THE FAST... Day 4

01.10.08

Back in the saddle kids... So yeah today was a really good day- most everyone I talked to today had the same feelings, like a corner was turned... Today really felt like "The Fast" began to be more about a spiritual journey and less about an eating plan (although I am still trying to get used to being a herbivore)... I took some time this morning after Kelly & Macy left for school (Kelly is doing so well- brave every day) and read through some Psalms and did something I have heard about, but never for some reason ever done- paraphrasing a Psalm in my own words...Eugene Peterson is in no danger of losing his place as Christendom's #1 paraphraser that much is true, but it was very meaningful to me...

Some additional highlights from the day:
-Figuring out how to eat at Barberitos and still stick to the plan... If "dude" says it's brown rice, I believe him... seriously, I have had tofu for lunch 3 days in a row... I don't even know me anymore...
-Dehydrated apples
-Realizing that my wife may vote Democratic in the next election... Evidence from today: her "bring-your-own" Publix bags, insistence on recycling on behalf of the church, and buying energy saving light bulbs (which are oddly reminiscent of giant Arby's curly fries... very pale ones)
-Falling in love with my Logitech Harmony remote control all over again
-Blogging while watching a kick butt episode of Grey's Anatomy that almost made me cry... almost made me cry- my eyes are watering because its late, and I have a runny nose from sinuses

Day 4 stats:
Breakfast: Smoothie- don't think I'll ever get tired of those
Lunch: Skinny Burrito no cheese on whole wheat w/ tofu, fresh salsa, cilantro, black beans, and fresher jalapeno peppers...
Nibbles: Peanuts and Granny Smith Apple
Dinner: Cafe Rose served up edemame & brown rice, with broccoli & baked cinnamon apples

Weight: Still hovering at 295- depending on where I put my feet... either that or I fluxuate about 5 pounds either way just by breathing... Might need to invest in a new scale?
Mood: Upbeat and optimistic, at least until an old annoyance reared its ugly head... but I will survive

THE FAST... Day 3

01.09.08
Yesterday was Wedensday (in case you were wondering) so by the time I go home, had a root vegetable for dinner, and watched Project Runway, I totally was fried... And forgot to check in with my fast log... Wow it only took 2 days for me to not blog! Yesterday was a carzy day, my first day as "not the Student pastor" in 6-1/2 years! That was an adjustment for sure. Ate lunch at The Grit again... those people ARE kind of dirty looking when they stand around out back of the kitchen and smoke... And they do seem kind of "better than you" on the inside, but when you are the cool place in town to eat, you could get that way.

I feel like I am still trying to tune out the desires and cravings for food/earthly and tuning in God... again, with a partial fast, my schedule is still relatively the same, so added time with God is still a very conscious choice... I will admit that lunch came and went and it was 2 o'clock before I remembered that I didn't have any "truck time."

Sorry for the short, make-up post this morning... Look for a full Day 4 recap with picture this evening!

Day 3 Stats:
Breakfast: Standard smoothie + honey and turbinado
Lunch: Golden Bowl (Tofu, Brown rice, & veggies)
After Lunch Kick: Power Punch Plus Smoothie King
706 Nibbles: Pineapple bites & Big 'Ole Granny Smith
Dinner: Baked Potato

Weight: 295
Mood: too busy to notice

THE FAST... Day 2

Ok, calling this a fast seems pretty inacurate (kind of like me using the term big-boned...) I had a great day of food... But I am really tired.. I never really knew how much I have leaned on sugar and caffeine... I feel completely exhausted! Was less cranky... more just annoyed today.

Here is the thing though, over the last 48 hours, I have become more inwardly focused... (thats a wide-angle lens)... More contemplative, less outspoken (call Jenkins & LaHaye), and slower to pray outloud... weird, kindof. My prayer is that God would continue to develop this hunger for Him, and honesty with myself...

Very tired today.

Breakfast: Smoothie (OJ, Banana, Protein Powder, Frozen Strawberries)
Snack: Baby carrots, almonds
Lunch: Vegetable Tofu Rice Bowl from The Grit... Apocalyptic!
Dinner: Potatoes with Italian & Greek seasoning

Weight this am: 297
Mood: too tired to be in a mood.

THE FAST... Day 1

Goal for this blog: - to be somewhat more reflective and transparent than on the DP.com site; also to keep some statistics of the journey, including intake and outake...
DAY 1- 01.07.08

Day started off different than I had planned, Kelly had a severe migraine (my B-MD diagnosis) and we were up most of the night, she started breathing heavy at about 2am... (I think, pretty sure I started snoring heavy about 1:30am)... Anyhow, I had very little time to do much of anything, as I got up showered quickly and had to get out the door and take MJ to LiveOak so that Kelly could have some recovery time at home... I was kind of down on myself for not spending more "God-time" this morning, until I realized that I really never eat breakfast- but that lunch is normally my focal eating time (I hope Fresh-Air BBQ can stay in business over the next 3 weeks!)... So I spent some time during the lunch hour with my Bible and Fast-Guide, about 20 minutes (twice as long as it usually takes me to eat)... To me, thats where the real heart of this fast will live for me - replacing what I remove with God... (1 steak = 1 hour, so what about Krystals... I could kill a sackful of God right now!)... It was good times reading out of Jeremiah (thought I would start off with some light reading!)

Staff meeting was awesome... we were all so tired and hungry, Jim could have gotten me to agree to most anything, (I think I did join the boyscouts)... Here is how out of it we were while our bodies adjusted... The power went out, and we sat there discussing the topic at hand in the dark... Chase and I looked at each other like- are we still sitting in the dark... It really got embarassing when Clint came over from next door...

Came home and broke the liquid-phase of the fast with a Strawberry-Banana (thanks for the spelling help Gwen Stefani!) smoothie... Played some hoops with the Mighty Men of Compass Basketball Team... we won. All in all it was a great day- I felt like I could have extended the liquid only fast for another day or so, but I opted (Kelly told me to) to follow the plan, and maybe do another liquid fast somewhere else along the way (or whey, Brandon)... Anyhow as I said to small group last night... Its really more about the spirit of the journey than the letter of the law (BTW- dont try that line on a cop... They have no concept of the "spirit of the journey")

BY THE NUMBERS
Breakfast: glass of OJ, 16 oz. of water, 3 whiffs of Macy's CocoPebbles Breath
Lunch: 32 oz. of water, 20 minutes with God
Dinner: Smoothie, 2 handfuls of almonds, & half a Granny-Smith
Post Game Meal: 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, some more almonds, baby carrots, OJ

Weight this morning: 303 (uhhhh... I was "preparing to fast" over the holidays)
Mood today: Cocky this moring, cranky this afternoon, creaky tonight (303 + hoops = pain)

Discernment...

...New American Heritage Dictionary defines it as: "keenness of discrimination".
I have recently realized that discernment is stepping back, taking a breath, involving others, and remembering what is funny to me, might not be as funny to others... Here is the mailer that we didn't send to 45,000 people inviting them to our "Carols" themed Christmas Eve services.
Again, Discernment.

Deep thought for the week:

"There's a time for Krumping, and this isn't it." -Nelson Muntz

A Great Day!

Yesterday was a great day! It started very early in the morning... Chase and I got up early to go and reserve a great spot to tailgate before the Georgia Auburn game... Then friends and family joined us to grill (and by grill I mean fill the entire street and adjacent tailgates with smoke... a smoker can grill, but it is still a smoker!)... We hung out and people watched then walked down to perhaps one of the coolest traditions in college football: the Dawgwalk... The players literraly walked between us into the stadium... Macy enjoyed slapping them on the back, patting some on the head, and even pulling a dread or two:



After the dawgwalk, we broke down the tailgate, threw it in the back of the truck and went home to watch the an amazing game: THE BLACKOUT on Goliath... Some great ziti, and a few hours later, we celebrated as the Bulldogs whooped-up on Auburn... And Mississippi State is bowl eligible... The day finished with a couple of chapters of Knowing God. A great day indeed!