Live Below The Line Day 5 and beyond

I finished my Live Below The Line challenge on Friday and I've waited before posting to let the reflections settle a bit!

So here we are:

1. I had food left  over.

2. At 00:01 on Monday morning I weighed 97.1kg and at 11:59pm on Friday evening I weighed 90.2kg.  I lost 6.9kg, or 1 stone 1 lb in five days.

3. I had four pence left-over.

4. Online I have raised £365 for Christian Aid - so far. https://www.livebelowtheline.com/me/revtimw?lang=en I have some cash to add in, as well as a few pledges. But today online, is the equivalent of a £1 a day for a year, which has a nice feel to it. Thank you to all who have donated.

5. When I finished the challenge I didn't go all out and have loads of cake and stuff - I did have cake and cream (but just not loads), I had pizza on Saturday evening. All good stuff. But despite this "feast" to follow the "fast" four things struck me.

The first is that I am so in the habit of eating at set times and eating set things that I never let my hunger dictate to me when and what I eat. I eat my lunch if I am hungry or not.

Secondly, following on from the first: very rarely do I allow myself to be hungry, to have that tightness of tummy, that slight feel of discomfort that says, "I'm hungry". It's almost like I eat in advance of my hunger.

The third thing I have totally forgotten the practice of fasting, how helpful, how prayerful, how life-giving it can be. I'm not one who lives a particularly ascetic lifestyle but in the rhythm of eating when hungry and drinking water more regularly, I felt more "myself". I felt more able to easily slip into prayer, to turn my attention to the great issues of our age. It was definitely a focusing activity. And this week never started out as a fast, nor a pseudo-fast, but actually that is what it became. So I am seriously looking at how I can bring a discipline of eating/drinking back into my life more regularly.

The fourth thing is that I need to eat more simply.

So that's it. I've completed my challenge.

I am grateful for the encouragement and prayers and donations I have received. My prayer is that the money raised will feed those who do not have food.

Thanks everyone.