Confession: I love Lent. I know, it's supposed to be a time of mourning of our sins and remembering that Jesus died and fasting and, really, like the saddest time of the year. But, for some reason, I can't help but love it. It's seriously one of my favorite times of year. I always forget it is, too. Like, once Halloween rolls around I'm like "YUS! Halloween!" Then there's Thanksgiving and CHRISTMAS!!! But, once Ash Wednesday happens, I get really pumped for the next 40 days.
Maybe it's that, not looking at it religiously, it kind of marks the beginnings of Spring. I mean, that always brings a smile to my face. One year, I was in one of my favorite productions I'd ever done all during Lent until Easter. And, it just so happens, that that experience brought me closer to God (It was so amazing, thought, seriously. Come talk to me about it sometime! If you want. No stress). Maybe it's that Shamrock Sake at McDonald's. But mostly, I think it's a memory. A memory that happens to be very strong and vivid in my mind.
Most of my good feelings in life come from what that thing reminds me of: memories. About three years ago, on Ash Wednesday, we went to our church's Ash Wednesday service. I had expected my pastors (who are normally joking all over the place and socializing) to be up and about and for the whole atmosphere to be one like it is Sundays. But it was different. The church was dimly lit and everyone was sitting in a pew, quietly looking forward. For some reason, that image has always stuck with me. It's a beautiful image. Then, of course, I didn't understand what exactly God wanted or needed from me, but I sat with the others.
Since then, and really because of that experience, I have understood Lent to be a time of year you truly grow closer, not only to God, but to all around you. Or at least I do. It's strange. In giving up something (or taking on something) I seek to have that whole filled with something more. Like more Friends/family time.
Jesus sacrificed everything for us, and did all he could do for us. There have been books on top of books on top of books explaining it and many movies depicting it, yet I never understood the amount of what that is until I walked into the dimly lit, silent church. Crazy how God brings it to us and makes us understand how we can understand. Truly amazing.
That's why I love Lent. Because I think in the back of my head, I get that God was helping me to understand. He was reaching out to me. Though it's a simple image meaning anything, I understood it in a totally different, yet relevant way. We all have the weirdest way of loving things. That's why I love Lent!
Woo!
Mary Taylor
Maybe it's that, not looking at it religiously, it kind of marks the beginnings of Spring. I mean, that always brings a smile to my face. One year, I was in one of my favorite productions I'd ever done all during Lent until Easter. And, it just so happens, that that experience brought me closer to God (It was so amazing, thought, seriously. Come talk to me about it sometime! If you want. No stress). Maybe it's that Shamrock Sake at McDonald's. But mostly, I think it's a memory. A memory that happens to be very strong and vivid in my mind.
Most of my good feelings in life come from what that thing reminds me of: memories. About three years ago, on Ash Wednesday, we went to our church's Ash Wednesday service. I had expected my pastors (who are normally joking all over the place and socializing) to be up and about and for the whole atmosphere to be one like it is Sundays. But it was different. The church was dimly lit and everyone was sitting in a pew, quietly looking forward. For some reason, that image has always stuck with me. It's a beautiful image. Then, of course, I didn't understand what exactly God wanted or needed from me, but I sat with the others.
Since then, and really because of that experience, I have understood Lent to be a time of year you truly grow closer, not only to God, but to all around you. Or at least I do. It's strange. In giving up something (or taking on something) I seek to have that whole filled with something more. Like more Friends/family time.
Jesus sacrificed everything for us, and did all he could do for us. There have been books on top of books on top of books explaining it and many movies depicting it, yet I never understood the amount of what that is until I walked into the dimly lit, silent church. Crazy how God brings it to us and makes us understand how we can understand. Truly amazing.
That's why I love Lent. Because I think in the back of my head, I get that God was helping me to understand. He was reaching out to me. Though it's a simple image meaning anything, I understood it in a totally different, yet relevant way. We all have the weirdest way of loving things. That's why I love Lent!
Woo!
Mary Taylor
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