Coming from a liturgical church background the Lenten season has always held a special place in my heart. But it took living on the Gulf Coast to appreciate the whole Mardi Gras thing. So today I am remembering a lot of fun we have had over recent years as we learned to "Laissez les bons temps rouler!"*
But still the main thing for me is the looking forward to the season of Lent, a season of thinking seriously about the blood offering of Jesus for my redemption.
As a child and into adulthood I often "gave up" chocolate. I had been carefully instructed that it was bad form to walk around with a sad face and proclaim to all how "good" I was being. But I did not always live up to that; too often I was more self-pity than selflessness!
Some years ago I asked a friend if she wanted to go for decedent chocolate on Shrove Tuesday since I knew she also generally gave up chocolate--our shared addition. But she smiled and said, "This year I'm giving up complaining about my most irritating relative. I think it might do me more good." That lead to new thinking on my part and eventually a slow change to a different approach.
This year I am going to spend the next 6 plus weeks of Lent seeking to rebuilt a spiritual habit that has slipped away from me in recent months. Maybe I'll be less cranky and more kind. (I've notices cranky and kind don't generally live in the same heart!) I've read that it takes 30 days to build a solid base for a new habit, so the 40 days of Lent seem to offer a good opportunity.
If you catch met being cranky you are welcome to call me on it. But I'm not saying anything else about this until after Easter!
God the Father, help us to commit time between now and Easter finding a new heart for learning more about you and new ways to serve others in your name. We ask by the Grace of the Spirit and in the name of our Savior, Jesus. AMEN
*Let the Good Times Roll!"
But still the main thing for me is the looking forward to the season of Lent, a season of thinking seriously about the blood offering of Jesus for my redemption.
As a child and into adulthood I often "gave up" chocolate. I had been carefully instructed that it was bad form to walk around with a sad face and proclaim to all how "good" I was being. But I did not always live up to that; too often I was more self-pity than selflessness!
Some years ago I asked a friend if she wanted to go for decedent chocolate on Shrove Tuesday since I knew she also generally gave up chocolate--our shared addition. But she smiled and said, "This year I'm giving up complaining about my most irritating relative. I think it might do me more good." That lead to new thinking on my part and eventually a slow change to a different approach.
This year I am going to spend the next 6 plus weeks of Lent seeking to rebuilt a spiritual habit that has slipped away from me in recent months. Maybe I'll be less cranky and more kind. (I've notices cranky and kind don't generally live in the same heart!) I've read that it takes 30 days to build a solid base for a new habit, so the 40 days of Lent seem to offer a good opportunity.
If you catch met being cranky you are welcome to call me on it. But I'm not saying anything else about this until after Easter!
God the Father, help us to commit time between now and Easter finding a new heart for learning more about you and new ways to serve others in your name. We ask by the Grace of the Spirit and in the name of our Savior, Jesus. AMEN
*Let the Good Times Roll!"
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