The Death of Winter leads to the promise of Spring

Winter at times can be beautiful. Fresh snow on the ground covering the trees and streets. It's quiet and peaceful. Give that snow fall a day or two and the ugly happens.
The snow becomes black with car gunk. The trees are splotchy at best. Overall it's rather unattractive. When you look at a photographers work do you ever see a snow scene with muddy snow? It's usually late February early March that I am done with winter. This winter we have had more snow than we've seen in a long time. I was holed up for almost a week because of delays and cancellations due to weather. The first day or two was fun, but after that it stopped being fun.
I love when winter first breaks. The first time you step outside and realize you need the heavy jacket. I enjoy the bundling up and multiple layers of clothing. More than anything it's the change that I crave and love. It is certain that I could never live in an area that doesn't see each of the four seasons equally. I get tired of my routines and every few months I feel the need to change it up.
I used to drive my mom crazy in high school because every few months I would rearrange my bedroom furniture. Why? Because I needed the change.
I don't rearrange rooms anymore. I find it too difficult in this house. But I do still feel the need for change from time to time. The changing of seasons offers that change for me. Each season brings its own activity. Though I have to say the winter is the hardest to get through. It's all indoors all the time. I do find crafting enjoyable but with this whole house selling thing I have put them on hold. I don't like to have to take things out and get set up and then clear the space before I am done. Especially because I have to start and stop working so often throughout the day. So here I am in Winter and it's ugly outside. And I don't have much to do except clean (bleh). It's not fun anymore. It's not new.
I do love Lent because it begins in this dead space of winter and ends at the birth of spring. I love that spring is right beyond my reach. I look forward to that day where I ditch the big heavy coat for a sweatshirt. I can't wait until the hat/glove box begins to collect dust from disuse.
I have to say I love how slowly the seasons reveal themselves. One day you look outside and you notice that the snow is melted away. The next day you realize you only had two layers on rather than 3. Step by step spring starts to reveal itself. The first greens will pop from the ground. Garden centers will be overflowing with flats of bright colors. I can open windows and allow a fresh cool breeze into the house. My children will rediscover the fun they can have in our small backyard (God willing this spring we can celebrate in a new big backyard).
The only thing that saddens me about this pending spring is my inability to garden this year. It's about this time that I begin to plan and shop for my garden. Though my backyard is small I have learned to make use of every inch of space for the purpose of fruits and vegetables. Last year was a bad one for me and I only did well with my strawberries. I was hoping for redemption this year. However with the pending move I can't plan a big vegetable garden. The plan this year will be a few attractive flowers if we are still here. Low maintenance and pleasing to the eye.
Though I can't plan a lavish garden this year I can plan for an exciting spring. When you have four kids it's actually quite easy to do. They, like me, have been cooped up in this house for far too long. So when you catch a dry sunny day they are all too willing to get outside and enjoy all the spring has to offer. So I will embrace this Lent like any other. And as ugly and death-like the winter can be I know that life-giving spring is within reach.

It's that Lenten thingy...

Lent is here. Today is a day of fasting. Today I fast for a friend of mine whose husband is having surgery.
Neat story: I went to college at DeSales and while there became a theology student. During that time I met someone who was older than the rest of us college kids who had gone back to school to get her degree in Theology. She was and continues to be a great influence. At the time it was like having a mom away from home. Between classes she would sit at this bench at the end of the Theology wing and knit and muse about the finer things in life.
Several years later after having Stephen I joined a moms group and met a few moms. At a dinner one night I was talking to one mom and discovered that she was the daughter of the "college mom." Crazy right? Since then we've become friends and have bonded over our motherhood.
Back to my fast: So in reality I am fasting for two friends. One whose husband is having surgery and one whose father is having surgery. I pray that wife and daughter and all other family members affected by the accident and related surgery find peace and comfort in such a crazy time. And of course I pray for D that his surgery goes well and he recovers nicely and get back on his feet soon enough.

Meanwhile Lent.

Lent is a time of repentance. It is a time to sacrifice. It is a time for change. During Lent the Church asks us to sacrifice something as a way of repentance. Most people take this and give something up. Not many people focus on the opposite side of that and think about doing something. I try to do both. I try to give something up and replace it with something else.
No, not one vice for another. The whole purpose of giving something up is to give something up that is potentially holding us back from the Lord. So I do my best to give something up that is doing just that. Something that is getting in the way, something that causes great distraction. From there I look at what I can replace that time with. And isn't it obvious? If I am giving up something that it hurting my relationship with Christ, shouldn't I then choose to do something that will help my relationship? The answer is a resounding YES. And I will do just that. I will put something bad down and pick something else, that is good, up.
The thing about these sacrifices is that they are supposed to encourage a permanent change. So for me there is no going back. Once I do this it is for good. And it bothers me when others miss this point. Let me give an example. Let's say you give up chocolate for lent. To me the only reason that would be a good sacrifice would be if it is truly ruling your life. Can you not go a day without it? Do you eat too much of it? Is it causing you to be an unhealthy person? So the answer is yes, and you give it up. When you count Sundays Lent is not a true 40 days, so many people will argue that you can take a break from your Lenten sacrifice on Sunday. So let's say that Monday through Saturday you don't touch chocolate and then Sunday comes and you eat a pound of it. Are you really changing? No. So what's the point then? What should happen is that you learn during these 40 days a healthier lifestyle. When Easter comes celebrate it with the accomplishment that you made your sacrifice for the Lord. But don't go back to your sinful behaviors. Instead be changed. Is chocolate sinful? NO. But it can be if you are one to overindulge in the stuff. An unhealthy lifestyle is sinful, in that it does damage to your body.
So at the end of Lent, enjoy your chocolate, but only in moderation. Be transformed this Lent. Become a better person because of your sacrifices and learn a new better way of living.