Fasting and the art of motorcycle maintenance

Thank you for responding to me;
    you’ve truly become my salvation!
The stone the masons discarded as flawed
    is now the capstone!
This is God’s work.
   We rub our eyes—we can hardly believe it!
This is the very day God acted—
    let’s celebrate and be festive!
Salvation now, God. Salvation now!
    Oh yes, God—a free and full life!
-Psalm 118:23-25


For most of the last few weeks I had several items I wanted 'to do.'  Some of those 'to-do's' were related to motorcycle maintence, oil change, spark plug exchange, etc and some of those were new fangled gagets to install, like a buffer for the windscreen, and an extender to the fender.  All of these helpful tools for a safe and healthy riding season.  My wife Becky planted a seed for me a few weeks ago that I might consider using a ta-da list instead of a to-do list.  She explained to-do lists begin with tasks that 'need' to be done.  Ta-da lists are things added once you finish them.  Apparently she learned this from author Gretchen Rubin.

So I embraced the day with the above verses in mind.  'This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.'  For the first few days of Sabbatical, I am fasting and praying.  Fasting is always linked with prayer.  This is the art of intentionally withholding something from your life to be prayerful about bodily needs, wants, desires.  In my experience fasting and praying bring greater attention to God's presence.  I invited the people of St. Mark's to fast and pray with me.  This is Our Sabbatical.  

Rather than feeling burdened by fasting and to-do lists, I embraced the day and rejoiced in whatever ta-da I could.  I have felt the great ability to rest in God's work and that this is the day that God has made, not me.  

Lord, thank you for this day, for it is the day that you have made for us, we will rejoice and be glad in it.- Amen