Preparing to Celebrate Lent 2016

Today is the last Sunday before the beginning of Lent. I'm not sure why this Sunday is significant yet, but I know it is going to be. For once, I've thought through what I'm doing to make Lent special this year, and I'm changing some things up. Like actually deciding what will be given up ahead of time and not on my way to be ashed at the 7pm service on Ash Wednesday.

This year, I'm going to do a partial fast for the full 40 days of Lent. This means that for breakfast and lunch I will not be eating anything on this list...

• Meat
• Dairy
• Eggs
• Sugar (in any form - except that which is naturally occurring in fruits and vegetables - and I have to be eating the fruit/ vegetable)
• Caffeine (yes, it includes chocolate)
• Alcohol (this was already given up, but I had someone ask me about it yesterday)

I will be eating dinner with the family (so generally unrestricted - still no caffeine or alcohol though) and during the day I will be eating a lot of...

• Fruit 
• Vegetables
• Nuts and seeds
• Non-wheat grains
• Herbs, spices, and condiments that don't include ingredients that I've given up
• Water and herbal tea 
• Wheat will only make up about 20% of my breakfast/ lunch at most 

I will also be finishing the book Celebration of Discipline (finally!) and spending more time in the Bible and in prayer. 

So, you may be wondering why I'm making such a radical change to my eating habits. Well... God has really convicted me that my body is His temple and that because of my eating habits, I'm destroying it. I'm taking a step away from many of my favorite foods (I'd eat nothing but pizza, burgers, Mexican, Chinese, and rich desserts if I was left to my own devices) to pursue seeking comfort from God when I have a bad day, instead of curling up with food as my comfort. I would try to go for a full forty day fast, but because of my blood sugar issues, I can't even make it 24 hours. 

Don't assume that just because I'm eating mostly fruit and vegetables that they won't be prepared with a lot of flavor. I love making flavorful, rich foods and know that I probably always will. But for a season, I've been called to eat in a healthier way.

This afternoon, we will celebrate Ben's 33rd birthday. I'm praying that when his sister Cat comes, we don't have to return Gambit yet. I've become rather attached to that little guy. It's also like the first time ever that Ben and I are going to the same service, but I'm ready to go first. That never happens. I also want to get my guitar sticker labeled today. There is still some grading that I still need to finish, and my notes for forensic history need some revision, but I'm going to get my shoes and sweater on for church. I even enrolled in the managed package of my insurance this morning.