We are taking a week off from Wardrobe Wednesday to focus on something very important LENT. As a follower of Christ, Lent is a very important time in my life. For me it's a time to focus my thoughts on the Lord, to take a self inventory of where I stand in my faith, to identify areas where I am weak, as well as looking forward to Easter and His Resurrection. IT'S A TIME FOR RENEWAL.
Lent starts on Ash Wednesday where we are reminded of the passage in Ecclesiastes, "Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return". Ashes from the palms from the previous Palm Sunday are burned and placed on the forehead. During this season there are three areas of focus for me: Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving.
First, I try to increase my prayer time. This year, I will purposely wake up 30 minutes earlier in order to spend some quiet time with my Heavenly Father. Many times I get so busy that my time with the Lord is rushed or even forgotten. My goal is to develop a habit of putting my devotional time first, before all other items in my schedule. To be honest this might not sound like a big deal, but I am a girl who really likes her sleep, so this is a sacrifice for me.
Second, is Fasting. As a Catholic, I follow the rules of my church and abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent. I have also chosen to eliminate sugary treats such as soda, flavored lattes and candy. This is also a big deal for me, because I have a very big sweet tooth.
Lastly, is Almsgiving. It is not limited to only giving money to the poor, but also giving of your time to someone who needs it. This could be something like working at a local soup kitchen or giving of your time to a local charity. There isn't a one size fits all. To me, we need to look into our current situation and our community and see what we can do to help. As I have mentioned before, one of the ways I express love for people is by cooking or baking for them. My goal is to bless one person or family a week with a gift of food or a meal. There are many elderly people in our community who don't have someone to make a home-cooked meal for them or a new mother who would appreciate a casserole or covered dish brought to her home or maybe someone who is struggling with cancer or another illness who would appreciate a big pot of chicken noodle soup. It doesn't have to be elaborate, sometimes simple is best.
I share these things with you not to be boastful, but rather to put this is writing to help hold myself accountable. I hope that you will take these next 40 days as a time to grow in your faith and build a more personal relationship with the Lord.
May the Lord be with you this Lent season.
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