Monday, March 25, 2013

It's not too late!

I have some good news:  If you are reading this, it is not too late!  Too late for what?  Almost ANYTHING.  If you are reading this, chances are you are alive. :-)

Are there things you wanted to change in your life?  Do you have habits that you wanted to let go of or establish?  Just because it has been difficult or or you've failed many times doesn't mean you signed a lifetime contract to do things a certain way.  As long as you are alive, you have the chance to change yourself.  It is not too late.  

Is there someone you need to forgive, in order for you to move on?  Do it now, while you still can.  Forgiveness is much harder after someone dies, but if you are still alive, do it now.  It may make the other person feel better, and it will make you feel better because you will be able to get on with your life.  Is there someone to whom you need to say "I LOVE YOU."?  Do so now.  Perhaps that person needs to hear it and it may change their life.  Again, it is so much easier to say that now, than after someone's death.

Have you let your house get dirty?  Go ahead and clean it up now.  Are you out of shape?  Change your diet and get active now.  If it's something you want, go ahead and do it.  Do you want a different job?  Go ahead and apply for one.  If you find that you don't want it after you learn more about it, you can always decline if you get an offer, but at least you will have looked.  Do you want to learn something new?  Sign up for a course.  Many online courses start monthly or any time and they are very flexible.  Have you given up on your New Year's resolutions?  I have more news for you:  TODAY IS THE START OF A NEW YEAR!

Have you fallen short of your goals for Lent this year?  There are still a few days left to do what you can.  Even when Lent is over, it will not be too late to try to build up character and virtue.

I have fallen short on some Lenten goals this year and have met or exceeded other goals.  

If you would like to share other ideas about what you can do at any time and without reason, feel free to leave a comment.


Sunday, February 17, 2013

After a tenth of Lent

As I write this, it is four days into the season of Lent, 2013;  One tenth of the way through the season. 

This time of year seems to be like a second chance at New Year's resolutions.  The difference is that with New Year's resolutions, people seem to give up on themselves if they break their promises to themselves.  If we break a promise to ourselves, how can we expect to possibly keep a promise with an often hidden God?  Still, we promise to do this or that or give up this or that.  Fortunately, with Lent there seems to be a stronger conviction to try again if we fail to keep our Lenten resolutions.  We can choose to abandon our Lenten resolutions or we can choose to try again because we feel guilty or because we know that it is only temporary, or we can be even more determined to make a permanent change in our lives. 

So far, this Lent, I have partially fulfilled my hopes for the season.  I had hoped to give up Facebook and Television, except on Sundays.  Instead of giving them up entirely, I have cut way back on both.  Of the two, television was the easiest to let go, due to a lack of good programming.  Facebook was harder to let go, but at least I no longer check it while on lunch or break at work and I just skim through it and update my status only sporadically.  While I could still further increase my prayer life, so far, for the most part, I have been faithful at starting and ending the day with prayers.

In addition to using by time better by writing more and cleaning house, I have also volunteered my time for something for later in the Spring which I hope will have long term benefits for a few people in my area.

I have a long way to go this Lent, but it is off to a fairly good start.