Lent (not the belly button kind)

Growing up protestant and a conservative one at that so have precluded me from understanding and participating in all things Lent. I do not remember it being said but somehow believed that Lent was something that only Catholics or high-church folks participated in. It was a ritual and not something we “good” protestants participated in.

As I got older I realized that I missed a great observance for many years. I do have to tell you that the whole Fat Tuesday (live like hell) so you can repent and have a dusty forehead (Ash Wednesday) practice seems really different to me, but the 40 days between that Wednesday and Easter Sunday called Lent appeals to me. Fasting, not my strongest spiritual discipline, appeals to me a little bit. I even thought about and then read about a tech fast (supported by the Pope) and think that could be viable in this socially networked world. But, whatever I fast from, needs to be channeled to focused prayer time for me. I talk about prayer, and even participate in it many times per day, but I am not sure I really do that guttural type prayer. I take that back, I experienced that kind of prayer when my mom’s body was being decimated with cancer. But does it really have to take someone I love being tormented before I engage in that level of prayer.

I long for a heart that sees people as God sees them. Either they are in His Kingdom or they are not. How do I channel all that I am into helping others enter into the Kingdom? I am not giving up much for Lent, but I am picking up a heart that longs for those outside of the Kingdom.