Comments on: Giving up on giving up?

By: rivkah

rivkah — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 01:41:32 +0000

I’m a firm believer that if giving something up or taking something on becomes a distraction, it is no longer a discipline. Some years I try to do one or the other, but if it becomes too much and all I do is worry that I will fail or it’s keeping me from deepening my spiritual life, then I just take a deep breath, let it go and fall back on prayer.
On the other hand, here is an idea. Start some seeds indoors. It usually takes them about 6 weeks to be ready for transplanting outside and also usually (this year being an exception) the end of Lent is about the right time for planting in most parts of the country. So, you could start a prayer garden with flowers, a place you can enjoy God’s beauty in the curve of a petal or the wing of a visiting butterfly. Or you could start seeds for a mission garden with veggies to help decrease your dependency on commercial produce and to give some of the extras to a local food bank. Pray for your seeds each day. Ask God to help them grow and live into their purpose. If you’re like me, you also ask God to protect them from your black thumb. :)

By: ms rev or not

ms rev or not — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 23:47:35 +0000

the church dork in me gets off on the whole forty days/forty minutes deal. well played.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:34:28 +0000

I vote for Susan’s answer… joy is a great thing.

By: Erica

Erica — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 03:10:31 +0000

Thanks for these comments…some helpful thoughts.

Here’s what I’m thinking right now: I’m giving up 40 minutes a day…or maybe I’m adding 40 minutes a day…it depends on how you look at it. I don’t know exactly what it will look like, but I’m going to create a little time and space and sabbath in each of those little bits of 40.

By: Beth Kucera

Beth Kucera — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 22:26:44 +0000

Lent is certainly a time for study, self reflection, prayer, fasting and works of love. I vote #5!!!

By: Susie/NuevaCantora

Susie/NuevaCantora — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 18:15:04 +0000

In the “invitation to a holy Lent” in the Episcopal traditon, self-examination is listed *before* fasting - so, I’m with ppb. I think some daily reflection on grace sounds perfectly lovely.

By: susan

susan — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 04:13:15 +0000

I’m choosing joy this Lent. I have an image of being one of the children playing with Jesus, sitting on his lap. And, I also have a feeling choosing joy will look different each day.

It sounds like a Lenten season of Sabbath rest may be in good order for you?

By: ppb

ppb — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 21:10:36 +0000

preparing and examining?
I’m serious. Maybe take some time every day to just think-examine?

I don’t always do it, but this year I gave something up for Lent. It’s been a useful thing for me to do so far–but not an easy one.