25 Years and 2 Days
Late Night
Last night was a late night for me. With my new schedule, I'm usually in bed by 9pm. Last night, it was around 11:30pm! Of course, this was because I really wanted to journal about my day and did not really concern myself with how late I needed to stay up to do so. I figured sleeping in one day this week was going to be just fine. It mostly just meant I was going to skip a morning workout and probably a morning shower. Neither of which were a big deal considering I can pick right back up on both tomorrow.
I really didn't sleep well last night. I tossed and turned for most of it. I fell asleep around midnight and woke up around 6:30am. My body has been fighting something going on with my left ear. So my sleep hasn't been the greatest in the last few days. If it is something viral, it should resolve itself by the weekend. If it is not, I'll have to go have it checked out. If it turns out to be bacterial, I'll need antibiotics to finish this fight. I've already preemptively began the hydrogen peroxide and heat compress treatments just in case. I rarely get ear infections. But it does happen from time to time.
Having a late bedtime and sleeping in a bit, I definitely did not get in all that I wanted to this morning. For example, I started this blog entry after I had supper tonight...hehehe There are bound to be days like today. Days where not everything works out quite like I'd prefer. I actually started out the day thinking I was going to call in sick from work. I had no energy whatsoever and I felt like I was sick with something. Even after I finished my morning prayer and devotional time, I typed out a note to my boss informing him I was going to need to take the day to rest. I never hit send, however. I had prayed during my morning prayer time that God Willing, I would have the strength to get through the day. After typing the message, I realized I was gaining strength. So I erased the message and went about my day as if nothing was wrong. And it turned out to be a productive day!
Day 16
Today's passage in the 21 days of prayer and fasting really struck a cord with me. One thing I struggle with is making plans versus seeking God's Will. I'm sure we all do that. For me, I call it a struggle. Not that I fight with God about this. It's more about how I want to do His Will but also want to plan my own life. I know in my heart that His plans are going to be so much better than mine. I just want to know what's going on. Making my own plans helps me do that. And I don't mean this from a control perspective. It truly is just about the knowing. I really like to know what is going on.
This is an area God is working on me. I'm learning to find joy in that. It has been incredibly difficult. Especially in the last few years. But I'm finding the joy in it. I think that's because I'm also learning to chase after God. That is, I'm looking for God in my circumstances. I wish I could say that was an easy concept to grasp. It most certainly is not. But I'd say it has been worth it so far. In my "Bible in a Year" time, I've been reminded that God has used some of the worst circumstances to still make His Glory. I'm doing a chronological reading. So right now, I'm still in the years before Israel existed. Yet, not a lot as changed in human nature!
Today's passage in the 21 days of prayer and fasting comes from James 4:13-17; which reads,
You who say, “Today or tomorrow let’s go into this city and spend a year there, trade, and make a profit.” Yet you don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? You are but a mist that appears for a short time and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord's Will, we will both live, and do this or that.” But now you glory in your boasting. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, if you know to do good and do not do it, for you it is sin.
I don't always know what is going on in my life. And I don't always know what is good. But I do know what if I pray for God's Will in my life, He will show me what is going on and what is good. Then, if I don't do it, that is when I sin. I'm grateful Jesus paid the price for that sin, though. When my sin comes to my attention, I can stop and seek God's forgiveness. That is an amazing gift!
Diet
I'm still exploring the realm of vegetarian cuisine. As I am fasting seafood at the moment and cannot therefore partake in my pescatarian diet, I am trying foods I probably would not have otherwise ventured an attempt. Also, I haven't had animal meat since the first day or two of November last year...hehehe Overall, I'm feeling fantastic! Had you told me I was going to be any kind of vegetarian even 6 months ago, I would have told you that you were crazy! Yet, here we are...hehehe
For lunch today, I had a Jamaican spicy patty with some rice. The patty was made using a Beyond Meat brand meat alternative. The flavor and texture were quite good. But the pastry portion of the food was a little off. If I were to make one from scratch, perhaps I could get the right sort of flakiness I would have expected. As it were, this was a pre-made option. I ate it with a small serving of rice.
For dinner, once again, Beyond Meat. But this time, I had a Beyond Meat bratwurst sausage with some roasted peppers and onions. Wow! That bratwurst was every bit as amazing as the real meat version. Yet, it doesn't "sit heavy" in my stomach! That's one of the brilliant side effects of these plant-based alternatives to consuming animal meats. Everything I eat just feels light yet full of energy. Sure, it's a tad bit more expensive. But with it all being plant-based, I'm not actually stuck with what is commercial available. If I wanted to, I could actually make all of this myself! In the event that this diet sticks, I will likely begin making it all at home.
The diet reminds me of what Daniel and his fellow children of Judah did when they fell into captivity under King Nebuchadnezzar. The king was offering his choice meats and food for all of his servants. However, Daniel and the 3 did not wish to defile themselves. So they asked the prince in charge of them if they could eat only vegetables instead of the choice meats and wine. He asked to be tested in this as to prove that his diet was better than the one being offered. After a short time, it was proven that they were stronger and had more energy than that of the other servants. They then found favor in the sight of Nebuchadnezzar. You can find this story in Daniel chapter 1.
I did not seek out this diet just to be on the diet. I actually feel as though the diet sought me out. As my health continued to improve last year, I began to lose the taste and desire for fleshy meats like those of chicken, pork, and beef. All I found to crave were seafood and veggies. That's how my pescatarian diet began in November, 2023. As this continues to evolve, I'm finding these plant-based alternatives to be more than amazing as a replacement for meats. The hamburgers, hotdogs, and bratwursts I use to crave are now based on what grows in the ground and no longer what eats what grows from the ground...hehehe
Fasting Progress
As I mentioned previously in other entries, I am fasting television, seafood, and candy for the 21 days of prayer and fasting. I knew this year 1 thing was not going to be enough. So I picked 3 things with purpose. Television was mostly because that is what I fasted last year. But I also wanted to see if I even cared about it anymore. Seafood was chosen because it allowed me to explore my dietary needs a bit more in the plant-based area. And candy was chose because I really wanted to break my addiction to candy.
With television, I'm finding myself not really interested in going back to watching it on a regular basis. Prior to this 21 days, I would use TV to go to sleep at night. Now, I'm able to fall asleep quickly without it. In fact, I typically fall asleep within 15 minutes of turning off the light. With TV, it would take 1-3 episodes of a mindless TV show. That could take up to an hour and half! I'm already planning to restrict my television time to a few hours a day between the end of work and my bedtime. And even those hours are considering optional now! This is a huge thing for me as I use to watch TV quite a bit.
As for candy, I'm really excited to say that I'm likely to toss out what little candy I have left in my home. The addiction is broken! I'm actually highly considering the act of throwing out what I have left just to be sure I'm not tempted to eat it...hehehe But I will wait until the week is over. As long as it is on my counter, it is a reminder of why I am fasting. I need to focus on God and His Will. After Saturday, I can pitch it in the trash! I'm so glad that addiction is finally broken! Although, I suppose I've been in the process of breaking that already. I had decreased the amount of candy I was consuming while I've been on this health journey. I was all about weaning myself off of the sweets gradually so I wouldn't relapse. So, now that I haven't had any candy in just over 2 weeks, I'm not really interested in going back to it! Woohoo!!!
Seafood...seafood...well, I REALLY MISS SEAFOOD!!! I'm already planning to pick up some shrimp from the grocery this weekend...hehehe I may end up eating seafood exclusively for a month! LOL I say that in jest, of course. I'm glad to be introducing it back into my diet next week. But I'll keep with the plant-based proteins as well. I've grown to really love that stuff. I just really miss the seafood. And I'm glad it will be coming back to my diet after Saturday!
Back to It
I wasn't sure I would be able to write as much as I have tonight. And I'll still be able to get right back to my new sleep routine tonight. Perhaps this has taught me that I can write at the end of the day instead of throughout the day. I'll be flexible and open to how all of this is going to work. I'm still learning. From diet, to exercise, to rest, I'm still learning. Not too bad for someone who is about to turn 46. And since I plan to live until I'm at least 135, I'm only beginning the second third of my life...LOL After the fasting is over, I'll continue praying. I'll continuing studying the Bible. And I'll continue writing. It may not all be at the same cadence I have kept throughout these past few weeks. But I can see my lifestyle evolving again this year!
Belated Birthday
On January 20, 1999, I registered my first domain name. On that day, ICCNET.ORG was born! I am not currently using it for any website. However, I still renew it every year. It has significant meaning to me. Obviously not enough for me to have acknowledged it in my blog entry 2 days ago. But enough so that I remembered it today. 25 years and 2 days ago, my life went global.
Back in those days, I ran a prayer chain and a Christian resource website. The "ICC" portion of the name stood for Internet Community Church. The "NET" portion was all about a Never Ending Testimony.
Perhaps someday God will revive that ministry. I don't currently have any plans for that. Should God ever have a plan for it, I pray His Will is done. A lot happened in my life 25 years ago. I'm interested in seeing how God ends up using all of that! Stay tuned!!!