Holy Lent, Batman!

Let it be known in all parts that I, James Lee, will not be practicing self-denial by giving anything up for Lent this year.

There, I said it. I'm not...and I mean it.

I am, in fact, not giving anything up for Lent this year. "Why?" you may ask. Or, actually a more common response would be, "So what." But the "Why," if you were to inquire, is because of the fact that on January 12 of this year, I gave up being a control freak, and ever since, life has been pure hell. That's right, I stood up at our first Celebrate Recovery meeting, walked down front, took that blue chip, said these words, "My name is Jamie and I'm a control freak and perfectionist, and I have to learn to let some things go," and it's been downhill since. Would you like a list of the things that have gone wrong since then and that have begun to teach me, under no uncertain terms, that I never was really in control to begin with?

So, I think I'm done with the self denial stuff for a while. Oh, I'll keep giving up being a control freak, or trying to, but enough is enough. I will, however, continue to encourage my folks to practice some sort of self denial during the holy season of Lent.

Did I just hear someone shout ugly things at me? Things like, "Hypocrite!"... or ... "Take the log out of your own eye before you yell at your neighbor about the splinter in his!" ... or ... "What's good for the goose is good for the gander!" (Honestly, I never really liked that one anyhow)

Ok, let me explain something. I am not observing Lent this year through intentional self denial. I am, however, still maintaining a holy Lent, and I will be doing so by engaging in an activity in which I have not engaged since the days of my childhood. Those were days spent within the blonde brick walls at Lynnville UMC, when this time each year, little plastic banks would suddenly, and mind you, mysteriously appear on all of the Sunday school tables, with little calendars, listing little scriptures, and stuff about shoes or snacks, and books or mail, or any number of other things that could have a 2 or 3 cent price tag associated with them.

This year, instead of giving up sweets, or fast food, or coffee, or exercise, or whatever...I am going to TRY to observe a holy Lent by helping to ease the suffering of children of the Almighty King all around the world, one nickel at a time. Won't you join me?

If you would like information on how you, too, can participate in the Lenten World Hunger Offering, please let me know.

Peace,
Jamie

Copy and paste this link into your browser for a 4 minute video on world hunger... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX4AB6uuIK8