Lenten Reflection: Carrie Asanji
Posted on March 31, 2012 by webadmin
I approached Lent this year in a different way. In prior years, I would attempt to deprive myself of something that would normally give me satisfaction like chocolate, sugar or coffee. What I have noticed, in the past, about these choices was that I would choose something that not only made me reflect and pray more when the cravings would come, but I would also choose something that I wanted to cut down on anyway. I would choose sweets or chocolate in an attempt to also loose some unwanted weight. Honestly, a lot of the time this was a bigger motivator than drawing closer to God.
Filed Under: Lent 2012
Lenten Reflection: Susan Budig
Posted on March 24, 2012 by webadmin
1 Samuel 16:7 ESV
“Do not look on his appearance… because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Two small, malleable discs, I’ve placed on my eyes each morning for the past 33 years. With them, my world is more distinct, I can count the leaves on the trees. Contacts are a practical way to overcome myopia. They also contribute, in my case, to my sense of beauty, aka vanity.
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Lenten Reflection: Emmylou Grosser
Posted on March 17, 2012 by webadmin
The Biggest Party of the Year
“I want to tell you about Lent,” I told my three-year-old as I was fixing her breakfast on Ash Wednesday. I had hardly begun to say anything when she interrupted, “Mom, stop talking about that.” Clearly, her tummy was empty and she just wanted me to hurry up her English muffin.
I resisted moving into a lecture on the season of fasting and instead said, “Lent leads up to the biggest party of the year, Easter.” Ah, that had the desired effect. “I like parties, especially birthday parties,” she responded.
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Lenten Reflection: Mary March
Posted on March 10, 2012 by Mary March
For Lent, I have given up baking and baked goods. I know it sounds trivial but if you lived with me or knew me in my college/graduate school days, you would know this is not trivial. Recently, a graduate school friend called and I told her that I gave up baking for Lent. She laughed and said, “That’s a big deal!” My hidden passion is baking and my greater hidden passion is eating my baked creations. After the craziness of the day when I have a free delicious moment to myself, I often de-stress by finding a recipe online and creating some sweet scrumptious (and now Daniel-safe) dessert.
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Lenten Reflection: Llafor Asanji
Posted on March 2, 2012 by llafor
Prior to 2007 lent has always been a time for the same rituals; figuring out which three days each week you would like to sacrifice to God and then fast. This fast would either be a dry fast (no food and water) or a wet fast (water only). It has always been a simple choice of going back and forth between one and the other; and as long as I locked myself at home and cuddled in my bed under my sheets…. I made it.
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Lenten Reflection: Ryan Engle
Posted on February 25, 2012 by Ryan Engle
Each Lent for the past 12 years or so with varying degrees of success, I have attempted to sacrifice a tangible, daily “good” to prepare myself spiritually to enter Holy Week. My rationale is when I remember my desire for the particular “good”, I can funnel that energy into prayer or reflection (similarly, I have achieved this aspect with only varying degrees of success).
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Why Fast During Lent?
Posted on February 21, 2012 by webadmin
Lent is the season in the Christian calendar preceding Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday (February 22, 2012) and lasts for 46 days until Easter Sunday. Traditionally, Christians have used this time as a time for fasting and self-denial. It is one of the two fasting seasons in the Christian calendar, the other being Advent. The focus of the Advent fast is denial in order to heighten our longing and anticipation of Christ’s future return. The focus of the Lenten fast is the mortification of the flesh.
Filed Under: Lent 2012