40 days to 40, Day 2

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My sacrifice. 

      The word integrity comes from the root integer.  An integer in math terms is a whole number, not a fraction or decimal.  An integer is undivided, complete in itself. To have integrity, is to be the same, through and through, front and back, in public and private.  God will intervene in our lives to shape our integrity. 
     During the first 21 days of this journey, I'm participating in a  fast.  Since, I'm training for a half marathon in a few weeks, I really can't skip meals.  So I'm giving up my after dinner dessert (cakes, cookies, ice cream) that I so enjoy and using that time in my evening devotional.   This will be tough, but not as hard as what I've already been fasting from.  During this whole journey, I will continue my abstinence from a much more coveted indulgence.  It has been exactly 55 days, since I had a sip of alcohol.  I love wine!  I can enjoy any alcoholic drink, but I really loved my wine.  The problem was, I loved it more than my marriage, my kids and my God.  On July 12, 2015, I guess you can say I had an epiphany,  a mountain top experience, literally.  It happened to me after I hiked the arduous and beautiful Koko Head Trail.  As I reached the top of that mountain and trail, I was awakened with a new sense of self.   God had intervened in my life at that moment, and to be honest I was tired of living my life as a fraction.  At that moment, I knew there was so much more to life and wanted to live towards a life of integrity.  The picture above is my view at that top of that trail.   Like that difficult 1,048 step hike, it hasn't been easy. I'm grateful for my supportive husband.  My kids also keep me going, my running and of course, all divine intervention.   I don't know how long my abstinence will last.  I definitely intend to see it through the forty days.   It just might lead to a life of sobriety.  I can think of worse things.  Anyway, just taking it one day , one step at a time, but oh what a view from the top! 
The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.    - Ralph Waldo Emerson




Comments

  1. UnknownSeptember 18, 2015 at 10:35 AM

    I am so proud of you! Love and miss you!:)

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownSeptember 18, 2015 at 10:36 AM

    Oh that comment is from your Kentucky sis.. Tamara!:)

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownSeptember 18, 2015 at 10:36 AM

    Oh that comment is from your Kentucky sis.. Tamara!:)

    ReplyDelete

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