we stand...day three

Today has been much better for me. It didn't start out that way. I was pretty discouraged when I woke up. Had a headache to start the morning. Never a good beginning. But it has definitely improved...thank you God.

And I realized that what has made it so good is that I was able to enjoy lunch with a group of women who love Jesus and we talked about all sorts of things that had nothing to do with beans and rice. I didn't even think about it. I was so distracted talking about God and His Word that I didn't even think about the mush in my bowl.

The girls were good about their breakfast and didn't even grumble about the beans and rice for lunch. I think our evenings have been really great. Dinner is a time of bonding...even if it is over the subject of complaining about what we're eating. Nothing like a little suffering to bring people together. We've played games after dinner and then enjoyed a movie or favorite TV show afterwards. Just a time of being together.

Monday night ended with the girls in a fight at the gym. And God is so amazing. My Bible study this week is on Isaiah 58 and the heading for that chapter is True Fasting. I love God's sense of timing (at least this time I do). Here are God's words in Isaiah:

Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists.

You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.

Clearly God had seen my children going at each other after their first day of fasting. Admittedly, this isn't much different from any other day, but I was hoping that the whole focus on fasting and God's people would help keep their minds more focused on God and less on sparring with each other...something to pray about.

So thank you God for your provision...of these meals, as unappetizing as they are, and of Your words. Which remind us of the purpose of the fast. To focus on You. Your work. Your people. And not on ourselves.

Help us to live that out...not just these five days, but always.