Getting Ready

Anna and I have had many conversations about the importance of preparing for a fast.  People always have good intentions when they wake up and decide, "I think I'll fast today," but in the past few months I've found that I get ten times more out of it if I plan at least a few days in advance.  This allows me to get both my spirit and my body ready.  I can start toning down my food intake so I'm not shocked and starving when I first begin, and, more importantly, I can start asking the Lord what HE might want to communicate to me.  I always go into a fast with some sort of goal or prayer, and every time I re-learn that fasting is really about listening. 

 So to get my body ready, I am stocking my kitchen (this is from a trip to the farmers' market in Camarillo) and experimenting with some vegan recipes: 

Today I made some kale chips:

I read a lot of health blogs, and kale chips are a food item I've always thought was for crazy vegans.  But I tried these, and they were delish.  I preheated the oven to 350, washed the kale and tore it into chip-sized pieces (bigger than you'd think), and tossed them with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  I followed a recipe that said to bake them for 35 minutes, but I took them out at 25 and they were totally toasted.  15 minutes did the trick on my next batch. 

To do the more important preparing to get me mentally and spiritually ready, I am reading Richard Foster's book Celebration of Discipline.  I went through this book in a small group last year, and I am thrilled to be rereading it.  It's such a good one.  Pick it up if you don't have a copy.  I'm sure I'll include selections from my reading as I make it through the fast.