Lenten Green Light

So after sort of plateauing at around 30 lbs, I am getting back on track with some deeply liturgical inspiration.  As Lent begins tomorrow, I will be getting back on the weight loss wagon.  Life sort of speeds up in points and I sort of had a lot of retreating and traveling and celebrating that took place across many dinner tables.  But now I am getting back on track.

Just in time for Lent too.  Growing up Lent sort of mattered to me and my family, even though I don't remember much about specific celebrations in my strange mix of Southern Baptist and Disciples of Christ foundational stew.  I do remember paying much more attention to the repetition and reverence for the history of the church.  The DOC seemed to practice things that stretched back over a longer span of church history than did my grandparents' SBC counterpart.  FBC Enid felt like the 1930's, with its bleating of the organ and stomping the pulpit against everything from dancing, boozing, Disney and Bart Simpson.  But there was something refreshing about the celebration of the varied Holy Days found in the Advent season and Lent.  I like that idea of getting back to the basics of prayer, penitence, giving of alms and self-denial.  It really feels very Acts 2.  I like how we have to really work hard to do about six weeks a year of what the early church did every day.

So my prayers will go up more consistently throughout the day.  I will be finding private ways to remind myself how humbled I truly am in the presence of a Holy God.  I will be giving a ton of clothes and other things away.  I will also be denying myself the usual amount of food and distractions.  Not to lose weight.  But to actually bring more discipline into my life, to be able to live, speak and teach with authority.  No more do as I say, not as I do. 

Maybe this Lent finds you in a funk, spiritually speaking.  Find ways to incorporate those four markers into who you are for the next six weeks.  Pray for me, my spouse, my son and our warrior daughter.  We thank you for all your thoughts.  Keep them coming.