I don't usually honor the Lenten fast. I come from the Church of Christ tradition that says "every day is Easter." But I'm trying to be more purposeful this year. All I can truly say I know or have done in the past is give up something minor for the 40 days. But that's only part of it. So I'm trying to be more purposeful beginning yesterday (Ash Wednesday for me) and today, I'm getting out of my selfishness and it God's selflessness.
Here are some quick thoughts:
The air quality in Chiang Mai is horrible right now. You can see the smoke hanging in the air. It's a combination of the seasonal "burn everything" tradition, the pollution of vehicles, the cooler than usual temperatures, and the lack of wind clearing the valley basin.
Reading and thinking about Ash Wednesday and Lent (
here and
here) today, I realized that the feeling of an impending apocalypse is the perfect way to start this season of focus. Ash is hovering in the air around us--we're even breathing it in--and the mood is set.
When the world feels like it's going to end, you have the perfect setting to reexamine your life up to this point. I'm going to use this time to explore the ways I've been selfish for so long, the ways I haven't been the man I want to be, and the ways I can achieve significant growth in Christlikeness this season.
I pray you are able to do the same.
I come from the Baptist tradition, where "rituals" are treated with contempt. But I've been thinking lately that maybe the religious calendar is the best way to make everyday Easter. I don't know all the details, but there seems to be a new religious event every 40 days or so. Just something i'm exploring.
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