Categories: random
Tags: Lent, Christian Aid, Count Your Blessings, Christianity
Date: 20 February 2009 21:13:49
There have already been some good ideas floating around for a discipline to practice during Lent (which starts next Wednesday for the non-Orthodox among us). My favourite is Tractor Girl's Lent plan.
As usual I'm going to be following the Christian Aid Count Your Blessings plan, which gives me a chance to think, for a few moments each day, of those less fortunate than me and how little change it really takes for a huge difference to be made in someone else's life. I'll be giving up alcohol and chocolate as well (also as usual) as a discipline, a small way of saying to God that as he gave up so much for me, here is a small sacrifice from me in gratitude (although I expect I will whinge plenty about it, also also as usual!). I know God doesn't *need* that sacrifice, but the fact of the choice of giving something up in order to remember God's greater sacrifice I think is pleasing to him. Baby steps, if you like. But I like combining the 'giving up' with the 'taking up', and I think both Tractor Girl's plan and Count Your Blessings are about 'taking up' - doing something positive in order to bless self, God and others.