I’ve traveled a somewhat circuitous pathway from the religious rules of my childhood, to a new understanding of the full work of Jesus-God (which is emphatically law-averse for many good reasons), to a new independent place where I know that God sees through all spiritual camouflage.
It is our hearts He wants – because only then can He free us from this-world craziness.
So now that I’m settled on the idea that Lent isn’t some diabolical stronghold but rather a [potentially] strengthening spiritual discipline, I’m ready to make some commitments (and not a moment too soon!)
This is where Steve and I come to the middle of two ends of our faith upbringing. To wit: Devotion to God isn’t a short-term task we complete after a season, and then intentionally return to unhealthy habits. It is a constant walk toward Him. We fall; we keep walking toward Him. Intentional Joy.
P.S. Mom taught us that we could also ADD something good to our life during Lent that would feed our spiritual life. Great idea.
What I’m Giving Up (hopefully forever)
Junk food (to be defined later)
Listening to the voice of resistance, disguised as all kinds of fear and doubt.
Thinking that Lent is a ritual that I was supposed to leave behind
Mistrust
Shallow breathing
What I’m Not Giving Up
Lenten inspiration
Daily Out Loud Laughter
What I’d like to Add
More time … spent seeing Him
More smiling at strangers.
Lent as Rhythm
So … Lent can have more dimensions than we might have thought?
