Fasting

Blessings from the bower on Church St.

Being diabetic, I'm not supposed to do a full day's fast. It is a suggestion in "The Lord's Table," to fast for 9 different days out of the 60. But, I can do a partial fast. So, every 3 days I am fasting from chocolate. Partial fasts are okay with God. Daniel did in the Book of Daniel eating only vegetables and water. It must have pleased the Lord as Daniel and his friends grew stronger than any others. I don't expect to gain any physical strength from abstaining from chocolate, but I do feel stronger spiritually. I'm putting my focus on the Lord for strength to get me through the cravings and it seems to be working. I usually give up chocolate and/or sweets for Lent and will probably do so again this year.

Speaking of Lent, I've been looking for things to do during Lent this year and have found a few things I may try. Here is one that has me really intrigued:

Hmmm. The server won't upload the picture. Interesting. Anyway, it is a "Photo a Day" challenge from Rethink Church that gives a topic each day. Sounds interesting and I think I'd like to take that challenge. And if you've been following my blog for any length of time, you know how I love a good challenge! I rarely can say no! lol

Here is the link to the challenge if you are interested in reading about it. You will be able to download the picture there.

https://www.umc.org/en/content/lent-photo-a-day-2020?fbclid=IwAR23uaLfIR_oziBpLYZnS_VyyyN6G01YXOWGhEjpZSJUo2pRTewRB-2IH8o

                                                       (click on photo for larger view.)


There's the picture! Had to do it another way.
Leave me a comment to let me know if you'd like to join me in this creative way to journey through Lent.

Gratitude:
1. New ways to make this journey
2. Beautiful, sunny February day
3. Time spent with God

Blessings,
Deborah

Psalm 34:8
O taste and see that the Lord is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

Dieting and Other Stuff

Good morning from the bower on Church St.

I receive a Word of the Day in my email each morning. A while back "bower" was the word for that particular day. It means a ladies private apartment in a castle. I fell in love with the word and started including the above message at the end of all my emails. My house is far from likeness to any castle I know, but the old saying about your home being your castle just sits well with me, so I grabbed onto the word bower and hugged it tight. I have a love for words and keep a long list of my favorites.

In the dieting department, I was given an early birthday present from my SIL. A book called, "The Lord's Table," by Mike Cleveland. Oh, my. Just what I needed. It is filled with scripture and questions to guide you on your journey to substitute your cravings for food to the love of Jesus. It is filling me up spiritually and taking me to new places on this journey. Like I said, just what I needed. Something different and something focused on God. It's a win/win. Here is one nugget of goodness that filled my heart: "No food will satisfy my heart nor fill the emptiness in my soul. That is what Jesus Christ is for. He is "real meat" and the "bread of life" and I am to feed on Him." Now there is something to think about. I eat out of loneliness sometimes, but I can fill myself up with reading my Bible or other spiritual books instead of reaching for chocolate. I'm just skimming the surface here. The book goes much deeper than this. I highly recommend it if you're like me and have tried diet after diet with some success, but not the results you really want. I'm not getting any compensation for this review. Just wanted to share a good find.

Gratitude:
1. Help with dieting
2. Spiritual deepening
3. You, dear reader

Blessings,
Deborah

1Corinthians 10:31
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do,
do all to the glory of God.

Another One of Those Moments

Welcome!

I know I've talked about those serendipity moments before, but I just seem to keep having them and I feel so blessed. They make me smile and feel like God is close.

This morning I thought that today was the day to take that first step...again. Like they say, "Everyday is a new day to begin again." I wasn't liking my diet routine. This may sound funny, but it was making food feel like it was too much up in my face. It was all I thought about when it was the last thing I wanted to think about. I don't want to think about food that much. I don't want track it. I don't want to weigh it. I just want to eat healthy, lose the weight I need to lose and be done with it. I know how to lose weight. I want to do my plan, not someone else's.

So, I'm on a new journey. It's almost a new month. This one's goals are over. Time to start new ones. I love this month by month goals instead those new year's resolutions, like I talked about the first of the year. This is so much better!

February's goals:
1. Continue to lose weight
2. Continue to exercise
3. Continue to study
4. Send a card to friend

My serendipity moment this morning was getting a quote in an email by Henry Ford.

     Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently."

Although I really don't feel like a failure, since I lost 5 pounds, it was more about the starting again part that made me smile. And doing it more intelligently. :)

I loved this spot by a lake we camped near a couple of years ago. Such a great place to sit and commune with God.

Gratitude:
1. Lakes to camp near
2. New beginnings
3. Sun on a crisp winter morning

Blessings,
Deborah

Ephesians 3:16
I pray out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being.