That "Never" Word

 This and following are some of my favorite snaps taken in Maryland.

 

"A habit  cannot be tossed out the window; it must be coaxed down the stairs a step at a time!

Mark Twain (1835-1910) 

You know what I mean. As soon as you say never you end up eating your words. It's happened to me a few times during my adult years. I learned to be very careful to never say never. (Now how else could I say that?)

One big "never" I remember was when I was pregnant and left my job to have my daughter. Back then a pregnant women left in her seventh month. I said I wouldn't be back. I was going to be a homemaker.

That lasted all of two years, and I found myself walking right back to where I left. That was difficult to swallow.

"The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken."

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)

Another time I said "never" and ended up eating my words was the first time I spoke to a group about note writing.  No, I would never talk in front of a group. Why I had difficulty talking within a small group of my co-workers. I'm sure they wondered why I never said anything.

But talk in front of a group I did, not once, but many times. Well, if you could call it talking. The only way I was able to do it was having my "talk" typed word for word and reading it. I actually got pretty good at it.

"God delights on our temptations and yet hates them. He delights in them when they drive us to prayer; he hates them when they drive us to despair."

Martin Luther (1483-1546) 

But this last time eating my words caused me grief. I will never give up ice cream, chocolate or potato chips. They were my favorites, my friends, and I didn't care what else happened, I wasn't going to give them up!

But June 24, 2018 I finally had to eat my words and stop eating my favorites. Or should I say my addictions. My body was rejecting them and it was definitely more pleasant to give them up than continue down the unpleasant road.

"Habits are servants that regulate your sleep, your work and your thoughts.

Elbert Green Hubbard (1856-1915)

Ten months ago today, and I've survived! I'm feeling much better, and I've lost 40 pounds! That old temptation is still in me, but I've been successful in overcoming this habit and addiction that followed me through all of my life.

I hope I haven't let any of my dye hard fans of ice cream, chocolate and potato chips down. My body just wouldn't let me be in control anymore. (But, yes, I still make Jerry a chocolate chip coffee cake, and every once in awhile, I eat a piece!)

So let me encourage you that habits and addictions can be broke. Hershey may be missing my business, but this stubborn girl broke free of her destructive habit and addiction.

Well, I can assure you I will never say never again. (I wouldn't count on it. Old habits are hard to break.)

"Temptations that find us leaning on God are to our faith like winds that more firmly root the tree.)

Unknown

One of my favorites! A soon to be mom.