Monday, April 17, 2006

SMOKING


What should I do about the smoking? For years I have struggled to give up smoking many times it has left me feeling a little useless as a christian and a bit of a fraud. Other times I feel the grace of God to help me. I actually started smoking when I was 17 a bit late!! but did it to impress my friends. I guess I am what you would call a light smoker maybe smoking 4 or 5 small cigars a day, sometimes only one actually thinking about it there are days were i have none. The problem is I supplement all of this with nicotine chewing gum for the obvious health reasons. Everytime I try to give up I just find myself becoming the most grumpy git on the planet. Now a days I feel more grace than condemnation but sometimes that doesn't help. Do you know what I mean? Knowing that God loves me no matter what doesn't really give me much of an incentive to give up.

Grace is amazing but I need to marry it with a greater sense of discipline.

I'll let you know how I get on. Although I haven't really got any plans to even try just yet. I am doing fine with the no drinking rule I have imposed on myself, haven't had a drink since January which actually makes me feel good about myself and helps me realise that I can excercise discipline when necessary.

Probably the main reason I want to give up is that I am a perpetual worrier about my health, so every time I smoke I feed my fear. Wierd!

I do have a couple of thought on the whole deal, which is that often in church circles I have felt guilty about smoking and I know others can be made to feel guilty about smoking, but no one and I mean no one that I have ever listened preaches on being fat!

It appears some health risks are okay others are taboo. Anyway just laying it all out, feel I need to be more honest with my blogging and enjoyed getting my last two posts of my chest.

My favourite cigars are Cohibas, I prefer the Lancero it takes two hours to smoke but I can't afford them

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Brian

Smoking is all in the head. You just need to realise that what you are doing is all a bit wierd. Setting fire to something and sticking this burning object in your mouth. Then making sure you take a big draw on it to get the smoke to go into your body. It just looks a bit odd really.

Don't get me wrong, it took me 12 years of doing it to realise. I had a bad cold one weekend and just couldn't face it. Having lasted 24 hours without a cigarette, I just thought "let's see how tomorrow goes" and that was my philosophy for giving up. Taking it one day at a time. Once I had got over a few days, my resolve was so strong that I just couldn't have gone back. I kept a half empty pack of Marlboro Lights on my bedside table for about 2 months though. Somehow just knowing that it would be so easy to start again made it easier for me to stop.

That was 3 years ago and one of the best things I have done in my life. I am now the person I used to hate. The reformed smoker. But I reckon it is my privelege now and it feels good.

Drink lots of water. A couple of big glasses every time you feel like a smoke. It soon helps. Replace your habit with something positive. I reckon you can do it. Will pray for you on this as I know what a difference it will make. Keep us posted!

Brian said...

Cheers Nico.
I am going to pick a day very soon and go for it, I will keep everyone posted, just had some visitors who have brought me some lovely cuban cigars so it will be another week or so. I will probably procrastinate! but will get, I do feel that this is the year.

Anonymous said...

Good one. Have to say it is one of those things that it doesn't matter how many horrendous adverts for giving up or loved ones pestering you to stop. You have to come to the decision in your own head.

Good luck with it. You will get there. For the record, I always enjoyed a nice Romeo y Julieta tubo. ;-)

Anonymous said...

When people say to me "isn't flying a plane very expensive", my favourite retort is that it costs about as much as smoking 20 a day and is a lot less dangerous!

I had a mild go at Phil T for taking up smoking at his age - simply because everyone else I know who already does, wants to quit! So go for it with the determination of a spiritual discipline coupled with the faith of a miracle-seeker.

And I 100% agree that church has horrendous double standards about stuff like this. The proud and the greedy are welcome - character transformation is seen as a long term ideal rather than a requirement. Gays and smokers on the other hand...

J-Mac said...

No answers for you here mate but mirror all your questions...if anything works out for you let me know..I've been 'giving up' for too long now!