A New (out)Look

Maybe because it's looking like spring, maybe because there's a slight lifting of the cloud (for this moment at least) that has followed us for a year or two, maybe because it's sunshiny today ..... I miss writing and I miss thinking "aloud" on this blog ..... so, here I am again.

First of all, with a new look for the blog. Spring is just hopeful, there's no way around it...more hopeful to me most of the time than the season of New Year's. My daffodils are up in February and it's going to be 60 degrees and sunny today. So, a new pretty yellow color and flower to lighten things a bit....in honor of the "buttercups", to quote my grandmother.

Second of all, a new view of Lent for me. While I have given up tangible things in the past years, I'm realizing this year that this is too easy for me. It is easy for me to resist my craving for something that I can control whether I partake in it (eating/drinking/reading/watching TV, etc). For I am about control in my life (aren't we all?), and fasting for me can lead to legalism. So much so, that even when I decided yesterday to change the focus of my Lent, I still fasted from the original thing (drinking carbonated drinks) when I had the choice. "I need to keep my word, I need to follow the rules, I need to sacrifice!"

I am not saying that there is not a place for fasting and for sacrifice. But if the goal is to cause us to turn to Jesus and recognize our need of Him and Him alone, how does my skewed view of "I must do this or bad things will happen?" honor Him. Did you notice all of the "need's" in that sentence above? Jesus is all that I need.

What I have a hard time controlling lately is something that I absolutely cannot control on my own. Seems obvious enough, I know. But this Lent season for me is going to be about giving up fear. I'm not even sure what that looks like right now, but it really seems like I'm supposed to do this. Will I name them, face them, define them in light of Scripture? We are told "do not fear" so many times. What does that look like? I only know that it is not something that I can do on my own, and this will bring more reliance on Him than anything else I might give up.

So, this morning, I am toasting my newly-opened soda (in the freedom of Jesus) to you and your Lent....whatever that looks like for you :) ..... may He cause us to reign things in, give things up, or walk a little more freely this season, because He is enough.