All this hype about 'fasting' and I have been ravenous all the day long. Not that I ate, but I sure was feeling hungry much of the day. But when I read Episcopal Cafe's Fasting 101 and 102, I discovered meanings about fasting that I didn't even know about. And when this evening's sermon repeated the eating half as much for two meals and then a substantial but not overly abundant third meal -- say a hearty soup and some crusty bread -- I heard, but with the same despair as I had previously read. No way. It has taken me two years to establish an eating habit that maintains a healthy weight. I certainly do not want to mess that up. So food fast is just out for me.
There are other Lent disciplines, of course. I did do the Seeking to Serve reading this morning. Is not this the fast I choose... Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house... Isaiah 58:6-7 I have been mulling that over today without it having influenced me. The day's 'illustration' is not great. But the discussion below it was a little more helpful -- hinting that praying that the Holy Spirit might help me to address the needs of the poor in some way. The whole thing can be down loaded on the Episcopal R&D site. I did that yesterday thinking I might copy some of it here but I don't know what the copyright issues are. I'm checking into that.
So, Lent no longer looms. It is here. We are "in" Lent. I have established a discipline for myself. It is going to be very hard to manage. It is personal. It is between me and God. Already messed up twice today but I am looking at it as ONLY twice. I will report in now and then how it is going and mayhaps at Easter I will be able to relate success. I can try.
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