I was reading Jen Hatmaker's "7: An Experimental Mutiny...somethin' somethin'..." this morning (Kelly). This book rocks. Seriously, go get it...TODAY.
It reminded me of WHY I'm fasting from everything but fruits and vegetables. Here's what Jen has to say about fasting:
"If a fast doesn't include any sacrifices, then it's not a fast. The discomfort is where the magic happens. Life zips along, unchecked and automatic. We default to our lifestyle, enjoying our privileges tra la la, but a fast interrupts that rote trajectory. Jesus gets a fresh platform in the empty space where indulgence resided. It's like jeans you wear every day without thinking, but take them off and walk outside, and you'll become terribly aware of their absence. I bet you won't be able to forget you are pantsless, so conspicuous will this omission feel. While that metaphor is in shaky theological territory, that is basically the result of a fast. It makes us hyper-aware, super-sensitive to the Spirit."
I'm hoping today will be a better day for me. I'm hoping my veins aren't crazing caffeine like a heroin addict's crave...you got it, heroin. I already feel better this morning. So, maybe in the next day or two, God and I can "get down to business," and He will show me WHY on EARTH I am doing this to begin with.
Grace and Peace,
Kelly
when I started eating primarily vegan meals at the beginning of the school year, I remember walking through the serving line at dinner and being absolutely furious that we were having rice and beans AGAIN. (And even in my strict co-op, I still had sweeteners and dairy regularly.) I had never realized how much I depend on comfort food to boost my mood (and a lot of my comfort foods are pretty unhealthy). I can imagine that nixing bread, sweeteners, and coffee and every beverage but water from your diet at the same time would be a much more painful struggle.
ReplyDeleteHowever, after a while of missing sugar and chocolate and junk food, I started to get used to my co-op's food, and now highly processed and sugary foods are waaaay less appealing. So even though it's hard (especially when you're withdrawing from caffeine), there IS light at the end of the tunnel!
PS: I know it's not part of your fast, but maybe after the 21-day mark, once you're a bit more adjusted to the fast, you guys might want to look into buying local produce, which is usually much better for the environment because it doesn't have to be shipped from far away, and it's good for the town because it supports local businesses. One way that God has really been speaking to me this year is that the way we eat should be a huge part of our relationship with Him. The food we buy can can a profoundly negative impact on our health, the environment, the way animals are treated, and the way workers are paid. But if we're proactive about buying food that is fair, local, cruelty-free and environmentally friendly, we can really make a huge impact for the better. In Judaism, what you eat is a big part of how you practice your faith. We've lost a lot of that in Christianity, and i think it's time Christians started realizing that what we eat is a reflection of our faith.
Sarah,
DeleteI'm so very glad I have you for encouragement and to bounce ideas off of! (I went and bought my iron pills this morning) You would SERIOUSLY LOVE this BOOK, my friend! I've thought about you several times when reading it! And, actually, even thought I've eaten more veggies in the past three days than I have in a good month, I was disgusted, because I know all the "JUNK" that's in them and sprayed all over them etc. I'm already looking into CSAs and how to get "clean meat"...assuming I go back to eating meat when all is said and done. I'm not ruling anything out at this point. !)