Fasting

I'm a fan of fasting.

I was talking with a friend today... OK -- we were e-mailing actually. I was talking with a friend today about some activities we are going to skip this year.

I mentioned fasting. I feel when I fast from sugar, other things that I taste seem sweeter naturally.

Have you ever noticed me taking a computer sabbatical? I do every once in a while. I take a message board hiatus. I LOVE going back to my friends on-line when I'm done. I miss them while I'm gone from there. I cherish their fellowship all the more knowing that not every gets that camaraderie like I'm privileged to have with them. When I fast from blogging, I'm continually thinking -- "Oh... I should blog about this." So when I get back to it -- it still seems like fun and it is rewarding for me to read your comments. I really miss it when I'm gone.

I have fasted from solid food. Wow... does that make you appreciate chewing. I did get to the point where I didn't miss food WHILE fasting... but when I started eating again. Umm Yummm... that was good. Flavors were outstanding. Texture was good. Energy... I had more energy after fasting. I also lost something. I lost excess weight while fasting.

We fast from viewing TV that we pay for in the spring and summer. TV is a privilege not a right for the kiddos and I. We LOVE watching TV. I think since it's limited so much we really still have a fun time watching TV together. We are NOT losing our brain cells that way. We GAIN by not watching TV. Even my non-readers will sit on the couch and look at books now for several minutes at a time, with no TV available to them.

There are lots of benefits of fasting. But there are down falls.

My family and I will be fasting from the local Home School Group this up coming school year. I've gone on Activity Day sabbatical before... usually after having a baby. Sleep -- give me sleep. But after that year is over... I'm ready, really ready to meet and great my friends twice a month. I'm ready to lug my kiddos from here to kingdom come for some educational field trips. The fellowship I have with my christians friends is cherished. The curriculum idea sharing that goes on is MOST helpful. I lap up their chatting and laughter! But if I'd never pull back and be with out that... would I become jaded and take all those advantages for granted? I don't know... I might not... I know my children love it when we return. I know they know what it's like to not have those meetings with other home school friends, so during the years when we do participate -- they are gung ho! One down fall of fasting this activity... I don't think every one "gets" it. I don't like making people feel sad. I'm such a people pleaser... I really like people around me to be laughing and happy. Oh -- it's hard to say no. I like saying YES and YES and YES!

What will I lose by skipping out on the home school co-op this year? I don't know... the communication. We'll lose out on information. We'll lose out on benefits of belong to a group. Knowing things that they know - being in a system. I'll miss the adult conversation. Will I lose anything that will be good for me to lose? One thing I know for sure... I'll lose the Friday Morning HURRY SCURRY Activity Day bustle. OK -- we didn't have that this year, I forgot. It was in the afternoons this year. We'll lose the Friday and Wednesday afternoon HURRY SCURRY Activity Day bustle. It's always hard for me to get 5 kiddos and myself ready alone. Negative things that we will lose are not readily coming to mind. But I'm sure there are some. Time away from home, so not able to keeping the home orderly those times for when my dear husband comes home. That's important for him -- so I SHOULD be able to keep up on that... just those few times a month. Will that make that big of a difference? We'll see.

One thing I've noticed is... it's fun to see the creative ways my friends keep in touch with me. Phone calls, letters, e-mails, comments on my blogs. Since I live in the boonies - I don't see them much in person. When we do see each other at the library per chance, those short sweet visits are reviewed in my mind over and over again the following days at home. Church attendance is so very important during this year for me.

So - fasting... we do it in different ways and for different reasons, but I do believe it is a benefit for our family. If you are touched by that and it effects you, I hope you will hold us up in prayer this next school year when ever you think of us.

If you miss my big old donkey braying laugh -- then you can shoot up a prayer for me. If you miss Wayne running and laughing and wiping out and still laughing -- then you can stop for a mini-second and pray for him. If you miss Tori just standing around and grinning -- pray for her. If you miss Mansel and his never ending talking -- (which he is doing in my ear right now.. hold on) - OK... if you miss that... THEN I'LL SEND HIM TO YOUR HOUSE SOME AFTERNOON. Ohh... I'mJustKidding!! Pray for him! (and me) If you miss Milo and his mischievous ways, breaking things, getting dirty, dumping rocks down drains -- then pray for him. If you miss Danielle and her hugs -- that would be a perfect time to pray for her. She will be missing you too.

Thank you friends. We do love you and next year -- fall of 2009 -- it will be even better because of our fasting, I know it will.