What Kind of Example Are You?

It's amazing how God puts things on your heart at specific times. As I was thinking about this post, I noticed that Connie wrote something similar (but different context) on her main blog!

We are all examples to someone. We might never know who is watching us, but be sure that someone is. The ones that we are examples to the most are our children (and grandchildren for some of you). The specific example I would like to address is that of our "relationship" with food.

I've never done research on the subject, but if I had to guess I would say that most people who are overweight can trace the roots of their problems to childhood. I know that I can. My Dad was a single parent and between his full-time job and his children's extra curricular activities, we very rarely ate at home. Almost every single evening we ate at a restaurant (usually fast food) or ordered something such as pizza or Chinese food. Besides not knowing how to cook when I got married, I also had some very unhealthy eating habits! I was also raised on the reward=food system. You know what I'm talking about..... even today when I do something good, or had a hard day, I feel like I "deserve" ______ (you fill in the blank---mine would say chocolate!).
What are you teaching your children? Do you teach them how to eat a balanced diet and to eat in moderation? Do you teach them to stop when they're full? Remember, that no matter what you might make your children do, they will ultimately learn from what they see. Do they see you doing the things mentioned above? Do you eat a balanced diet in moderation and push away from the table when you're full? All of you that read here are reading because you have a struggle with food in one way or another. You know the misery, pain, and frustration this causes. Do you want your children to go through this as well?
I don't know where the idea came from that we can teach our children to eat one way when they are young, and then expect them to eat properly as they grow into adulthood. We are all living proof that this just doesn't happen.
What about emotional connections to food? Let's take for instance, holidays. What are the memories you are making? Does Christmas bring up thoughts of cookies and gingerbread? Does Easter make you think of chocolate bunnies and marshmallow peeps? How about Thanksgiving and the tradition of stuffing yourself full of turkey and pumpkin pie? Here's a test for you to see how much of a connection you have to these things.... Would these holidays be the same without those foods? Are you sad to think of Christmas without that traditional time of baking and feasting? Would Thanksgiving mean the same with baked salmon and a salad? Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with doing those things. But there's a fine line as to what place of importance we give them.
I implore you to be aware of your example! Reward with love, not food. Make God the focus of your holidays and gatherings. Show others the right way to take care of God's temple by eating properly and exercising (ouch!). And don't forget that it's not just your children that are watching you. The next time you go through the line at the potluck at church.... remember those that you are guiding. I remember as a baby Christian that I looked up to some people as an example, only to find out years later that they really weren't someone that I should have been looking to. A baby Christian, or a new person will not know who is the best example, so they will be looking at everyone! That includes YOU!!
[**Disclaimer** this was written to myself as much as it was to all of you!]