Yesterday I finished my 30 hour fast at 1pm. I broke it with sprouted brown rice mixed with butter and spicy ground pork. About an hour and a half later I started to get a headache and not feel good. I had to even lie down and sleep a bit. I’m not sure if it’s because I was coming off the fast or because I ate too much. Did I not drink enough water? Maybe it’s the pork? Even though it’s free range and hormone-free there is a huge divide on how people feel about pork. God didn’t like it back in the day and there is plenty of scientific nutrition research that points to why we should stay away from it. But I’m on the fence. As I figure it out in my own life I’ll let you know! The next time I come off a fast, I plan to eat something super light like a salad with chicken. But I feel good today and I’m learning from a spiritual perspective that a cleanse is not just for my body but my mind and heart. It has a lot to do with resting. And I hope to learn more as I practice this spiritual discipline.

Today my Country Boy friend went back home to Athens, TX. On the way he stopped at a farm in Kemp, TX called Full Quiver Farm. Why the stop at this little farm? Raw Milk. He picked us up 3 gallons and tomorrow evening I will be having my first glass of ice cold raw milk. I have had plenty of raw cheese and it’s amazing. But I’m looking forward to what this delicious stuff will be like. Probably rich and creamy! I’ll try and post tomorrow about why pasteurized dairy is bad but raw milk is amazing for you.

He told me the farm is owned by a Mennonite family that truly lives the simple life. The lady said the only thing they go to the grocery store for is salt, pepper, and oatmeal! How amazing is that?! A person asked her one time, “Don’t you miss having cereal for breakfast?” Her response was, “I have fresh eggs, fresh bacon, hot biscuits, and a tall glass of cold milk every morning. Now which breakfast would you rather have?” Eat that, General Mills! They grow their own fruits and veggies, make their own clothes, and even build the furniture in the house. And as I try and imagine what that life is like I can’t help but wonder, what aspects of God do they know that I never will? Their life is simple. Not tainted with consumption of as many things as possible. I look around Dallas every day and can’t escape the overwhelming feeling of materialism. Time has been traded for more money and more money is needed to buy more stuff. We rarely sit all afternoon on the porch and just enjoy each other. When’s the last time you spent an entire weekend with life being quiet and the TV turned off? No buying stuff or places to be? No task to get done or work to finish? No worries? Just rest and quiet? From Friday at 6pm to Monday at 8am…just people. Friendships. Books. Sun. Quiet. Rest. Sleep. Fruit. Iced Tea. Walks. Discussions. When was the last time we didn’t rush to fill our time with things that don’t amount to jack squat?

I can’t help but wonder how much the complexity of my life makes me miss out on knowing God more deeply. The more stuff, work, spending, junk, consuming, and tasks I cram into my life, it’s inevitable that I push God away. Even if I fill my life with wonderful Christian things like Bible Studies, Sunday school, and ministries…it can quickly take over and make life complex. As I drink my milk tomorrow night I hope to get a taste of what a simple life can be. And hopefully as I continue on this cleanse I’ll discover how I can reduce in my life those things that keep me from seeing God in simple ways.

SB