So my Internet is messed up at home. I have a post I want to write and I've been praying over it for a few days. Guess it will have to wait one more day. Because it is was too long to type on my phone.
Today and tonight I have been praying so hard that God would convict me about what I should do/give up or both for Lent. Being Baptist, we don't really participate in Lenten activities. But I started about 10 years ago and plan on teaching my children to do the same. To me it is a great time for reflection about Jesus's sacrifice on the cross for our sins. Me giving up caffeine or pledging to read my Bible for 40 days in a row seems like such a small sacrifice.
I liked what a blogger said about us not needed to give up something in order to pay a pentence. That is what Jesus did for us on the cross. There is nothing in this world I can give up to try to gain pardon for my sins. And because of that I am eternally grateful for God's redeeming mercies.
However, from my experience it seems that giving up something that is important to you seems to draw you nearer to the cross each time you are reminded that it is gone.
That being said, I will make my decision by morning. I will be giving up something and vowing to do something"good" during the 40 days of Lent.
We started when our children were small, as a family we gave up the same thing - it was soft drinks for us - what it was isn't important. When the children were little, they needed a concrete reminder every single day - and the empty "drink fridge" was pretty concrete. As they grew, they got to choose what to give up - we have been having the conversation tonight with the two that are still in our 'orbit' - one chose ice cream, one facebook. I still give up Diet Coke.
ReplyDeleteThe beauty of the sacrifice I have learned, is on Easter Morning. And in the many, many small conversations in the Lenten season that started with "Mom, just one Sprite..."
And man there is nothing like that first Diet Coke, on Easter morning - sometimes I put if off as long as possible to savor that first sip - which is really what the denial is about - not the pain, but the grace.
Praying for you tonight, you'll find the right thing for you.
Kate
ReplyDeleteI too have been thinking about this and after much thought have decided to 'do' something instead of giving up something. I will over the next 40 days undertake to help or do something I would normally shy away from.
The reason for this turn around is that I fail each year to keep my Lenten promise, maybe this year I will do better.
Best wishes to you and your family for a joyful and happy Easter.
LONG before I became Catholic I observed the Lenten tradition of sacrifice. I almost always give up sweets (except when I was pregnant during Lent. There are exceptions to everything...). This year it's the same with an added personal obligation (it's hard to describe, but it's just about being more present to my kids, I guess).
ReplyDeleteWhen you are forced to think about your own pitiful sacrifice (in comparison to Christ's) you are then forced to think about HIS sacrifice. It's a season of awareness and gratitude. Blessings.
Thanks for posting this, Kate. For some reason it REALLY spoke to me! I realized that I have never given up anything for forty days before, except maybe television, and that was before the cell phone and computer days! However, that was a very long time ago, and I am truly needing a deeper relationship with Jesus, so, I decided to give up chocolate. I know it's a small thing to some people, but it's huge for me! It's only been four days, and it's been rough, BUT as another person's comment explains....it's such a small sacrifice compared to the sacrifice He made for us, isn't it? I'm only one fourth of the way there, but through His precious Spirit, I will get there. Being that most of the sweets I would eat or drink had chocolate in them this eliminates an awful lot of junk food in my life. I knew I liked chocolate, but I did not realize just how much control I had given it in my life until I have gone without it.
ReplyDeleteThank you so very much again for posting this part of your heart with all of us. I sure do appreciate your honesty, and my family and I are all praying for all three of your sick little ones.
Charity