Categories: uncategorized
Date: 14 April 2008 03:46:42
Fasting continues. How strange to be out of whack with the rest of the little Christian world that surrounds me. Everyone else who has heard of lent knows it finishes at Easter time, which was a few weeks ago, right?
Having celebrated Easter with all the hot cross buns and easter eggs and candles a few weeks back, it does seem strange to now be fasting looking forward to Easter. I'm sure once it gets to 10pm on Easter Saturday and we're in church in the dark with our candles, singing "Christ has risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and on those in the tombs bestowing life," then it will feel like Easter.
I am very tired almost all the time. Sometimes my head hurts.
We had house guests with small children. I made them salmon quiche one night. I was asked why I had made it when we were supposed to be fasting from eggs. I tried to explain that while fasting is important, there are more important things, like love, hospitality, helping the poor. The response was, "oh, so there's ways out of it."
It's a difficult path to negotiate, how to fast, how to accept the kind hospitality of others, how to look after guests, how to look after myself.
I almost gave up. I wondered if it was becoming too much as a struggle rather than a challenge. But I've kept at it.
I have found myself praying a lot more, spontaneously, almost subconsciously conversing with God. I don't even realise I'm praying until I somehow tune in half way through my own conversation with God, or more likely petitions with God. I'm happy with that at this stage. It's more than I've been doing for a while.
We visited a Coptic church on Sunday. It was nice. It was friendly, and they serve breakfast after the service!
They seem to be quite mission focused, the church paying for people to go overseas on mission trips, and plans afoot to set up some kind of kitchen for people living on the street. God please help them.