Lenten Disciplines

I don't know if you follow an Lenten discipline, but I have always found it hard. We were talking about Lenten disciplines at Sunday supper yesterday, and I mentioned that I could never think of a good discipline, one that would have meaning and not just be like I'm giving up smoking. or going to mars ... etc. then I decided that I would try and give up TV. (except when others are watching with me, that way I don't have to exclude myself from hanging out) and it's incredibly hard. I am going through withdrawals I think. (ok not really) But it does make me look at how much TV I watch or at least have on. I tend to use it as background noise and side entertainment while doing something else. I find that I am reading more than I was before and that when ever I get to the point where I need to something else for a bit, I think, well normally I would watch TV, but I am not doing that now, that gets me to thinking, Why am I doing this again?

I think it is a good discipline, but I am thinking that many times people give something up for Lent as a Lenten challenge and not a Lenten Discipline, there is a difference to me at least. A challenge is a individual thing while a discipline is personal but not individual, you can learn from it and change how you live. If I just don't watch TV and instead spend all that time just playing video games or reading comic books, it becomes a challenge, can I make it one more day? but if I take some of that time and think about what it means to be giving something up it becomes a discipline, you can share what you are experiencing with others and they can share with you, more than just wow I didn't watch TV today, I rule!!!.

My pastor, Fritz, mentioned in one of his sermons the other week that our relationship with God and Jesus should be a personal one, but not individual and private, that God is indeed important to and with you, but not to the exclusion of others, that God is with all of us at the same time.

Well, there are some thoughts to ponder,

laters