I have been eager to fast with the Seeds community, and I admit I'm a bit curious as to who else has chosen to fast today. I am a fairly inexperienced faster, but as I think about what it's been like for me in the past, I can identify how God filled the space I created by fasting. During one fast, I was surprised by the depth and intensity of emotions I experienced. And during another, I was blessed with the opportunity to discuss fasting with my kids. And today, though they are not joining me in the fast, they accept it as perfectly normal.
Today is an interesting day for me to fast. Typical Mondays find me at home alone, going about my household routines while the rest of my family is at school and work. Today we're all home. As I've been asking Jesus the question "what do I need to lay down to get closer to you", I keep being impressed by how bound I can be by my own needs for routine and order, to the point of being rigid about it. Now I don't think I can throw all my structure and routine out the window, but I am being reminded to be flexible, patient and to be open to "what's next". And while my kids are teaching me this (yes, I've been listening the last few Sundays!) it's also like Jesus is reminding me to be flexible and recognize his movement in my day as well.
-Candice
Monday, February 18, 2008
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6 comments:
Having all of us at home for the first fast was interesting here too! To get our mind off of food (and to honor family day!) we watched the Cosby Show!! The episode we watched was of Mr. Huxtible (Bill Cosby) fasting in prep for a physical! And his family is eating cheesecake and big subs and all kinds of stuff! Yeah...this was NOT taking our mind off of food!
Micah was fasting from "junk"...but "forgot" and had a brownie mid-day!! Interesting conversation came out of that, because we don't want to make this about rules/punishment when you fail, etc. so it was a learning experience for me in teaching the kids...good times!
Darlene
Monday I
Do I do it?
I guess. Can’t hurt.
A pretty regular day, except when others are eating.
What do I expect? A revelation?
Maybe identification with a hungry person?
Not likely, with a refrigerator/freezer stuffed.
A God-event?
Only after forty days, this is only one day.
Will there be a Monday II ?
I think so.
Monday II.
A bit of a drag, headache, grouchy.
Why are all the TV commercials on Monday about food?
Not eating disorients my day.
God, what are you up to with this fasting thing?
Is my headache and grouchiness You talking to me?
Are the food commercials reminders of what this is all supposed to be about?
Am I disoriented for a reason?
Maybe I need to keep on.
Will there be a Monday III?
I hope it’s better than Monday II
Monday III
I’m keeping score.
3 Mondays down,
2 Mondays to go.
He’s keeping score.
Who’s winning?
Not me.
Monday IV
Another chance to even the score,
Always another chance.
Monday IV
Give it up.
A law of science it’s not.
For every action, an equal but opposite reaction?
My “self” expects it to be so,
My “Jesus” functions by another set of laws.
His clock is set on eternal time, not daylight saving.
So give it up, to Him.
Let Jesus produce a reaction
In His time.
Monday V
Coming soon to a dining room near you.
Monday V
Love never looks back, but I do.
Reflecting on past relationships,
Family relationships, about to change.
Changing due to circumstances? God?
From cool to . . . who knows. Maybe closer.
This fasting thing.
Disruptive, a bit.
Enlightning, not so much.
Worth the effort?
I don’t know.
Yet.
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