One of my closest friends practices fasting better than anyone I've ever met. Nearly every year during Lent, he fasts from food for six days in a row, eats on the Sabbath, and begins again the following day. I recently asked him to write about this practice, but being more Scripturally and spiritually attuned than I am, he begged off. Still, feeling there was value in others being able to read about this practice and with the possibility that others might even try to fast for a day for the first time in their lives, I convinced him to do it anonymously on my blog. He's going to keep a sort of diary each day and I'm going to share it here. I hope you find my friend's journey exciting and convicting.

-Matthew

Monday, February 19, 2018 Day 6 of Lent

It’s eating day!

Today I woke up a bit earlier than I usually do on my day off so I could prepare a big breakfast for everyone. It was touching yesterday evening when my daughter remarked how much she liked when I made breakfast on Mondays last year during Lent, so I really wanted to do that today. I made bacon, eggs, toast, and hash browns that were fried in duck lard from one of our ducks we raised ourselves. It took a while to prepare everything, cutting up the potatoes and garlic and frying up the bacon (which I’m never patient enough for). We all ate breakfast together, which we hardly ever do. It was a wonderful way to temporarily break the fast.

I share all of that because one of the big things I take away from my times of fasting is how much I enjoy eating on the other end. I do really mean enjoy. I taste everything and smell everything. And if you don’t think you are extra appreciative of eating after not eating for days, well… Fasting, for me, sets up feasting in a way that regular eating simply does not. Now, it is very possible that this is because I’m so gluttonous normally that feasting is hard to distinguish from everyday life. Again, fasting teaches me this through practicing restraint (which I do not come by naturally). It’s also been an unexpected surprise for me in my own experience how scenes like this morning can play out, where it is not only the food, but the presence of my family and our conversation that add to the entire experience. This apparently made enough of an impression on one of my children that she requested it again this year.

I have continued with my prayers today. The continual touching base with God has a cumulative effect on me that is just starting to take hold. I am thankful.

I’ll close with part of the Psalm that was in my morning prayer reading:

For you, O God, have proved us; you have tried us just as silver is tried.

You brought us into the snare; you laid heavy burdens upon our backs.

You let enemies ride over our heads; we went through fire and water;

But you brought us out into a place of refreshment.

-from Psalm 66