Lent: historic Christian tradition or that stuff in your jean pockets?

I can't believe Lent is here again. Almost a week into Lent and I'm getting more and more excited for this season of preparation. For Lent I'm adding a little more time to my day by starting it off with 15 minutes of silence. Who would have thought that starting my day off by not saying anything would be such a big difference. But it's the principle of the thing... by me not speaking, I'm providing God the opportunity to speak and perhaps I might even listen.

I forgotten how "weird" it is to observe Lent as a Christian these days. I came home from Ash Wednesday with an ash-y Cross upon my forehead (standard tradition) and my roommate (also Christian) was wondering why I was walking around with dirt on my face. I had friends in college (also Christian) who didn't know what Lent was which lead to my realization that they had never given anything up for Lent. What a beautiful and meaningful tradition that is lost to so many?!?! I know some people have issues with tradition because the traditions are the problem when it comes to being faithful and "spiritual." It's us! It's our attitude towards the tradition and our heart as we participate in the tradition. Yeah, I could just go through the motions of singing a hymn or sacrificing chocolate for Lent or I could read and reflect on the BEAUTIFUL, inspiring words of our hymns or I could spent those moments that I yearn for chocolate in prayer remembering God in my daily life and seeking the desire for my life to yearn for God. That's about all I have to say about that.

I'd like to close with some quotes, Scriptures, lyrics, phrases, thoughts that I've gathered so far during Lent 2010:

*Truth (with a Captial T) is what God desires of each of us and the Truth is that we are a fallen people in need of God's grace.

*Praying, fasting, self-denial, reading, meditating, listening, doing, being...

*For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. -Matthew 6:21

*A student in a seminary once approached his teacher and asked how is one to live a faithful life. The teacher told the student to go into the cemetery and throw stones at the graves and curse the dead and then listen for what they say. The student, althought hesitant, obeyed his teacher and later returned to the teacher. He told the teacher that he didn't hear anything from the dead after he insulted and cursed them. Then the teacher told the student to return to the cemetery and heap compliments and praise onto the dead and take care of their tombstones and THEN see what their response would be. So the student did as he was told and still heard nothing. He returned to the teacher to share his disheartening news and this is what the teacher said, "After you praised and complimented the dead, you heard nothing. And even after you insulted and cursed them, still they said nothing. May you be like the dead, that you will live a life that isn't ultimately affected by what people say around you (the compliments or the curses) but rather be focused on one thing...God.

*Lent is about the practice of learning to forget ourselves on purpose!

*Lent is a season of bringing the focus back to God.

*O Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise. -Psalm 51:15


May Lent be a time of preparation for you. Preparation for realigning your life with God. Preparation for forgetting yourself on purpose. Preparation for remembering where life comes from and to whom all praise is due.