I DO NOT Heart Sacrifice.

I enjoyed all of your comments from Monday's post on my fasting sweets. Well, I enjoyed some of them. I quite honestly despised Laurel who said she hadn't ever fasted, didn't have any plans to fast and would be happy to double her sweets-eating for over the next three weeks. Be gone, Laurel!

Just kidding.

She wasn't the only one who broke my heart. My sweet friend Dana so elegantly wrote that she was eating chocolate while typing her comment. Is rudeness like that even allowed on the Internet? I think that is called "cyber-bullying" Dana!

And there were those of you who praised my spiritual strength. (I could barely type that phrase without laughing. Me? Spiritual strength? Check with me when this is over.)
Katy (Katy, how funny that you put Hebrews 10:24-25 on your last post because I am allll about that. Spur me on, won't you?)...
Amanda (Oh. And dear Amanda, I may not be the Pioneer Woman - not even sorta close - but promise me that if I ever come to Columbus you and your bff will at least take me to Chili's. I mean, c'mon.)...
Andrea (How is Operation Wedding weigh-loss going? Are you following my plan? Don't!!)
and Missy (Missy, could your blog family picture be any cuter? Seriously. Work on that for me, will ya?) actually encouraged me! (Make a note, Laurel.)

And then there was Crazy Sister (who I knew instantly that I liked when she posted about the terrible flooding in Australia and whether or not she should cut her hair all in the same post) made me laugh when she told me she hoped it "proved worthwhile for me by the end." You and me both, sister. You and me both. And then there was Andi (Mexican casserole is not off limits to me, so thank you for that recipe on your blog) who reminded me that I would grow from this and it wouldn't be in dress sizes. We shall see Andi, I have never known my dress sizes to obey anything I've ever told them. Ever.

And you're right, Marlene. The fact that you are actually doing the Daniel Fast whole-hog meant I did NOT want to hear from you. Next time, I would appreciate you following the rules. It makes me feel better about myself.

But now a word to MBush, Dysfunctional Mom , my friend Kim Little and sweet Lindsey who thought, in their precious good-natured hearts, that they were actually going to suggest a healthy alternative for me. Yes, I know golden raisins are yummy and of course I suppose I could get my grocer to grind up some peanuts and make my own peanut butter. But have y'all just recently started reading my blog? I mean, did y'all just start reading it yesterday? Because if you knew me - at all - you would know that I can't possibly eat any of these things for fear that they would, in fact, satisfy me therefore causing me to quit my bellyaching and incessant whining and focus my attention on something other than me. And if you knew me - really knew me - you would know.........that ain't gonna happen.

Seriously.

Then what fun would it be every night at my house around 8:15 when I start whining and saying, "I just want one Chips Ahoy. One Oreo. Please? AG, just give me one bite of ice cream and I promise I won't say another word the rest of the night. Please? Just one bite. Just one M&M. Just one. Fine, I'll just open up my mouth and you shoot in some Hershey's syrup. That's more like a drink, anyway. Please? Why not? You know what? Don't answer that. I loooooathe you."

And you want me to eat raisins?

Pastor Chip Ingram says that sacrifice is "forgoing something valued for the sake of something having a more pressing claim."

That is the kind of sacrifice I am identifying with. I make jokes all the time and sometimes I know its hard to tell when I'm serious (my lovelies, I hope you know if your name is listed here, I love you. I don't despise you. Even you, Laurel and Dana.) But I could easily sacrifice reality television - even though I love it and know its terrible for the soul. I could even sacrifice People magazine and the occasional pedicure.

But sacrificing sweets is sacrificing something that has become bigger to me than it needs to be. Its setting aside something that has had a front row seat for far too long. In order to let that that has been sitting on the back row move to its rightful spot.

I, like the friend I mentioned, hope it proves worthwhile in the end. But even if no fireworks go off. Even if Billy Graham never calls me to ask me how I did it. And even if on day 31 if I wake up and still don't look like Halle Berry, I can still rest in the knowledge that for once I said "no" to chocolate and "yes" to obedience. "No" to what I want and "yes" to what He wants. "No" to my pleasure and "yes" to His gain.

Though looking like Halle Berry never hurt anyone, Lord. Just sayin'.