Joyful Fast

Today's lesson in Relief Society was about Fasting. The first sentence in the manual caught my eye - "What can we do to make fasting a joyful experience?" I've had a conversation with a friend for a while now about joy - that sometimes we (I) make the gospel too hard and suck the joy right out of it. So I have really been noticing the word joy every time I come across it.


I've been to many a lessons on fasting. I've taught the principle. I am not sure that I have ever thought of it as a joyful experience. More like the feeling after completing something really, really hard. Like a huge final exam or running a marathon. An incredible feeling after it is over. So glad that I did it, but glad to have some time before doing it again. Yet, I have had some very sacred experiences with fasting. I always feel so incredibly close to the Savior during a fast, especially the last couple of hours. I want to want that feeling. I want to look forward to fasting and have the entire experience be joyful. So, I started to brainstorm...


Preparation-
*Saturday - use it! I would like to put Sunday dinner in the crockpot (in the fridge) or have it sitting in the freezer so that I don't have to cook a lot when I am fasting and I can instead read my scriptures. Also, make sure I have everything on hand for the next day so that it is a special day. I would like to clean my kitchen after the Saturday lunch meal and mop my floor so my kitchen smells clean!


*Decor - I want to frame a cool picture & quote and put it on an easel on my kitchen counter to remind us it is fast sunday. Maybe another one for the fridge. Light some candles. Write a message to my family on the white board or leave a question that all can respond too.


*Music - I am spending some time this afternoon to make a Fast Sunday playlist of my favorite hymns/music. Something extra special for just that one Sunday a month.


*Different Day - These are some ideas I came up with to make it a special day.
Listen to John Bytheway talks, an LDS movie, Conference or devotional talks.
China Dishes - we used to do this and loved it. I think I will bring it back.
Make homemade bread - I have a super easy bread recipe. I love the idea of having fresh, homemade bread on Fast Sundays. And I love how it ties into fasting.
Service - My bread recipe makes 4 loaves. I love the idea of taking 2 or 3 loaves and delivering them to others in the evening of Fast Sunday. If not bread, maybe some cookies. Or make some cards and drop them off.
Sweet Treat - have a traditional family treat on fast sundays. Something super easy and fun to have after deliveries.


*Remember - We have a Christmas Gratitude Journal that we have had since Tim & I got married. Each year, everyone with us on Christmas writes some thoughts down. I think it would be great to start a Fasting Journal to record our fasts and impressions. Maybe to include our testimonies. What a treasure that would be in a few years!


Anyway, those are my thoughts. Please feel free to add any to my brainstorm. I really want to work on making this day each month a truly joyful experience to be cherished and remembered.


I've shared the first before, but I really love these slideshows. I love how many times Christ is joyful. Enjoy!
Julie

St. Patrick's Day

Having bright red hair and fair skin, I have been asked many times if I am Irish. I believe we have a few drops way back when, but I have come to love this holiday for more reasons than just ancestry. First, I have been to Ireland. In college I was part of a touring singing/dancing group which toured the British Isles for 5 weeks. We performed in Belfast, Cork, & Limerick. I kissed the Blarney stone & roamed the Blarney castle ruins. I had an amazing time and would go back in a heart beat.

Secondly, I learned about St. Patrick. He was an amazing man and has become an example of faith for me. He was born Maewyn Succat in Scotland around 373 AD to a Roman Christian family. The Roman Empire was close to collapse and was being invaded by enemies. When he was 16, he was kidnapped & taken to Ireland. He became a slave to Irish chieftains and sold around. He spent much of his time alone tending the sheep & praying. He said,

"Every day I had to tend sheep, and many times a day I prayed - the love of God and His fear came to me more and more, and my faith was strengthened. And my spirit was moved so that in a single day I would say as many as a hundred prayers and almost as many in the night, and this even when I was staying in the woods and on the mountains; and I felt no harm, and there was no sloth in me - as now I see, because the spirit within me was fervent. "

After 6 years of being a slave he had a dream where a voice told him that a ship was waiting for him. He felt that God was telling him to escape. He made it to the sea where he convinced a ship captain to carry him home to England. Once home, he was determined to dedicate his life to God amidst his father's protests. He went on to France to study religion and become a priest. He had another dream in that he felt God called him to be a missionary to Ireland. He began his mission in 430 AD (age 57) amid constant danger. He spent the next 30 years preaching the gospel of Christ. He was ridiculed, persecuted, and imprisoned. He wrote, "Daily I expect murder, fraud, or captivity, but I fear none of these things because of the promises of heaven. I have cast myself into the hands of God Almighty who ruled everywhere." Legend says that he used the 3-leafed shamrock to teach the principle of the Godhead. History records that St. Patrick founded more than 300 churches and baptized more than 120,000 people. Many of his converts became missionaries to Scotland, England, Germany & Belgium. St. Patrick died in Ireland on March 17, 460 AD. Thousands of mourners attended his funeral carrying so many candles & torches that the sky was as light as day. ("The Holiday Book" by Jill Connelly)

Lastly, I was a missionary. I served for 18 months in Santiago, Chile. It was an amazing experience which I remember every day. One day I hope to go back. For me, St. Patrick's Day is a celebration of missionary work. I can relate to his love for the Irish people. I have that same love for the Chilean people. I also love that green is the color of St. Patrick's Day - green is the color of life and it reminds me of the new life we have with the gospel of Christ. The gospel makes us new again, full of life & possibilities, full of hope for the future.

I have been trying to be more choosy in decorating my home. I want my home to reflect what is most important to me, including the holidays. Anyway, here are a few pics of what I did this year.


Candles on rustic pillars (Dollar Tree) & a clock with Roman numerals. The candles remind me of St. Patrick's example to bring light to the Irish and his funeral. The clock reminds me of the time away from his family.






More candles surrounded by river rock. One day I want to etch words like Faith, Courage, Service, etc. onto the rocks.The rocks remind me that Christ is my rock.







I bought 3 plain green mugs from the dollar store and have them in my kitchen windowsill. I know the wreath's ribbon should be green - I just didn't get to it this year.








Also, I put out pics of my mission & I have an Irish blessing on a plaque that says:

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the Palm of his hand.

The best part was having Ryan home & celebrating with him. We had corned beef, baked potatoes and coleslaw. So much fun...

Ryan comes home today!!!!!!

I can hardly wait! While he has been gone I have done an extreme room makeover on his bedroom. He has NO IDEA. He knows I have been working on a surprise for him but I really don't think he has a clue what. Check back tonight for pictures - I want him to be the first to see it. So much fun!