30 Day Fast - Day 4

Good Morning!  I started my day with today's readings - Judges 16-21 and 1 Corinthians 13-14.  As I am reading I am running into questions and some areas of these readings I am digging in deeper as I have time.  As always I took my measurements in the mornings.  I am down about 4 pounds.  I am not expecting to loose as much weight as quickly as I did with my first fast, because there is less fat to loose.

Fast measurements	Day 4
Weight	153.2
Bust	39
Chest	35
Waist	33
Hips	42
Thigh	23
Calves	14
Upper Arm	12
Fore Arm	10
Neck	14

We did school in the morning.  I love the kids science curriclum that we use.  The Micah and I went to his speech therapy, which is going really well.  Then once hubby got home, he let me go run around I had some errands to run and finally got my eye brows waxed (about 3 months too long on that)

I really have very little to report as far as fasting symptoms.  By very little, I mean nothing.  I dont know if its because im just not focused on it.  I dont think "im not eating" like I did last time, I just dont eat.

Day 4 down!

30 Day Fast - Day 3 (May 31, 2015)

Weight - 154.2

Bust - 38

Chest - 35

Waist - 33

Hips - 42

Thigh - 23

Calves - 15

Upper arm - 12

Fore arm - 10

Neck - 14

I have been playing somethings over and over in my mind.  Last night I had the song "Beyond Me" stuck in my head.  I finally listned to the lyricks my brain was singing.

"Beyond Me"

Call it a reason to retreat
I got some dreams that are bigger than me
I might be outmatched, outsized, the underdog in the fight of my life
Is it so crazy to believe
That You gave me the stars, put them out of my reach
Called me to waters a little too deep
Oh, I've never been so aware of my need
You keep on making me see
It's way beyond me
It's way beyond me
Yeah, it's out of my league
It's way beyond me
It's way beyond me
It's way beyond
Anything that I got the strength to do
In over my head keeps me countin' on You
I'm leaving the sweet spot, sure shot
Tradin' it all for the plans You got
Is it so crazy to believe
That You gave me the stars, put them out of my reach
Called me to waters a little too deep
Oh, I've never been so aware of my need
Yeah, you keep on making me see
It's way beyond me
It's way beyond me
Yeah, it's out of my league
It's way beyond me
It's way beyond me
You take me to the place where I know I need You
Straight to the depths that I can't handle on my own
And Lord I know, I know I need You
So take me to Your great
Take me to Your great unknown
It's way beyond me, w-way beyond me
It-it's way beyond me, w-w-way beyond me
Yeah, You gave me the stars, put them out of my reach
Called me to waters a little too deep
Oh, I've never been so aware of my need
Yeah, you keep on making me see
It's way beyond me (it's way beyond me)
It's way beyond me (it's way beyond me)
Yeah, it's out of my league (it's way beyond me)
It's way beyond me (it's way beyond me)
It's way beyond me (it's way beyond me)
It's way beyond me
You take me to the place where I know I need You
Straight to the depths that I can't handle on my own (it's way beyond me)
You take me to the place where I know I need You
Oh take me to Your place
Take me to Your great unknown 

 

I felt like God was letting me know that somethings were out of my control and that was okay.  Then the church we visited this morning talked about worry and how sometimes its things we have no control over that we are worried about.  That's totally true and it is what I was doing.  I am so grateful that God spoke to me through this song and his word this morning.

For breakfast I had 9oz grape juice, coffee and some orange juice.  We went to a new church, they have a truly wonderful children's program, we are so excited. I came home and took care of the animals.  I had some grape juice and V8.  I really have not had any symptoms at all to report.  Last night I had some insomnia.  But other than that, this time has been so much easier than the first time.  Other than the first day, I did think about giving up.  I asked my husband "should I really do this?"  You miss out on date night dinners and things like that.  But its only for a month, and to me the benefit, spiritually, is so worth it.

I am going to pack up some drinks for my moms house, we have an afternoon of swimming, naps and family fun.  School tomorrow and on to day 4!

Readings:

Judges 11-15

1 Corinthians 11 & 12

30 Day Fast - Day 2( May 30, 2015)

Today I woke up & took my measurements.  Today they were:

Weight - 156.4

Bust - 39

Chest - 35

Waist - 33

Hips - 42

Thigh - 23

Calves - 15

Upper arm - 12

Fore arm - 10

Neck - 14

I let our ducks out, had some coffee & did today's readings.  Judges 7-10 and 1 Corinthians 9-10.  I had 16 oz of orange juice.  We cleaned the house took care of the animals and did the laundry.  For lunch I had grape juice and V8 juice. 

We went shopping at whole foods where I grabbed some kombucha.  Kombucha has a very small alcohol content (.5%)  and I have to admit I felt it (it was store bought)  I think it was due to the lack of food.  I normally feel no alcoholic effects from Kombucha.  This fasting time my husband commented that drinking the different juices I don't seem as tired as last time.

That wraps up day 2 on to day 3!!!

Day 1 of 30 Day Fast (May 29, 2015)

 Today was the first day of my 30 day fast.  I had arranged for my kids to be with my mother this weekend, because the first three days of the fast is the hardest.  I started by taking my measurements:

Weight - 156.4

Bust - 39

Chest - 34

Waist - 34

Hips - 42

Thigh - 24

Calves - 15

Upper Arm - 12

Forearm - 10

Neck 14

I am unsure about the three pound fluctuation between yesterday and today.  I guess it was the orange chicken.  I made my coffee, grabbed some orange juice (8oz) and sat down to do my morning readings.  Today I read: Judges 1-6 and 1 Corinthians 7-8

After my readings I took a nap.  When I woke up I was achy, hungry and sore.  I drank 16 oz of orange juice.  I went out side and took care of all of our animals.  We have 4 turkeys, 9 rabbits, 25 ducks and some where around 75 chickens.  Some are full grown and some are babies.

Wes and I went to buy some juices and he suggested that I get more than just orange juice, which is all that I drank last time.  So I grabbed some V8, black cherry juice.  I had a glass of V8 juice and black cherry juice when I got home, the black cherry is too sweet for me, so I will cut it with water.  The symptoms I had in the evening were: I was cold, and I had a headache.  I ended up falling asleep around 12:30am.  Day one down.

Preparation for fast - day 4 (May 28, 2015)

The final day before the fast begins.  This morning I took my measurements:

Weight -  153.6

Breast -  40

Chest - 35

Waist - 33

Hips - 41

Thigh - 24

Calf - 14

Forearm -  13

Neck -  14

This morning I woke up at 7:00am, I got dressed made my coffee and had some yogurt with fruit and honey mixed in.

The kids have gone to this awesome creative arts camp for the past few summers, and last summer I started volunteering at it.  I lead the "God's Great Outdoors" class.  Today was supply room day so at 8:30 we headed in to Friendswood.

I gathered up most of the things I would need for camp.

When we were done there we ran to HEB to get the kids organic lunchables (tomorrow is shopping day)

Ordered orange chicken as my "last lunch"
I decided that instead of eating healthy today that I was going to order what ever I wanted for lunch and dinner.  So I had orange chicken for lunch.  And Wes took me to Gringos for dinner.

I asked Noah to take some pictures of me.  For comparison later.  Hes an awesome photographer :)

I

Fast starts tomorrow 

Preparation for Fasting - day 3 (May 27, 2015)

Today I am focusing on the kids and continuing to make good eating decisions.

6:00 am - woke up, dressed, made coffee, I had fruit for breakfast, the kids had Panda Puffs

6:15 am - woke up the kids

6:30 am - headed to Galveston to see the release of the sea turtles.  It was pouring down rain when we got there.  I had the kids take off their shoes and grabbed an umbrella.  It did not really help that much.  We were freezing cold and wet.

Then the turtles came out.  And the boys realized why I had brought them there.  It was absolutely amazing.  To think that God created such awesome creatures.

8:30 am - headed home
10:00 am - let the kids play/ relax before starting school, fixed an early lunch
10:45 am - lunch

2:30 am - left for Micah's speech therapy

I worked on my supply list for camp

Cooked an easy dinner.

Had some sunggle time with my little before I put him to bed.

7:30 - Little guy is in bed, I'm exhausted heading to bed for today

Preparation for fasting - day 2 (Tuesday, May 26, 2015)

Up until Thursday the only real "prep" work I am doing is staying away from alcohol and drinking more water. (All of our food is organic from Whole Foods)

 Here is a recap of my day (starting super early):

12:35 am - We have lost power twice and the weather warning went off on both of our phones, right as I was drifting to sleep.

8:00am, fixed breakfast. (panda puff cereal)  started laundry

9:30 am - left to drop things off at good will and pay for creative arts camp

10:30 am - stopped by moms, she was off 1/2 a day due to the flooding in Houston

10:42 am - the kids started their science work

11:00 am - left for lunch at mod pizza

12:30 - 1:00 - pm science

1:00 - 1:30 pm -  Eli works on geography while Noah does math.

1:30 - 3:00 - Break/nap

3:00 pm - Lesson on China, lesson on Andrew Jackson, and William Henery Harrison
          Reading time with Noah & Eli (30 min each)
          Cleaning and Laundry
          tend to animals
          started 2nd fermentation on my Kombucha

6:00 pm - Dinner (Mexican casserole, rice, beans)

7:00pm - run to a friends house to grab some toys she picked up for me

8:30 pm - lock the ducks up for the night, tuck the kids in and tell them about tomorrows great adventure.

9:00 - bath & goal to be asleep by 10pm.

Preparation for fasting - day 1 (May 25th, 2015)

My first 30 day juice fast in January was so life changing for me, physically and spiritually that I decided it was something I wanted to incorporate into my life every 6 months.  On my last juice fast I did zero prep work.  I basically just started.  This time I wanted to prepare a journal and have a better idea of how I would record my fasting.

       Today was Memorial day, the kiddos were with my mom so we slept in until about 10am.  That is totally unheard of.  I fixed my coffee and had a banana and peanut butter for breakfast.  We fed all of the farm animals, moved the chicken tractors, collected eggs and did some laundry.  Then it was time to head over to my mothers where we had a wonderful time swimming and eating with family.  I did very little food wise to prepare for the fast today.  I just ate as normal.  This week leading up to the fast I will not be drinking any wine.  I will be increasing my water intake and drinking Kombucha.  Kombucha is something that I have been introduced to since the last fast and will be drinking this time.

    We headed home about 7 and I prepared our home school lessons for the week.  I worked on my fasting journal.  Each day has the daily scriptures that I want to read, a spot to journal my weight, measurements and a recap of my day.

Currently we are getting ready for a big storm and I
 will be loosing my internet soon.  Stay safe!!!


My fast will last from May 29th to June 29th.  If at anytime during the fast you would like to join me and have a cheerleader on your journey, please let me know.

***This is my personal fasting experience, it is not medical advice***

Are You Tired?

Friend, are you tired?  

I am too.  The past two years have been exhausting for my family.  Job loss, death of my grandfather, moving, life style changes, death of a parent (my husbands mother), marital problems (from grief of a parent), a car wreck, learning difficulties (dyslexia & language delay), and in addition to all of this I still had to do my responsibility as a mom, wife and home educator.

Have you been here?  Are you here now?  You're exhausted.  In God's perfect time I attended a bible study on Psalm 23.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.  He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,  for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
 (emphasis mine)

The emphasis of the class I attended was focused on verses two and three:

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. 

I was so desperately, wanting, needing my soul to be refreshed.  I did not realize how tired I was.  God placed on my heart to begin forty days of rest and allow him to lead me beside still waters.  The idea of forty days of rest came to me from 1 Kings 19.  Elijah tells God that he is so tired that he wants to die, then he falls asleep.  God cares for him and then Elijah travels for forty days and nights.  At the end of the forty days and nights God appears to Elijah in a whisper.  

To me this looks like rest.  In that 40 days all we see is that Elijah traveled.  Nothing else happened to him.  That's what I was so desperately wanting.  Rest.

To prepare for rest I had to do somethings on my end.  God could be wanting to take us to a place of rest, but if our schedule is so busy, he cant.

How I Prepared:
I cleared my calendar of stressful things
I cleared my calendar of stressful people (to the best of my capability)
I allowed my self time to accomplish what I HAVE to do (no over booking)
I am spending time with God
I gave myself permission to rest, permission to take care of myself.
I meditated on the 23rd Psalm.  

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.  - James 4:8

I do feel like God has taken me to a place of rest, this is day 12 of day 40.  

If you are searching for rest and you are tired, my suggestion is to start with Psalm 23.  

Say it over and over, meditate on Gods word day and night.  

God refreshes your soul.  

Meet him there

If you are interested in further reading you may like:

The Shepard Psalm - William Evans

The Practice of the Presence of God - Brother Lawrence

Finding Spiritual White Space - Bonnie Gray

I would like to state that while I find the Shepard Psalm to be a very good book, the story that countless pastors use about a Shepard breaking a sheep's leg himself to then care for the sheep.  To the best of my research, this is a Christian urban legend.  And its not a picture of God that we get from the bible.   The God of the bible allows us to be tested, and then he cares for us.  Although he is allowing the pain, he is not causing it.   I understand trying to tie it to "He makes me lie down"  but he dose not break our legs, and to the best of my research, no Shepard has either.  Especially not a GOOD SHEPARD.