Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Monday, October 19, 2015
The Thinspo Slave Market
Jean-Leon Gérôme’s 1884 work, "A Roman
Slave Market” provides the inspiration/discussion point for Cruse as she
examines the toxic impact of the thinsperation trend in disordered image/eating
issues. It appears in October 19th’s Christians In Recovery. (Due to
artistic imagery, reader discretion is advised).
The Snoopy Why
There’s just
nothing like cute little Snoopy to capture the “what’s the point” question in
life.
Most of us have never sat upon our rooftops, but most of us have asked
the same battery of questions about our lives.
We’re not
the first; we certainly won’t be the last…
“‘Why then have You
brought me out of the womb?
Would that I had died and no eye had seen me!
‘I should have been as though I had not been,
Carried from womb to tomb.’
“Would He not let my few days alone? Withdraw from me that I may have a little cheer
Before I go—and I shall not return—
To the land of darkness and deep shadow,
The land of utter gloom as darkness itself,
Of deep shadow without order,
And which shines as the darkness.’”
Would that I had died and no eye had seen me!
‘I should have been as though I had not been,
Carried from womb to tomb.’
“Would He not let my few days alone? Withdraw from me that I may have a little cheer
Before I go—and I shall not return—
To the land of darkness and deep shadow,
The land of utter gloom as darkness itself,
Of deep shadow without order,
And which shines as the darkness.’”
Job 10:18-22
“Moses said to
God, ‘Why have you afflicted your servant? Why have I not found favor in your
eyes, that you place the burden of this entire people upon me?’ ‘...From where
should I get meat to give to this entire people…’ ‘I am not able to carry this entire
people alone, because it is too heavy for me. If this is how you deal with me,
then kill me now…let me not see my failure.’”
Numbers 11:11-15
Yes, both
Job and Moses have been where we are…clueless, questioning, afflicted,
apprehensive…
And, before
we get so caught up in the doom and gloom of our self-designated despair, we
need the reality check perspective of what things, indeed, are- even if we don’t
understand every detail in full explanation.
“I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the
swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet
riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and
chance happeneth to them all. “
Ecclesiastes 9:11
Life is
mysterious, uncertain and yes, frightening, especially if we see all of the
horrible “what if’s” occurring without any grace or mercy.
“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not
under the law, but under grace.”
Romans 6:14
“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that
ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:”
2 Corinthians 9:8
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that
we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:16
“Know ye that the LORD he is God…be thankful unto him…bless
his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth
endureth to all generations.”
Psalms 100:3-5
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present
help in trouble.”
Psalms 46:1
We’re
not left alone to fend for ourselves. We’re are equipped to live our lives. And
that includes the uncertainties, unanswered questions and numerous anxieties…
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose
under the heaven."
Ecclesiastes 3:1
“Trust in the Lord
with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways
acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
That’s
why we’re instructed to cast our cares upon the Lord…
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
1 Peter 5:7
Yeah,
yeah, yeah, I know. That does not appease our finite selves. There are
unresolved situations in our lives.
Therefore,
how important it is to keep these matters in perspective; God is- and has-
every answer, every solution. He has decided our futures are secure and good.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord,
thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11
There’s
nothing cartoon or comic strip about that! God has you- whatever that
represents when it involve your life circumstances.
Trust in
that right now!
“Trust in the Lord
with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways
acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
Copyright © 2015 by Sheryle Cruse
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Let Yes’s and No’s Be Just That
Choice is an often used word today. Let’s face it; we have a lot of choices at our disposal.
Experts say, on any given day, we think 60,000 thoughts
daily, 48,000 of which are negative. We choose to do that.
Yikes.
Scripture tells us, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that
love it shall eat the fruit thereof” (Proverbs 18:21).
And, while it’s dangerous and foolish to
believe we’re all powerful, it’s just as dangerous to believe we’re all power-less.
Yet how many of us do that?
Each day, we think 60,000 thousand thoughts.
Things like, “I’ll wear this,” “I’ll drink that,” “I’ll believe of doubt this
bit of information,” “I’ll have this attitude.” The choices span the mundane,
to the extraordinary, to the life- altering variety.
Yet each thought has this in common: it has a
yes or a no possibility attached to it. That’s no small thing. If we say yes in
one particular thought, we also answer no, and vice versa.
Recently, I had a situation in which a
collective family opinion did not accept my unpleasing “no’ of an answer.
That’s not surprising. After all, how many of us enjoy being told “no,”
especially if it’s in regard to something we REALLY want?
Exactly.
Yet, for those of us in recovery, blurred
boundaries, conflict avoidance and healthy self-mage are all challenging for us.
We want to be pleasing, be a rescuer and be considered a “nice person.”
But that’s not always the healthiest choice
for us; it’s not the best choice.
Scripture gives us the permission to say “yes”
or “no.”
“Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,'
and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”
Matthew
5:37
There are results from either path. And we
need to accept that. Our thoughts will produce something. Is it something we
really want in our lives? We need to think about that carefully.
And, make no mistake about it, there are no
free passes when it comes to the results of our yes or no decisions. Something
will happen. We, therefore, cannot choose both options simultaneously. To do so
is to be “double minded.” And let’s see the results of THAT choice:
James 1:8
We are to be good stewards, not perfect stewards, of our lives.
God has given each of us free will. Will we choose well?
Copyright © 2015 by
Sheryle Cruse
Friday, October 16, 2015
Everything Is Normal?
This gif is
amusing.
But looking
past its cartoonish nature, once again, I associate it with a very real eating
disorder pattern, executed by many of us.
Just like
the cartoon, many of us, especially those of us who are struggling with
anorexia, employ this disappearing melting action, at first, in a subtle way,
and then, finally in its startling, emaciated, eventual form. Sooner or later,
if intervention and treatment do not come to the rescue, certain individuals can
look too much like the cartoon’s skeleton final product.
The skeletal
appearance is easy to identify. But, long before that state, there are, indeed,
signs and symptoms which can affect anyone. It’s not just a teenage girl’s
thing. Both genders, all ages and people from all walks of life can fall prey.
It does not discriminate.
So, with
that in mind, look around. Is there anyone you know who may be struggling? A
daughter or son? A mother or father? A sister or brother? A student or
co-worker?
Below are
just a few signs/symptoms of potential disorder. The key word to remember,
indeed, id “disorder.”
Eating Disorder Signs To Look For
1) Dramatic changes in weight and
appearance: may start wearing excessively baggy clothes to disguise weight loss
or weight gain.
2) May display unusual behaviors
around food. In example: May refuse to eat in front of others, constantly diet
and/or avoid certain foods, smoke cigarettes, chew gum or binge drink alcohol
to substitute for eating.
3) May display unusual behaviors
concerning physical exercise (In example: He/she may demand a certain
repetition of sit ups and laps/miles run per day.) Individual may be rigid and ritualistic,
choosing to exercise compulsives for hours at a time. Because of exercise
routine, may be absent or show up late to class or rehearsal.
4) Individual may have low energy,
may be weak (even having fainting spells) or be prone to falling asleep during
daily activities.
5) Individual isolates, withdraws
from fellow students or actors, is secretive and uncomfortable, especially
around settings in which food is present.
6) Engages in negative body image
talk about self and others: may compare and scrutinize others’ appearance,
weight, measurements, especially during costume fittings for productions.
Individual may have dramatic changes in body weight and size.
7) Individual may expect
perfectionistic standards of self, be hypercritical about performance and
appearance. (The running mantra being, “I’m not good enough.”)
8) Individual may struggle with
anxiety and panic attacks, especially if he/she has not completed self-imposed
rituals and rules concerning food, weight and exercise issues.
If there is
any kind of issue, no matter how high functioning the person may appear to be,
there usually is some form of disorder, instability and desperate chaos to
their lives. Mood swings, missing money or food, isolation, dishonesty and
secrets are usually not too far away from someone who is struggling. When in doubt,
seek help.
If You Have Anorexia
Nervosa…
Don’t diet. Never ever.
Instead design a meal plan that gives your body all the nutrition it needs for
health and growth. Also get 30 to 60 minutes of exercise or physical activity
three to five days a week. More than that is too much.
Ask someone you trust
for an honest, objective opinion of your weight. If they say you are normal
weight or thin, believe them.
If You Have Bulimia
Nervosa or Binge Eating Disorder…
Don’t let yourself get
too hungry, too angry, too lonely, too tired, or too bored. All these states
are powerful binge triggers. Watch for them, and when they first appear, deal
with them in a healthy manner instead of letting the tension build until
bingeing and purging become the release of choice.
Make sure that every
day you touch base with friends and loved ones. Enjoy being with them. It
sounds corny, but hugs really are healing.
Keep tabs on your
feelings. Several times a day ask yourself how you feel. If you get off track,
do whatever the situation requires to get back to your comfort zone.
ANRED: Self Help Tips
(Used with Permission)
We can never tell for certain, the dangerous lengths an
individual may pursue when coping with his/her pain. Don’t automatically trust “everything
is normal” if you see the troubling signs of disorder. It may just be the precursor
to the harmful melting process of a life-threatening eating disorder.
Copyright © 2015 by
Sheryle Cruse
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