I believe that fasting is one of many ways to draw closer to God. I have found that when I break down and just do it, I get to a place where I feel more in tune with Him.
But it seems that every time I decide on a day to do it, that's the day that kids show up at your classroom door shoving cookie cake into your face because it was such and such's birthday. It's the day they have a Teacher's Appreciation Luncheon replete with chicken salad on croissants.
I try to be discrete about it, really, I do. The Bible says that we shouldn't broadcast it. Usually on days that I skip lunch at school, I find a quiet spot to read my Bible. I was trying to think of a way to avoid having to go in the teacher's lounge area to avoid people trying to encourage me to partake of the Teacher's Appreciation Lunch, so I went ahead and brought my Bible inside with me so I wouldn't have to make a show of walking out to my car to get it at the start of my lunch break, passing by people on their way to the teacher's lounge in the process. My Bible is not a huge Thompson Chain Reference Bible, so I didn't think it would garner that much attention amongst all of the other teacherly papers, and folders that I haul around with me. But as soon as my kids saw me put my stuff down, they were all abuzz about my Bible. "Why did you bring your Bible?"
"Um, because I'm going to read it later during my lunch break."
One kid even gave me a high-five saying, "Cool! Señora Smith is religious, that's awesome!" Okaayy. At the start of lunch, I tried to slip outside to one of the quad benches outside through one of the side doors, but not before I ran into a teacher with a plate full of chicken salad croissants and other goodies.
"You know they're providing lunch today! Go on and get you some!"
"Oh, yeah . . . that's right. Thanks." As soon as she passed by, I slipped outside. Once I found a discreet place under a tree to read, another teacher saw me and I waved. She asked if I'd eaten yet, and when I told her no, ma'am, she said, "Well, you know they've provided lunch today." Why are people so concerned about my eating habits today? "Oh, I know. Thanks!" She looked a little weird and shrugged and then walked on. When the bell rang for the next period, I put my Bible back in my car and was going to put my water bottle back in the teacher's lounge refrigerator, thinking they'd all be back to their classrooms by then, but upon entering, I was cornered by the PTO mom who'd put it all together.
"Hey, aren't you going to get something?"
"Oh, I don't have time now, the bell just rang. But thanks for all you do for the teachers. We really appreciate it."
"But didn't you have time to eat earlier?" What in the world?!
"Um, yes, but . . . well, I really do like what you have out here . . . maybe there'll be some leftovers and I'll get some tomorrow. Just not today."
I have a feeling the teacher who saw me out there reading my Bible went in and told whoever else was in the lounge that I was sitting outside reading instead of eating. They might have even guessed that why I didn't eat was for a somewhat religious reason and wondered if I was a part of some weird ultra-religious cult. Or maybe they may have suggested I might be anorexic and became concerned--either one could possibly explain why the PTO mom semi-grilled me when I walked in.
I was trying to be discreet, but ended up calling attention to myself. Grrr. But I just didn't feel like I should have broadcast to everyone why I wasn't eating. Oh, well. I hope my co-workers don't think I'm either a younger version of Carrie's mom or a closet anorexic now.
5 comments:
It was a good try, Chantell!! I have found thru the years, that it actually causes less attention if I just tell the first person that says anything that I'm fasting, but I appreciate their concern. Most times that ends it, sometimes tho' it opens other conversations.
When I was working outside of our home, Chantell and I was fasting, I would fast from lunch to lunch, that way no one would see me NOT eating and ask a bunch of questions. Of course, if it was a longer fast, there was no way of getting around it and people DID ask questions. But, as Theresa said, it gave me opportunity to talk about the Lord.
Oh, Chantell! There is an award for YOU at my blog, so come on by and get it! :-)
or, you could just tell them that you're a muslim, and that you're fasting for ramadan.
if they ask you why you just started, tell them you're just a bad muslim, and growl in a sinister manner.
This too is an opportunity for forgiveness. In your prayer and meditation sink past all those feelings of awkward embarrassment and annoyance to reach a place where you can truly bless all those who don’t understand. Situations like this have such uncanny timing that I often think we manifest them in order to make our feelings conscious and release them. Pray continually. God will speak to you if you quietly seek his voice.
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