Happy Made of Dirt Day!

Yesterday afternoon I called my mom, “I’m on my way home and stopping for food, do you want anything?” She proceeds to explain that there was food at home. “But it’s Mardi Gras and I want Chick-fil-a one last time.” So pulled through the drive through (I have a soft spot for Chick-fil-a sandwiches) and ordered my sister and myself lunch. Mardi Gras originally started as a festival, carnival, where everyone would purge their cabinets of all of the food you would not eat during Lent.


For some reason it has morphed into a day where anything goes, a last hurrah, the last day to ‘be bad’ before we have to give up all the ‘fun’. I love fat Tuesday, we make pancakes at church, but when a day is dedicated to ‘a last hurrah’… I have to wonder if that is aligned with the true meaning of lent.


I was walking to class this morning with a really good friend and mentioned Lent. “Isn’t that a catholic thing?” they asked.


I looked it up. It’s a Catholic, Methodists, Lutheran, and Presbyterian thing.


Funny: I thought it was a Christian thing.


When I first started working with youth I applied to a youth leaders weekly newsletter thorough youth specialties (if you work with youth I highly recommend it), every week they send out an email with some cool ideas and articles from all across the board. This week I read an article by David Lose where we asked a similar question: What’s the trouble with Lent?


Each year those of us that do celebrate the 40 days before Easter with fasting and prayer have to mentally prepare ourselves for that time of year. About a month before hand I ask myself What will I give up this year, and I feel like I’m missing the point. Giving up something (caffeine, chocolate, ice-cream, facebook) shouldn’t be something you do out of obligation, but out of joy.


Lent isn’t the ugly stepsister of Christian Holidays.


It’s the fairy godmother transformation before the ball.


David writes “But you know what? Each year, whatever my feelings approaching Lent may be, the same answer comes whispering back: I do. Just maybe, I need Lent. Just maybe I need a time to focus, to get my mind off of my career, my social life, my next writing project -- and a hundred other things to which I look for meaning -- and center myself in Meaning itself.”


How are you centering yourself?


What raggedy dress will you give up, so your Father can create for you a beautiful ball gown.


My church recognizes not only fasting, but taking something on as a Lenten practice.


Maybe chocolate or Angry Birds isn’t your problem. Maybe you need to take a walk with your father every night, or wake up 15 minutes early for a few weeks to spend in stillness before your Lord.


Happy Made of Dirt Day.


Aka. Ash Wednesday


May you understand that this season is about something bigger than not drinking coffee, that at the heart of everything it is recognizing that we are made of dirt.


Our only value is in Him.


So prepare your heart for the ball, the day where Christ will rise again and we can celebrate His gift to us. Life.

Joel 2:12-14

Yet even now, says the Lord,
Return to me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
Rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
and relents from punishing.
Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain-offering and a drink-offering
for the Lord, your God?