Monday, January 10, 2011

Week Two of The List With a Side Of Tabouli

Week one of our 21 day fast is done. As I begin week two, I am pleased to report that nothing but good has come from this fast so far. I was expecting it to be difficult and it really hasn’t been. Oh sure, I miss eating certain things and I feel hungry now and then but the benefits have far outweighed any small difficulties.



A few days ago I received this email from my friend Deborah over at Fashion Plate:



Marla - why does the meal have to be vegan? Curious here in MN.


Don't forget your protein! {nag I am}



It was such a good question and had me thinking. I wanted to share my response just in case anyone else was wondering the same thing.



Good morning Deborah!

In scripture, Daniel gave up all wine and fine foods for a 21 day period in order to seek God. I suppose this has translated into vegan in our time. It is definitely a plain and simple diet to say the least. We are so thankful for every dinner we have eaten so far however it is nothing like we normally eat. I never realized how much I think about food and what a central role it plays in my life. The last few days have really helped me to think about and pray for the things that concern me instead of planning my next bite of something delicious. My focus is truly on God and doing business with Him right now.

The other thing is this: Number 1 on The List is to fast for the 2 billion people who live on less than a dollar a day. This fast has really helped me in two ways where they are concerned. I have come to realize how ungrateful I am, how much food I waste and how I have no idea what it means to be hungry or poor. It has really opened my eyes and sent me to my knees for others. It has also put me on my feet and shown me the necessity of volunteering at places like the Food Bank and Rescue Mission in order to help those that have few choices in their lives when it comes to food and most everything else.

Anyway, I didn't mean to write a novel but I am so excited about this, it's hard to not share the journey with anyone willing to listen. This is a link that concisely explains the fast as well. http://www.ultimatedanielfast.com/2009/10/what-is-daniel-fast.html

Have a great day, my friend. I am off to do laundry and later try to come up with something amazing for dinner that has to do with rice and butternut squash. ;-)

Marla



Yesterday, I was thinking about this fast and journey that I am on. I was asking God and myself for the deeper meaning behind this. Was I missing something? I mean, shouldn’t it be harder, have more suffering, cost me more than a meal or two? I suppose what I was really asking was, “Does this really matter in the bigger picture of things?”


Then I read this:


Isaiah 58

6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?

7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.



That’s it folks. That sums it up for me. I want my life to be spent. I want it to purchase something of value. I want to be someone that stands against injustice and sees people set free from the things that are destroying them. I want to share my food, my home, my personal possessions and myself with those that have lost it all. I am even done wanting. I am ready for the doing.

I don’t care if they believe like me, look like me, or lost it all because they deserved to. I deserve nothing I have. Thankfully, I have not received what I deserve most of my life. I would probably be divorced, alone or dead if I had. If this fast has done nothing else, it has clarified that for me.


So, onto week two of The List.


2. Contact your local crisis pregnancy center and invite a pregnant woman to live with your family.


More on this tomorrow. Until then…..

18 comments:

Katie said...

You are an inspiration.
In light of recent events happening to dear friends in the blogging comunity and because of your previous post about ways to be less selfish, I have cast and inward glance into my own life.
This morning I let my husband sleep in and hugged my son for just a few more seconds than normal.
I takes them both for granted and am reminded by my amazing blogging comunity to cherish those I love.
xx

Katie said...

ugh. *TAKE* them forgranted.
darnit.

Glen said...

YOU - my friend - ARE a good woman - words are words - but actions? now they are something else completely. Well done and try to ignore this Snickers that I am waving at you.

Deborah said...

A seriously good woman.

And . . . I just signed up to be a volunteer with our local ARC thrift donation center.

I'm starting after I get back from IDAfreekinHO.

Pray for me because I think you get listened to much more than anyone else I know.

smooches

Deborah said...

Aaaah! Forgot to say:

Rock on with your hummus and know that we are here supporting your choices and methods. Yes we are.

Prudence said...

you can do it! I'm intrigued about the "invite a pregnant woman to live with you"... I could have used that at 18.

Shelley said...

That's great! I've heard about the Daniel fast and have a friend who has done it. Thank you for the link. Although you and I are doing different things right now, it sounds like the foods we're eating are pretty similar.
http://www.alittlespinach.com/2011/01/elimination-diet-first-two-weeks.html
I look forward to hearing how this continues to go for you.

Mrs. Tuna said...

It isn't surprising that much of the world lives on less than a dollar a day. What is stunning is how often American waste what would be considered a meal for a king.

Brian Miller said...

nice. glad this is going well for you ...and a great line from scripture....

Maude Lynn said...

You are an inspiration. Truly.

Shelley said...

You asked about weight loss with the elimination diet.
Absolutely someone could lose weight doing it. Anytime you replace unhealthy foods with healthy ones you're going to get closer to an ideal weight.
I've been up to 35-38+ lbs heavier in the past but thankfully I'm at a good weight for me now. Since I really didn't have a lot to loose, I have only lost about 1.5 lbs in the two weeks I've been doing this. I really wouldn't want to lose a ton more so that's okay with me.
A friend that I'm doing this with has more weight to lose and therefore has lost more.

Libbie said...

Boy does this ever make my post today seem stupid! Don't visit it by the way..it is a cupcake contest & I would feel bad making you stare at the goodies :) Keep it up Marla! You have no idea how many lives YOURS is affecting!

Teresa said...

what an amazing post! totally loved it. you are a wonderful woman and i'm so glad to call you friend!

i, too want my life to be a reflection of those verses. i'm not successful all of the time but i'm working on it.

The Duck Herder said...

I really love that passage Marla. It reminds me a bit of the old "if your not part of the solution, you are part of the problem", and its a call to action, to ACT, and to do and to be.

You give me a lot to think about, and I love your rawness and I thank you for that! I also think you are more alive than most people I know and I like that very much too.

Big love
Duckie

Out of my castle said...

Hi!, it was so good to see that you are also fasting!.. I'm tying to accomplish a 21 day fast. I just started yesterday. It is not a Daniel fast. I felt just taking out of my meals my favorite food:starches...and at the same time skip my last meal...for 21 days.. I'm not used to fast but now it's the time the Lord is strongly calling me to do it... I'm asking the Lord to help me to accomplish it! God bless you sis!!!

gayle said...

I am glad that your fasting is going well for you!! You are awesome!

Dawn said...

Good for you!

Have you heard about the book and Bible study (that just started online yesterday) called Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst? You should google it. I think it might go right along with what you are doing.

Emily said...

I admire you very much. I'm not sure if you have written that you are doing this but perhaps the money you have saved from your fast can be donated to your local food pantry.

From a woman who's family is on food stamps:-( and is still trying to find the faith to be grateful for what she has.