Growing ...

As a church, we've been called to a time of fasting and prayer.

Fasting, in my understanding has always meant going without FOOD.

AND I AM NOT GOING TO DO THAT!

I've spent the past year-and-a-half going without the foods I once loved in order to balance my blood sugar. Plus, I don't think that would be a healthy thing for me to do - my diet is already restricted - and I doubt my doctor would recommend this.

Going deeper into the thinking of "going without", I came up with several other ideas:-

housework - we could get a maid for a week
gardening - we could get a gardener for a week
laundry - the maid can do that
cooking meals - maid too, but she'd have to do the whole low carb, low fat, low sodium deal - and cope with interference from a certain "Food-Nazi"
Meg - send her to doggy-day-care
family - hmmm ... who'd take my kids?

Then, as I prayerfully considered these (and some more personal) options, a light bulb went off in my head - THE INTERNET!

In Pastor Scott's sermon message last Sunday, (click highlighted text to listen) he challenged the church to enter a season of giving something up. I think he worded it as "Give up something which potentially causes a distraction from talking with God".

The reasoning behind this is that we (The Rock Church) face an immense task ahead of us, which is to reach out to the people of Lynnwood and move the church forward. We need to become stronger and deeply rooted in our own faith in order to do this.

I've fasted once before, but that was as a family. We abstained from television and computers for a week. We (Craig and I) thought about doing this again, but felt like this time, we need to make a more personal sacrifice.

Craig has already given up his tea (a hard one for him), coffee (he doesn't really drink coffee anyways), hot chocolate and the occasional beer until Easter! I wonder what (and if) the kids will be giving up ...?

I am trying to tie-up my loose ends - paying bills and answering long overdue email. I am excited about this as I spend too much of my day on the Internet, Facebooking, sending emails, "window-shopping", reading BBC news, my Hometown news and Google-ing insignificant questions which pop into my mind. It sucks me in to its virtual world, instead of getting out into the big wide world and making a difference.

So, I'll be going off-line for one week, starting Monday, March 9th. I am excited about making new connections with people over this coming week, but, more importantly, making a connection and the time to be with God.

Bye!