Well, today is Ash Wednesday the beginning of the Lenten season. I couldn’t miss the opportunity to post on this very special day. I’ve tried to make this an intentional season of spiritual growth the past few years and now I find I really look forward to it. In case you are just exploring the idea of celebrating Lent, here are a couple of devotional books I enjoy revisiting:

Walter Wangerin,Jr., Reliving the Passion: Meditations on the Suffering Death and Resurrection of Jesus as Recorded in Mark

Henri J.M. Nouwen, Show Me the Way: Daily Lenten Readings

There are seasons in our lives where self-indulgence, pride, and general pre-occupation with our own selves can begin to take hold of our hearts. This churns the soil of our hearts and prepares the ground for the seedling of worldly filth to take root: anger, rage, hatred, prejudice, the list goes on. Lent is a season to deny ourselves of these man made attitudes and reflect on God. We humble ourselves so the Master Gardener can dig up these winter weeds and prepare us for His plantings. Nouwen’s words this morning really spoke to me – he put it this way:

“The season of Lent, during which winter and spring struggle with each other for dominance, helps us in a special way to cry out for God’s mercy”.

As we look out our windows on these very gray days speckled with cloud clearing sun bursts, how can we not agree?

Blessings, friends. I hope you will consider how you can join in on this special season. Are you going to give up anything for Lent? Or maybe you have another way you prefer to participate in the season? I would enjoy hearing your thoughts.

Photo courtesy of Amarand Agasi for public use on Flick’r. http://flic.kr/p/5ycwrT