The first week of Seven, calls for a food fast of some type. Not fast food, unfortunately, but a food fast. I knew that this would not be an easy thing for me because, boy do I love my food. And wine.
Why did I do it? Out of thanks to God for claiming and bringing my precious two boys into his family- the thing I've prayed for my whole life. Because He IS RISEN! Out of repentance for lack of self control, waste, negligence, laziness and pride. These are the things I wrote down with tears at the beginning of the fast.
In the book, Jen lays out several ways to fast- she actually only ate the same 7 foods for 30 days. Praise the Lord, she let us off the hook and told us to experiment with seven days (or fast one day). I chose to fast from my seven favorite foods. Because when my blood sugar drops you DO NOT want to be around me. Ask my hubby. Or my kids. Hubby has been known to offer up something as small as a Tic-Tac to pull me out of a food rage. A TIC-TAC. (That did NOT go over well and has been a joke between us for many years now- thank goodness I can laugh at myself. Ahem.)
Here was my list of seven foods:
soda
bread
cookies/cakes
Chickfila Nuggets and/or french fries (I do not joke. This is a once a week addiction that I cannot control).
pasta
chips
Okay, so on day one, two and three I was hit with enough loved ones drama to make me reneg on #1 and switch to sugar. Yes, this is a problem; and yes, I understand it was probably a SCUD missile launched by the devil, and I failed. But there is grace in the experiment, and I will give myself some, and I'd ask that you do so too. As for sugar, this was a little hard, and of course, there were some foods, which contained sugar that I couldn't get around without going to the grocery store. But over all, I did not add sugar to anything (not even my homemade coleslaw- gasp!), and I had no desserts containing sugar (I passed up free ice cream at Jason's Deli- FREE, people!). This was not too too hard, as I did it a LOT for 6 months last year.
Giving up soda was not too bad, as, again, I did that for 6 months last year- I just substitute iced green tea, and I do fine.Biggest issue presented itself when I took Coen bowling and my body begged for a soda, and it just didn't seem NATURAL to refuse at a bowling alley. But I did. Physical benefits included a reduction in my reflux and lack of a sore throat. Which for me, is a huge blessing on its own.
Cookies and cakes, and bread presented a problem in social situations, and the fact that I had to make banana bread to use up bananas, my kids clamored for freshly baked chocolate chip cookies as a snack when friends were over, and the fact that I couldn't eat a dad-gum sandwich for lunch- which really limits your on the go choices. That and the fact that devil hid a crouton in the sunflower seeds I put on my salad at Jason's deli. I pushed that aside.
Chicfila Nuggets and fries were most missed on days when I was on the go- or my go to day- Tuesday after Bible Study. (IRONY). On day 5, I found myself day dreaming about pasta. Like, KRAFT Mac-n-cheese in the box. The yucky stuff that I don't really even enjoy. I will blame the 100DaysofRealFood girl for this because she's working on a national petition to remove dyes and additives from the product, and that haunted my Facebook feeds all week last week.
Chips. Oh, chips. How I love thee. When I added chips to my list, I was thinking, like, Lay's Potato chips- the salty kind, or sour cream and onion or Sun Chips. It occurred to me very quickly that this category also meant tortilla chips. Pita chips. My scoopers. My lovelies. I cannot believe I put chips on the list. But I made it. Even at the Mexican restaurant, where my boys and husband tormented me with tortilla chips covered in queso. (That first post-fast tortilla chip made my Easter in a way that is inexcusable).
So, this was tough, but I made it. I tell you this, not because I want to be all mopey about it, but because you could do it too. Why should you? What did I learn? Well, first of all, I learned some interesting things about the food we put in our bodies. Pork especially was a hot topic at our Bible Study table, and you'll need to read the book and study guide to understand- or, else it's a WHOLE other blog. In all seriousness, I learned how inadequate I am. I definitely see my shortcomings. My failures are GLARINGLY obvious. Hideously before me. He went to hell and back for me, and my little sacrifice of 7 days, is not a thing compared to his. I beat myself up a bit mentally for my failures before I realized he wasn't beating me up, I WAS. It made me realize the parts I will have to do again. And do right, next time. I realize how far I have to go. Those are the hard, broken things about fasting. It is very uncomfortable to see those things about yourself.
The wonderful parts? I know that it gave me clarity to deal with the situations that came up in a way that was beyond my normal capability. It was a God thing. I found myself walking around with hymns and verses bouncing around my head constantly. I can't stop singing his praises. I actually can barely keep from crying out of thankfulness. I feel like I walk around with a lump in my throat and tear in my eye. I see those around me who don't have food to eat, and I WANT to help. I want to help. I have turned a blind eye for long enough, and I want to help. It made me see the waste in my home, on my kids plates, the produce that we throw out that families in a third world country would absolutely LOVE to give their kids for the nutrients.
So, here I am. With my eyes open, my heart open. Ready for week two.
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