Monday, May 23rd
Food of Choice Fast
Today, we will challenge ourselves to give up a food that we eat every day. For instance, if you eat chocolate every day, try to go a day without it. Or if you eat bread in every meal, see what it’s like to take the extra effort to cut it out of your meals today. Today Stefani and I are giving up packaged or processed foods; for example, instead of eating poptarts for breakfast, I ate an apple instead; or instead of having pizza rolls for lunch, we will have a fresh salad with lemon juice being our salad dressing.
Today has been quite a journey already. I quickly realized my need to grocery shop. Pretty much everything in my house was packaged and processed. I was able to salvage an apple from my refrigerator of processed and out dated food for breakfast. As my stomach started to growl mid morning I was confronted with the fact that it was really time to grocery shop!
Stefani and I made an amazing salad with greens, orange bell pepper, fetta cheese (sketchy if this was processed or not..but we went with it), black berries, avacado, carrots, and lemon juice. I started eating the salad with the mindset that these are all ingredients that are God designed and created. Each of them were grown from the ground (obviously feta is not grown from the ground...but the cow for sure God created). I enjoyed each unique flavor in my salad.
How many times do we fail to stop and enjoy the food we eat? Sure there are those moments where we are on a sugar high or we crave a good steak... but how many times do we take the time to be intentional about what we eat?
1 Corinthians 10:31 tells us "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." I am pretty sure I don't glorify God by driving through Wendy's (Chick-Fil-A is a different story...God loves Chick-Fil-A) or when I waste half of my food. Do we really eat to glorify God? Do we stop and think about what we eat and why we eat? Do we glorify God by the food we waste?
My prayer for today is that I continue to appreciate his creation and the food that he has placed on this earth for us to enjoy and eat.
May we glorify God by what ever we do... not just today but everyday!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Criticism Fast - Ephesians 4:29
Ephesians 4:29 (New Living Translation)
29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
YIKES! This scripture speaks to the heart of my weakness.
Let EVERYTHING you say be good and helpful.
As I digest my day a little bit I am instantly convicted by my words. Even on this first day of fasting that is concentrated on not being critical or complaining...I have failed miserably on saying good and helpful words.
Words mean so much if we are really honest. We can say "sticks and stones may break our bones but words will never hurt me"... but talk to a person who has been told they are stupid all of their life, or a child who just heard from their parents that they are disappointed in them, or somebody who just found out they lost a loved one. The words we say have weight behind them. I forget that. I forget that God has given us all the blessing and ability to build others up by the words we use. With that blessing comes responsibility.
We are responsible for our words.
Our written words.
The words we text.
The words we post.
The words we say.....
WE ARE RESPONSIBLE.
Are the words we saying good and helpful?
There is a difference in complaining and stating factual information. Its all in our outlook and the results we want to gain from our words. The choice is up to us. Nobody can make you text something. Nobody can make you say anything. The blessing and the responsibility is up to us.
On this day of fasting I am reminded in the silence of my office that silence in our words sometimes is the best option. My prayer for me today is to find silence in the moments of criticism. My prayer is to find the joy and blessing in every opportunity to complain.
Please join me in the few hours left in this day on being aware of our words. Think before you speak, text, post, write.... are your words good and helpful?
29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
YIKES! This scripture speaks to the heart of my weakness.
Let EVERYTHING you say be good and helpful.
As I digest my day a little bit I am instantly convicted by my words. Even on this first day of fasting that is concentrated on not being critical or complaining...I have failed miserably on saying good and helpful words.
Words mean so much if we are really honest. We can say "sticks and stones may break our bones but words will never hurt me"... but talk to a person who has been told they are stupid all of their life, or a child who just heard from their parents that they are disappointed in them, or somebody who just found out they lost a loved one. The words we say have weight behind them. I forget that. I forget that God has given us all the blessing and ability to build others up by the words we use. With that blessing comes responsibility.
We are responsible for our words.
Our written words.
The words we text.
The words we post.
The words we say.....
WE ARE RESPONSIBLE.
Are the words we saying good and helpful?
There is a difference in complaining and stating factual information. Its all in our outlook and the results we want to gain from our words. The choice is up to us. Nobody can make you text something. Nobody can make you say anything. The blessing and the responsibility is up to us.
On this day of fasting I am reminded in the silence of my office that silence in our words sometimes is the best option. My prayer for me today is to find silence in the moments of criticism. My prayer is to find the joy and blessing in every opportunity to complain.
Please join me in the few hours left in this day on being aware of our words. Think before you speak, text, post, write.... are your words good and helpful?
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