Formulaic

I love Merriam Webster!  And, I'm so thankful for the Internet where I can just jump over to the Merriam Webster website at any given moment and do word searches and studies.  I'm a nerd that way.

Anyway, I've been pondering the word formula recently.

Everybody wants one.  Many people and companies boast they have one...the "one", the magic formula that will cure:  input list of maladies and, by golly, the formula will clean it up, get 'er done, cure all, make you rich and then some.

I've bought into the formula mentality.  Believe me, I've bought a few things after watching info-mercials...just sayin'.

I've bought into it in more ways than just weight loss or fitness.  As a young Christian, I bought into the formula for behavior which was expected from a good church goer rather than believing the bottom line:  God's in love with me just the way I am because His love is unconditional.  His grace is called grace for a reason.  Forgiveness was a gift extended to us...not that I could earn.  Anyway, unknowingly I built walls between me and people I loved because in my ignorance, my love was conditional...formulaic. 

"If you act like this + think like this = good Christian girl"

I understand, *ironically, that in chemistry formulas are important, especially exact ones.  We tried to explain this to our daughter last night who wants to "blow things up" but doesn't want to do her math homework.

Math + Diligent Studying = Potential Chemist or scientist of some sort...

I've especially bought into the formula mentality when it comes to weight loss.  A trainer told me once, "Calories in have to be less than calories out, that's the only way you can lose weight."  I've believed this for umpteen years!  This is not entirely true nor is it the only formula that works across the board.  That's what Timothy Ferriss' book, "The 4-Hour Body" is all about.  He totally bucks the system and formula mentality by experimenting on himself, just to prove these theories or formulas, wrong, or inadequate at best.

I've been a Christian now for almost 25 years.  Over that time I've learned a lot more about God's character, who He says He is instead of who we say He is.  While resting at His feet I have learned a lot and had my eyes opened to my naive enthusiasm that was completely self-driven in my earlier years.  We've stayed the course.  He and I.  We have a relationship, not a formula of religious behavior.

As far as health and wellness goes, I'm trying to break free from the formula mentality.  And, when it comes to my body, eating and fitness, that's tough when I function well within structure.  I mean, obviously eating a Big Mac everyday with a side of fries is a formula, for sure, for malnourishment and disease.  Hello.  I haven't eaten at McDonald's since I was pregnant with Emily back in 2001, so this isn't a problem for me.  But a pan of brownie edges or a tray of chocolate chip cookies is another story... 

I know enough now that eating as closely to the way God designed food is optimal for me.  Limiting sugar and carb intake helps me feel my best.  Exercising and being outdoors always feels good, even if I didn't feel like it initially.  And, keeping myself busy keeps me away from the grazing mentality that is linked to stress and boredom.  I know these things.  I think I've been trying to figure out how to neatly fit them into a formula so I can wrap my brain around them, have it work and fit nicely into my lifestyle, and be on my merry way.

...except life doesn't fit neatly into a little box so I'm learning how to operate within something called "grace."  I understand grace extended to me from God.

Now I just need to learn how to extend it to myself...Do you?

*I failed chemistry in college...