Daniel Fast: Day 5

I almost violated my fast this morning. I thought I'd try to sweeten up my oatmeal by adding a little vanilla extract to it. AFTER I poured it in, I read the ingredients: Vanilla extract, alcohol, and corn syrup! Then I had this big long argument with myself about whether to eat it or not. I tried to convince myself that it was just a little bit, that no one would know, that I didn't realize it before I put it in there....and so on. But before long I realized that that's just how sin is in our lives. We rationalize it out. It's just a little bit. It's not going to hurt anything. No one's going to know. I didn't realize it was bad. And so on and so on. Nothing would've happened if I'd eaten that oatmeal. But I knew it contained something I'd committed not to eat. So I got out a gladware container and stuck the oatmeal in the fridge. Brenna can have it for breakfast tomorrow. Then I got out another pan and started over.

We have reached the half way mark in our fast. It's really not been that bad. At least it could've been a lot worse! Last night we had spaghetti squash for dinner. Oh my goodness was it ever good! I've never had that before and I loved it! I just wonder who ever figured out that if you heated and cooled a squash like that it would turn into spaghetti-like strands? We just might have that again this week.

My aunt sent me a list of recipes yesterday. I think she's feeling a little sorry for us - or maybe she's worried that we're starving! ha ha. Anyway, I might try a few of those for lunch in the next few days. Lunches have definitely been the most challenging part of this fast. There really aren't many leftovers, and, except for last night, if there are leftovers nobody really wants to eat them. I've been making a salad every day. It's getting a little old, but it works. Michael takes the leftovers or a baked potato. I think this has been harder on him than on me.

Oh, I almost forgot! Michael made these great smoothies last night! They had orange juice, bananas, honey, and I forget what all else in them. They were so yummy! Even better than the ones we used to make with frozen yogurt or ice cream.