Today marked the end of a very long time of fasting. Our church (just like many others) started a corporate fast on the third of January - twenty-one days dedicated to hearing from the Lord. But halfway through, Frank felt the Lord calling him to reach for a forty-day fast; a life-time dream of his.
I wasn't doing a complete fast but I did feel called to carry on with him. So this morning for the first time in FORTY DAYS I savored the joys surrounding a steaming hot cup of English tea! (And a game of solitaire!!)
To say that I dreamed of the cup of tea would be a gross exaggeration - but I did imagine it more than one would think normal! smile. I love my English tea! In the mornings it keeps me company on my drive to work. In the afternoons, it signals that work is over. At night, a cup of decaf says, "Relax, breathe deeply, exhale slowly."
By it's very nature, a good cup of hot tea sets a pace and a mood. You can not rush the process in preparing hot tea. You must wait while the water is brought just to the point of boiling. It is then poured over the tea bag and the steeping begins. More Waiting Required! Personal preference dictates the enhancers:milk, sugar, honey, lemon. Finally, the perfectly prepared cup of tea! Ahhh!
Perhaps this detailed description gives you a hint as to why fasting English tea has meant serious business for me. smile.
I hesitated for just a moment this morning. (Truth: it only takes thirty days to create a new habit or to break an old one.) I had gone forty days without my "habit" of hot tea in any form. I've known for a while that the single teaspoon of sugar I regularly add to EACH CUP was starting to add up in other areas.
So standing right there in my red kitchen preparing to pour the boiling water into the waiting kettle, I made a decision. I will celebrate the joy of drinking hot tea again but this time, without sugar. I chose NO Sugar! And you know what, it wasn't so bad.
(No, we do not have reports of hell freezing over but I'm sure you all felt that small tremor around 7:30 this morning!)
I've seen a definite improvement in the parts of me that follow me since going without the indulgence of desserts and other unnecessary sugars these few weeks. So, I thought, why not carry on in at least this one small way. The point, of course being, that all decisions impact us in one way or another.
We hear so much about our rights as women to make choices. And my question is this, "Why is that supposed to be such big news to anyone?" God Himself made choices part of His plan from the beginning. The real surprise is when WE get it right with this freedom called choice.
Frank and I are both really big about the scripture that calls to us, "Choose LIFE!" Now, this isn't about abortion or right to life; it's about making smart choices every single day and realizing that even seemingly small choices often have BIG consequences.
HHHMMMMM!
So I stop this evening to cheer with you over the choices toward life that you have made. Don't give up; keep working at it; the consequences will catch up and you will be glad.
Lot's of wrong choices haunting you? It's okay take the thirty day challenge in some small area. You'll see, those consequences will catch up as well. Real life is waiting!
Meanwhile, if you should catch me walking toward the sugar bowl feel free to scream out,
"Sheri, step away from the sugar!!"
We all need a little help from a friend!
PS: Special thanks to Amanda who continues to upgrade the look of my blog site! Be sure to read her latest entry.
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