What to Do When You Can’t Fast

[Third Hour]

Fasting is hard. I mean, no French fries?! Is that even the kind of world I want to live in? (Yeah, I know. I'm really dramatic. Especially when it comes to fries, pizza, milkshakes, and literally all foods.... Except for you, peas. We will never be friends.) Okay, so fasting is hard no matter who you are, but the blessings make it completely worth it. Yet for some people, fasting isn't just hard — it's unsafe. So what do you do when you want to follow the Lord's commandment to fast, but for medical reasons, you can't go without food for 24 hours? Don't become discouraged, because there are plenty of things you can do to have a special and spiritual fast — even with food. Know What Has (Actually) Been Said “The Lord has instituted the fast on a reasonable and intelligent basis, and none of his works are vain or unwise. His law is perfect in this as in other things. Hence, those who can are required to comply thereto; …...

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[Iggy]

I am Type II Diabetic, have high blood pressure, seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis, fibromyalgia. ALL of these require that the medications I take to control them must be taken with food, AND I must drink a minimum of 16 oz of water or clear liquid a minimum of 1.5 hours in my waking day. Thus fasting from food and water is not healthy for me. What I do is I increase my scripture reading. Go over the GD lesson with Hubby [he fasts only the breakfast meal as his meds require food & water also, but the ones taken upon waking are to be on an empty stomach and not eat for a minimum of one hour after taking], after church. We also go over what was discussed in RS and PH - IF it was taken from the Ensign, then we read that talk and discuss it.

I used to call my older sister to see how she is getting along - but our younger brother who lives with her won't pass the phone to her because he is still pissed off at me. So, instead, I put up a post-it note to call their names, mine and Hubby's in to the temple on Monday. She is in renal failure and goes to dialysis three X a week. She is also legally blind, can see well enough to get around in the house but not well enough to drive a car, cook or read, unless the font is 32, thus she cannot see who it is on the caller ID, even on the phone I got her with the BIG NUMBERS. I send her 15.00$ a month to pay for the long distant charges for when she calls me - to date - no phone calls., sigh I really need to hunt down the numbers for her two best friends, call them and ask if they would go visit and report back to me.

I go onto FamilySearch and tinker around there. Which reminds me to send, yet another email to the *cousins* discovered who have entered data into our family trees. Oh, and since I haven't heard back from my 1st cousin once removed, who is 83 years old, the Family Genealogist,  and self proclaimed Atheist (the family doesn't believe this for an instant! ) in almost a year - I will call him after our brunch and before we get into any studies today. I have written him three times, and still no answer. He lives in Hayti, SD - where his parents are buried, where he and his siblings were born. The nearest relatives live in Rapid City, SD --383 miles away. I do, however have a friend who lives in Wyndmere, ND which is a mere 136 miles. This friend LOVES road trips, is retired, and I believe the snows haven't started there yet. Think I will send him a text and ask him if he could find time to drive to Hayti and check on my elderly cousin. If he won't, then I will research which law enforcement is in the town, and call them to do a Welfare Check on him.

Fasting ~ to me is increasing the "Ministering" that our Prophet has asked us all to do.  Our Prophet has brought it to our attention to increase our ministering, and this I will gladly do. Not only to my Branch family, but to my extended blood kin. Those who are members and those who say they are atheist, but is more Christ like in his dealings with their family and more importantly with their fellow man, then those who are active members in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.