In other news...

I've received a good offer on my house, and we've settled on a price. Not quite full price, but not too bad either. The contract is being prepared now. Next, I am praying and trusting the Lord for blessing and favor in the inspection and appraisal. Closing is tentatively set for June 30th.

Which will put me too late, I think, to do the Camino, unless I wait for fall. I don't want to be walking in Spain and Portugal in the hottest part of the summer. Also, my preferred method of travel to Europe is by repositioning cruise; that is, the cruise lines shift their ships between Europe and North America at certain times of the year, and you can get a very good price, plus no crowds on the ships. But the time to go from here to there is spring, and I'm going to miss that. It's not the only way, so it's not totally out for this year, but we'll have to see. There's also the possibility of sailing in the guest cabin of a cargo ship, or if all else fails, flying (ugh).

I also have some things I want to do on this side of the ocean, once I'm out of my house. I need to go see my son and granddaughter in Kansas. I want to visit some of the churches around the country where amazing things are happening. As I've said before, I want to explore all the forms and branches of the faith, and if God is moving somewhere, I want to go and see and experience it for myself, and seek more of him, more of his presence, more of his power and activity. Even if it's in a church, some of whose doctrine I disagree with or whose style of worship I dislike; as long as they're trinitarian and biblical in their beliefs and practice. There may be something of God there that I can't find elsewhere, and it's him I'm seeking, not any particular expression of religion. I also want to go to John Michael Talbot's monastery for a time of retreat and discernment. I'm thinking of maybe spending the winter in the monastery and going to Europe next spring.

On the other hand, I had a dream in which I was looking at apartments with an older friend or brother (which usually represents the Lord's guidance). I'm not sure if it was a message or just a dream, so I'm praying for further confirmation and clarification. But it may be that he wants me not to do any of that traveling, and stay here, finding a rental for now, and I guess waiting for his further direction. So it may be that none of that other happens.

My weight is finally really starting to move. I've lost 27 pounds since February, but it's been at an accelerating rate; 5 pounds just this week. And it's like it's just coming off of its own accord. I'm not really dieting per se, at least not as it's always been before. I'm eating super-healthy, and my appetite is almost nothing, so I just don't eat much. I'm exercising again: two days per week at the gym, trying to finally regain the muscle I lost in my long fast, and two days backpacking up the mountain and back down. That's a bit tough, because I'm training in a fasted state. Especially Thursdays, as I fast all day Wednesday. The other days I generally eat one meal per day, so when I exercise in the afternoon, I haven't eaten anything since dinner the night before. I'm thinking that starting today, I'm going to fast Saturdays all day as well, and then on Sunday I'll rest and eat.

But the amazing thing is, that I just eat, and I get full, and then I don't eat any more. I've never had that before. It's like my body, finally, after all my prayer and effort about it, just wants to lose weight, and has decided that it's time, and so I'm losing weight. And not feeling like I'm killing myself to do it, or fighting a hopeless, uphill battle in the mud against overwhelming odds, like it always was before.