Thoughts on Lent

What is Lent and what does it have to do with me?

I have been asking myself this question for a few years and have decided that Lent is not necessarily a Biblical practice, but the principles are very Biblical.  Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and is the 40ish days leading up to Easter.  It is a practice that was started by the Catholic Church but now observed by many denominations.  Usually the idea is to fast from something for this period of time.

I grew up Baptist, and all that lent (lint) was to me was something in my bellybutton or the bottom of my pocket.  I had no experience with it whatsoever.  We celebrating Easter and always got a new dress and Easter Baskets with candy and had an Easter Egg Hunt.  We often had some sort of Easter play at church and a big Easter lunch with ham and deviled eggs.

When we were newly married, my husband and I moved to Costa Rica to be missionaries.  We learned a whole different Easter while living there.  People definitely observed Lent, usually fasting from meat and other things and talked about it often.  Then during Semana Santa (Holy Week) no one went to work.  It was a time for family and vacations.  On Good Friday, there was a very bloody and somber processional of Jesus and the Saints and then on Saturday (the very devout) would not eat or use electricity or work at all.  They were often overcome when talking about Jesus's sacrifice for them.  Then Sunday came, and everyone went back to normal.  Seriously.  Even at church there was very little focus on Christ's resurrection.

One thing that really stuck with us after our experience was that in the past, we probably had not put enough focus on Christ's suffering.  But also that Easter Week is incredibly depressing without the Resurrection.  

A few years ago we started attending an Anglican Church and found that they balance these two aspects very well.  Celebrating Ash Wednesday, when we focus on our sin and mortality, while remembering the hope that we have in Jesus, then observing Lent in a way that help us to learn to depend on God and reflect on Him in times of want, having a Good Friday Service reflecting and contemplating Christ's very difficult death and then a whole season of celebration for Easter-- full of feasting and goodness!  

I think there are so many healthy aspects to following a liturgical calendar and celebrating seasons in the Church.  During Advent, we intentionally slow down during the busiest time of the year to focus on the coming Savior.  And during Lent, I am trying to remove time suckers in order to make more room for intentional living.  For me, this is clutter, noise, and over-commitment. When I give these up, it in turn gives me more time, focus, and energy for God and my family.  Win, win.  

I don't personally believe that the fast has to be painful, but this one will definitely take discipline for me.  I won't listen to podcasts when I am in the car (sniff, sniff), I will purge our home (40 bags in 40 days is a thing) and I will scale back where I am giving away my time (volunteering is good, but not when you have no margin at home).

I have also talked to some friends who have said that for Lent instead of giving something up, they are adding something.  For example, writing a Thank You note to one person every day for 40 days, going for a reflective walk everyday, committing to a daily quiet time for 40 days, etc.  I love all of these ideas!

Lent is a season in the Christian Church to draw you in to reflection and awe at how sinful we are and what an amazing gift of sacrifice the Lord made on our behalf.  However you feel led to celebrate it is up to you!

Yin & Yang

I have 2 ten year olds.  They are 3 months apart.  For years now I have been answering the question, "Are they twins?"  Um, no.  But having 2 kids the same age in the same grade feels a lot like having twins, so I often just respond, "Virtual twins."

They are both incredibly smart.  They are equally passionate and inquisitive.  One is in the gifted program at school, one is pulled out for remedial reading and math.  One is representing his class in the school Spelling Bee this week, the other struggles to read and spell the simplest words because she has dyslexia.

One has perfect vision, one is legally blind.  One we call "Whisper 2000" because he hears everything-- whether it is his business or not, the other wears hearing aids.
One is biological, one is adopted.  One had nothing traumatic or hard happen to him as a baby, the other was abandoned at two months and lived in a Chinese orphanage for 3 years.  Years.
These two used to be best friends.  Inseparable.  Then they turned 9 and started to fight all the time. One is jealous because he thinks the other gets more attention at home, the other is jealous because she thinks everything is easy for him.

As parents we see both sides.  We get both sides.  We don't have to split our hearts to hurt for both of them.  We are their parents and we love them equally, but differently.
Over the course of the last few months we have been contemplating sending our daughter to another school.  A private school for kids with dyslexia.  It is a wonderful school, but it is expensive and they do not have the vision services that she needs.  We just didn't know if it was the right decision for her.

We never budgeted or planned for private school.  I had recently quit my job to be home.  My kids ride the bus, which I love!  I would rather not have to drive 20 minutes one way two times per day to get her there...  I always wanted my "twins" in the same school, in the same class even. Putting them in different schools was not how I had planned it.  But after a lot of thought and prayer, I was pretty convinced what we had going was not the best situation.  For her, but because they were so connected, it was also negatively affecting him.  He shouldn't feel guilty that school is easy.  And it's no fun for her to daily watch him, and grow bitter about how much harder everything is for her.

They are so different and so are their needs.  After touring the private school and learning more about what is available to her, we decided to just take the leap and do it.  It is a place that we can totally see her fitting in and blossoming.  She is truly amazing and just needs to be given opportunities to show it.

As a parent, seeing the big picture in decisions that we make for our kids is not always natural. Seeing the logistical challenges and price tag(s) is.  At least for me.  Today the official school acceptance came in and the change became official.  For the past 3 hours they have been playing together and enjoying each other more than they have in the past 2 years.  I am not exaggerating. Something beautiful is about to happen with my Yin & Yang.  Freedom for both of them to be who they are, who God made them, without the stress of comparison or competition. I'm excited to watch it unfold!