Today is my third day actually doing the money fast. I have neither cheated nor run into serious problems so far. I have had to think ahead much more than usual.
For instance, bottled water. I have to remember to bring it with me rather than just buying a bottle whenever I want some.
Lunch. I have to remember to pack it in the morning.
Tea. I have to remember to carry tea bags and humble myself enough to beg hot water.
The hardest thing is giving up window shopping. Egad, I window shop a lot on my computer, more than I would have ever imagined. When I open my email in the morning, there are newsletters from Runner's World, Men's Health, MLB, The Sports Authority, Amazon, and even Christianity Today that are just glorified ads. They inspire within me a desire to spend, spend, spend.
I figure I've saved a bit of money already. On Sundays I usually buy two cups of tea at Starbucks and have lunch out with Jane -- $26.00. Mondays I often stop at a local health cafe and have a salad and bowl of lentil soup and then tea at Starbucks -- $14.00. Monday I refrained from downloading a book I almost bought for my Kindle but didn't really need -- $9.99. Today I had a meeting outside the city and would have grabbed a sandwich at a convenience store for lunch, plus another visit to Starbucks -- $13.00.
At minimum, this would have been $62.99 in just three days.
My friend Don Lowe has bugged me mercilessly that we ought to give away the money we save during the money fast. I kept saying, "No, Don. This is a spiritual exercise. I don't want people to think this is a gimmick to raise funds."
Don would not let up. Finally, last week the Holy Spirit said to me: Don is right, you know. So I am giving the money I save during the money fast to our Volunteers in Mission's project in Haiti. It is beginning to add up.
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