Lent

Well here we are. Lent. This is an interesting season in the church year. I have never much thought about it over the years. It is the forty days (not including Sundays) that we use to prepare ourselves for Easter. Easter being the Christian celebration of Jesus rising from the grave, as well the recognition of His death in place of ours.

Growing up with a multi-denominational church I have seen many different types of traditional ceremonies, as they each have a preferred way of doing communion or baptism and things of such. I don't recall allot about the forty days before being filled with too many traditions, with exception to the cedar meal on good Friday. About two years ago I was introduced to the practice of self-denial, where you choose to not do something over the forty days as a way to remember what Christ did for us, of His sacrifice for our redemption.

Two years ago it was an experiment that was much more difficult than I expected, especially with the bad habits that I've formed over the years. Some things I found myself doing even though I had said I wouldn't, and not even being aware of it. Last year I chose not to eat chocolate. PMS was not the same! I was surprised how much chocolate is a part of my life, without even realizing it. Last year towards the end of lent I found myself enjoying a cookie or something and as I took the last bite I realized that there were chocolate chips in it. I was surprised to make it that far and then suddenly forget what I had been concentrating on for so long. Immediately I started to beat myself up over it, how could I, what was I thinking, why bother continuing. Then I realized that this is a part of everyday living. Asking for forgiveness for my lack of awareness, for lack of preparation; for realizing that I can't do this all by myself.

Wow! What an eye opener.

I can't do this all on my own, I need Jesus to help me through this. I need Gods help to keep me aware, I need to be in contact with Him in order to ask for His help; I need to prepare each day with God first on my agenda. Then, each day, one by one I will accomplish my goal.

So this year it is chocolate that I've chosen to give up along with most refined sugars and cussing! I rely on chocolate to give me a sugar boost when I am tired, refined sugars are a treat I rarely deny myself, using the same excuse of being tired and needing a lift. So here I am going to choose to go to God for my lift, to go to God for my rest, and to ask for His help as I go on my way. To ask for His help as I try to follow in His way. I am very aware of the cussing I am doing and I really believe that it has been placed on my heart to be attentive to the expulsion of it from my vocabulary. Today is day two and I'm not doing well, but tomorrow is another day and I will ask for His help again and I will do better!

I also want to recognize God in my day, each day. Sunday on our long run we (my running partner and I) saw the most lovely sunrise. I felt that He placed it there just for us, it was my reward for getting up and out of bed that morning. So along the journey of self-denial to celebrate what Jesus did for me, I want to experience God and what He is doing for me each day.

Here is the sunrise: