40 days of Lent - Some time Off

What?  I got the day off?

Today's Lenten Thought - 

March 3 - Sunday is your little Easter, your day to abandon whatever discipline you have taken up for Lent.  Have a donut.

I don't want a donut, but do you know what I really really want.  A McDonald's Shamrock Shake - I hate to go get that today since I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow.  Do you think she would buy the excuse of God told me to?

Actually my discipline is this blog and to study the Lenten thought and to pray more. 

So with that - I will cut this short and spend some time with Petey - he is giving the "puppy evil eye" for not sitting with him.

Relax this day, enjoy the day - it's a little time off on our Lenten Journey.

40 Days of Lent - Why worry?

Today's Lenten thought:

March 2  -  In the spirit of Easter, think of three old things your are going to stop worrying about and three new things you're going to look forward to instead.

hmmmmm

The three things that I am going to stop worrying about, I won't share.  That way if someone would ask me, "hey did you stop worrying about......" I might start worrying about it again.  LOL Actually I feel they are kind of private, so I will keep them that way. 


But I will share the three things I am looking forward to.

1)  Spring - it can't come soon enough.
2)  A trip to the shore - my favorite place.  Anywhere were land meets the sea.
3)  Reading the books in my book pile - especially the next three

Maybe these are not three big things, but I look forward to each of them.

My favorite scripture about worry is as follows:

Matthew 6:25-27  “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

One time I was so worried about money that while I was driving to work  I was thinking, what if I don't have enough money for food.  Suddenly a pancake fell from the sky just missing the hood of my car. (True story! At first I thought, manna from heaven?) Then I saw a crow swoop down, pick it up, and carried it away.  There were so many nearby restaurants I figured he must of got it out of the trash somewhere and that's when I remembered this scripture.  Certainly if God could  provide pancakes to crows then I should not be worried where my next meal would be coming from.  I remember this story every time I worry too much.

So make you lists and throw out the worries and look forward to something exciting.

40 days of Lent - Still working on it

Today's thought -

March 1 (Happy Birthday Mom!) -  A couple of weeks ago, you practiced, repentance and asked for forgiveness and reconciliation.  How's that going?  Spend some time in thoughtful prayer.

The February 18 Lenten thought was the thought they are referring to, you might want to re-read it - I just did, and I have personally been praying a lot more since I started this Lenten blog.  Mainly because I keep reminding myself by just writing this.  I pray on, think about, mull around in my head before writing this each day; and it has opened my mind to many things, including repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation, but I have a long way to go. 

I still hold on to some old ways of thinking and that's my downfall.  That's why I like this Lenten Spring Cleaning - because it doesn't dwell so much in the dark dirge part of lent, but throws open the windows and lets the light and fresh air in.   

This Lent I have been thrown in the washer, yes I have been agitated a bit with myself, but that's what helps to loosen the stains, then I am rinsed with the forgiveness of God. 

So I am still praying on and working on repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation - I hope you are to.

40 days of Lent - slooooowww dooowwwnnnn

Well first - the question of the hour --how did I do yesterday?  For the most part I craved sweets all day long, because I knew I wasn't having them.  I did cave in before bed and had a piece of my mom's birthday cake.  As for meat - I did have the DiGiorgio pizza with the little italian meatballs on it but that was it for meat. 

Today's thought is just plain old good advice for everyone.

February 28 - February is a short month, but don't let it rush you.  Slow down today.

For me that is great advice, but today's not the day for that to happen.  I have a meeting after work and book club at 7:00 PM - tonight is one of those nights I feel rushed.  So many times I find myself rushing from one place to the next.  For the longest time I kept this scripture on my desk - Come to me,  all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Matthew 11:27-29   I always thought  rest was what I wanted, but truth is that make me fidgety sometimes.  Slowing down and pacing myself is much better.

So slow down today.  Even though I will be busy - I will try to take it all slower and at a much easier pace, so why not try with me.

40 days of Lent - Are they crazy?



Yes, that really is a Maple Bacon Donut and no, I am not
really eating one.



WHAT - are they nutz!!!!!!!

Are they crazy - OMG- okay - just breathe,  breathe - here we go.

Today's Lenten Message

February 27 ---  (I shudder just to write this)  Give up caffeine, sugar or meat for today.  How did you body, mind and soul feel.

What - I can't have a bacon donut with large coffee this morning?  How will I exist?

Back in the day I use to say that I ran on Coffee and Candy. 

But seriously (I wrote the above yesterday when I read ahead) I prayerfully considered what to do.  So I decided to sleep on it and start the day with elimating all three and see which one I could stick with, lol!

Meat, of course, is the easiest - but it will depend on what I make for supper.  The frozen pizza I have has meatballs on it - so it might be easier to order Papa Johns and have it either plain or with a veggie on it.  Lunch is a white bean wheat berry salad and some roasted carrots so that's already meat free.

Next there was caffeine - on a good day I could do without but not today.  Last night I came down with a major headache, so I took Benedryl and was foggy minded this morning, and I didn't want to not have caffeine and get a caffeine headache later.  So I started the morning with the usual cup of joe, but on the drive in my headache returned, but it is still not as bad as last nights, so keeping my fingers cross on that.  The coffee at work is decaf anyway, so I am not having a huge amount of it.  I'll skip the Pepsi Max tonight.

Lastly, sugar....Oh how I love thee...so since this is the most difficult - I will try to do without it.  (Good luck Barbara, since you sit behind me -- around 3 I should be getting the heebie jeebies).  I almost blew it this morning when I got jelly out for my toast, then I remembered so I switched to some laughing cow cheese.  Since sugar is indeed my downfall I will let you know tomorrow how I did, and how I felt.

So if you had all of the above already, you might want to try this challenge on another day, if not try one for today and remember - you can do all things with God who strengthens you.

40 days of Lent - Getting rid of excess

Today's thought is.....

February 26 - Whatever you have too much of, get rid of some of it today.  This might mean a trip to Goodwill or one less trip to the refrigerator or an apology you need to make.

I wonder.....does this include body fat?

Guess not, but if it did - I was ready to donate it!

When I was laid off a little while ago I  used that time to clean out the closets and get rid of all the excess stuff; and since our church has flea markets twice a year, I use that as an excuse to keep me from becoming a hoarder. 

I have also taken to heart the Lenten thought from February 16 and have been buying one item for the food bank each week - it also had me taking stock of the pantry to see what else I could donate.  But the last part of the thought for today is the most interesting -  "an apology you need to make".  I guess they also want us to clean out our conscience. 

Lent is a good time to get rid of any excess - it is a perfect time to take stock , and this includes all the areas of our lives.  So whether you have too many packs of noodles or too much guilt, it's time to get rid of it.

40 days of Lent - Moving the Mountain

Today's Lenten thought

February 25 - Jesus says even tiny faith can move mountains.  What are the "mountains" you could move with the faith your already have?

Whew - that's a tough one.   I got a lot of "mountains" I would like to move, but sometimes I don't feel that I have enough faith to move them.  Sometimes the faith is just the faith that I have in myself.  I believe that with God all things are possible, but I forget to include Him in my daily struggles, the little things I feel that I should not bother him with.

We all feel that sometimes we shouldn't be calling on God for the little things, or for our own shortcomings, but God doesn't mind.  He says to pray unceasingly so He knows and is ready to help with the "small stuff".

Todays Lenten thought is from the scripture in Matthew 17:20 - You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."

A mustard seed is so tiny but yet Jesus said that this is enough to move a mountain.  Now that is an empowerment - I feel better already just knowing that.  How about you, are you ready to move your mountains?