21 Day Fast Update

Here are some thoughts on the ongoing fast.

A fast is never fast to the one fasting - it should be called a S L O W.

I've learned sugar, bread, beef, and coke are not essential to one's happiness.

The first week was hard, but the second week seems much easier, even natural.

The cravings disappear after 5-7 days. I have no craving for sugar, junk, soda, or fast food. I am really enjoying eating whole foods God made.

There are far more foods I can eat on the fast than are prohibited. I've learned to focus on the blessings in my life and not dwell on what I don't have.

The first sin was eating a forbidden food. I'm sure there's a moral lesson there related to eating.

I am confident God's reward through all this will be much better than I ever imagined.

I am learning that it takes a lot of self-control to do this. I need lessons in self-control. And there are numerous Biblical examples of people who were blessed because they mastered self-control. I better understand how self-control and spirituality go hand in hand.

This fast has been a humbling experience. The things I enjoy but have given up pale in comparison to all that Jesus gave up for me.

The original goal was to make it 21 days. I still plan to stick it out for the most part. We may end a couple days early. Our parters in this are the Weavers and Chris will need to go out of town a couple days before the fast was scheduled to end. We wanted to all celebrate together. This may become a 19 day fast instead.

21 Day Daniel Fast Begins Today

I love my cousin Kelly. She has a set of twins boys, another son, and an adopted daughter from China. She homeschools all of them and tutors public school children after school hours. She and her husband could build a house from the ground up if they so desired. She is not only talented, but also quite persuasive.

Since we don't have cable TV, or much of a TV at all, Kelly somtimes has pity on us and invites us over to watch IDOL or SURVIVOR that's been T-VOed at their house (they have a BIG SCREEN). Last week she wanted us to also watch some Ed preacher guy on TV. And the next thing I knew, Richard was all gung ho about joining Kelly and her DH on a 21 day fast. This Ed preacher man has his congregation well into the fast. The purpose is to take the focus off food and put that energy into a 21 day spiritual journey.

So today's the day. The journey begins at the Beard house. We've told the kids what we will be doing over the next 3 weeks. We are to give up bread, dairy, meat, sugar, processed foods and even decaf tea. Our diet will consist mainly of fruits and veggies, beans and rice, water and juices for 21 days. We are not requiring the kids follow the fast as strictly as we are, but we have asked them to give up something they like for 21 days.

Since I don't do well on breads and wheat - that part of the fast won't be a problem for me. I do enjoy desserts made from scratch with organic ingredients, but am not real tempted by all the processed goodies at the store. I'm really not that much into dairy either. But I must admit that I am quite a beef and protein lover. It will be interesting to see how much energy I have off the protein. Hopefully, I will manage to get through to day 21.

Mr Ed Preacher Man on TV did make some points I've never heard preached before in the CofC (CHURCH OF CHRIST). When Jesus gave his sermon on the Mt., He talked about 3 diciplines. He mentioned WHEN YOU GIVE......, WHEN YOU PRAY......, and WHEN YOU FAST..... He didn't say IF, but WHEN which indicates all 3 of these diciplines are acts Jesus assumes religious people would be doing already.

Another scripture I use with my students talks about practicing self control in order to be able to pray. Giving, Praying, and Fasting all require self-control. I don't know of anything else one can do to become self-controlled, but begin with these 3 diciplines. I'm interested in your comments and suggestions. Can anyone explain why the CofC as a whole, and through my lifetime, has never taught or advocated fasting as a spiritual dicipline?

Ponderous Quote

I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute—where no Catholic prelate would tell the President (should he be a Catholic) how to act and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote…I believe in an America…where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials—and where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against all. — John F. Kennedy

Prayers and Help for the Pedigos

Hello everyone,

I just found out that a friend/co worker (we work in the same building) lost everything in the tornadoes last night - except for her life, and her husband. Marty and Deborah Pedigo from Lafayette are trying to put their lives back together after hiding in a closet while the tornado blew their house away.

I know this family would appreciate being lifted up in prayer tonight and in the days to come. Hope adores Ms. Deborah and thinks of her as extended family. Deborah works in the same building I do, but for a different employer. Her employer is collecting gift cards and cash donations to deliver ASAP to the Pedigos. If anyone feels compelled to help out, please let me know and I will make sure the Pedigos receive any help offered.

Their address is 710 Parker Ln, Lafayette, TN 37083.

I will update when I have more information.
Hug your loved ones a little tighter tonight.
Tara

TN Super Tuesday Remembered for Super Storms

Yesterday was to be Super Tuesday here in TN. Fortunately Richard and I voted during lunch and avoided the crowds. Currently, I don't even know which candidates got the most votes. Shortly after the polls closed, the weather was the main focus here in TN.

We knew tornados were close to us, but the main one veered a bit north and followed along the other side of the lake and the Cumberland River. It touched down in Trousdale County not far from the Sumner line and leveled, burned, wrecked and killed along HWY 25 in Castalian Springs.

Lighting ignited a 16ft gas pipeline somewhere near Westmoreland. The sky was a freakish orange from the flames. The fire was visible from our house and as far as 100 miles away in some directions. The local WEMA team was called in to assist in shutting down the pipeline. Sometime in the night, the flames died out.

I lived in this Castalian Springs for 6 years of my life. My mom was born and raised there. I have an aunt, an uncle, 3 cousins and families, and most importantly, my grandmother who all live on the HWY 231 side of Castalian Springs. I know Kelly is OK because I've already talked to her. I assume Grandmother is OK too. Her line stays busy and I can't get through. What a night! Richard took the late watch and finally felt it was safe to go to sleep around 1am.

The TN death toll fromt the storms is climbing - 27 at present. 5 deaths were in Castalian Springs and even the post office was blown away. In Jackson TN, 12 students were trapped inside Union University following the tornado there. There were over 70 tractor trailer trucks overturned along a 10 mile stretch of 1-40 near Jackson.

Please pray for those who have lost all they own, and more importantly for those who lost family members. Thankfully, our area was spared both the first and second wave of storms which passed through TN last night.

The Flu Bug Bites the Beards

Well it's officially flu season here. Last weekend Hope ran a fever and laid around for about 3 days. Micah started Tues night and is still recovering. By Thursday, I was feverish, and DH joined in the misery last night. He has been alseep for over 3 hours. Ethan is the only one left and hopefully he will miss it. Richard's Dad spent all week in the hospital and finally got to come home last night. He had pneumonia and "digestive issues." We are hoping for a better week here. It's 60 degrees and sunny, but nobody's left the house today. Here's a run down of the "drugs" we've taken so far:

1. Tylenol - lots and lots of it
2. Ibuprofen
3. Aspirin
4. Cepacol
5. Sudafed
6. Benadryl
7. Comtrex
8. Nyquil Day
9. Nyquil Night
10. Mucinex (onto bottle 2)
11. Airborne
12. Children's Advil
13. Children's Tylenol
14. a shot of Rum

I must admit - the rum worked best! Or perhaps it was the fact that I drank the rum AFTER taking the over the counter meds. But it wasn't until I had some rum that I got any relief whatsoever. Currently, I am faced with the issue of weather or not to repeat my medi-cocktail. I'm pretty miserable at the moment.

Now I better understand Captain Jack's outrage when he watched his rum go up in smoke. FYI - the rum was purchased in Grand Caymen nearly 2 years ago and has been used to make 2 rum cakes. I never got around to baking one this Christmas or I would have been asking myself, "Why is all the rum gone?"

Atchoo...I gotta go blow........................................