The Next 40 Days

At least once a year you look around and see the clutter that begins to accumulate around you. Your garage begins to mirror a thrift store, you are unable to make sense of your closet, papers pile high on your desk, and dust storm overtakes your house. You know what needs to happen… spring cleaning. This common practice takes place once a year (sometimes twice for those OCD people out there, or if you’re my sister everyday). You take inventory and begin to deep clean your garage, closet, bedroom, car, whatever you see that needs it. You clear out enough space, sell enough “old clothes,” clean enough counter tops, so that the next eleven months you are able to accumulate more junk to do it again the next year.

Life kind of works the same way. There are numerous ways cleaning can take place. For those that are discipline it could be a daily engagement, or perhaps weekly. Others ignore their bodies cry for change for months, even years- until it’s required- or it’s too late. We live everyday at such high speeds that we forget we are emotional creatures, created to think, write, wonder, ask questions, laugh, and rest. We live in a society that’s foundation is built on consumerism. We eat, drink, and work more than any other society in the world. There is no siesta. There is no break in the day. There is rarely anything that we go without. We begin to lose sight of the things that matter. We get going so fast we forget to change lanes, find a rest stop, and gear up again for the next leg of the journey. Individually we need a break- communally we need something that will bring us closer together. So here we go…

For the next forty days life will look a little different. My hope is that through these small sacrifices, I will consume less and feel more. My prayer is that after these 40 days, my life will look radically different. My longing is for more simplicity, and ultimately- more of Jesus. The common luxuries that tend to keep me content, or just numb my mind to the hurt within, will be eliminated. Nutritionally I will try and allow my body to rest- clearing the garbage that exists within, providing mental clarity and dependence upon something else other than food. My purpose is to clear a portion of my colored soul.

What might something like this look like?

Glad you asked...

Socially: No TV. No movies- in home or at theater. No out-to-eat. No “free” spending.

Nutritionally: No packaged or processed food. No sugar of ANY kind. No grains. No dairy. No alcohol. No processed meats. No olives. No coffee. No peanuts or pistachios. No potatoes. Only using coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil to cook with. Only water, and Enfusia to drink.

Spiritually: Food fast once a week. Emphasis on slowing down- reading, writing, thinking, asking questions, meditating, and praying. Finding a unique way to serve. That this next forty days will not be about me- but about understanding more about the King I serve.

Physically: Real movement. Finding time to walk, run, sprint, lift weights, parkour, ride a bike, jump rope, or skip. Real sleep. Becoming more sensitive to your bodies needs/wants.

This is not the save all formula. This is not THE answer. For me and for those living this with me, this is what we have come up with. These are simple things that will hopefully bring us more of reality. Hopefully in 40 days I will be consuming less and feeling more.