Ash Wednesday--Giving Up or Giving In?

Reading: Romans 12:2--"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (ESV)

This coming Wednesday is Ash Wednesday. For many years I have chosen to given up something for Lent. The days before Ash Wednesday have always been spent pondering what would constitute a good "sacrifice" for the Lenten season. With my former less-than-stellar eating habits, I've been known to go without cheeseburgers on white fluffy buns, sugar, or some other junk food that would be just enough of a culinary sacrifice to make me feel the pinch of "giving up" something.

Now, as Ash Wednesday and Lent once again approaches, my thoughts have turned more from "giving up" to "giving in". What does this mean? Perhaps "giving in" is a deeper, more spiritual  approach to better appreciate just how much more quality one's life can have on this Earth during one's short time here. We have a limited number of days here at "Earth School". During that short time, we have a lot to learn and to discover. Too many times we get caught up in the mundane, virtually meaningless drivel of day-to-day existence. As the old saying goes, we live life a "mile wide and an inch deep".

I don't want that anymore--I search to live a mile deep, if only an inch wide.

I think, for me, "giving in" will help me find that greater depth.  So what will I "give up  and give in"?

On a base level, I plan to give up foods and habits that keep my temple from being at its best.  I will mindfully "give up" the glue of gluten and practice yoga faithfully. My prayer is that these two determined practices will allow me to obtain the next phase--"giving in".  I want to consciously "give in" to the wisdom that surrounds me that is of God and his son, Jesus Christ. Taking time to take care of my bodily temple, I will take the time to learn the wisdom and patience that is required to not just go through the motions. Learning this skill and honing it will allow me to expand my conscious day-to-day thoughts and actions. I will be able to walk closer with Christ in this earthly journey.

So, on this approaching blessed Ash Wednesday, I invite you to allow yourself and "give up" and "give in"...and peace be with you. 

I'm In Control Here---A Humorous Thought

Stand in line at any grocery store by the periodicals and we're instantly bombarded by the word "Control".  "Control your weight", "Control your life", "Control your children", "Control your work environment". Control, control, control...we do seem to love the idea of being in control.


Perhaps we need to be in control to assure power or dominance over a situation; the "master of our universe", so to speak. There are certainly a few folks out there that would nod their heads in certain agreement that it's not only good but necessary that they feel in power or in dominance of their environment. Think not? Check the self-help section the next time you're at a mega-bookstore--the selves are over-flowing with advice on gaining control.


Most of us, however, just want to feel the sense of peace and flow that comes from a controlled environment. We're not confrontational people; we like people to get along with one another and us, we like for the dog to behave, and we like for the kids to listen. We do have a certain amount of control over some of the more basic things of life. If we weigh too much to suit, we know if we eat the right combination of foods, not too much of said food, and move around enough to satisfy the requirement for exercise, we'll most definitely be in control of that issue. If we start raising our kids the day we bring them home from the hospital and not when they're 8 or 9 years old, and all goes well with no situations that become out of our range of skills as basic caregivers, we'll be pretty successful in that capacity as well. If we carefully choose our mate and work diligently at making a marriage and a home, we'll more than likely be happily married many years down the road.


However...in TOTAL control? Think again; it's just not going to happen. And WHY would we want to be in total control? To do so is to say that we have all the answers, can solve all the problems, and know all that is to be known. Nope. Not gonna happen. We have someone who takes care of that for us...thank God. 


I always liked the joke where the guy asked God how difficult could it be to run the universe, and God, in response, said the guy could run it for an hour--He'd be back. Think about that...even Hollywood made an attempt a few years back by making a movie about the enormity of such an endeavor. I don't remember how it ended--probably Hollywood-esque well. However, the reality is that it doesn't have to be our job. And truly...we DON'T want the gig.


In Job, God gives an earful to both Job and to us. Job 38 gives a riveting reply from God to Job concerning all the glories of God and His universe. Verse 12, for example, "Have you ever once commanded the morning to appear, and cause the dawn to rise in the east? Verse 16, "Have you ever explored the springs from which the seas come, or walked the sources of their depths?" Verse 31, "Can you hold back the stars? Can you restrain Orion or Pleiades?" Yes, indeed. An earful. 


We have been given one aspect of control in our lives--the challenge of having the faith of a child eliminating the need for constant control. Kids know, on any given date, that things just work. Remember when you were a kid? No worries about being in control. We had the occasional spat with our neighbor kids when we all wanted to be the one in charge, but we were quick to forgive...it wasn't fun to hold a grudge and not get to play, so forget the control business. Too overrated!  In the Gospels, when Jesus is asked what is necessary to gain entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven, one of His replies is that we need to love our neighbors as ourselves...but without any grudges. So--want a control challenge? Try that. No grudges. Forget controlling all those around us; let's try controlling ourselves. We adults have trouble with those two things--we like to be in control and we do tend to harbor those grudges.


For this week, let's get a little taste of the true peace that passes understanding. Practice the idea of not having to be in control of everything and let God do what God does in running the universe quite well. Have the faith of a child that things are going to work out if we have faith and we let go of those nasty grudges. Try it for a week...better yet...give it up for Lent. Meditate and pray about it today, tomorrow, and Tuesday. Come Ash Wednesday--give it up. Think how much better we'll all feel and how much better we'll all look to our loving Father come Easter morning. 


Peace be with you.