Day 206-22

E brought up a good point about Mardi Gras, happening next Tuesday. It’s the time of gorging on food as a way of ‘preparing’ for Lent. I like the idea of Shrove Tuesday a bit better (with the self-examination, confession of sins and receiving absolution) but til that becomes more prominent we'll just have to keep with this.

I haven’t thought much about Lenten disciplines because it never seems to be something I do well. (Hell, I can’t even discipline myself now - I’m not disciplined enough in general, I guess.) But I think this year would be good for me to really think about – no more cookies, exercise more, daily meditation.

It seems almost like a New Year’s Resolution which I guess in a way it would be. Lent, though in the middle of the year, is really a preparation for Christ’s death and resurrection. We know how it will end (I think about the disciples who had no clue and how much more traumatic that must have been), we know the outcome – we know the greatness of the Easter moment…but to really feel that greatness I think we need to see Lent is a very important time – a time to focus on what’s coming and our service to the Lord.

Not sure this is done by giving up on cookies and exercising more but maybe that’ll help.