It's been a long time: Lent

Lent is here.
Last night during church service I just closed my eyes and soaked it all in. Ash Wendsday is my favorite time of year. I like the contemplation. It's like God says "okay, you have tried your best and your best is fine but you are still imperfect and I accept you. Now give it all over to me and let me clean you up because you need some help." Lent reminds me that we all need help. Left to my own devices I just make a big mess of things. It looks like a tidy package all shiny and bright but on the inside its a broken mess. What a gift to be reminded that we can turn it over to God and he will be in control and we can relax. Because he was in control all the time we just kept grabbing at the wheel.
Here is a little story conveyed to me by my husband. A friend of his shared this. One lenten season this man decided that he would fill a grocerey sack every day of Lent of stuff he needed to get rid of. This is really profound and metaphorical I think. At first he had to resist the urge to not fill up to many bags, only one. One a day was easy at first. But you know there are 40 days of Lent. About half way through this process it became a challenge. He kept with it and said he felt really free. Of course he tells this story after it takes place, becasue you know the drill. Don't go about saying " oh I can't eat this, I can't do that, I gave it up for Lent". The goal is not to draw ones attention to ones self. It is a time of self examination. What do we need to clear from our lives. Real or Metaphorical clutter??? I am betting both.

1. This time of year think of others in the world who do without. Make a sacrafice in rememberance of them. Maybe you could forgo a few extra trips to the store. Do with what you have just to make yourself give thought to those fellow humans that do without an abundance of choice's.

2. Do something out of love for someone every day. Ask yourself each day: what have I got to give, a helping hand, a hug, a prayer, a smile, a compliment. God's gifts are given freely, we all have something to give.

3. Sit for five or ten minutes(or longer) in silence " We talk to God when we pray, when we meditate God talks to us", annonymous. This is so true. Many of my students have wonderful epiphanys during meditation. Others cry or become anxious. Meditation is like putting a light on whats inside. Its a process of seeing and then letting God clean you from the inside out.

Have a blessed an introspective Lenten season.

Courtney