Day 27

I'm down another .8 pounds today, weighing in at 231.8. I'm almost in the twenties! That's craziness. I've lost 27.8 pounds now.
I had to change up the flavors on my juice a bit... I was getting burnt out on the "Green Machine" Naked Juice day in and day out (but Costco sells this in large containers so it's cheaper). I'm such a penny pincher. But I'm more hungry than I am a penny-pincher right now so we broke down and bought a bunch of the individual bottles of different Naked Juices. At $3 a pop, I figure I'm still saving a bunch of money on what my normal food cost would be, right? Besides, I had to get some variety in my diet.

The biggest challenge to me on this fast has ironically not been the lack of food, fighting cravings, or feeling a bit more low on energy than I normally would. The biggest challenge has been the calendar. There are times in our lives when the hours can't roll by fast enough, and when the completion of our objectives can only be measured in days gone by. At the onset of this venture, I looked at the calendar only with disdain. I couldn't believe that I was going to be going so many days on this fast when one day felt so enormously long without food. Little by little, this reality has become easier to deal with. As I cross each day off on my calendar, I'm beginning to see my calendar less as an obstacle, and more as a very long-winded exercise in patience. And also, another strange thing is happening now.

The calendar is beginning to feel much like a coin. At first I could only see the one side, as if it was lying there on the table in front of me, Washington staring me down and saying to me that I couldn't get through this. But as I continue on, though it has taken much time and effort, I am beginning to see another face on the coin. The first side was the challenge that lay in front of me- vast, enormous, and unprecedented in my life. But the second side is quite amazing, and full of encouragement and hope. On this side I can see what I have already accomplished, and it is life changing. As I continue on, the face of Washington is going to become dimmer and dimmer I know; as he disappears into the shadow below the light I will no longer have to compete with his judgemental grins and ominous stares.

I am approaching my half-way point, and this is tremendous in itself. I have completely nearly 40% of my weight loss goal, and I am encouraged at the fact that I have not died or been made ill from it. I have done all of this without breaking a sweat, and am made steadfast to continue on by now having the ability to look back to view all that I have accomplished.

The patience at the start is the heavy-lifting. Once the goal is in sight, and your stride is set, you only have your own patience to contend with, and the finish line comes into focus and seems only a brief moment of waiting away. The challenge that remains now is to make patience my ally, my friend, my confidant. You know, though- it's about time we got to know one-another better anyways. I have amazing tools and steady relationships to accomplish this end, and am thankful for each of them. One day at a time... One step at a time... One blog post or conversation at a time- I'm going to be finished soon, and will be able to look back and only see this experience for the accomplishment that it is, and the discomfort and sacrifice of it will fade away with the face of the coin.

Romans 15:1-6

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. ²  Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. ³ ForChrist did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” ⁴ For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. ⁵ May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, ⁶ that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

~Until tomorrow