The Season of Lent

In the Christian Faith, Lent is the period between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. It is 40 days long and represents the 40 days of Jesus’ temptation and fasting in the desert.  Lent is meant to be a time of reflection and preparation for Easter.  It is a time for us to intentionally be reminded about our need for Jesus.

In much of the country, including Kansas City,  we are ordered to stay-at-home to help slow the spread of COVID 19.  People were already frightened and hoarding more toilet paper, paper towels and pasta than they could use in 6 months.  I am looking at this order as a way to intentionally reflect on my need for Jesus.  I am looking to Him for peace in the unknown.  I am looking to Him for some quiet in a normally busy life.  I am looking to Him to continue to change my heart so that when this season of Lent, and this season of uncertainty is past, I will remain changed.

This morning, Church looked different for my family.  We sat in our family room with the iPad hooked up through the TV.  Zachary was in his robe and pajamas and holding the rabbit.  Jason sat on the couch with his feet up with Odo in his lap.  Anna sat on the other side with Kira in her lap.   And Sarah sat on the love seat with one of the cats.  I am grateful for the Church staff and volunteers who made it possible to have service this way.  I feel like it is a good way to get out of the complacency that can come with going and sitting in a pew each week.

We went out to drop a first birthday gift at a friend’s doorstep for her son whose birthday party is going to look different this week too.  We got  the kids GraviTrax to play with, and the girls spent an hour and a half with Jason building today.  It is a fun way to spend some time, work on some problem-solving and physics.

And we also invested in a new goal for the backyard.  The goal we have is 12 ft wide by 6 feet tall (Zach’s goals are 24 feet wide and 8 feet tall).  Unfortunately, when playing, the ball often hits the neighbor’s fence, the house, goes over the fence into the daycare, or into the street.  This goal is 16 feet wide by 7 feet tall, but it also extends to 10 feet high and 29 feet wide as a backstop/rebounder.  It has been raining quite.a bit, but as soon as the ground is a bit more dry, Zach will put it up in the backyard.

We still choose joy.  We refuse to live our lives in fear and worry.  Or anger.  Or disappointment.  In the uncertainty, we chose joy.  In the disappointment, we chose joy.  God is big enough to handle those emotions too, and it is ok to feel them.  But, we still chose to live in joy.

Choose Joy, friends.