myself, "I can do this, I will do this, I am doing

this!" I repeat> these and other positive thoughts all day long to keep myself on track. > I have also written down something you wrote in another email. It> really spoke to my heart. You said, "The feelings I get from life are> more delicious than any cake or candy bar or fast food burger. My life> nourishes my soul like food never could." I tear up every time I read> it. It really hit home with me. I think, for years I have turned to> food to fill a void, an emptiness inside me. I look forward to the day> when these words of yours are also true for me!> > Francisco, you express yourself so well and I always enjoy reading your> updates, contributions, and advice. Gracias!> > []>