WHAT I'M DOING FOR LENT

“And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered.” (Matthew 4:2)

LENT is earlier this year than it almost ever is. The first day of Lent was Ash Wednesday, February 6, and the final day of Lent will be the day before Easter.

As a kid raised in Roman Catholicism, I grew up with the concept of Lent...the forty days before Easter.  Usually Roman Catholics “gave up” something for Lent such as smoking or chewing gum or swearing.  Then they promptly resumed the cigarettes, Bazooka Joe gum, and @#&@*$& language on Easter Sunday.

After I “got saved” at age 15, I learned that Lent wasn’t too important to most born-again Christians.  But a couple of years ago, I began thinking about Lent, and I decided to drastically cut down on caffeine for Lent. In the manner of the people from liturgical churches, I promptly on Easter Sunday resumed the over use of caffeinated beverages.  In 2007, I also drastically cut down on caffeine for Lent, but I did NOT resume heavy caffeine use afterwards.  I still drink caffeinated coffee and colas BUT in great moderation.  I’m no longer ADDICTED to them and it feels great!

THIS YEAR, I decided that instead of “giving something up for Lent” I would do something positive for Lent.  I decided to salute and affirm 40 people whom I particularly appreciated- who have touched my life in some special way.  I decided that each day during Lent, I would choose a person for that day and write that person an affirming e-mail; 40 people in all.

This task WILL be challenging for mid-March as I’ll be out-of-state for at least 8 days due to my daughter Amy’s wedding, but SOMEHOW I will get these forty e-mails out during Lent.  Each e-mail will contain “affirming information”, telling that person why they were chosen and will also contain a “prophetic word”....something encouraging I believe God would have me tell them.

I hope each of the 40 will then turn around and bless and affirm someone else. 

Incidentally, if I do not choose YOU as one of my “TOP 40” please don’t be offended...there’s always next year!