LESSONS OF LENT

As you may have noticed, the Computer Gestapo took away my ability to blog and facebook. Apparently some people have nothing to do all day at work but play Farmville. The rest of us who just take a moment to update and check updates were totally put out to pasture. But here, this once more before Lent is over, let me give you an update on my status...
The goals of my Lenten trek were simple: follow Jesus and share in his Passion. Passion week is yet to come, and there is still plenty of time to share in his Passion, but I've done much so far. I made it my quest to give up carbonation. I soon learned that this is about as easy as giving up smoking. Sure it would be healthier for me. My body didn't feel any better without the beverages than it did with them...and the worst part, I was an emotional basket case. Finally, one Saturday morning, I had taken all I could stand. I took myself in my pajamas and house shoes to the local gas station, pick up a 16 oz DP, and with shaking hands and weak body, handed the cashier my money. By the end of the afternoon, I had an IV hooked up with the bubbly fluids. I was back to normal by Sunday, and by Monday I had gained 2 pounds. From the binging is my guess. Now, I have about one DP or Coke a day, and some days I go without. And I feel guilty for falling off the wagon. Jesus asked Peter and the others to stay with him. I have run out of the garden and down the path.
The other goal was not to watch too much TV or listen to too much radio. This is still going well. I have had more quiet nights and more peaceful days. I have also supplemented some of the Catholic station EWTN's programming for regular programming. I have learned so much, and have a much richer base for reflection now. Although it is a men's program, I learned much from a show called Crossing the Goal. Set up on a stage similar to Sports Center on ESPN, the men on this show sit and share their faith with each other and the audience. It is awesome. The particular episode I caught one day was discussing how suffering is okay. That we should be willing to suffer the hard times, the pain. Jesus suffered the utmost for us. What is a little migraine headache? A lot to migraine sufferers, I know. I have one today. The idea is to not ask God why you, why today, but to offer the pain up to God. Ask that His glory will come from your pain, as it did from Jesus' pain on the cross. There is a line in Job that talks about Job continuing to have faith amidst the hard times and it says..."In all this, Job did nothing sinful".

I have learned, am still learning, this Lent to die to myself. My daughter, Erin, and I had a wonderful conversation one night (when we were not watching TV or listening to the radio). She told me that she didn't think I believed in God. I asked her why. She said because I yell at her and get mad, and I whip her...no child likes to be whipped...but I took this statement to heart. I said, "Erin, just because I whip you, it doesn't mean I don't love you. I am whipping you to keep you from making the same mistake again. When I yell at you, it doesn't mean I don't believe in God, but maybe I'm not acting very much like Jesus." I have been learning not to give in to my temper when it starts to flare, but to regroup and start again...this can be applied everywhere. Above all, I am learning to ask for forgiveness when I do...from God and my children.