WWDE? part 2

Well, I'm into the last week of my "Daniel Diet". Sunday, all bets are off. I already have the ingredients set to make that celebratory Chocolate Mousse.

You're probably wondering how Thanksgiving went. I don't know exactly how to evaluate or explain, but I'll do my best.

It was harder to do this while we were traveling than I thought. We drove about 9 hours to Florianopolis, an island city where all the IMB missionaries from the south of Brazil spend Thanksgiving weekend. Getting there was easy, we made one stop at a truckstop with a buffet with lots of veggies. The Thanksgiving meal was easy (I don't care for turkey and there was nothing chocolate, which helped tremendously).

I tried doing what I had suggested doing in my original WWDE post, which is praying as I decide what to eat and not eat and choose accordingly. That worked AMAZINGLY well, as long as I did it. I did this for a couple of days.

Then, I started to look for "patterns" and make "rules" for what I could and couldn't eat, based on the leadings I had been getting over those couple of days.
THAT'S WHEN I MESSED UP.

This is hard to write because in my earlier post on fasting, I recommended that those wanting to fast decide on rules, write them down in advance, and stick to them.
Ahem . . .

I got all confused and all tangled up in the rules and the prayers and the leadings and the food. I don't think I was successful, but I'm not even sure of that!

Anyway, here's what I learned.

1. A fast with rules is ok, the rules need to be Spirit-driven.
2. A fast under the Spirit's leading is ok, too, but most likely to be successful if:
a. You remember the reason for the fast--to humble yourself before God and get closer to Him. Keeping that in mind will ward off a lot of temptation.
b. If you're doing a Daniel-type fast, you study Daniel's fasts beforehand, to know as best you can, WWDE.
c. You don't try to mix the two methods.

Also, Bill Bright wrote a booklet "Your Personal Guide to Fasting" which I found on the internet and has helped tremendously with the practical aspects of this.

So, there's the Thanksgiving update for ya'.

On another note, I'm so excited to be headed home for Christmas! The children and I will leave on Dec 12 and Jeff will follow on Dec 20. I hope I get to see many of you. You know when you see me because I'll be the one with chocolate mousse on my face.