2012 Fast Kick Off

We started our church wide fast this morning. Having just completed the Daniel Fast in November, I wasn't really feeling a repeat of those recipes quite yet, so I opted for the only other kind of fast I'd ever heard of.... A liquid fast.

WHAT WAS I THINKING!?!

It really doesn't help matters that for the last two weeks, I've put off any/all effort toward portion control and/or healthy eating because I knew the Fast was imminent. Oh yeah... and I may have also gone out last night with the girls for a 'last supper' of sorts, and enjoyed steak, potatoes, and an enormous fudge brownie with two scoops of ice cream... and I may or may not have basically licked the plate clean.

WHAT WAS I THINKING!?!

The results of my careful preparation? By 2pm today my stomach was growling SO loudly that I couldn't process one single other thought. I was downing glasses of water, and had drank half of my lemonade concoction. I was S-T-A-R-V-I-N-G.

It was about 2 hours past this moment, when I started to get a little light headed and tired, and thought maybe just maybe, I had gone about this 'slightly' the wrong way. (I'm a baby faster, oh the things I have to learn)! Around this time Kevin got home, and I posed the question to him that maybe I should have a banana or something. It may have been the half crazed look in my eye that alerted him this was a good, VERY good idea, and he should quickly encourage me to do so.

He reassured me this did not constitute breaking the fast, mere hours into it, and that I needed to ease myself into the liquids only. So I ate the best banana that EVER existed, and a handful of nuts and regained my composure. Hindsight being 20/20, yes I should have taken these steps in the last few days to set myself up for success, but I'm going with the live & learn mentality, claiming some grace over my poor choices leading up to today.

So you can follow the efforts here if you want, I'm sure there will be a few more sugar shock moments as I ease into the 100% water (with lemons/limes/and a TBLS of maple syrup to taper the tart) fast, and given my longest duration of that (successfully) was only 10 days, we'll see what day 11-21 holds. I figure if/when I have to vary from the goal of the water fast, as long as I stick to fruits/nuts/raw veggies then its a close 2nd to having juiced them.... and the fact that my kids don't have to watch mom pass out and fend for themselves, is a strong motivator to accept a little grace throughout this process.

Oh yeah, for any wondering why, or what I'm fasting for....

Last year was an amazing year, and we started it with my first fast ever, praying for Caleb's healing and a baby for one of my bestie's, both of which were answered! This year, I've got more friends than I can count that are single and have been praying for that one special guy for FAR too long! I know I shouldn't doubt God providing husbands for literally like 20 of them this year, but I've got a couple that I'm believing with that THIS is their year, that come the 2013 fast they will be in a serious committed relationship... and I'd like for him to have better put a ring on her by then as well, but hey that's just me :)