Forty Days of Blogging...

I'm not sure why, but it's taken me, now, four days into the Lenten season to decide what discipline I'd like to take up.

This is a touch embarrassing, for a lot of reasons, but mostly because my favoritest of favorite classes that I get to facilitate (Theology on Tap) has decided to choose some disciplines for the season based on our reading. This semester, we're reading The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs. It's marvelous - funny, honest, mostly reverent, and a good entry into the actual Bible. I have some qualms with his methodology, but it's been a great way to encourage some good conversation about what the Bible says and what the Bible might mean. The author takes up all kinds of literal Biblical practices (wearing tassles, stoning adulterers, ceasing to shave, refraining from wearing mixed fibers, going forth and multiplying, etc.) during his year of writing.

So, as a class, we've decided to choose something that is a literal practice from the Bible and adopt that as our Lenten Discipline. One member is searching for tassels to pin onto the corners of his garments. Unfortunatley, TasselsWithoutHassles.com has moved to a new website, so it's slowed us down a bit. Another member is keeping a coveting journal. Another is writing the scriptures on her doorframe. My blogfriend, Redykle is planting a garden with more food than they need, so as to encourage the practice of gleaning. I've talked about binding my scriptures to my head and arm, at least for a portion of the day, but sheer laziness has kept me from making good on this promise so far.

In an attempt to be disciplined about something this season, I'm covenanting here to blog for the rest of Lent - all 47 days. No Sundays off. Some days may be ridiculously short or ill-fitting, but I'll find something, somehow, somewhere, to share here.

While I'm sinfully bragging about my great congregation, let me just put in a little plug for the Lenten Devotional Guide that was written for St. Mark by St. Mark. This was a wacky idea cooked up by the staff, that I managed to find myself in charge of compiling it. So, I had the honor and pleasure of reading these incredibly thoughtful devotions that came in from our congregants. If you're looking for something really lovely to help you think and pray during this season, you can download it in PDF form here: St. Mark UMC Lenten Devotional Guide. The artwork on the cover and throughout the book is from Bobby Strickland, a church member who painted these last Lent for each week in Lent. They're stunning.

I realize that this blogging discipline is much more for me than it is for you. But maybe, just maybe, we'll all find a way to be reminded of God's abiding presence in our lives, even as we wander and search.