Clearing Out for Lent
Today is the first day of March…. really, where did that time go? Today is also Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. If you are like me, Southern Baptist, you probably didn’t grow up observing Lent. If you have family members of other faiths, you may have some fleeting knowledge of this time of reflection, self-examination, and repentance. I will not go into the specifics of this spiritual season, but if you have some time, read a few articles about Lent. One of the ideas that recently came across my field of vision is the practice of letting go of things, cleaning out, and repurposing items or habits in our lives that are redundant, wasted, or unhealthy. I love this! So many years during Lent, people give up drinking coffee or eating desserts. Who benefits from these sacrifices? Certainly, not the people who have to put up with those making sacrifices, because, let’s be honest, we tend to like to broadcast our forfeitures. Am I, right? What better way to focus on someone other than ourselves than by donating unused items? Because today is the day before my trash is picked up, I will be gathering old newspapers and magazines, and culling my collection of jars and bottles. I expect my recycle bin to be overflowing by the end of the day. So, pull out some clothes you can’t wear, small kitchen appliances you have hidden in the garage, and toys your kids ignore, and bless someone as your act of Lenten sacrifice.
