Lent

While there's still a week to go until we reach the season of Lent, I've been thinking about how I'm going to observe those days that lead up to Easter. Many people talk about 'what they're giving up for Lent' though in some cases this has lost any root in its traditional purpose... "The three traditional practices to be taken up with renewed vigour during Lent are prayer (justice towards God), fasting (justice towards self), and almsgiving (justice towards neighbour)." (taken from the Wikipedia article). Notice the mention of 'renewed vigour'; spiritual discipline and fasting in order to examine and refine our lives with God, is something that Lent gives us opportunity to be renewed in - not to take no notice of the rest of the year!
So, I was pondering what I'd do for Lent - would I take something up, or give something up, or both? And that lead me to think about my use of time, the things I put a lot of mental energy into, and my prayer and study life and decided that my Lenten fast this year would be from the internet: specifically from blogging and from diligently reading a few websites and blogs as much as, if not more than I read the Bible! The whole point of this is to reprioritize time and effort - to spend time with God, to read and pray, to study the Bible in depth, to write letters, listen to music, reflect and be refreshed - using that time that would have been spent on the net. Of course, these are all things I spend time on anyway, but a reshuffle is in order!
So, with that week to go I'm checking in to wish you a fruitful season, enjoy the pancakes next Tuesday and see you at Easter!

Just had to add a link to Dave Walker's excellent Lent cartoon! Yes, right, I am going now... I won't say another word... yes really...!