But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.
Back when I made today’s hair appointment, using my secular pagan Blackberry calendar, I didn’t realize that today is, you know, Ash Wednesday.
I choose to see this as my following Matthew 6 to an even greater degree than I’d thought possible: fasting, but with fabulous, fabulous hair. Fabulous for today, as I will return to my near-“product”less state tomorrow. Tomorrow, when I’m eating.
Christopher will receive his First Communion in April, so I feel like he’s at the point where he can understand Lent (“no, I don’t”) and make some sort of sacrifice (“You are just tired of me playing Wii.”) We’re working on finding something he can give up that won’t cause a realignment of the entire family’s schedule – like giving up Scouts, or pasta (“Wait – you’re still going to eat pasta, even if I give it up?”).
So I tried to provide suggestions and feedback without giving him direct instruction as to what should be sacrificed. After mulling over several options, he decided to give up comic books.
“Comic books? What comic books do you read?” There are the Indiana Jones graphic novels from the library, but he finishes those before we’ve walked out the door. We often put them in the outdoor return slot as we’re headed home with the rest of our books.
But then his sister reminded me that he does read comic books – “You know, like Dilbert!”
I didn’t really think an eight-year-old boy was the prime audience for office humor, but he does, indeed, love Dilbert. Which leads to casual mentions of marketing and human resources over dinner, to the amusement of those who have actually worked in offices before.
Mary Margaret has decided to join in the Lenten fun, too, and is giving up Barbies – well, two of her Barbies. The one with the gold glittery dress, and another one. Since she just got a glamourous haul of Barbie clothes for her birthday, I was impressed with this idea.
As for me, well, there’s the giving up semi-frivolous Internetting, the more regular use of the prayer box, and the quit my bellyaching already.
I would also like to listen to podcasts. I don’t know how to do that. I am scared of podcasts. What if I break the Internet? Is Relevant Radio a podcast? Jeff Cavins is doing a seven-part series on applying Scripture to your daily life, but I don’t think I can listen when he’s on “the air.” Is it still considered “on the air” if it’s a podcast? Where is the charger for my Zune?
For all of you who are observing Lent, I hope it will be a rich and revealing spiritual experience. I really enjoy Lent but have to make sure I’m not letting it become New Year’s Resolutions, Part Deux. It’s not meant to be a Pelagian quest to perfect oneself, but a journey in dependence on God alone and not all the little things that we might think we “can’t live without.”
Can I tell you how ridiculous I feel that I told myself, “I could never give up Facebook!!!!!!!” I even used excess exclamation points in my head. I knew that was a sign it was time to return to the desert, that 34-year period BF (before Facebook).
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