The Voices Within Me

There is something about Mondays. Yes, I hate waking up knowing I have a limited amount of time to get my son ready for school and out the door but yet at the same time, it is sort of exciting knowing there is a fresh new week ahead- free of blemishes and disappointment. Mondays give us all a chance to start fresh, a new set of 7 days to do with as we wish, a chance to turn from the mistakes of the week before and improve so that we don't continually repeat them over and over again.
I volunteer at my son's school on Mondays, reading with his 1st grade class and assisting the teacher with little tasks around the classroom while the kids are at the library. I LOVE this chance to go in and interact with my child's classmates... kids bring a whole new perspective to life (and these are usually times that I wonder why I didn't follow my first dream and go into teaching?!?) Kids bring an innocence, an excitement for each new opportunity they are granted. I have started looking forward to Mondays and the interaction with those children, even if it is only for a short time of the day.
Instead of ho-humming and complaining at the start of a new week, look at it as a chance for a fresh start. Take this chance to make this week better than the last and embrace the life you have been given. Choose to not just "be" but "live" this week to the fullest. Make the most of the time you are given and choose to be thankful for every Monday you wake up...

into the year and most of us have already forgotten our New Year's Resolution (that is if we made any... which I have chosen not to for a variety of reasons)and so appropriately have the motivation to jump on the Lenten bandwagon of sacrifice. The failed resolutions have brought added weight, added debt, bad habits... and so the hope of a short break from those will make us feel better about what we easily tossed aside. It is that laxidasical attitude towards lent that has more or less left a bad taste in my mouth.

Lent is to be a season of preparation, of fasting, growth, and simplicity. Lent is supposed to be a reminder of Jesus' 40 days in the desert, resulting temptation and fast... and we choose to give up our favorite treats and snacks. How are these sacrifices even comparable to the torture that Jesus went through? It seems that all too often, our sacrifices are "me" centered and are chosen to benefit ourselves (how often do you hear that someone is giving up pop or gum or *insert addiction* b/c they know they shouldn't be consuming that amount of given item?) Isn't there more to Lent than giving up coffee for 40 days?

It is too easy to eliminate something negative if in the end, there is an ultimate benefit. However, how many people would willingly give up those items knowing they were giving them up indefinitely and then taking the money spent on those items and donating it to those in need? It isn't quite as easy when the "me" is taken out of the equation and replaced with "you" or "others".Lent is not our chance to ask ourselves where we need to sacrifice for a better "self" for 40 days, but instead to ask where we can sacrifice and in turn help others, where we can reach out and share the love of Christ to another.

Instead of "taking away" this Lenten season, I challenge you to "add on more" ( < = > ) but in the form of love, of giving, of branching out and looking for where you can give more than just another "resolution" that will tossed aside come April 5th. Make a change for a lasting impact... something that will last long beyond the candy that will fill the Easter baskets this coming Easter morning.

Once again, the Lenten season is upon those of us that practice the faith of Christianity. Although my church does not express the significance of Lent, I always try to take an introspective look at my life during those forty days. (not that I always succeed...)

So... today I started thinking and wondering what could be done in the time span of forty days. The same amount of time that Jesus suffered in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13), the time that Christians have set aside to prepare the believer — through prayer, penitence, alms-giving and self-denial... for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus.

In forty days one could...

*Rid themselves of 40 bags of clutter (http://www.connect.faithandfamilylive.com/group/40bagsin40days)

*Take 40 photos (www.thefantasticdistraction.com)

*Drink only water in order to provide water to those in need (http://www.bloodwatermission.com/fortydays.php)

*quite drinking pop, quit swearing, quit drinking, quit smoking, quit lying, quit cheating...

*take a break from facebook, or the internet, even texting...

*grow a beard, grow overweight, grow a plant...

*be born, die, give to others, take away from others, share 40 smiles, say 40 angry words...

*start a new habit, break an old one


40 days is a long time. A LOT can happen in that time. Those 40 days can be filled with good or they can be filled with bad. 40 days can be what you make of them. So... what will you those days mean to you? What will you do with the next forty days, 960 hours, 57600 mins? What if what you do the next forty days will change your life? Are you ready for that possibility? I know I am... I am just waiting to see what might be in store.