Election Fast 2012: Week 2

This is a little late in coming, but I wanted to share some highlights of last week with you in regards to the fast.  Earlier in the week I wanted sweet tea so badly that I could hardly stand it.  Now, I still want it but I'm not crawling out of my skin to get to it and perspiring under the stress of the inward battle "to drink, or not to drink". ;)  Naturally, the most tempting times came when others around me were drinking tea.

Before this fast, I would make a pitcher of sweet tea nearly every night to serve with dinner.  I haven't done that since the start of the fast.  I guess everyone else in the family just has to suffer with me.  But we still go out to eat on occasion, even if it's just to McDonald's or something like that (and can I just say, I love McD's sweet tea!  Most people I know say that theirs is too sweet, but not to me.  Perfection!).  Those times were trying because what I really wanted to do was...well, #1-get my own cup of tea and barring that, #2-finish my kids' one-sip-less-than-full cups of tea....but I didn't!  Victory is mine! ;)

Whenever I felt the "urge", I would pray inwardly to God thanking Him for all of my many blessings, for His provision, His safety, His love.  Then, I would listen and wait for His voice.  Was there someone near me in need of Him?  Was there someone close by who needed my help in His name?  Did someone come to mind that I should call?  Who would have thought that something as insignificant as a glass of sweet tea could bring one to the throne room of the Almighty?

I spent the majority of this past week getting ready for our community yard sale.  Preparation, as you can imagine, meant a lot of sweat.  What do southerners reach for when they are hot and sweaty?  Yep.  As for me, though, I reached for water with lemon juice (because who are these people who can drink just water?! ;)) or maybe a soda of some kind.  Still, both are a far cry from my beloved sweet tea. haha

We didn't make all that much money at our yard sale, although we were able to purge a bunch of stuff from our apartment (major bonus!) and we did make some money so we made out better than if we'd done nothing.  Next time, though, (if there is a next time) we'll organize our community yard sale a bit differently.  (Justin says I'm not allowed to have any more great ideas.  They only result in me being put in charge of implementing them. lol)  The biggest bonus from this experience was meeting new people.  I met neighbors.  We've lived here for over a year now and I can probably count on one hand how many of our neighbors I knew before this yard sale.  I met fellow church members.  I met other mothers with young children that I was able to invite to our MOPS group.

This fast, as an unintended consequence, has opened my eyes to the opportunities that are around me every day.  Don't get me wrong, I don't always see them or take advantage of them, but it is continuing to be a learning process and I can see myself growing.  Of course, the primary purpose of this fast is to pray for our election, our leaders, and our country.  But in my experience, fasts also seem to have a way of exposing just how self-absorbed, how spoiled, and how selfish our thoughts are.  As a culture, we don't know what self-denial really is and we certainly don't encourage it.  Deprivation does not seem to be a word in our vocabulary.

I'm looking forward to the coming week and what more God has in store to reveal to me.  How is your election fast going?