Movie Clip Wednesday is here
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He said it again.
The priest at Mass:
"What does giving up chocolate have to do with your salvation? Give up being a grouch. Give up road rage. Give up cussing, selfishness, laziness. Eat the chocolate, but give up whining and complaining when somebody eats the last piece of chocolate."
He's right. Absolutely.
But, mebbe he is wrong, too.
Giving up some personal pleasure for Lent is less effective than tackling a real character flaw.
Still. Aunty is of a mind that the physical discipline that is required to give somethin' up fer a while is an exercise that most of us non-saints need to do occasionally, an when better than Lent? But thar' is a little catch.
Doan give up desserts for Lent if yore real motivation is to lose a few pounds while appearin' to the world a holy an' pious. Thas' a no-no. Whatever I give up might be a good thang--like movies--that I can take up again after Easter. The whole point is cheerfully give up something as a pure discipline to practice self control over --whatever. The Christian ideal is to subordinate all else to the will of God. Hard to do when personal will is king of the hill. Small acts of deprivation make larger acts of selflessness possible.
The Dogwood Tree is said to have been the wood used for the Cross. Ain't too shure of that. But it is a sweet tradition that the Dogwood flower bears the marks of the Crucifixion. Can you see them in these blooms? The cuts in the four petals, two hands, two feet? Our Dogwoods is in bloom an' they are glorious!
An' Azaleas too.
Once again, I am hoping to make it a good an' thoughtful Lent. I'se pretty weak at it. Someday...someday mebbe I will spend Lent in a Cloister. Do ya' reckon that would be much help? I always wonder iffin' that fantasy is jes' an attempt to escape the hard work of gettin' along wif' folks around me. I hear tell that even in the convent, ya' will have to learn to git along. An' thar's no escape. Hmmmnnn...mayhap, I need to be careful what I wish fer.
Aunty is wishin' y'all a wunnerful Lent, springtime--I'se goin' to blog less fer the duration. The Front Porch will sport some visuals but I'se gonna give up so much yakkin'. Verbosity ain't next to holiness. I will peek in to see what all y'all is doin'...but prolly not say so much.
Iffin' I can git to it, I might start the Back Porch Surprise Project in a few weeks.
I will be a mite more prayerful. Each of ya' will be remembered in a prayerful way this Lent.
See y'all on Easter!
11 comments:
Auntie! But we might need spiritual guidance from you during this season of austerity! xoxoxo to you. How is granny?
PamOKC,
oh--how sweet ya are! I ain't gonna be mute, jes' quieter.
Pam, Granny is so weak now that it takes an hour to get 4 ounces of yogurt down an' to drink some Ensure.
She sleeps 20-22 hours a day now. The doctor calls it a "long low landing." Sigh.
I appreciate yore askin'. I know that some of our other bloggers is travelin' this same road. Karl, K9...and others have already made the journey.
Pam, keep up the good fight. An' blessin's on yore Kymmie and New Baby.
Wonderful post, Aunty. Although the Church and I are currently not on speaking terms, I do still follow the general dictates of Lent, and use this time of year to focus extra thoughtfully on what needs fixing (and I don't mean in a physical way). I'd love to spend Lent in a cloister. One day . . .
All the best to you and to granny. You and yours are always in my thoughts and prayers.
Yikes Auntie. That bit on semiotics your wrote to Chickory? turned my head a quarter screw the other way.
Make it a good lent.
And now I have to find a copy of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
I remember when you gave up blogging for lent a few years ago and I was impressed because you're right; if you practice lent then you should truly dig deep and find something that you'll miss. Hopefully your time will be spent full of prayer. I like that.
xoxo
Enjoy the Lent season AB. If I need guidance (or salvation) there is always email.
If you would, please spend my prayer on my student, John, who was in a bad car accident this week, and is in a coma.
He is more needy at the moment.
A thoughtful post by the way.
i'll be back here later, but the theme for haiku monday is up.
belle,
my thoughts and prayers are with you during this lenten season. my thoughts are with granny and you. i remember the yogurt, the ensure ..
((hugs))
Hey ever'body>
Hope y'all is well.
Granny is declinin', an this time, it doan seem likely she will fool the docs.
I ain't shure when I can git around to yore blogs-- so....hold the fort!
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