Into the Wilderness

Welcome to Lent 2015.  We observe Lent for 40 days because that is the symbolic time period of God forming his people.  The Israelites were in the desert for 40 years in preparation to enter the promised land (Dt 8:2), Moses fasted and prayed for 40 days to prepare to meet the Lord and receive the commandments (Ex 24:18), Jesus went into the desert and fasted for 40 days before starting his ministry (Mk 1:13) . . . . etc.  So welcome to the wilderness. 

This does not mean that we have to all go out and become hermits until Easter.  We live in the world and have our obligations.  But we do need to separate ourselves in some way from the everyday demands on our lives so that we can find a quiet space in which we can be formed by God in preparation for the Resurrection.  I am already beginning to wonder if I have found more quiet than I had bargained for.

I gave up TV for Lent. 

Actually, I am just curtailing my TV watching for Lent . . . limiting myself to just the morning news so that I know what to wear and if I need to leave for work earlier than usual (weather and traffic, in other words).  I have actually done this before, but that year I was gone to some meeting or event almost every weeknight, so I really didn't give up much.  This winter, I have cut back on many of my outside activities (some by design, others just didn't pan out) and have been home in the evenings more than not.  So, day 1, and I already don't know what to do with myself.

Of course, that is not strictly true.  Having thought about this Lenten discipline for several weeks now, I do have some ideas of how I will better use my time while not watching TV . . . I just expected somehow to ease into these activities - not to try to do them all on Ash Wednesday.  My plan?  I will read more (done some of that), pray (done some of that), journal (started), craft and start Spring Cleaning.  As it is almost 9:00, I think I will leave off the crafting and cleaning for another day.  I think I will try also to dovetail blogging in with the journaling . . . we'll see which (if either) I can actually keep up with.  I don't have a good track record with either.