Lent: release and receive

I mentioned yesterday that a lot of bloggers I "follow" made New Year's Resolutions this year; it was inspiring to read their original goals, and has been encouraging to hear their updates on how those resolutions are playing out in real life.

Well, interestingly enough, some of those same bloggers are also participating in Lent this year. This is something like my third or fourth year of participating in Lent, although last year did not work out as well in practice as in theory. I learned an important lesson--that the core of Lent really does have to be giving up, taking away, in order to open up a new, purposeful space in our lives in which we can engage with God in a new, meaningful way.

And so I was planning to this year "do" Lent the way I had in the past, by giving up (completely, none of this you can do it on Sunday compromise) the things that I don't need, and which I too easily--routinely!--turn to for comfort and escape:
*sweets
*pleasure reading
*movies

And this year I am feeling I need to up the ante--and give over to God the two things that I look forward to most in my day, and which thus have the post potential for being benign addictions, and distractions from righteous living:
* tea
*blogging

Yes, you heard me. I am not going to indulge in any dark chocolate, Marco Polo, or Cake Wrecks until after Easter.

And you know what? I am not at all sad about it--I am actually looking forward to it. I will miss all those things, and expect the first week without to find me walking around restlessly, distractedly, as jittery as an addict in withdrawl. But when that week is over, I think I will feel strong of spirit and clear of mind, and will find myself more productive and creative in the kitchen (good for my goals!), and will be looking at my children in the face more, and hopefully feeling more in tune with myself, my family, and God.

That is what I love about Lent--in my mind there is nothing negative about it, only potential for more experience, more growth, more wisdom, more love.

Now, I am starting Lent a little late this year, as I had not actually marked its beginning on my calendar and so did not realize it had arrived until Scottish Twins blogged about it Weds. night (and her reasoning for the season is worth reading). So I gave up everything but blogging Friday, and made a point Friday and Saturday of wrapping up and publishing all the posts I had been working on, so I could completely let it go for the rest of the 40 days. So that explaines the sudden glut of postings, and why you will not see any more until after Easter.

I will not be checking my comments--oh, that will be hard!--but please still say anything you want to say to any of the posts I made this weekend. I will be reading your comments with eagerness and savor after Easter, and will so gladly respond to them then. : )

I also will not be reading other people's blogs. But again, I will look forward to catching up with your lives after Easter (in fact, the hardest part about this giving up will be the restrained getting back). In the meantime, may you each have a really good, healthy, affirming, life-embracing Lent, however you choose to practice it--or not.