Father Roderick: This Is Temporary

I'm sitting on my screened in back porch watching an Eastern Phoebe feed her babies. Every time she comes to the nest, the cheeping sound gets a lot louder as each vies for her attention.  They keep cheeping for a while after she leaves.  Once when the sound stopped, I stood on a chair for a better look.  Even though they weren't making any noise, their mouths were wide open, waiting for Mama bird's return.

I've been tracking my nutrition for several months now, and have discovered that every mid-afternoon, I feel hungry.  I thought maybe this would stop once school let out for the summer, but it has continued.  I feel a bit like those baby birds - hardly waiting for my next treat.  Of course, I'm not dependent on anyone else to feed me.  I can easily go to the pantry or refrigerator and get something if I want, but I know I don't *need* to eat at that moment.  I simply want to get rid of that uncomfortable feeling of hunger.

One of my favorite podcasters is Father Roderick Vonhögen.  He's a Catholic priest in the Netherlands, about my age, and I've been listening to him since 2005.  Besides our Catholic faith, we have quite a bit in common, like running, cooking, reading, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, etc.  So I always find his podcasts quite relevant to my life.

I've been catching up on his podcasts since school let out, and in his May 11th podcast, "How Intermittent Fasting Helps Me Become a Stormtrooper," he talked about that hungry feeling he gets now that he's begun watching his diet more closely.  He reminds us that it's only temporary, and that experiencing that feeling and working through it (knowing it will eventually end) will strengthen us in the long run.  There are going to be plenty of times we feel uncomfortable - not just hungry.  Maybe we'll feel afraid, stressed, angry, or anxious.  Allowing ourselves to occasionally feel uncomfortable due to hunger - and develop a sense of inner peace about it (knowing that the feeling will end at our next meal or snack) will strengthen us and help us deal with these other uncomfortable feelings. 

Here is a short video of the excerpt that I found so helpful from that May 11th podcast.  Right now as I close this entry in the late afternoon, I'm feeling hunger pangs but thanks to Father Roderick's reminder, I know it's only temporary.  I am strong!

See below the video for more information on following Father Roderick, if you're interested!

Note:  If you like what you hear, Father Roderick is currently on Patreon, but he is moving to a new platform soon.  When he does, I will update this blog in case anyone wants to find him there.  But for now, you can find him at THIS LINK.  He is also on YOUTUBE and TIKTOK.  He's just wonderful.  If you find yourself watching/listening to him in the future, please consider making a regular monthly donation to support his ministry because it's funded only by his listeners, not his diocese.