Survivor Island

THE LULU CHRONICLES

LuLu-ism # 45: Man is not an island. Good thing. We’d be doomed.

…It is a good thing. I would hate to think I’d have to go through this life all alone. One, how boring can that be? Two, how many mistakes could one person make when the only input they have is their own? And, three, the loneliness would kill.

In the last couple of weeks, my island has been invaded with two of the loveliest ladies. They’d been reading this blog not because they think it’s so great, but because they like me. We’ve been friends a while now. Then, then after the New Year, we’d been chatting through email about helping each other through this quagmire of dieting, exercise and the road to better health. Well, two weeks ago, we made our pact to share the island and fill it up with daily encouragement, tips, prayer and accountability.

I haven’t been this excited about dieting in… well… never. We’ve just entered our third week and we’ve all had shining successes and some real trials. We’ve about decided that this adventure is just as much about mind and heart as it is about diet and exercise. The mind comes into play because if we don’t keep it engaged, we’ll put just about anything into our mouths without thinking. The mind will defeat at every turn if it is not convinced we’re worth it.

And, our hearts keep us in the game when the scale fails us. It is the connector to something greater than ourselves. It is the hand the reaches out and begs for help. It is the only part of our bodies that is truly capable of understanding faith, forgiveness, and sacrificial love. It is the only part of the body whose home is somewhere else. Without it, the rest is meaningless.

Whatever your dreams, whatever your hopes, whatever your goals, remember to build a big, friendly, welcoming dock on your island. It increases your chances of survival ten-fold.

“I can do all things through Jesus who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

photo by Nutanai Apikhomboonwaroot