Leap Day and Focus 40 - Day 1

Happy Leap Day 2012!  I sure had high hopes of proposing to someone today, but we'll save that for another time :) Ha!  Oh, well, I did propose to Carl today.  I proposed (over text, complete with down on a knee) that we have an awesome time next weekend in Nashville.  He accepted! Ha!  I'm such a dork.  He's probably thinking, "why did I invite her down here?!" 

Day 1 of Focus 40 . . .  here we go!

Not sure how this is going to all play out.  Today I have in my head how I wish it were April 9th so I would be finished and be reflecting back on the 40 days.  But that's wishing my life away so I'm going to embrace it!  I'm notorious for starting things and then not finishing.  I guess that may be why I'm a little apprehensive.  Nonetheless, h-e-r-e w-e g-o!

The day started a little strange.  I was in my parent's home instead of mine...we had storms/tornado warnings last night.  Oh, almost forgot.  That means...Thunder in February!  We ended February with three days of thunder.  Let's see if it frosts three times in May.  Back on track now.  I feel this 'thing' in the back of my mind reminding me of my pledge to do this 40 days.  But at the same time I could absolutely go for a cup of coffee!  I have all these thoughts of "What am I going to eat?  How am I going to go out with friends?  What is God going to reveal during this time?  Am I going to succeed?  Will God word through me?  Will?  What?  How?"  So many questions.  I'm sure after a few days I'll be more settled.

Today's menu:

Breakfast     Snack      Lunch                     Supper
grits             banana    homemade              salad
cranberries                  veggie/barley soup

Today's prayer focus:

Praying that God will open my heart toward him over the next forty days.

Until next time . . . .

Pre-Focus 40: Day 3-8 of 9

A shout out to my dear friend Sara B. is necessary here; she was right in saying trying to keep up with a daily blog is tough!

So I'm on Day 8 of 9 of the Pre-Focus 40.  I have to admit I wasn't totally on track over the weekend, but I wasn't totally bad either.  Unless those Oreos count :( Ha!  I can really tell that I haven't been eating heavy foods and I feel good.  But, I can say, this is NOT going to be easy!  You know what they say though, "Anything worth anything is never easy!" 

For my Focus 40 Prayer and Fasting I am choosing the Daniel Fast (I've already mentioned).  It is 21 days of only eating fruits and veggies; raw or cooked.  And lots of water!  Over the weekend I stocked up on 100% fruit and veggie juices; for drinks and smoothies.  Also stocked up on fresh veggies & fruits. 

What this fast is NOT about: 

• Starving or depriving myself.  It is not a diet!  

What this fast IS about: 

• a time to reflect on what's going into my body; which is to be a temple.  
• a time to pray during those times I would usually eat.  
• Focus on God; devoting more time to Him.  
• Praying for the lost and being specific on who I'm praying for.  
• a time for me to learn how to make wiser food choices.  
• I'm not using it as a diet method, but I will be praying during this time that God show and teach me how to eat healthy like this all the time; not for 21 or 40 days out of the year.  

My hopes for this Focus 40 Prayer and Fasting:

1. pray diligently for the lost around me
2. seek God's will for things in my life
3. learn how to eat right

Today hasn't been so bad.  I've had my grapefruit and (VERY SOUR) orange along with much water.  I did have some dark chocolate covered raisins....raisins are fruit!  Ha!  I know, that was a splurge, but I'm learning.  I haven't really had an opportunity to go to a place in prayer, but I can tell you God has been in my mind a lot today.  I'm nervous, excited, feeling challenged, and ready to be changed over the course of the next 42 days.  I can already feel God stirring in some things going on in my life.  I can't wait to see how God works through the course of this!!!  I'm really excited about that!

Until next time . . . 

Pre-Focus 40: Day 2 of 9

Ugg, kinda sluggish today.  But that could just be because I'm tired.  Too early to tell.  Having no pop shouldn't be that big of an adjustment; but I'm thinking I'll have to ween myself from coffee.  Even though I only had one cup, sometimes two a day, my body is used to that hot jolt every morning.  What's weird though...I don't miss the coffee on Saturdays and Sundays.

Today's menu:

Breakfast: 2 boiled eggs, cup of grapefruit juice
Lunch:  2 boiled eggs, cup of grapefruit juice
Dinner:  a sensible dinner

For the most part I'm not really hungry.  I admit I did splurge last night with some milk and nutella on a tortilla :(  But, I didn't go over 1200 calories yesterday so I think it's fine :)  Better be....I'll give up much, but I can't give up my milk and nutella.

Until next time . . .

Pre-Focus 40: Day 1 of 9

To begin....wow, it's been awhile since I've been here.  I hope to be better at my blogging for 2012 :)
Today begins a new journey, actually a preface to a new journey.  We were presented with the Focus 40 Prayer & Fasting during yesterday's church service.  I've been thinking/praying about fasting the past several weeks since a friend of mine (Carl) mentioned he'd just completed the Daniel Fast.  I've never fasted before; Lord knows it won't hurt me and my fluffiness :)  Anyway, in talking with Carl briefly about it something definitely began to churn in my soul that I needed to pray about this.  Then yesterday's talk pretty much brought those prayers to light and I knew this was something I needed to do.  I ordered my copy of the Daniel Fast today; should be here in time to start Focus 40.

a link to Focus 40:  http://www.chog.org/Focus40

The Focus 40 itself runs February 29 (Leap Day) to April 8 (Easter), 2012.  I chose today to begin the clean out of junk; no pop, no junk food. Plus, it's easier to start things fresh on a Monday than it is to wait until mid-week.  I haven't done all my research on Focus 40, but it is a national Prayer & Fasting of the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana).  The main goal is to prayer for disciples of Christ; but who knows what will happen when we let God work.  I'm also going to take this time to pray for a healthier new me and prayer life of my own.

I know, I know.  Many of you have heard me talk about dieting and losing weight before...and every time I fail.  Know why?  I've never let God lead me through the process and change me.  Sure I pray to get healthy, but I never fully let go and let God.  I'm praying this time is different.  With God's help I WILL succeed!  Side note:  I'm not changing my eating habits to get skinny.  I'm letting God change me to get healthy!

So here we go, this is pre-Focus 40; nine days to get ready for the real deal!  To get started I'm using the kick start diet method.  The kick start diet is normally a two week program, but I'm going to get in on nine days of it and then eat according to the Daniel Fast. 

Day 1 menu of the kick start diet:

breakfast:  2 boiled eggs/8oz grapefruit juice
lunch: 2 boiled eggs/8oz grapefruit juice
dinner: 2 boiled eggs/8oz grapefruit juice

Sounds crazy I know, but it's designed to help flush toxins in the body.  Oddly, I'm not hungry at all.  Normally I get the munchies so bad before lunch, but today nada.

So here we go . . . Until next time . . .