Back to Normal?

Today is Thursday- day 4 of the fast.  I still think I am doing well.  Today, my family routine for the New Year SHOULD be getting back to normal.  We picked up the girls from their other dad last evening, and they go back to school today after a 2 week holiday break.  Extra-curricular activities start again, too.  Everyone, including the 3 year old, went to bed on time last night, so that’s a good start to normal, right?

Yesterday, my husband attended a funeral with my mom and I.  It was a very long, very emotional double service for a high school classmate of mine and his wife.  They were killed in a tragic car accident on Christmas Eve, leaving their 8 month old daughter an orphan.  The husband was also a friend of mine in college, serving as a house boy for my sorority , which his older sister and mother were members of, and I, along with my mother, are active alums with.  There were easily 500-600 people there.  It was intense.  And sad.  So, I am not sure I would have eaten much yesterday, anyway.  I worked from 8-12, then at noon, my husband, mother and I met at my house to go to the church, so no one had lunch.  But again, food was replaced with prayer, and my God provided strength to get through that painful afternoon.

The evening turned out much happier.  We had our GIRLS back and the house was alive with giggling 8 year olds!  We made Daniel fast baked potatoes for dinner, and watched Minute to Win It as family.  I think the thing that surprises me most about this fast is my headaches!  I am not having any cravings, I don’t feel deprived, but I had a bad headache again last night!  And my husband wasn’t feeling very well at all, complaining about his head.  I had a dear friend text me and ask how it was going - saying day 3 was always her worst day.  Amazingly, I would say my day 3 was 100x better than my day 2!

So, pressing on.  Today presents new challenges with having to feed all 3 of my kids dinner, and the crazy busy-ness of being a parent of 3 active kids is fully restored.  I love music and find worship to be a very satisfying part of my walk.  Today, the song that keeps playing in the background of my head is "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus." The chorus is so touching: "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,In the light of His glory and grace."  (Hebrews 12:2) So true after yesterday and as I journey through this fast.

Thankfully, I feel like my emotions are holding up during this season, so I will keep praying for that, but I can also pray for more patience as I know this will get harder with a full house.