“We are what we eat.” You’ve probably heard that statement and if thinking like me, you grimace with that thought. It’s an especially convicting statement to me because of what I’ve consumed over the Christmas holidays. 

The boiled custard was so rich, I served it in petite cups. Then there were tins of candies that crowded one corner of the kitchen countertops. I baked some favorite cookies, and friends and family also shared some of their favorites with us.  

Parties meant extra sweets and more rich selections of food. My taste buds joined in my celebration. My stomach probably questioned what was happening to my amounts and kinds of consumption, but it never complained. Our bathroom scales were the only warning about our eating habits.

No, I’ll not begin the new year with a long list of resolutions, but I have acknowledged to my family that our eating habits have to change. Leafy, green vegetables need to replace the sugar binge we’ve been on and the rich carbs need to take a long winter vacation.

I read an article that promoted the health benefits of eating raw vegetables for some of our meals. I shared the article with Othel and since he’s a salad lover, he agreed we could try it. Then he wanted to know what kind of salad dressing we would eat and what meat would go with it. I put a grimace on his face when I told him it would be raw vegetables only – no additions or side dishes.

His questions were legitimate. It would be an abrupt change in our eating habits. But how long could we practice such a lifestyle? Our dedication to healthier eating would show its true colors under such a test.

As a Christian, I have to be even more concerned with my spiritual diet and growth. A single meal a week could never sustain me physically any more than a single sermon a week can sustain me spiritually. Simon Peter urged Christ’s followers to crave the pure milk of the Word like newborn babies so we would experience and enjoy healthy spiritual growth.

I really do plan to adjust our eating habits at the beginning of this new year. The added pounds we will carry into 2025 need to come off. As for the spiritual appetites, there’s never any overweight condition from feeding on God’s Word.

Camille Anding, The Daily Leader, P. O. Box 551, Brookhaven, MS 39602.