Living Lent

The next best thing on the holiday calendar is on the horizon. For Christians, we are about to move from Ordinary Time to Lent. 

To skip Lent and jump right into Easter is missing depth and richness leading up to the Big Day.

Easter is too monumental to the Christian faith to only give it one day of the year. Impossible! Heart preparation is needed.

Like Advent (my 2nd favorite sacred holiday), Lent is a time to open the doors of our hearts a little wider and understand our Lord a little deeper, so that when Good Friday and eventually Sunday comes, it is not just another day at church, albeit an exciting one bursting with pastel colors and Spring flowers.

Unlike Advent, more characterized by excitement and abundance, this is a more solemn season, meant to be a lament. One can't appreciate the light and the miracle of resurrection without spending a significant amount of time remembering the dark side, the sin, the pain, the rejection, the suffering, the death.

Both holidays - the focus is Jesus.  During Advent, we anticipate His comings to earth (the first 2000 years ago, the 2nd date TBD). During Lent, we walk the footsteps of Jesus to the cross of suffering all the way to the empty tomb. He is risen, hallelujah!

I've heard practicing Lent called spiritual housekeeping: 

Praying (drawing close to God)
Fasting (denying self for a spiritual purpose)
Giving (to the poor what we no longer need)

If I want annual heart transformation and to present God with pure, meaningful worship, it has to cost me something. All spiritual growth does, by the way. 

I actually look forward to fasting (after the initial dread). I look forward to denying self on purpose. I've seen the results and I need this annual purge.

I guess you could consider this my annual invitation for you, too, to open your calendar and heart a little wider. To approach Easter - the holiday that sets Christians apart - and enter into a 40-day journey with Jesus on His path of suffering and death to purchase our salvation with an empty tomb. This is the stuff!

Lent starts next Wednesday, March 2nd. I write today so you have some time to think about it and pray. Make a plan (like a good Type-A personality would!)

Ask God what He has in mind for you, what would make it most meaningful to you and pleasing to Him. How to live Lent. The goal is always to grow closer in our relationship with Him.

This could look like so many things. 

• Focused Bible readings.  Start with any Gospel. That's where the story picks up. In addition, there is no shortage of printed and digital devotional guides that will lead you in awareness of sin, repentance and appreciation. 
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• Fasting from something you will truly miss daily (not something you hate, but something you love and think you can't live without - go big or go home!); denying of self (when you miss it, you trade that desire for prayer).
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• Giving to the poor. Purging our souls of sin and self, also emptying our home of excess. What can we give away to benefit another (both money and stuff)?
  
  

If you've never done anything like this, I'm excited for you. 

Explore some of the ideas above. 

Maybe it will become the (other) Most Wonderful Time of the Year for you too. Who doesn't want that?

Bible reading, prayer
Confession of sin
Fasting
Giving to the poor

We can do this. We need to do this. When we decrease, Jesus will increase and our focus become sharper. (any other 50-somethings out there need some clarity?)

Living Lent is not simply a religious ritual. It's better than that - this is about relationship, relationship, relationship. God wants more of us and the attention we give to sacred holidays is an outward sign of how much we give to Him. It matters. Our efforts will not be wasted.

When we hit the final stretch - Holy Week - we are going to have so much to share with those around us regarding what we've experienced. How real and present God is. How sinful and helpless we are without Him. How mighty and loving Jesus is. 

And that's part of the point - spiritual growth and celebrating sacred holidays is never just for us, it's meant to be shared. 

Finally, when Resurrection Day is upon us and we gather in our churches, we will sing "Up from the Grave He Arose", "He's Alive", and all the other Easter songs with gusto!

Did I mention it's so much more than just a holiday?

Good stuff pictured:

40 Days with Jesus | Lent Study – The Daily Grace Co.

There is a women's and a men's study.

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My Midlife Crisis

I used to think midlife crises belonged to middle aged men tired of driving a family van for decades; eager to trade for something fun and faster to be seen in during the empty nest season. But, not for women. We know how to transition from season to season with grace and ease and contentment, right?

I thought so too, until I lost my footing. Not small changes - work, home, town, church, family (all the biggies, really) - converging at the same time can shake even the steadiest of us. I've spent the last year slowly adjusting. First unemployment (thank you, covid), then moving further away from our grown children and grandchildren. Shifting from working together in Camp ministry every day, my husband has taken his next assignment, pastor of a small local church while I wonder what is next for me. 

I love ministering with Scott at our little church, getting to know our new people and serving them in our small community. But what else am I supposed to be doing? There must be more. Truth be told, I've come to enjoy the quiet and slowness of these eighteen months, hurry in the rearview mirror. Yet, I'm lonely for our growing family and familiar, intimate relationships no longer "on the daily". I worry about becoming stagnant, retreating within. Who knew an extrovert can take on introvert tendencies when secluded or withdrawn for a time?

The dictionary definition of a midlife crisis is "a transition of identity and self-confidence that can occur in middle-aged individuals, typically 45 to 65 years old." Uh oh.

Adding to my restlessness are consecutive memoirs I've feasted on this winter, written by two very different men. One is a man of faith, an established musician, singer, author and gardener; endlessly creative. Another an actor, no faith recorded, who came to fame young, but didn't embrace the Hollywood spotlight; choosing instead a quieter, behind the scenes kind of life, now boasting four different successful career choices. Four! Both gifted with crafting words from memories and experiences into sentences and paragraphs that evoke deep emotions. They moved me. 

I confess, reading their contributions to the world has exacted two responses - first, inspiration! I loved these books and didn't want them to end. And second - the dark side - jealousy. Never a career-minded woman, happily a wife and stay-at-home mom for over two decades, this surprised me. I feel a new stirring inside to learn, to experience, to change, to share something of value; and not keep it to myself.

Here's what I know.

You can't be married to the same man for nearly thirty-two years, still looking forward to spending time together and daily dreading 'til death do us part, without having learned a little something about commitment, forgiveness and conflict resolution that might breathe some new life into weary marriages.

You can't raise three children to adulthood, all married with children of their own, and with their spouses still seeming to enjoy our company and welcome our continued input without some regrets, some wins, some losses, no few regrets and many joyful, hard-won experiences that might help younger moms on their journey. Or encourage older ones (like me) to stay in the game, engaged and intentional.

Most importantly, you can't be in a daily, intimate relationship with the God of the Universe who calls Himself Father, who sent His only Son Jesus to earth to purchase my salvation on the cross dying for MY sins, now called my brother, and then implanted His Holy Spirit, living inside my body to comfort me, instruct me in the ways of Jesus, convict me of sin, and guide me into an obedient, blessed life since I was eighteen years old, without knowing something about this 3-in-1 God that those coming behind need to know.

I also know that was the longest sentence in the history of sentences. Congratulations! You survived it. I appreciate you powering through.

Like Jeremiah of the Old Testament - my paraphrase - there is in my heart a burning fire and I cannot keep it in.

So, I vented and agonized with a few girlfriends who get me and they advised (unbeknownst to the other) we start by meeting back here at this blog, my small corner of the world. It's been a while. I realize there are already a myriad of voices available to you and I don't wish to contribute simply more noise. I pray and hope that what is written here in the days, weeks and months ahead will encourage, comfort, challenge and delight in some way that is personal, important, and enriching to your life.

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I'm glad you're here with me.