Monday, February 16, 2009

Autumn Asks: Battled any little gods today?

How often do we hear that those things that we love the most are our gods? Those things that we spend the most time doing. Those things that we spend the most money on. Those things that we think of the most.

I hate hearing that most of the time. It makes you stop and take a look at yourself. I very rarely am happy with what I see.

Currently, I am trying to slay my most high god.

Coca-Cola.

I have to have it every day. I never miss on purpose. But can I say the same thing about praying...or more importantly, quiet time in the Word?

I will leave the house to go buy one at the corner store. I will scrape change up from the couch cushions.

And the love affair begins with the first crack of the cap. You know that sound? That sound is like magic. It makes you feel better immediately. When I worked in a law office our boss kept a fridge full for us. The office was built in a big square with the conference room in the middle. We could all pretty much lean out our doors and get anyone's attention we needed. But the funny thing (or sad thing actually) was that first soda crack of the day. The first person would pop that top and then there would be a stampede for the pop cooler. It was like a bunch of drug addicts. Messed up.

Well, along with an online friend, I determined that now is finally the time to get serious and fight this false god. I've cleaned up a bunch of other areas and THINK I'm strong enough to listen the true God and get rid of this. I adopted Heathers deadline of the end of February.

The date keeps creeping closer.

How am I doing? Well, I'm drinking it every chance I get. Of course. But I'm still determine that it has to go. The end of February.

Do they have withdrawal drugs for this? I get the shakes just thinking about it. Sweat breaks out on my forehead.

I'm reading every bad thing I can get my hands on to help out. Like how they just came out with the results that high fructose corn syrup tests positive for mercury....as its a byproduct of the process of making HFCS. WHAT????? So along with the aluminum or plastic poison we injest from the container, now we know we are getting mercury too??

You'd think that would be enough to make me run away screaming.

Then there are all of the health effects...

1. Extra pounds....which leads to all kinds of possible disease.
2. Liver damage in the form of cirrhosis...the same risk that alcoholics face.
3. Tooth enamel decay. Even worse than eating hard candy.
4. Increased risk (15%) for kidney stones due to the high phosphoric acid.
5. Diabetes.
6. Heartburn and acid reflux
7. Osteoporosis - once again the phosphoric acid
8. High blood pressure.
9. Heart disease - due to metabolic syndrome
10. Impaired digestion from messing with the stomach acid levels.

So, its time. I mean, I'm working real hard on cleaning up the things I'm eating for the allergies and such. Shouldn't I get of the real poison too?

So, I'm going to do it. I am. And because my God is bigger than Coca-cola... I will succeed.

Right?



5 comments:

  1. I felt exactly the same way when I gave up Pepsi (actually all soda, but mainly my 3 or 4 a day Pepsi). I haven't had one in over 2 years now, other than the 2 liter Sierra Mist my husband bought a few months ago when I had the flu. Not to mention the way I felt when I gave up cigarettes 8 years ago.
    I know you can do it. If you need a shoulder to cry on drop me a line at debbie@debbiedelozier.com
    Blessings
    Debbie

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  2. This was such a great thing to read this morning! Thank you! I gave up coke when our church did a 21 day fast in January, but I have slowly started drinking it again. I am trying not to keep it in the house, but when I'm having a bad day, it's ALL I want. I need to retrain myself and pray or read the Bible. I need that much more than any food or drink.

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  3. Walk in the Spirit and you WILL be able to stop!!! Yay for you! I pray you will begin to feel much better right away.

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  4. You can do it Autumn! I have faith in you.

    You know what helps me the most when I have really bad cravings? Fruit spritzers (we call them fizzy drinks). I just mix plain, sodium-free carbonated water (seltzer), with 100% fruit juice. I really like grape and orange. Because it's mildly sweet and also fizzy, it kind of mimics soda without the harmful side effects.

    Hang in there my friend. E-mail me if you need to vent. You know I've been there!

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  5. This was such a great thing to read this morning! Thank you! I gave up coke when our church did a 21 day fast in January, but I have slowly started drinking it again. I am trying not to keep it in the house, but when I'm having a bad day, it's ALL I want. I need to retrain myself and pray or read the Bible. I need that much more than any food or drink.

    ReplyDelete