Lent Challenge 2019

Once more I’ve set myself a challenge and once again, I’m not sure I can keep it up! Always a dreamer, a starter of something new but rarely a finisher, I’m too distracted by something new and shiny!

Anyway, my challenge to myself was to share old blog posts on Facebook throughout Lent, it seemed at the time a bit easier than the idea of giving up chocolate for 40 days.

I’ve written lots in the past and much of it about my faith and those are the things I feel I should share. I’ve learnt much over the years and it’s good to remind ourselves of previous lessons. Life is so often cyclical and we do have a tendency to make the same mistakes – it’s not just me, is it?

Old habits die hard and I guess that’s what Lent is about – examining ourselves and creating new routines that are hopefully more honouring to God and the ways he calls us to walk in.

As I said I’ve written much in the past but I am aware of many words roaring around my head that I need to get down.

A lot has happened in the past few months and tor those who don’t know, I will get to that another day as I unpick my deep thoughts.

I suppose ultimately my goal is to write more and get back into the writing habit, it is what I feel “called” to do.

Sounds a bit pompous, foolish even – why should my words matter?

In a lot of ways my writing is personal but I know in the past it has helped others and I do have a desire to see my words reach more people.

As part of my own personal lent devotions this year I sent for the Tearfund booklet Enough. Actually I thought it was a daily email drop but this is somehow better, having something tangible in my hand to flick through.

Today’s reflection is entitled – Foolishness.

Foolishness – well I know all about that. I am the girl who does daft things, who slips over gracefully giggling in the mud while out walking with friends, who loves dressing up and acting out Bible stories in school assemblies. I’m typically self-deprecating, I dye my hair bright pink, I love Jesus, I write silly stories and poems to make my friends laugh.

I’m “mad as a box of frogs” as one of my friends would say!

I guess my moto is life is too short to NOT be foolish.

So today’s Tearfund devotion starts with Isaiah 1:17

            “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.

            Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”

Obviously the second sentence is something very close to my heart, those words are a reminder of how God wraps me and my boys up in his loving arms. We have been blessed by many prayers and gifts since Andrew died that have upheld us and made us strong.

My boys amaze me every day by how they have grown into wonderfully caring and considerate young men. I am so blessed.

And the best thing to do with the blessings we are given is to in turn bless others.

The Tearfund devotion ends today with a Franciscan benediction, which finishes with these words…

“may God bless us with enough foolishness to believe that we can make a difference in this world, so that we can do what other’s claim cannot be done.”

In writing these words to share, is it foolishness, is it a blessing to others? Sometimes you just have to put thing out there, sow some seeds and see where they fall and how they grow.

If we don’t try to make a difference then we never will.

So I shall endeavour to keep up my writing and reposting challenge as we go through lent and see where it leads.

It really is a better plan than giving up chocolate – now where did I put the chocolate biscuits?