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.