Before I get too far, I should tell you what I'm doing. In a nutshell it goes like this:
-Jen Hatmaker is a witty author. (Lots of my friends are so over hearing about my obsession with her - but like good friends do, they smile and listen... pretending to still care.)
-She wrote a book called "7: an Experimental Mutiny Against Excess."
-This is the basis of the book:
Month One: Food
Day One:
I woke up hungry, which isn't all that unusual. The next 29 days, however, will be anything but usual. As I lay here in my bed before going downstairs to start the first day of 7, I ponder what this month will be like. For the next month, I am only eating 7 food items. What will that do to me? How will that change or strengthen my relationship with my Father?
1. Wheat Bread
2. Eggs
3. Turkey
4. Chicken
5. Broccoli
6. Strawberries
7. Squash
In Jen's words, this healthy roll call will be washed down with water and that's that. Ashley, my faithful companion, has decided to narrow her habit down to only 2 cups of coffee a day - as opposed to 5 or 6. How sacrificial of her, huh? So I figure if she can still have coffee, I can still have milk. But only at breakfast. Any time else will be some straight up H2O - hold the lemon and splenda, please!
As far as giving some life to my array of choices up there, salt, pepper, and Tony's will do the trick. No condiments or seasonings for this gal. (Shoot me now.) Now is a good time to tell you that my dad's friend has created this sweet/spicy BBQ/ketchup sauce that is TO.DIE.FOR. Listen to me people, this stuff is the bomb. I plan a meal around this sauce and what I can put it on. Bye-bye to-die-for sauce, see you in a few weeks.
__________________________________________________________________________________
11:45 pm on Day One:
Ok, so maybe this won't be so bad. I can already tell that breakfast is going to be the worst part. I am by far a breakfast girl. I'm the one who shouts "Cracker Barrel" or "Waffle House" when deciding with friends where to eat because I know I can get breakfast food there any time of the day or night. And now, for the next few weeks, eggs are pretty much my only option for breakfast. And toast too, but this is going to get really old really fast. My breakfast this morning?
Note to self: Tony's does not make scrambled eggs taste better. Maybe it was due to the unimaginable busy work day, but the rest of the day was fairly easy. You wouldn't believe how many different ways you can have chicken.
I didn't stop long enough to think about the spiritual effects of today. I was too busy planning meals that consist of my reduced menu. I know one thing is for sure though. I cannot wait to experience the Spirit in this newfound space.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. Talk to ya in a few days :)
-Jen Hatmaker is a witty author. (Lots of my friends are so over hearing about my obsession with her - but like good friends do, they smile and listen... pretending to still care.)
-She wrote a book called "7: an Experimental Mutiny Against Excess."
-This is the basis of the book:
-My friend Ashley and I are going to do this.
-We bought Jen's book - read it - laughed our heads off - cried our heads off - God convicted our heads off ---- and well, here we are: at day one.
Month One: Food
Day One:
I woke up hungry, which isn't all that unusual. The next 29 days, however, will be anything but usual. As I lay here in my bed before going downstairs to start the first day of 7, I ponder what this month will be like. For the next month, I am only eating 7 food items. What will that do to me? How will that change or strengthen my relationship with my Father?
"This is a fast, a major reduction of the endless possibilities that accompany my every meal. It is supposed to be uncomfortable and inconvenient. Not because I'm a narcissist but because the discomfort creates space for the Holy Spirit to move. This shake-up of my routine commands my attention. I can no longer default to normal, usual, mindless, thoughtless. It's like having an eyelash under my contact all day. What will the Spirit do with this new space? I don't know. We'll see. It's His to engineer. I won't box Him in or assume I know what He'll say. I'm not going to project my goals onto His movement. I have simply said, 'Jesus, may there be less of me and my junk and more of You and Your kingdom.' I will reduce so He can increase." - Jen HatmakerThat's how I feel. Who knows what will happen over the next 7-ish months? It's His to engineer. We will see. So here is how this is going to go down: February is "food month" which I like to think was God's divine provision because He knew I would need as few days as possible to fast from the thing that I may or may not love more than anything else on the planet: food. I'm a foodie - and I don't mean in a good way. I eat things that are way too unhealthy and I eat abnormal amounts of it. I mean, I just like food, ok? THEREFORE, this month will be trying - I know - but, fingers crossed, it will also be refreshing and make me grateful. Oh, my list? Ok... here it is:
1. Wheat Bread
2. Eggs
3. Turkey
4. Chicken
5. Broccoli
6. Strawberries
7. Squash
In Jen's words, this healthy roll call will be washed down with water and that's that. Ashley, my faithful companion, has decided to narrow her habit down to only 2 cups of coffee a day - as opposed to 5 or 6. How sacrificial of her, huh? So I figure if she can still have coffee, I can still have milk. But only at breakfast. Any time else will be some straight up H2O - hold the lemon and splenda, please!
As far as giving some life to my array of choices up there, salt, pepper, and Tony's will do the trick. No condiments or seasonings for this gal. (Shoot me now.) Now is a good time to tell you that my dad's friend has created this sweet/spicy BBQ/ketchup sauce that is TO.DIE.FOR. Listen to me people, this stuff is the bomb. I plan a meal around this sauce and what I can put it on. Bye-bye to-die-for sauce, see you in a few weeks.
__________________________________________________________________________________
11:45 pm on Day One:
Ok, so maybe this won't be so bad. I can already tell that breakfast is going to be the worst part. I am by far a breakfast girl. I'm the one who shouts "Cracker Barrel" or "Waffle House" when deciding with friends where to eat because I know I can get breakfast food there any time of the day or night. And now, for the next few weeks, eggs are pretty much my only option for breakfast. And toast too, but this is going to get really old really fast. My breakfast this morning?
Note to self: Tony's does not make scrambled eggs taste better. Maybe it was due to the unimaginable busy work day, but the rest of the day was fairly easy. You wouldn't believe how many different ways you can have chicken.
I didn't stop long enough to think about the spiritual effects of today. I was too busy planning meals that consist of my reduced menu. I know one thing is for sure though. I cannot wait to experience the Spirit in this newfound space.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. Talk to ya in a few days :)
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