Lenten Adventure - Week Two
Friday, March 2, 2012 at 8:10AM When I started this Lenten project, I was prepared to go “into the desert”. On the list of things to give up are many things I hold dear and five or six that I am truly dreading doing without. My process of choosing each day is that I have them all on slips of paper in a little tin. I shake them up (while the kids do a drum roll on the table) and pull one out. Some may call that random chance, but I like to think that God is determining how this all plays out.
And He has not asked me to give up one hard thing yet. To date:
- Close parking spaces
- Electric blanket
- Non-Christian music
- Fast food
Instead, He’s had me add in more things than random chance would dictate:
- Random Acts of Kindness
- Donate Blood
- Take Faith out on a date
- Keep a gratitude journal
Seriously, it’s eerie. 2/3 of the items in that tin are “give ups” yet half of what I’ve drawn are “adds”. In fact, the day after I drew take Faith out I drew gratitude journal. I felt like that was too easy so I cheated and put it back in the tin, mixed them up and drew again. Guess what I got? Gratitude journal.
Clearly that was a non-negotiable.
What I’m taking away from this is that God is less concerned with my food choices and lazy habits than I am. I feel like He wants me to be concentrating more on others and less on myself and appreciating the many blessings in my life.
I’m so glad I took the time to hang out with Faith this week. We went to a frozen yogurt shop and then headed to Target where we tried on sunglasses. Some of them made us look like bugs.
That’s Faith the Fly and Mindee Mantis there.
We bought some that were less insect-like as well as a few more fun little items and then headed for Payless shoes where we ran into my friend Leisa.
Leisa has bravely agreed to do this crazy thing with me. I text her the item of the day each evening and she and her daughter just happened to be on their “date” at the shoe store too. Great minds think alike, huh?
So far, the only things I’m having a hard time with are the parking (I keep forgetting) and the Random Acts of Kindness (lacking creativity).
All in all, the way things are playing out, I’m really regaining a sense of God’s love for us. It’s nice.
God, Lenten Adventure
Reader Comments (15)
I love this update!!
I am so proud of you for doing this and staying so positive! I truly believe you are getting the message that God is sending you. I, too, need to fous less on giving up things that are important to me and focus more on helping others.
I just wanted to tell you that I read this, and thought it was pretty special and amazing. I'm smiling right now, and I have tears in my eyes. Again, thanks for sharing!!
I don't come from a denomination that asks you to give something up for Lent but I like to focus my mind during this pre-Easter season and I saw this on Kellys Korner and decided to copy. This year I have been writing letters/cards by hand to all sorts of people and I have to say that I am feeling so blessed by the exercise.
God loves us. How trite that expression sometimes seems and how easily we blow off the magnitude of what that means. I'm glad you're getting what needs to be gotten : )
Is the babysitting option open still on the Random Acts of Kindness list? : )
How about emailing me a list of a few things to do with my girls in Denver? Is there a great kid friendly restaurant you know of? (Other than Casa Bonita of course!) Maybe you could stop by a new blog and leave a nice comment? Drop off some donations? Put an extra five in the offering plate? And there is always the "Would you like to add a dollar for _____ charity to your purchase?" That counts too!
I don't think things in our lives are random, either :) God has really been reminding me of His love, as well - isn't it the greatest thing ever?!
Mindy - Thanks, me too. :)
Lorrie - how many times will God have to tell me, "It's not all about you" before I get it?
Christina - I love making you smile!
Joyce - That would be huge for me because I am TERRIBLE at handwritten cards. Good for you.
KB - Yay! A creative mind that shares! I'll e-mail you about Denver.
Lisa - It is indeed.
What a cool and inspiring post! Those picture really capture how much you are "suffering" during this process!
This series is so much fun! I like the anticipation and the lessons from God. Can't wait for the next update!
Sometimes just adding kindness and things like that can be the best things we can do.
I just wanted to thank you very much for the kind words...so, thank you!
rd - ha! Who can suffer at Target?
mj - me either. :)
tif - And yet, somehow I don't trouble myself often enough to do that.
Christina - I wasn't trying to be kind, just honest.
I'm enjoying following you along on this adventure! Such a cool idea
I was raised Catholic but for a multitude of reasons I am no longer a practicing Catholic. In fact, I'm not entirely sure where I stand with religion in general. I am really fascinated with your Lenten Adventure. I think it is something that I may do, not for Lent, but just because sometimes it is good to go without to appreciate what you have when you have it. Keep up the good work!
I hope you bought those glasses. 'Cause you look HAWT.