Lenten Irony

I'm guessing by now you have an idea what Lent is. I think I've explained it before, but here's a little refresher so you'll understand what I'm going to talk about. Lent is the 40 day church season preceding Resurrection (Easter) Season. Back in the day, people were often baptized on Resurrection Day (I suppose many still are). Lent was used as a period of preparation for baptism. Now Lent can be used by anyone as preparation for Resurrection season. Lent is a pentitential season. It is very solemn, all the "alleluias" are cut out of the liturgy, but we MORE than make up for it in Resurrection Season! It is a really good time to ponder the important things in life, to pray and meditate and ask God to really clean out some of the junk in our lives. It is a time to remember that "we are but dust and to dust we shall return" (as says the rector on Ash Wednesday). Back in the day people got rid of all the fat in their houses for Lent (hence Mardi Gras-Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday when you use up all the fat in your house).
A common practice in Lent is "giving up _________." Some people give up chocolate or some other delicious food. I had a friend give up love songs. I know people who give up earrings, fast food, all sweets, etc. Why do we give things up? Well, the 40 days of Lent also remind us of the 40 days that Jesus fasted and prayed in the desert. I think it is really healthy to have a desert withdrawal for 40 days a year. And as you can see, the "fasting" doesn't have to be extreme, but it should be something that requires a sacrifice. Fasting isn't something to be shown off. It is like an extra reminder of our need for and dependence on God. When we crave what we gave up-that is a signal to look to God to satisfy us and meet our needs.
Does everybody have to observe Lent? No! Do I know a lof of people that go to nonliturgical churches and still choose to observe it? Yes.
So, there's my take on Lent. This sounds weird but it is actually one of my favorite times of the year. I don't often take the time to ask God and let him really search me out and clean out junk in me that is not of Him. So I'm really grateful for these 40 days. And, celebrating Lent makes Resurrection time even MORE wonderful and exciting! Resurrection Day is one of my absolute FAVORITE days of the whole year!!
This year I gave up mousse and gel. I like to think I'm not terribly vain. I hardly ever wear makeup, I only shave my legs once a week (aren't you glad I told you that?), I'm ok with wearing t-shirts in public, etc. But, I don't like my wild curly hair to be a disaster. Mousse and gel are wonderful ways to control my hair and they make it look really nice. I wasn't about to face the world with totally crazy hair, but I figured I'd just do enough to control it pulling it back or covering it-which I didn't think would be terribly flattering, but that would do the trick. I'd still miss my mousse and I wouldn't look or feel as nice without it. But I wouldn't feel like a disaster either. And, I decided to give up my contact lenses again too. Not only is that to take on my vanity, but it is also such a good reminder that I want to see others through God's eyes and not my own. I want to see and love others as He does.
Well, I've never gotten more compliments on how nice I look-even in spite of my glasses! Talk about irony! I think some of it might have to do with my hair covering headband-kerchiefy things I bought-especially since I hadn't worn them before. But, getting compliments during Lent makes it a lot easier to give the credit to God. I'm not ever trying to flaunt my looks and ESPECIALLY not in Lent! So, the credit goes to Him for making me the way I am. I'm definitely not dressing to impress!
But, regardless of whatever outer things I've (not) been doing, God has really been doing a great job at his Lenten work inside of me. Sins of pride and judgmentalness/supercriticism have really been attacked. I'll still be the first to tell you I'm far from perfect. But over the last few weeks, God has been cleaning, scraping and scrubbing hard! I am not the same girl who I was at the beginning of Lent.
You know how sometimes we get kind of comfortable in our sins? We know we're not supposed to do x, but it is such a habit and it isn't really that bad... then God takes the steel wool and scrubs off the sin-scum that has semi-cemented itself as part of your shower drain. It hurts. It is really uncomfortable. And God keeps scrubbing. One painful situation after another. It is most unpleasant. But then, with one more pass, the chunk of gunk breaks off. It's kind of weird to have water flow over that spot again. But oh, what freedom! The water can flow so easily and not get clogged in the drain! It feels so good to be clean! I know there's still a lot of scum and gunk that still need to go, but God is still at work. And He won't stop until His face reflects off every tube and facet.
There's only a week of Lent left to go, but it's never too late to ask God to take off your drain cover and get to work.
Thanks for reading. :-)