Lent
So, the season of lent started last week. It snuck up on me. I thought it was this week. Oh well, that's life as a mom for you...
The idea of Ash Wednesday and giving things up for lent is new to me. I've been a Christian my whole life.... as long as I can remember. Growing up I don't think I ever even noticed that Ash Wednesday was a thing until I was in High School. And even then, I thought it was just some ceremonial thing that the Catholic church did. I didn't pay much attention to it. And I've never been one to fast from something unless I felt like that is what God wanted from me. I just don't like the idea personally of doing something out of my self and asking God to bless it or whatever... Not that I think you shouldn't do that... that's between you and Him.
The first time I ever heard about Ash Wednesday as a thing that was celebrated in the Protestant church was when my daughter (now 6) started preschool. They had an Ash Wednesday service and invited the parents to stay, so I did, because I thought it was weird and I didn't want her participating if I didn't understand it myself. So, I stayed and watched, and she participated. She got her ashes on her hand because I think it made her nervous to get them on her forehead. I just watched from the back of the room with the other moms who stayed.
Fast forward a year. My husband has now been on his first assignment as senior pastor at a church for about 5 months. Our church meets with 4 other local churches for an Ash Wednesday service (seriously, how did I not know this was a thing?) So that was the first time I participated in a service myself.
I had some warning with that one. My husband was involved in the service so he spent a few weeks preparing, which meant it didn't sneak up on me. I prayed for weeks about what to give up for lent. I didn't ever feel convicted about anything, or feel any prompting about what I needed to give up, so I didn't fast for lent last year.
Now we're up to date. I remember a few weeks ago in church seeing a notice about the upcoming Ash Wednesday service. (Guys, I still think it's weird. I don't know what's wrong with me haha) I planned on attending and participating. Then we had some weather and I think everyone forgot about it... so it was brought up this past Sunday morning. 36 days of lent left (as of Sunday) and still I don't know what I should give up. I prayed for a few days, and still didn't feel any direction about what to fast. I had a few ideas of things I could start doing (blogging wasn't one of them... I don't know how this started this morning?) I felt led a few years ago to start a women's group that meets monthly or biweekly... maybe I'll start that up again.... I had an idea for a ministry serving foster families with emergency placements... that could still happen.... I could start, you know, reading my bible.... because I don't. Like.... ever..... There are lots of things I COULD do.
The only thing lately I have felt may be from the Lord was for about a week and a half now, I have been awake around 5 am feeding the baby. When I am done feeding her, I am not tired at all, but who wants to get up at 5 am? Not me.... right? So I go back to sleep and wait for my alarm to go off to get up and start the day. Except when my alarm goes off at 6:30, I'm exhausted.... and I hit snooze. And I hit it again. And again.... until I have to rush to get myself and the girls ready and get Avery to school with seconds to spare. It's ridiculous.
So 5 am... Maybe that's what Jesus wants me to do right now. Get up at 5 am. I can get so many things done in the few hours to myself. Unload and reload the dishwasher. Clean up a bit. SHOWER UNINTERRUPTED!! (how does this get to be such an exciting idea?!) And, you know, spend awhile with Jesus! So Sunday evening I decided "I would try" to get up at 5 the next day. That's my thing for lent. Get up at 5. So I set my alarm, and when it went off the next morning, I was like "you've got to be kidding me" and shut it off and went back to sleep. Then my 6:30 alarm... snooze... snooze... snoozeeeeee....... Wake up at 7:10 and freak out and get ready and leave the house by 7:35. Why??? Why do that to myself? Why ignore what I feel like God is telling me? Why did I also do this exact thing Tuesday and Wednesday?!
Tuesday morning I had coffee with one of my besties (I'm only 32... I can still say besties, right?) and I asked her if she had felt led to give up anything for lent. Her response was confirmation for me. She said that she liked the idea of "taking up" something rather than giving up something. Starting a new habit. Yes. Ok Lord, I hear ya.
Last night, I set my alarm for 5:30 am. Maddie usually wakes up around 4:30/4:45 to eat, so it was mostly just in case I fell back asleep after that. Wouldn't you know, that silly baby decided to eat at 3:30 instead... So I fed her, and I thought to myself, "ok, I can sleep another hour before my alarm goes off and I need to get up. But God said 5, not 5:30. And I can't fall asleep for 45 minutes, I'll be exhausted, and right now I'm fine. I guess I'll get up now...." and then I laid there about another 30 minutes thinking about random stuff... and I got out of bed at 4:30.
I went to the kitchen, I got a cup of tea, I sat down, and I went to biblegateway.com and pulled up the lent reading plan because I honestly don't remember the last time I opened my bible when it was not Sunday or I wasn't looking for something specific, and I didn't know where to start. I decided I'd skip back to Wednesday's verse and read a few days worth because I had to get caught up. So, it took a few days to set in, but I'm ok with the idea of getting up before I "have" to, spending time with Jesus, and I'm very excited to see what happens between now and Easter.
And apparently I'm blogging about it? We'll see.
The idea of Ash Wednesday and giving things up for lent is new to me. I've been a Christian my whole life.... as long as I can remember. Growing up I don't think I ever even noticed that Ash Wednesday was a thing until I was in High School. And even then, I thought it was just some ceremonial thing that the Catholic church did. I didn't pay much attention to it. And I've never been one to fast from something unless I felt like that is what God wanted from me. I just don't like the idea personally of doing something out of my self and asking God to bless it or whatever... Not that I think you shouldn't do that... that's between you and Him.
The first time I ever heard about Ash Wednesday as a thing that was celebrated in the Protestant church was when my daughter (now 6) started preschool. They had an Ash Wednesday service and invited the parents to stay, so I did, because I thought it was weird and I didn't want her participating if I didn't understand it myself. So, I stayed and watched, and she participated. She got her ashes on her hand because I think it made her nervous to get them on her forehead. I just watched from the back of the room with the other moms who stayed.
Fast forward a year. My husband has now been on his first assignment as senior pastor at a church for about 5 months. Our church meets with 4 other local churches for an Ash Wednesday service (seriously, how did I not know this was a thing?) So that was the first time I participated in a service myself.
I had some warning with that one. My husband was involved in the service so he spent a few weeks preparing, which meant it didn't sneak up on me. I prayed for weeks about what to give up for lent. I didn't ever feel convicted about anything, or feel any prompting about what I needed to give up, so I didn't fast for lent last year.
Now we're up to date. I remember a few weeks ago in church seeing a notice about the upcoming Ash Wednesday service. (Guys, I still think it's weird. I don't know what's wrong with me haha) I planned on attending and participating. Then we had some weather and I think everyone forgot about it... so it was brought up this past Sunday morning. 36 days of lent left (as of Sunday) and still I don't know what I should give up. I prayed for a few days, and still didn't feel any direction about what to fast. I had a few ideas of things I could start doing (blogging wasn't one of them... I don't know how this started this morning?) I felt led a few years ago to start a women's group that meets monthly or biweekly... maybe I'll start that up again.... I had an idea for a ministry serving foster families with emergency placements... that could still happen.... I could start, you know, reading my bible.... because I don't. Like.... ever..... There are lots of things I COULD do.
The only thing lately I have felt may be from the Lord was for about a week and a half now, I have been awake around 5 am feeding the baby. When I am done feeding her, I am not tired at all, but who wants to get up at 5 am? Not me.... right? So I go back to sleep and wait for my alarm to go off to get up and start the day. Except when my alarm goes off at 6:30, I'm exhausted.... and I hit snooze. And I hit it again. And again.... until I have to rush to get myself and the girls ready and get Avery to school with seconds to spare. It's ridiculous.
So 5 am... Maybe that's what Jesus wants me to do right now. Get up at 5 am. I can get so many things done in the few hours to myself. Unload and reload the dishwasher. Clean up a bit. SHOWER UNINTERRUPTED!! (how does this get to be such an exciting idea?!) And, you know, spend awhile with Jesus! So Sunday evening I decided "I would try" to get up at 5 the next day. That's my thing for lent. Get up at 5. So I set my alarm, and when it went off the next morning, I was like "you've got to be kidding me" and shut it off and went back to sleep. Then my 6:30 alarm... snooze... snooze... snoozeeeeee....... Wake up at 7:10 and freak out and get ready and leave the house by 7:35. Why??? Why do that to myself? Why ignore what I feel like God is telling me? Why did I also do this exact thing Tuesday and Wednesday?!
Tuesday morning I had coffee with one of my besties (I'm only 32... I can still say besties, right?) and I asked her if she had felt led to give up anything for lent. Her response was confirmation for me. She said that she liked the idea of "taking up" something rather than giving up something. Starting a new habit. Yes. Ok Lord, I hear ya.
Last night, I set my alarm for 5:30 am. Maddie usually wakes up around 4:30/4:45 to eat, so it was mostly just in case I fell back asleep after that. Wouldn't you know, that silly baby decided to eat at 3:30 instead... So I fed her, and I thought to myself, "ok, I can sleep another hour before my alarm goes off and I need to get up. But God said 5, not 5:30. And I can't fall asleep for 45 minutes, I'll be exhausted, and right now I'm fine. I guess I'll get up now...." and then I laid there about another 30 minutes thinking about random stuff... and I got out of bed at 4:30.
I went to the kitchen, I got a cup of tea, I sat down, and I went to biblegateway.com and pulled up the lent reading plan because I honestly don't remember the last time I opened my bible when it was not Sunday or I wasn't looking for something specific, and I didn't know where to start. I decided I'd skip back to Wednesday's verse and read a few days worth because I had to get caught up. So, it took a few days to set in, but I'm ok with the idea of getting up before I "have" to, spending time with Jesus, and I'm very excited to see what happens between now and Easter.
And apparently I'm blogging about it? We'll see.
Philippians 1:27-30
Striving and Suffering for Christ27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation,[a] and that from God. 29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.
Thanks for sharing! I remember a time when I kept whining to God about my issues (it was a span of about a year...or two) and God kept telling me to read His Word. I would for awhile and then slip back into the old ways of not reading it, I’d start whining, and He would tell me to read His Word. It was a frustrating cycle. Now I can’t imagine life not reading His Word. It has become a part if me, strengthened me, and transformed my mind. It is my lifeline now. I am really excited for you as you take these steps. God will meet you where you are and blow your mind. He is so good.
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