It is the season of the Western Christian year known as Lent. Over my life time I have encountered many fellow Christians who in this season give up something. However, I was never one of them. it was a season that perhaps only recently I started to engage at any level, I know growing up I didn’t even think about it. However as I have engaged it, I have not done so within the traditional understandings of Lent, but instead re-imaged the season into something that I feel works for me within my particular portion of the Christian Community. last year as part of a discussion of this season I came up with a fairly clear way of embracing the season. While fragments of it are in my mind, I wish I knew where I wrote it down, as I think it would be of benefit for me to take that, revise and expand upon it. Perhaps as the season of Lent continues I will reach that point.
In the meantime I present some brief overview of what I will be doing personally in this season of Lent. First, I will strive hard to engage in Sabbath weekly. I will attempt to hold additional daily prayer and reflection, though unlike last year this addition will not be guided by a resource. I will also take time to improve my physical health and get myself back into shape. In part I hope this will make my trip to the DR Congo go better, In part I hope it will make me feel better, and in part hope that if I am successful in finding a way to be in the Pacific Northwest for a week or two in August to see family, friends and hike in the Cascades, I will be ready for it. For you see, for me Lent is not a time to give up, but rather a time to do more. It is a time to grow in my faith, a time to grow my devotional life, and this year also a time to start taking better care of my body, mind, and spirit. On that note, I also challenge myself to engage my academic pursuits in a more balanced manner. Some of these things will be a struggle to do, and that is a good thing. Hopefully, nothing will be a negative struggle, but we will see. The only thing that might be is on the financial side of things, since If I truly engage in getting myself back into shape there will be some costs involved, (for example I don’t know for sure how much life is left in my running shoes), but I think it will all work out.
So weather you take something up, give something up, do nothing different, celebrate or don’t celebrate Lent, may your life be full of Joy.
Peace,
Lyle II
— Lyle II