Fast Sunday

Fast Sundays are hard for me sometimes and they have not always been hard for me.  In fact, when I was in college, I quite liked them.  I liked them so much that I didn't only fast one Sunday a month I fasted every Wednesday of the week.  Now, after being either pregnant or nursing for the last 10 years it's been hard to get back in the swing of things.  Not only do I not have an excuse not to fast but I have Taylor, who has recently turned 8, who is trying to develop her own testimony of fasting.  So, we've done a few things at our house to make fasting a little easier.  We had a good thing going when we had church at 11:00 until 2:00.  Taylor would fast until after church.  We would begin our morning with a prayer. She and I spent the time the other kiddos were eating together reading scriptures or talking about fasting.  But, now that church isn't until 2:00 and I don't think she HAS to fast until 5:00 we have started fasting for breakfast and then letter her eat a light lunch before church. 

We'd been up late last night at BYU Young Embassadors so she was tired and pretty hungry when she woke up this morning.  I told her it was fast Sunday and talked to her about fasting a little bit more. Then I was reminded that for some strange reason when I was a Sophomore at Ricks and Jake was my neighbor I liked to make cinnamon rolls on Fast Sunday so we could smell them while we fasted and enjoy them when we got home from church.  I told Taylor about that little tradition and she instantly wanted to make cinnamon rolls.  

Now anyone who's ever baked cinnamon rolls knows it's pretty hard not to taste that melted butter, cinnamon, sugar mixture but Taylor did awesome.  She didn't even lick the beaters after we made frosting! 

When her fast was finished and the cinnamon rolls were still warm she did savor every bite.  As did the other girls.  

Some times it is hard to do the right thing when you don't yet understand why or the natural man in us takes over our bodies. I am proud of her for sticking to it and fasting today that she would understand the importance of fasting more and feel the Spirit of fasting in her life.  Wow...I have a lot to learn from these sweet spirits who reside in my house.  Today was a great fast Sunday.  Our meetings were edifying. Our Break the Fast as a Ward was well attended and a good way to feel united as we fast.  I need to remember these Fast Sundays and all the blessings I receive from fasting.

Here's a little picture of what my budding chefs made this morning! (same recipe as I used in college only this time we added brown sugar for a more caramel effect).  The girls did a great job setting the timer for the dough to rest, rolling out the rectangles, spreading the cinnamon and sugar.