Lent, Back so Soon?*

Lent is not as much fun as Advent. In fact, “fun” and “lent” are rarely used in the same sentence. Lent, if you observe it, is usually stretching. In a good way you might say, like doing spiritual push ups. I don’t like doing push ups of any sort, but I do respect Lent.

Lent seemed simpler back then.  Like about every other kid in my parochial school, I gave up candy and that was it.  Since we didn’t have much access to candy anyway, it wasn’t a big sacrifice. I almost liked giving up candy, it seemed like a soft way to holiness and being holy was certainly a high held value in my small circle.

Then, when I felt I was too enlightened for all that religiosity, Lent was once again easy… to throw in with the Church towel. I didn’t need it and it didn’t need me to participate so we went our separate ways.  No one I knew “did Lent.”

We got back together, me and Jesus. He didn’t say anything about Lent in the Book but I still want to have a meet-up with it. Guess that will be tomorrow on Ash Wednesday.

By the way, Lent is making a come-back.  It doesn’t seem so easy anymore.  One friend spoke of her intention to secretly do something nice for someone everyday of Lent.  Easy for a few days but maybe not 40.

Facebook will incur a few drop-outs for Lent. Already a stream of friends showed up on the loop to say goodbye for 40 days. That wouldn’t be easy for me. Neither would foregoing fiction, bread, wine, or chocolate, some of my previous give-ups.  Still not sure for this year.

Maybe I will do an add-on instead like my “be nice” friend.  Instead of giving up something, add something else. Last year I wrote one letter a day during Lent.  I like writing letters though, so should probably add something else. Oops, I don’t like “shoulds.”

The “give-up” discomfort, hardly deprivation, keeps me focused.  In spite of what I want in the moment, I want something else more in the end. Hard to define, but it always shows up by Easter and it definitely feels holy.

So tomorrow evening, I will walk into my church and offer my forehead and my heart and await the adventure this year.  I will give-up and He will add-on.

And you?

Hope for the best,

Tish

Got kids? Lent for Kids: Five Ideas (and more) to Try

• Originally published in a previous Lent.

 

 

Halfway through Lent

Day 20 of 40 arrived today, the half way point.  It used to confuse me too until I found out Sundays don’t count in tracking Lent.

Maybe you started a Lenten practice…gave up something like chocolate or Facebook or desserts, common give-ups in my circles. I gave up fiction for a few Lents and tried to finish whole books on Sundays, not too successfully.

Perhaps you started an add-on like an extra devotional book or act of service.  I remember a friend who added-on making her bed everyday, something she avoided the other 325 days.  She claimed the made bed reminded her each day that it was Lent and inspired her to reach higher in all areas of her life.

If you didn’t do anything at all, you probably have lots of company but like a walk-on in a pickup game, you can still start today.  Like working out, most people rarely regret it once they’ve made the choice.

20 Days.  You can do it.

Hope for the best,

Tish