Recalculating.
Lent is a time of recalculating. In some ways, it is a timeout, a God-given excuse to reset our lives. Am I on the wrong path? Have I taken a wrong turn? Wandered a bit from God or who I think God wants me to be? Are my energies depleted and along with my energies, have I forgotten to love those around me as I should?
During Lent sometimes people give something up as a means of recalculating. Sometimes people take something up.
For example, we might
Give up salty foods.
Take up eating two vegetables each day. (Your doctor will love you for this.)
Give up blaming people.
Take up forgiving.
Give up judging people.
Take up assuming people are doing the best they can at the time.
Give up social media one day a week.
Take up a family reading night.
Give up swearing.
Take up silently asking for God’s blessing on the people around us.
Give up taking the best parking spot.
Take up parking in the furthest spot.
Give up time on the sofa.
Take up helping with a chore.
Give up seeing the worst in others.
Take up seeing and acknowledging the best.
Recalculating.