The physical effects of the fast are starting to get to me now. I felt pretty good physically for a long time, but now I’m getting pretty tired and my hunger is more serious. However, I keep thinking, maybe this is an important time to get through. My metabolism is kind of crazy right now. I’ll lose only a few pounds all week and then gain 4-5 pounds on the day I eat. I’ve been crashing on the day after I eat at some point in the afternoon. I’m not sure why, but I just get really tired and can’t stay awake. The physical part has been an interesting experience, but it’s been different than I expected going into the fast. Although I’m hungry, it’s different than if you are eating regularly and don’t eat all day. As I’ve written before, not eating is normal right now, so it’s just different. I’ve been praying for strength. I’m ready for Easter.
One of the things that has occurred during this prayer time is that I’ve had to pray around the kids several times because I’m watching them while Anne makes dinner, or something like that. There are times when Alexandra will see me sitting on the floor, Indian style, and come over and just sit on my lap. So, I pray with her. She’ll fold her hands for awhile. Other times she’ll get squirmy, so I put my hands on her and pray over her and for her. She calms down. Elijah has started praying pretty much by himself at bedtime, and that’s pretty cool. He’ll see me pray at the table when we’re getting ready for dinner time, or in the living room while I’m with the kids. He hasn’t been as keen to me laying hands on him and praying, and insists I do it to Alexandra too when I pray over him.
Anyway, that has been just one unexpected side effect of this whole journey. I’m glad my kids have seen me pray. I’m glad I’ve been able to pray with them. And I’m glad (I have to mention) that my wife prays with them as well. Parenting is difficult. I hope they catch some of this stuff so that Christ is central to their lives.