Lenten Reflections

Every year as Lent approaches I feel weary from the busy-ness of the holiday season and getting back into the grove afterward…  I find myself longing for some time for reflection, and drawing back to God.  It always seems to come just when I need a recharge….

And this year is no different.  The Fall/Winter season has left me overwhelmed and tired.  I came down with Shingles in November and it seemed to never end….  By the time I was coming out of the fog that the Shingles and the medicine for them put me in I was surrounded by loose ends and things left undone or done wrong.  As I type this I am still feeling behind in the things I usually try to stay on top of….  I’m surrounded by a mountain of laundry, and many other chores that have not gotten the attention they need…

But the household chores aren’t the only things that have not gotten the attention that they need.  My family hasn’t either.  It seems like I’ve talked for quite some time about needing to get some things off my plate, and having Shingles made that even more evident to me.  As I went through the Fall/Winter season it seemed like my whole world was falling apart.  My marriage has suffered.  My kids have suffered.  I have suffered.  Even my relationship with God has suffered.

Life has a way of passing us by.  We can be present in the moment and still miss it.  This is something that has baffled. me for a long time.  I’ve homeschooled my kids for 8 years and still feel like I have missed so much….  how???

Many days, especially recently, I’ve found myself going from day to day, just trying to make it from sun up to sun down. 

There have even been days in the last year when I have said to myself, “I hate my life”.

In reality, I don’t.  If I take a minute to step away from the pure exhaustion, I have a great life.  I have many, many things to be thankful for.  I guess this is a lot of the reason I haven’t really talked about my dark feelings.  I know there are so many others who have much less to be thankful for than I do.  But that doesn’t make the pain any less real.

Maybe you’ve felt this way.  Maybe you’ve felt this aloneness that I am talking about.

But God.

I say it all the time- it never ceases to amaze me the way our God cares for us in such a personal way in the middle of our trials.  Sometimes we’re so wrapped up we don’t see it, but He is always there.

In the last couple of weeks I’ve had a couple of messages that I know came from God…  One in the form of an email from my Dad, asking me if my heart was ok…  Interesting, since it has been broken recently…..  And another from a host of mine from Pampered Chef who sent me a message on Facebook telling me she had dreamed I was depressed and she needed to talk to me about it.  Why do I know these were from God?

My dad lives in Colorado, and I haven’t been able to talk to him for a while because of the busyness, so he had no idea how I was feeling…

My host is just that- someone who I met through my business, who doesn’t know me on a personal level more than facebook and we are not in the same circle for her to know I have been struggling.  Perhaps her message touched me the most.  That she would follow through and message me, and take the risk of being vulnerable enough to share her dreams with  me.  Isn’t this the gift of Christian Sisterhood at work?

“I have told you this so that through me you may have peace. In the world you'll have trouble, but be courageous—I've overcome the world!"  John 16:33

So, yes, it’s been a very dark time for me.  Things have happened in my life that have shaken me to my core.  I’ve let go of some things and endured some hurts that no one should.  Things I have only shared with my inner core of friends.  My inner core of prayer warriors whom I knew would pray for me.  And through this I have felt the power of prayer.  I have had days when I feel like everything will be ok, and days when I haven’t.  I don’t yet know what “ok” is, but I know at this point that I will get there.  And that’s an improvement.

So, back  to Lent…  It’s fitting that I’ve been through an emotional and spiritual winter, and I am now about to head in to Spring.  As the weather warms up, and new beginnings are all around, I’m looking for my own new beginnings.  That, in fact, is exactly what Lent is about….  It’s a period of reflection, of preparing for new beginnings, of shedding off the old, clothing ourselves with the new, of cleansing our hearts, minds, and souls.  It is, essentially our Spring Cleaning as Christians.

Traditionally, something is given up for Lent.  I’ve got a couple.  One of my goals is to not yell at my kids/family/friends/insert innocent victim here…  Yes, I have had some issues with yelling.  I’m not quiet.  Never have been.  But lately, in my state of being overwhelmed, it has gotten worse, and I’m not proud of some of my behaviors.  So, I’m going to aim to keep my voice down when I get frustrated.  Second, on the evenings when I’m home, I’m going to take at least one hour where I’m not on any electronics at all.  If the kids are watching something, I will actually watch it with them.  Interact with them…  No sitting on the couch with them while they watch their thing and I do my thing on the computer/phone/ipad/insert other distraction here..  Essentially I am giving these things up, but what I’m really do is giving my presence to those I love the most….  I’ve been so busy trying to catch up with everything that I’ve forgotten the most important thing I need to catch up on--- my family.

Additionally, I try to add something during Lent that I feel will enhance my Spiritual connection to God.  For now, I’ll start with our Wednesday Soup and Study at our church, continue Bible Devotions with my husband every day, and I’m going to try to make a more conscience effort to BE STILL….

So there it is.  I have told you since the beginning this blog is about my life, the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Today I’ve shared some of my ugly in the hopes that you won’t judge me, and that I am able to touch someone, somewhere and help them where they need it.

So, what are your thoughts on Lent?

Philemon 1:7

Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.

Singing Saturday-Arise My Love

Arise My Love- Newsong

Not a word was heard at the tomb that day.
Just shuffling of soldiers feet as they guarded the grave.
One day, two days, three days had past.
Could it be that Jesus breathed his last?
Could it be that his Father had forsaken him?
Turned his back on his son, dispising our sin.
Oh hell seemed to whisper, "Just forget it, He's dead."
Then the Father looked down to his son and he said..
Arise, My love.
Arise, My love.
The grave no longer has a hold on you
No more death sting
No more suffering
Arise...Arise...my love.

The Earth trembled and the tomb began to shake, and like lightening from Heaven
The stone was rolled away.
And this dead man the guards they all stood there in fright
As the power of love displayed its might
And suddenly a melody filled the air
Riding wings of wind, it was everywhere
The words of creation had been longing to hear.
The sweet sound of victory, so loud and clear.
Arise, my love.
Arise, my love.
The grave no longer has a hold on you.
No more death sting no more suffering
Arise...arise....

Sin, where are your shackles?
Death, where is your sting?
Hell; has been defeated. The grave will not hold, the king.

Arise, my love.
Arise, my love.
Arise....Arise....Arise

Family Time Friday- Easter Activities

Today is Good Friday.  What’s good about Good Friday?  Isn’t this the day that Jesus died for us?  What’s good about that?  It is because he died for our good.  It was our sins that put him there.  Your sin.  My sin.  It is sooooo important to teach our children about this.  And what Christ did for us.  And why.

As we go into Easter weekend surrounded by eggs and bunnies let’s not forget the real reason we celebrate Easter.

One activity I love to do with my kids is Resurrection Cookies.  It’s simple and really teaches a lesson.  If you do only one activity, this would be the one to do.

I also have have a set of Resurrection Eggs that I use often with my children.  When I use them, I will spread them out over 12 nights of lessons, because each one is a long enough lesson in it’s self.

There is the Scripture Cake that I found that looks like a lot of fun…  I think I’ll do this this year

You can make up a bag of jelly beans for the Jelly Bean Prayer.

Christmas morning and Easter morning I traditionally make Breakfast Casserole, so it’s done and there is one less thing to think about on those busy mornings

Here are some other pages with ideas:

Sunniebuzz

Kaboose

Apples for the Teacher

ABC Teach

Whatever you decide to do with your family this weekend, make it special, and make it about Christ.  Remember the importance of traditions with our children, and how traditions have impacted the church.

I hope you will all have a very blessed Easter as we celebrate that empty tomb!

Family Time Friday- Lent

Wednesday is Ash Wednesday.  If you’re not familiar with what Ash Wednesday is, Wikipedia has a great explanation.  Basically, though, it is the beginning of Lent, falling 46 days before Easter.  Lent lasts for 40 days, and does not include the Sundays because they are mini resurrection celebrations.  In liturgical churches it is common for Christians to fast during Lent.  What most people don’t realize is that a fast can be living without something, or it can be adding something in.  The purpose of the 40 days of Lent is to spend time slowing down, in a sort of 40 day long Sabbath, focusing more on God and less on the “stuff” of the world.  By fasting from things we draw our attention back to God.  I have always loved that the church sets aside this time, because usually around when Lent begins my life is beyond busy and I’m really starting to feel the consequences of that.  Let beckons me to slow back down.

Most years we do a family fast in addition to our personal fasts.  We choose something to fast from as a family.  One year we did TV!  That was HARD, but I’m glad we did it.  This year we haven’t fully decided yet (we better hurry!), but we’re talking about facebook or eating out.  I think we’ll probably end up with eating out.   Whatever we do, we’ll do it together to build family unity

Personally, I’m not really sure what I want to fast from.  I do want to add it some additional Sabbath practices, and spend more time just being with God.  Our church has an hour of silent prayer on Wednesdays, and that is sort of a Sabbath hour, so I’m thinking I may go to that every week during Lent.  Other than that, I’m not sure for my personal fast.  Maybe you all have some ideas!  I hope so!

You don’t have to belong to a liturgical church to participate in the practice of fasting for Lent.  It really has nothing to do with the church you attend, it’s all about you and God.  So, if you’re not in a liturgical church, I hope you’ll consider fasting for Lent.  I think you’ll learn some things about yourself, and draw closer to God.

If you’re fasting for Lent, I’d love it if you’d leave a comment so we can share with each other what we’re giving up.  I need some ideas!