We Are God's Temple
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series III, Cycle C
Karny runs. She runs marathons. She runs races. She runs for fun. Karny loves to run because it reminds her that she is alive. Alive to feel the ocean breeze near her house. Alive to feel the gentle pain in her legs after a good ten-mile run. She is grateful for her life because she was so close to losing it.
Twelve years earlier, Karny weighed a little over 300 pounds. She ate at her desk. She ate in her car. She ate between meals. Karny ate whenever and wherever she could. She bought candy and carefully hid the wrappers so no one would know. She emptied her car's trash can at the gas station often so her husband wouldn't know she had eaten another large meal from the fast food restaurant down the road. She would put candy in her briefcase under her papers so it wouldn't be so obvious.
Karny was tired often, and she was constantly interrupting big projects at work so she could go get something to eat. She didn't have "zip." Her eating problem was out of control, yet she didn't know what to do about it. She knew she could die of her obesity if she didn't do anything.
It was one day during worship when Karny had an awakening. She was watching a young woman speak about her relationship with God, her devotional life, and her sense of freedom to be the best person she could be. Karny's church hardly ever had speakers like that. Worship and one's faith were considered private matters in Karny's community.
But this Sunday had been different. One of the pastor's friends was in town and she wanted to tell of her experience with depression. She very simply shared how her depression -- although mild -- was detracting from her ministry, her family, and her social life. The woman spoke of grace upon grace, given freely to everyone, not just thin, cheerful, or rich people. Karny had soaked up every word.
A glossy magazine cover she would never grace, but the speaker's direct way of telling her story hit Karny in her giant stomach. The lady was beautiful to Karny. Karny knew she had to do something about her weight, and in the midst of her tears, she prayed that God would help her.
It was a long road, but Karny went to counseling and to a weight loss clinic. They carefully monitored everything she ate for a week, telling her she could eat normally for that one week and to write down every single thing that went into her mouth. She took her food diary and together with the weight counselor went over what she had eaten, why she felt she was hungry, what her emotions were at the time, and how she had felt after she had eaten. It was eye-opening, humiliating, and yet freeing to know Karny could share these deeply personal thoughts with her counselor.
Karny had to weigh her food, and slowly the amounts were decreased until fourteen months later she had lost over 100 pounds. Karny felt her success was due to encouragement as people saw her weight loss. She prayed continuously about her eating habits, praying for will power to eat well and become fit.
Exercise played a big part in Karny's life as she played outdoors with her children. They purposefully planned camping trips and other outdoor events where they could get lots of exercise. Then Karny discovered running. Running gave her a chance to be by herself. She got to be outdoors; she could run by the beach if she wanted to, or in the huge park at the edge of town. She varied her run every day so that she was never bored. She felt so alive during her runs!
Karny was very purposeful about her running time. She used it as her devotion time. Every morning she would jot ten things down on an index card and she would pray for the people, events, or situations during her run. At first her runs took fifteen minutes, but then she would start running longer and longer. Before long she was running over an hour.
And a strange thing began to happen. She would see others running and sometimes during her stretching time she would chat with them. She began to tell them her story of overcoming obesity. They listened, they believed her, and she shared her index card prayer time. It was a natural opener to share her faith.
Karny knew she had received grace upon grace as she reached her goal weight another year later. She knew God had a place in her life and in her body. She was glad to be alive! She was glad to use her body toward sharing her faith life.
Twelve years earlier, Karny weighed a little over 300 pounds. She ate at her desk. She ate in her car. She ate between meals. Karny ate whenever and wherever she could. She bought candy and carefully hid the wrappers so no one would know. She emptied her car's trash can at the gas station often so her husband wouldn't know she had eaten another large meal from the fast food restaurant down the road. She would put candy in her briefcase under her papers so it wouldn't be so obvious.
Karny was tired often, and she was constantly interrupting big projects at work so she could go get something to eat. She didn't have "zip." Her eating problem was out of control, yet she didn't know what to do about it. She knew she could die of her obesity if she didn't do anything.
It was one day during worship when Karny had an awakening. She was watching a young woman speak about her relationship with God, her devotional life, and her sense of freedom to be the best person she could be. Karny's church hardly ever had speakers like that. Worship and one's faith were considered private matters in Karny's community.
But this Sunday had been different. One of the pastor's friends was in town and she wanted to tell of her experience with depression. She very simply shared how her depression -- although mild -- was detracting from her ministry, her family, and her social life. The woman spoke of grace upon grace, given freely to everyone, not just thin, cheerful, or rich people. Karny had soaked up every word.
A glossy magazine cover she would never grace, but the speaker's direct way of telling her story hit Karny in her giant stomach. The lady was beautiful to Karny. Karny knew she had to do something about her weight, and in the midst of her tears, she prayed that God would help her.
It was a long road, but Karny went to counseling and to a weight loss clinic. They carefully monitored everything she ate for a week, telling her she could eat normally for that one week and to write down every single thing that went into her mouth. She took her food diary and together with the weight counselor went over what she had eaten, why she felt she was hungry, what her emotions were at the time, and how she had felt after she had eaten. It was eye-opening, humiliating, and yet freeing to know Karny could share these deeply personal thoughts with her counselor.
Karny had to weigh her food, and slowly the amounts were decreased until fourteen months later she had lost over 100 pounds. Karny felt her success was due to encouragement as people saw her weight loss. She prayed continuously about her eating habits, praying for will power to eat well and become fit.
Exercise played a big part in Karny's life as she played outdoors with her children. They purposefully planned camping trips and other outdoor events where they could get lots of exercise. Then Karny discovered running. Running gave her a chance to be by herself. She got to be outdoors; she could run by the beach if she wanted to, or in the huge park at the edge of town. She varied her run every day so that she was never bored. She felt so alive during her runs!
Karny was very purposeful about her running time. She used it as her devotion time. Every morning she would jot ten things down on an index card and she would pray for the people, events, or situations during her run. At first her runs took fifteen minutes, but then she would start running longer and longer. Before long she was running over an hour.
And a strange thing began to happen. She would see others running and sometimes during her stretching time she would chat with them. She began to tell them her story of overcoming obesity. They listened, they believed her, and she shared her index card prayer time. It was a natural opener to share her faith.
Karny knew she had received grace upon grace as she reached her goal weight another year later. She knew God had a place in her life and in her body. She was glad to be alive! She was glad to use her body toward sharing her faith life.
