Lent

It is that time of year again, Lent begins tomorrow! As we feast and indulge on this Fat Tuesday we prepare for a time of focus. Last year I gave up my "Free Ride" (see blog post February 2010) and it made me a better person. It impacted my life so completely that I made permanent changes for the better that I brought forward, past Lent. It was a truly meaningful Lenten period and so how do I match that for this year?
I will of course strive to avoid indulgences and maintain a prayerful focus, but this year I will also pay special attention to gifts. What "gifts" might you ask? Well, God has blessed each of us with our own individual gifts and we often lose sight of our gifts as we yearn to have the gifts others have been blessed with. Follow me? For example, I always compare myself to others, wishing I was "the Pretty one" or "the smart one" or the "musically talented one", but I forget that God gave me my own gifts to be thankful for. I will spend these days working to be happy with who I am because this is how God made me. I will also serve others by working to recognize and be thankful for the gifts each person brings to my life. Time passes on so quickly and we never know what tomorrow will bring, so it's important to be happy with who we are and to let others know we appreciate them and we are thankful for what they bring to the table . . . all thanks to God.