Blessings Among Thorns: What Kind of Eater Are You?

I read an article today entitled "What kind of eater are you?" It gave choices that I thought were interesting:

1. The Grazer 2. The "I'm So Emotional" Eater 3. The Distracted Eater 4. The "Can't Stop at One" Eater 5. The Hormonal Eater

I read through them and found myself wondering -- why didn't they include the "I just like the taste of food" eater?

What style of eater are you?

I'll admit - I'm a "I just like the taste of food" eater - I like ethnic foods, I like country cooking, I like the taste of food...I'm guessing that if I fit under one of their categories, it would be "The Grazer".

I think it's an interesting study. It probably opens doors to other "What kind of _____ are you?" questions we could ask ourselves too -- fill in the blank with anything - worship, friend, worker, etc. - but I think we need to be more careful about using these questions to pass judgement on ourselves and others and instead, embrace them and learn a little more about what makes us and each other "tick"?

If you're like me, I am betting you are your own worst critic. Do you tend to beat yourself up worse than others do? Do you joke about your failings but in your heart mean what you are saying? I do. Maybe it's time to take a look at the words we say to ourselves.

My friends are kind people - we share pictures of lost pets, lost people, hurting situations, prayer needs and encouraging words and verses - but how often do we speak harsh things to ourselves?

I want to challenge myself and y'all today to be kind to you. Say something nice to yourself and mean it...if you learn about your eating style that can help discover an area that can be improved embrace it and learn more.

I am a "just like the taste of food" eater...because of that, I have a huge range of food choices - that can be a blessing and a curse - so for me, portion control is going to be the key to a heatlhy weight and lifestyle. Now that I know this about me, I'm going to use it to my advantage, not to condemn. God has blessed me with the joy of eating good food - that's a rich and wonderful gift. There was a time in my life where I couldn't eat anything...and I nearly died. I have been restored! I need and want to lose some weight - for many reasons.

I'm beginning to understand that failure is born out of self-condemnation. Would we talk to others the way we talk to ourselves? God wants us to have a healthy concept of who we are - our strengths, and our limitations. It's ok to be imperfect. It's ok to work toward healthy goals but it's never ok to beat ourselves up.

"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you." Romans 12:3

So what style of eater are you? May I encourage you to find the blessing in that style and enjoy the journey of discovering how to make it work to your advantage?

I think we all could use a little kindness today...

Just sowing seeds.

Amy Drinkwater

Here's the link to the article if you want to read more about eating styles: