No, that's not a typo!
On Sunday, we were talking with friends about the upcoming season (tomorrow is Ash Wednesday). Many of us were thinking not only of giving something up for Lent, but of giving something extra. There are disciplines of abstinence (like fasting and self-denial) but there are also disciplines of engagement: almsgiving is traditionally associated with the Lenten season ("charitable giving" is the phrase many of us are more familiar with), but resolutions to serve, pray or read Scripture, beyond what we normally do, are also common.
For myself, I thought about my time on the computer and whether I should give up blogging for Lent. It was good to do a self-evaluation, and I realized pretty quickly that I should turn down an opportunity to be a contributor for another website. I also realized how much my time spent reading other blogs dropped off, before our move, and never really resumed (sorry, blogging friends!). My own number of posts per week has dropped somewhat, as well. I decided that I'm actually spending a pretty minimal amount of time on it.
(And I love keeping a record of what God is doing in our family, our church and our community! There'd be too much happening during those six weeks--and I don't think God is asking me not to tell about it. :)
Then it occurred to me that I could use my blog to help hold myself accountable for what I really want to do during Lent--read the Daily Office (the cycle of Scripture readings prescribed by the Book of Common Prayer) daily!
So, throughout Lent, I am planning to include a Scripture thought or two in each post, inspired by my reading.
And I'm giving up desserts, with the exception of dark chocolate consumed for medicinal purposes! (Seriously, for me, it sometimes staves off a headache.)
Related posts from the archives:
Celebrating Shrove Tuesday
Our Family's Lenten Practices
Last year's Lenten Carnival--an Anglican Family Lent
Ash Wednesday
God's the Dude
Sin for Lent (Switching to Chocolate)
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3 comments:
Thanks for the links! I am observing Lent this year, although I won't be doing anything specific for Shrove Tuesday or Ash Wednesday.
I am so unprepared for Lent this year! We (hubby & I) usually give up everything but soup and salad for Lent. Its not really as drastic as it sounds and keeps us more focused on the Lord instead of what is for dinner!
I'm really feeling quite displaced and adrift this season. We haven't found a church home yet and the churches we've been attending don't really follow the traditions of the liturgical calendar.
Maybe taking on a particular discipline would be useful for me.
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