Hi Friends,
Well, Lent is here. We are officially in the Wilderness. My sister Judi arrives for two weeks from Australia, and I am ecstatic. My dad’s birthday is in March and he turned 60 last year. At the time, I had no emotional reserve to do much for it and I felt so bad. This year, we are going to have a party! It’s not every day you turn 61. It’s going to be one Fine Dry Bash! Bring on the Sparkling Cider.
Wednesday night I went to the Lent service at my church. I started crying the second I sat down. Honestly. I’m a total weeper. The pastor talked about dirt and humus, the root word of humility, and how we come from dust and to dust we shall return. He also talked about the wilderness.
Interestingly, I spent my morning reading through Matthew chapter four. The part when Jesus gets tempted by Satan. I’ve been overly pre-occupied with money and provision these days, of fearing there won’t be enough. On the whole, I’d say I don’t have a tendency toward money fear, but the past few weeks, I’ve worried like an old lady on a rocking chair, back and forth, back and forth, and going nowhere fast. Jesus told Satan that people do not live on bread alone, but instead they live on the word of God. This encouraged me to pay attention to what God is saying in my life, which led me to pay more attention to my life, which led me to consider gratitude as my Lenten practice.
It’s always helps when you’re freaking out and worried about money and provision to write a gratitude list. It puts everything into perspective. We may have great areas of need, we may have overwhelming aches and sorrows, but there are always a few things we can be thankful for.
This morning, these are my four things.
- A book to edit. I came home from SheLoves the other day and stumbled on a novel I’d long stuck in the back corner of my inbox because I was afraid. I’ve decided not to let fear keep me from sharing my work any longer, so I’ve pulled it to the forefront and am editing the heck out of it.
- A husband to love. Love must be specific for it to be felt. We can love the whole world, but it manifests itself the most when we love a few people with great thoughtfulness and care, with unconditional love.
- Children to pray for. I am grateful to be a mama. There are days when mothering takes more energy than I have, when it all feels overwhelming, and boy does it bring me to God.
- A body to take care of. My back is feeling so much better. Thank God. I started drinking way more water, I cut out wine, and I cut out a bunch of excess calories. My body is healing. I’m thankful.
At the Ash Wednesday service, I walked away with ashes pasted into a cross on my forehead. A good reminder that I’m made of earth.
As you go into your weekend, I pray you’d discover a new beauty in your humanity, that embracing your humanity would help you find new words to talk to God.
The word Liturgy comes from the Greek. It literally means, “The work of the people.”
Here is part of the liturgy from the from Ash Wednesday service.
Leader: We begin our journey to Easter with the sign of ashes. This ancient sign speaks of the frailty and uncertainty of human life, calls us to heartfelt repentance, and urges us to place our hope in God alone.
People: Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth. May these ashes remind us of our mortality and penitence and teach us again that only by your gracious gift are we given everlasting life through Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Tina
