March 5, 2014 at 11:20pm
I’ve never observed Lent before. This year it wasn’t even on my mind until I started seeing some posts about it popping up on Facebook. I actually thought it had started this past Monday so figured I missed the boat if I was even going to try and participate.
Then this morning, as I was getting ready for work, I suddenly found myself reminded of a “Negativity Fast” I had been a part of around 5 years ago. It had been a helpful experience back then and I’ve always been grateful for the good that came of it.
I have an inkling that this reminder came from my mind musing over 2 random occurrences last night (Tuesday) that had popped out at me.
While doing a quick run to the grocery store, I went to the check-out lane and then proceeded to discover I had misread an advertisement that was ending that night and had to rearrange what I was going to purchase.
The clerk was super friendly and patient. She helped me figure out what the deal was and priced checked items and everything. I kept changing my mind and starting saying “Sorry…sorry!!!” and she just calmly says:
"Don’t be sorry - be yourself."
And that just put me immediately at ease and released the stress I was building in my head. The whole exchange was less than 5 mins but it totally changed my night. (There was a survey on the receipt so I praised her performance and the Manager called me this morning and said he was going to print it up and post the positive review on the board and personally praise her.)
Then I was watching ABCFamily’s Twisted. Two of the main characters are having some inner-turmoil over an accident and trying to figure out if they should speak up. A minor character sees the girl main character distressed and tells her to stop over-thinking things and tries to help her gain a new perspective by pointing out moping and worrying will not help anything. In fact, letting things in the past turn into guilt and having it eat-you-up only keeps you from truly experiencing the beautiful things in life.
With these to encouragements coming out of the blue, I had a wake up call to how much I’ve let negativity take over my life. Worry, stress, fear, bitterness, bad-mouthing, depression, selfishness, etc.
So I looked up Lent and discovered TODAY was Ash Wednesday and the beginning of sacrificing for ultimate betterment and correction of self.
With these things in mind, I’m hoping to use the next 40 days as a way to check my motives and intentions in what I think, say, and do.
Now this is not synonymous with saying Yes to everything and being unable to give a “negative” answer of No to unhealthy things.
It’s saying Yes to healthy/positive things and turning down/away from things that are dragging me into a state of wallowing.
Sarcasm is going to be a case-by-case decision because I don’t think it’s only a mean-spirited thing, but overall there will probably be less of that.
If I'm tagging you in this, feel free to keep me accountable if you notice. :)
Isiash 58:6-
Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Then this morning, as I was getting ready for work, I suddenly found myself reminded of a “Negativity Fast” I had been a part of around 5 years ago. It had been a helpful experience back then and I’ve always been grateful for the good that came of it.
I have an inkling that this reminder came from my mind musing over 2 random occurrences last night (Tuesday) that had popped out at me.
While doing a quick run to the grocery store, I went to the check-out lane and then proceeded to discover I had misread an advertisement that was ending that night and had to rearrange what I was going to purchase.
The clerk was super friendly and patient. She helped me figure out what the deal was and priced checked items and everything. I kept changing my mind and starting saying “Sorry…sorry!!!” and she just calmly says:
"Don’t be sorry - be yourself."
And that just put me immediately at ease and released the stress I was building in my head. The whole exchange was less than 5 mins but it totally changed my night. (There was a survey on the receipt so I praised her performance and the Manager called me this morning and said he was going to print it up and post the positive review on the board and personally praise her.)
Then I was watching ABCFamily’s Twisted. Two of the main characters are having some inner-turmoil over an accident and trying to figure out if they should speak up. A minor character sees the girl main character distressed and tells her to stop over-thinking things and tries to help her gain a new perspective by pointing out moping and worrying will not help anything. In fact, letting things in the past turn into guilt and having it eat-you-up only keeps you from truly experiencing the beautiful things in life.
With these to encouragements coming out of the blue, I had a wake up call to how much I’ve let negativity take over my life. Worry, stress, fear, bitterness, bad-mouthing, depression, selfishness, etc.
So I looked up Lent and discovered TODAY was Ash Wednesday and the beginning of sacrificing for ultimate betterment and correction of self.
With these things in mind, I’m hoping to use the next 40 days as a way to check my motives and intentions in what I think, say, and do.
Now this is not synonymous with saying Yes to everything and being unable to give a “negative” answer of No to unhealthy things.
It’s saying Yes to healthy/positive things and turning down/away from things that are dragging me into a state of wallowing.
Sarcasm is going to be a case-by-case decision because I don’t think it’s only a mean-spirited thing, but overall there will probably be less of that.
If I'm tagging you in this, feel free to keep me accountable if you notice. :)
Isiash 58:6-
Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
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