the fast

I met with my wonderful accountability partner, Janelle, on Thursday. Among many things, we discussed the frequency in which I purchase unnecessary items. Please understand that I am on a continuous journey to be the kind of woman God made me to be. I stumble, I fall, I am human. I know the general public takes that to be hypocritical, but as My Man said, "Those of you without sin, cast the first stone." I think the importance of living down a hypocritical image is admitting your faults and showing the human side of Christianity. But I digress (that happens a lot with me).

These unnecessary items are starting to make a dent in our budget, so Janelle suggested a fast. Now, I knew you could fast from things other than food, but a fast from shopping had never entered my mind - probably because it sounded utterly preposterous to the fashionista side of me. Because Janelle felt a certain conviction about it as well, she decided that it was something we could do together. So, here we are: a couple of chicks dying to shop, but choosing not to and putting God in front of our minds when stores attempt to lure us in. This fast shall include (but is not limited to) the following items: clothing, accessories, shoes, home decor, excessive beauty products, pj's, entertainment items, DVDs, downloaded music and workout hear. We are allowed to purchase gifts for other people, but we cannot buy things for each other. Since unnecessary and excessive are subjective terms, we cannot purchase stuff for ourselves that only we consider necessary. Our husbands have to think it's necessary as well. I think Janelle might have an easier time getting Jackson to agree than I would with Justin, but I haven't proved my judgment in shopping to be the best in the past. See what a great start I'm off to? I'm already trying to find loop holes around our fast - like the people who give up desserts for lent, but do not count it a dessert if it's a main course.

I am a little daunted by the amount of time we decided to fast for - until Thanksgiving (that's third Thursday in November for you foreigners reading). I can't even spend my extra cash on this stuff. If I have extra cash in my pocket, I am supposed to put what I would spend on an item it into savings. Now, that's just crazy-talk to me, but I agreed to it. I am really viewing this as a jump-start on the life I want to live. I have spent tens of thousands of dollars on this stuff, and it has only put me in debt. I am tired of being enslaved by debt and am ready to live a life fully committed to my beliefs.

So, here I go. Back on the wagon... I am looking forward to the bumpy ride and I expect a few splinters and a certain amount of aching. I'll survive. Right?

God, help me.