Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Lent

Lent : noun
Definition of LENT

: the 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Easter observed by the Roman Catholic, Eastern, and some Protestant churches as a period of penitence and fasting
 
40 days. 
 
40 full days and nights.
 
40 full days and nights in focus on Jesus.
 
40 full days and nights in deep intense focus on my personal relationship with Jesus.
 
Yeah, that's it.  That's where I'm going. 
 
My fasting will be from Facebook and all it's juicy tidbits and silly jokes and gossip.  I'll take a break from tagged pictures and sassy one-liners.  I'll skip event announcements and TV show updates and probably miss a few birthdays. 
 
Life will go on.
 
I don't typically give something up for Lent.  In my early years as a Catholic child I did try to give up candy or soda or being mean to my brother for Lent.  I tried hard to "be better" in that season.
 
As an adult I have had a few Lent seasons where it seemed very important to me to give something up or begin a new habit in my life during Lent. 
 
I guess you could say I let the Spirit determine if I "do" Lent or not.
 
This year, though, I've been thinking about it quite a bit.  Both, Facebook and Lent. 
 
I enjoy Facebook.  No doubt about it.  I'm a social critter and I love the connection factor.  I love knowing what's going on and laughing over all the jokes.  I like being in the loop. 
 
But.
 
But, I also recognize that it's a giant time suck in my life.  I recognize that it often brings drama to my life that I don't need or want.  I see that if I am not guarded in my Facebook time I am easily sucked into the land of discontent and comparison.  Those are not places I like to go.
 
I've also been thinking about Lent.  The partner to Christmas.  The ultimate in Spring.  I am seeing that I am not where I wanted to be in my Bible reading goal for the year.  I am not in the place I wanted to be with regard to devotion time, to quiet time, to prayer.  I have been longing deep in my soul to be pulling in close to God and still at the same time filling my time with nothing, fleeting business that has no real worth.  There are places where I need to reclaim, rein in and draw near.
 
What better time than now, to be fully focused on drawing near, pulling in close to my Jesus.
 
I have not fully decided, and if I go there, I may fail, for I am weak willed, but I suspect that starting tomorrow, Ash Wednesday, you will not see me there clicking around.  There are still plenty of ways to find me and reach me and tell me whatever pressing things you need to, but that just won't be it for a while.
 
I am curious though, what does Lent look like for you?  What does it mean to you?  What will it look like for you this year?  Tell us about your Lent.