Random Thoughts on Lent

UPDATE: thanks so much for your comments!! I love hearing your thoughts about Lent. It is so encouraging to hear your perspectives. Keep them coming! ps. Alex gave up nintendo, then changed his mind to the Wii. We will see what it is tomorrow!!!


Happy Beginning of Lent Week! I am really excited for these next few weeks that lead up to Easter. Of course for the obvious reason of remembering the sacrifice God made for us in sending His Son to die on the cross for my sins and your sins, and for His joyous resurrection, symbolizing our own rebirth and access to God--the veil of the old covenant torn in two.
This time of year also symbolizes a changing of the seasons.... a few warm days scattered in with the chilly ones, a few early flowers springing up, March Madness (Boiler Up!), and Spring Break with our family. Lots of great things to look forward to in the upcoming six weeks.

One of the traditions I took away from my Catholic upbringing is the practice of giving something up for Lent. I like the symbolism of it. Not that we as humans can in any way create a sacrifice of any degree of comparison to our Savior's, but I believe that it is a small reminder of the sacrifice He made for us. I also think it helps my children understand it better when they actually have to do it themselves. The jury is still out on what Alex is giving up for Lent.... I gave him several suggestions of things that he loves that he could give up for six weeks. (Nintendo, Wii, candy)They all seem to be too difficult to bear at this time. So we will see. Caroline's first response was that she was giving up fighting with her brother. I encouraged her to think of something a bit more tangible (and I was thinking that I wanted them to actually succeed at this process!) and she surprisingly and quickly came to her own conclusion that she was giving up candy. This is huge, given that her sweet tooth rivals mine. It is fitting that she choose the exact same thing to give up as I did. Maybe we can support each other over these next few weeks. :) Or we will both be really cranky!

The point to all of this is that every time I walk to the cabinet to pull out a snack size Reece's, I remember my pledge of sacrifice, albeit small. Whether it is giving something up, fasting on Fridays, doing a Lenten devotion, or attending an Ash Wednesday service--- these acts help us to focus on the meaning of Lent. What do you do during the Lent season to remember God's sacrifice for us? Please, pretty please with a cherry on top, will you comment? I am very curious to know what our readers think. We could learn from you and your experiences. Just click on the comment button below and create a Google account with your email. Easy Peasey.
Thank you all so much for being a part of our blog world. Blessings to you and may you go to God on this Ash Wednesday and rejoice in who He is and what He has done for you.

"For to this day, the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. But when anyone turns to the Lord the veil is taken away. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lords' glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:14, 16,18)