slow

Done. Impulsive commit to fast until we found out if the bank favored our offer. They didn't. While I am disappointed about it I'm also at peace. 76 hours without food and asking God to move. The cynic would say He didn't. I say He did. No is just as much an answer as yes. Who knows what He saved us from or to. 5 hours after the post below this one "Fast" we received an offer on our old house which we have for sale in a less than ideal location in a not so energetic market. That was day 2 of the fast.

I've already had a friend tell me that God will bring along something better. I don't know where the rating system for stuff like that works, do you? Good, better, best, horrible... how do those sorts of things apply? It was just a house. It wasn't a life / death or salvation issue.

I changed a bit during the fast too, new perspective on it. The peace and the connection really came sometime around day 3. Bummer. Guess I have a new pattern to follow in the future for fasting. I don't hate it as much as I did. Which is VERY different than saying I like it.

I do not.

Chances to pray for lots of stuff besides myself. First time I've really felt hunger for more than 2 days. It's been a long time since I've felt physical hunger in general though.

Biggest realization - God is enough. Charlie Starr in his book Honest to God talks about Job a lot and wrestling with God. Job's questions never get answered. When God shows up there isn't a "thus sayeth the LORD Job, here is why....". The key is that God shows up. Job doesn't get answers, he gets God. Way better.
The circle around the S means extra meat. Hey, the fast is over. Nothing says comfort food like Chipotle. Bring it on.

Fast

Some spiritual disciplines I am better at than others. Fasting is not one of them.

I don't like it.

Generally speaking, I do myself and my family more harm than good when fasting. I get grumpy when I'm hungry. My beautiful wife knows this. Whenever we would shop together she made sure that I had something to eat. I also don't enjoy shopping. Put shopping and hunger together? Bad JuJu.

I don't fast very often. I wish that weren't true but it is. It takes something fairly monumental to move me to skip meals (you know, because God isn't enough...). I'm always thankful when the fast is over, both for the ending and the experience.

Jody and I have been looking for houses lately. We have to be out of our house May 1. Today it's April 3 and we've been looking for more than a month. We have a family of 10. That makes house hunting a challenge. We've found several houses that we got excited about. Usually the day prior to finding them they go under contract. Great fun.

We found a house that was a foreclosure that will totally work for our family. Great location. Good price. Moderate amount of work to have it livable. And there are multiple offers. Good time to fast.

We had our offer in by Thursday night. No word on Friday. I decided that we'd have to find out something on Monday. Why not fast until we find out? Great idea. Well, it's Tuesday and still no word.

2 days may be the new starting point for fasting. Day 1 had me focused on myself. Day 2 allowed that to change. I'm hungry. I think I'm hungry for more than just food. I'm hungry for God to move. Not just in our search for a house but in my heart and the church and this city. Crazy ride with what God has been doing in the Jesters lately. Will be interesting to see what's next.