40

I do apologize for the great lack of writing. Who knew being married for nine months and then finding out you are pregnant could take up so much time? Anyways, I am trying to get back into the swing of things and thought I would start today on Ash Wednesday. 

At my church this past Sunday, we made a commitment over the next forty days to pray an hour a day and fast a meal a day. We had one hundred and ten people accept this challenge. 4,400 hours of prayer. 4,400 meals fasted. This is going to be good and I am very much looking forward to the next forty days. 

Even though this seems simple enough to pray only an hour a day and one meal a day, it actually is proving to be a bit more challenging for me....the lady with child. (Still hasn't hit me that I am having a baby; hopefully by nine months I will be ready!) At first, my boss suggested that I just give up my "4th Meal" of the day to fast. However, baby and I have come quite accustomed to our late night bowl of Cheerios and not waking up sick in the morning. So with not being able to give up food, per se, I am opting to do several other things that distract me. It's rather funny, just a mere two years ago I was sharing in kid's church what it meant to fast and actually created this list of "alternatives" for kid's to be able to participate. Here are just a few ways to help those of you who really cannot opt out of food...

1) Facebook- The blatantly obvious choice in today's society.  I tried this a couple of years ago and just opted to skip a meal instead. I was amazed to discover how much I (the person who is never on and has only posted a couple times this month) spent just browsing. I wake up in the morning check my email...and facebook. I take a five minute break to grab water and my morning snack of the day...and check facebook. I end a phone call with a friend...and check facebook. I bet I am not the only one with this kind of habit. I am not on for hours at a time, I am not posting constant updates of my "drama-filled" day, I am not even posting pictures of food anymore. I just check it practically every hour, for about five minutes at a time. I catch up on some actual news and then am able to justify my time spent on. This option I will be using for several days of my 40 day fast, to opt out of being on it or logged in even. The first time I gave this up, I was truly amazed at how many times I grabbed my phone to just "zone on facebook". One day away gave me much needed time that I could focus on prayer. 

2) T.V- I know...I don't even have cable, so how in the world could t v be a hindrance to me? Well quite simply. While I am waiting for James to get off work, I hate being in the quite at home. I turn on the t.v and pretty soon in the middle of putting dishes away or trying not to overcook dinner...I am engaged in a show. James and I do enjoy one show together every night, because it is our way of relaxing from our day at work and a way for us to catch up and talk. So what I am opting to do throughout this challenge is, instead of immediately flipping on a show or movie, taking my first hour home to have silence, to spend time reading my bible, to pray. I think Criminal Minds will forgive me and more then likely repeat next month. 

The last option I want to share is...  

3) Electronics- I am on my computer and phone all day it seems like. My job revolves around researching, emailing, entering data, and I am non-stop on my computer or phone. During the week, I leave my computer at work, in order to separate being home and not at work anymore. However, I still have my phone that I am on searching for information, the next craft to do, or just communicating with my friends and family. I am constantly surrounded by emails and texts. My fasting electronics will consist of, yes I am going to say it, turning off my phone for an entire hour. I know it's crazy, right? No, it is not. The world will not come crumbling down if I do not have my phone attached to my ear for an hour or within a ten inch vicinity. I will survive and you will too. 

So there are my top three alternatives to fasting a meal for this challenge. The point is not to starve yourself giving up a meal, but to take that time you would have been eating to focus on God. I know I have a lot of things that take away my time from spending with God and I am hoping for the next forty days to be different. These are my suggestions that take away hours in my day. I am sure that if you are unable to give up a meal, if these three don't fit into your top time wasters, you can find other alternatives to fast from and truly give a focus on God over the next 40 days. Who knows...it may even become a new norm for you.

And there's a tid-bit for you.