Monday, November 12, 2007

So, is it possible?

I LOVE reading a friend's blog about how she lost 70 pounds with faith and a whole lotta work. And I was wondering today...

Is it possible to be an LDS mom and not have treats for EVERY occasion?

I know some people must because there are thin people in the church, but I can't figure it out.

Every event has to have refreshments (sugary ones, I might add).

Family Home Evening has refreshments (only sugary ones, my family tells me).

WHAT IS UP?

Maybe it is because I only go to things where they have refreshments. My bad, I guess.

You don't really see me at lectures or the museum, or classes without the promise of refreshments. But then, I must be training my children to not pay attention to anything that doesn't end with brownies. Maybe that is why they struggle with sacrament meeting. There isn't any treat promised when it is over. (Well, I guess Lauren does get a nursery snack, but since she is the worst behaved one in the bunch, that doesn't hold with my hypothesis, so I will just ignore it!)

I wonder what would happen if we had an activity with no treats. Would everyone decide not to come next time? Is it that ingrained in us as a people? I don't really want to answer that question either.

Maybe that is why I am obsessed with treats. They are a regular part of my routine. If I didn't offer treats at FHE, my family would burn me at the stake. I am NOT kidding. larry would be first in line with the matches (and not just because he won't let the kids touch matches!)

Yet, I am not strong enough to 'Just Say No.' Or maybe I am and I just don't know it because I haven't stretched that way yet.

Just a bunch of silly thoughts. I am kind of embarrassed that I am posting them, but once it is out there, I can't take it back. And that is a good thing. Writing out my thoughts is very enlightening, mostly because I don't think about these things that often. I am usually overwhelmed with trying to find the baby wipes!

2 comments:

Sweetarita said...

I am definately on the same page as you are!! I stuggle with that very thing, mostly because I have to work with the youth so much and you know they won't show up with out the enticements of food. How sad for sure. It definately is mormon culture. Other people ask you if you'd like a drink when you enter their homes, we say,"would you like a brownie?"!!! I guess it's better than drinking but I hate the fat side effect- in more ways than one.

Unknown said...

Hi Melanie. It is possible for you to stretch you self that extra little bit. It is called FLYing. Which means F...Finally L...Loving Y.... Yourself. The Bible tells us to love one another as we love ourselves. If we don't love our selves we can't love others. It is really simple after you get the idea out of your head that you all ways MUST put others first. If we get our self to a place where we are really happy with the me inside and outside of us we then can love others even better. We just have to learn to love our (me) well enough to say "NO" to things that will add extra calories and "NO" to the extra soft drink especially the "diet" drinks because they add more pounds believe it or not than the regular sodas. We need to remember that one small treat or even half a one is ENOUGH and that we are strong enough to do this. Also drink lots of good H20 commonly known as water, it is the best detox ridder we have that is readily at hand. When you think you are hungry...stop and take a glass of water it is amazing how it will quench the thirst and hunger for the time it takes to get to the next meal time.
Serve the growing family and Larry all they want but learn to LOVE you and to say "NO" or No "Thank you" for yourself.
This comes from Auntie Margaret, who incidentally has had to put these principles to work for me ....and they do work!!! I am happier and I weigh up 47 miserable pounds "LESS" than I once used to. Go ME!! God Bless and try it. Love Auntie Margaret in Sask.