Observing Lent

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday and, late as usual, I have not decided how to commemorate lent. I've heard several suggestions for giving up energy consumption. In a world where global warming is becoming the burning issue of the day, literally, this makes sense. But I haven't figured out how to make that choice without also imposing it on my family. The largest part of my energy consumption right now is in driving children to the places they are required to be for school, church, music, or the sport they have signed up for.

One year I gave up pop, and another year TV. Somehow those seem like small ways to remind myself of God's sacrifice for me. Yet, making a 'big' sacrifice for lent seems prideful, and perhaps even slightly impossible right now. I don't really want to make the choice about what to give up based on whether the sacrifice is big or small. I want to make a choice that will help me to see God more clearly.

My New Year's resolution was to read through the Bible this year and I am still on target with that. What could I give up that would be meaningful and would not be so overwhelming that I would be doomed to fail?

Things I would like to give up:

• pet hair on the carpet
• complaining
• the sound of video games
• being overwhelmed by schedule and responsibilities
• eating too much
• feeling guilty
• going anywhere two days a week
• dirty dishes
  

I think I will start with giving up complaining. That's a lofty goal that is completely unattainable, but even a little less complaining will impact how overwhelmed I feel and how guilty I feel. That hits three items with one effort. I feel better already. If I'm not complaining then maybe I'll just take care of the pet hair and dishes without feeling sorry for myself. Well, we can always hope. And wrestling season is over after Saturday so I may actually get two days a week without going anywhere during part of Lent. That would give me fewer reasons to complain! I'll worry about the sound of video games and eating too much another year.

I feel better, but I'm wondering how this honors God's sacrifice.

I believe that part of the purpose of the season of Lent is confession. I once went to a prayer workshop where we used the A.C.T.S. pattern for our exploration. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) While we talked about confession, the statement was made that confession means truth telling. Confession is telling the truth about God and about myself.

The truth about myself includes the fact that I have much to be thankful for and little to complain about. Maybe in giving up complaining I can get a better picture of what God has done. Maybe in giving up complaining I can divert my eyes from my own problems enough to see the world around me more clearly.

While I'm at it, I might even realize that the sound of video games means my children are home, and dirty dishes mean we aren't going hungry.

This is getting just a little bit too close to Pollyanna, isn't it.

I can't fix everything by quitting my complaining. I don't really know if I can fix anything. I can try it and see what happens. That's all.