Grateful Heart
April 23, 2007 by Tracee Sioux
Filed under Parenting
Hello everyone, is anyone out there? Please comment so I don’t feel like I’m just talking to myself.
I want to share with everyone that my 3 day fast (I previously wrote about it – scroll down) was a total success.
Last night my husband came home from his spiritual retreat a new man. He was without anger, resentment and arrogance. He was the man I used to know. The man I love and fell in love with. Boy have I missed him. He wrapped his arm around me just as I had prayed he would. He loved me. He saw me. He liked me. He loved me. Those of you who have read my posts about our marriage in my other blog So Sioux Me will know that his M.O. is withholding love and affection to get what he wants. So, just the presence of love and affection was a much desired and much prayed for miracle that can only be explained through divine intervention.
We didn’t talk much. I am going on the same spiritual retreat this coming weekend and a bit of secrecy is required. He asked if he could come home and I said of course. He said we would talk about the logistics of our life after my retreat and that he would just spend the next few days loving me. I’m more than happy to accept that for now. I’ll accept it with a grateful heart that my prayers were heard.
I’m really glad I fasted for 3 days. I feel like it really helped me focus on what I wanted to happen verses what I was afraid might happen. Another nasty little emotional habit of mine that I’m giving up – focusing on what I don’t want to happen instead of what I do want. I wasn’t even really hungry. I was a little tired and went to bed early at night. But, I was completely able to take care of my kids and feel a sort of surreal faith that God was going to fix what I had discovered that I could not fix.
Hugs Tracee! I have been reading, just not much in the mood for commenting as much lately.
Char, thank you for reading. I really appreciate it.
Hi Tracee,
I’m sorry, why the fasting? I felt worried for you when I read that you were fasting.
Hey girl, sorry i’m not posting. i’m still reading tho! just really busy right now and my brain’s mostly fried.
will post later.
take care.
Kim,
I fasted because I felt it would be a physical sacrifice to illustrate to God that my husband and my marriage are of great importance to me. I think it truly helped me focus on my “intention” to gracefully receive God’s healing and blessings for our family. It really helped me have clarity about what I was praying for and it helped me focus on want I wanted to have happen.
Fasting is quite common in most religions. Usually a total fast is limited to 24 hours. I did it for the duration of my husband’s retreat because I really wanted a great deal to come out of the experience for him and for our family. I did drink four 60 calorie Dannon yogurt smoothies over the 3 days and drank a ton of water and took a daily vitamin so that my health or my ability to take care of my kids wouldn’t be impacted.
Thanks for being concerned for me though. I know a 3 day fast sounds extreme, but it was do or die for our marriage, so I felt an extreme act of faith was in order.
Tracee, Sounds like God honored your prayers and your sacrifice. So glad to hear it.