\nSigns tied onto the diaper basket:
“If anyone is in Christ,
he is a new creation;
the old has gone,
the new has come!”
2 Corinthians 5:17<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n- <\/span><\/span><\/span>As I change and wash diapers for my daughter, I can think about what is inside of me that needs to come out! <\/span>Lent is a time of introspection, turning to take a look inside ourselves to acknowledge our vulnerabilities as humans and our deep need for God\u2019s forgiveness and new life. <\/span>One remarkable characteristic of God is His mercy on us. <\/span>He doesn\u2019t just forgive us once or twice, here or there (I don\u2019t just change her diaper once or twice and let it go the other times), He forgives us each time we come before Him to say \u201cI\u2019m sorry, I messed up\u2026again.\u201d <\/span>Each time, He has mercy on us and grants forgiveness over and over and over and over again. \u201cYou were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.\u201d \u2013 Ephesians 4:22-24 <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/i><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/i><\/b> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n- <\/span><\/span><\/span>When my children ask for snacks during Lent, I will try to consider how God hears my requests and responds to them. <\/span>Sometimes my kids whine for a snack, seeming assuming that I won\u2019t give it to them (otherwise, wouldn\u2019t they just ask?). <\/span>Sometimes my kids grunt for a snack they see and want (feeling that they are entitled to what they want and assuming I know what they\u2019re talking about). <\/span>Sometimes my kids just act grumpy, so I know it is time for a healthy snack. <\/span>How do these scenarios parallel how I address God? <\/span>How should I address God? <\/span>\u201cIf you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! <\/span>So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.\u201d Matthew 7:11-12<\/i><\/b> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n \n- When I feed the dog throughout Lent, I can think of Jesus\u2019 sacrifice for me. <\/span>A little from Bobby* is helpful here: <\/span>\u201cHe [Jesus] pleads to be spared the dreaded hour come round at last, the bitter cup of suffering. <\/span>Three times he asks! <\/span>But in the end he says yes; he wills to do his Father\u2019s will, whatever the cost. <\/span>And this is what Jesus asks of us during Lent, to say no and yes: \u2018If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me\u2019 (Mk 8:34)\u201d<\/i><\/b> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n \n- <\/span><\/span><\/span>When I wash the dishes that are dirtied each day at our house, I will be thankful for the food that was on them. <\/span>I will thank God for the nourishing foods we are able to buy, prepare and eat. <\/span>I will pray for those who even live next door to me who do not have such variety. <\/span>I will ask God how we can responsibly \u201cshare our bread\u201d with those who have none or little. <\/span>Lent is also a time to turn and take a look outside yourself, taking into account what it really means to follow Jesus and in so doing, serving others as He would.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n \n- <\/span><\/span><\/span>Free time\u2026well, I still won\u2019t have much of this, but when I do, I will try to ask myself some questions. <\/span>If I feel like watching a movie \u2013 why? <\/span>Is it to escape something? <\/span>Is it to be entertained? Is it to rest? <\/span>Watching movies (depending on the film) is not wrong, but it can be something we use to temporarily fill us up when we could be more sufficiently filled up through another activity. <\/span>God certainly promotes rest, but often, an activity done in the name of rest, can leave me more exhausted then when I started! <\/span>Like when I stay up too late to watch a movie that wasn\u2019t all that great. <\/span>Perhaps, I should be quiet for a little, journal, create something, write to a friend and just go to bed early!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/div>\n And as for answering the endless questions of my 3-year-old, well, when I mentioned the idea at lunch today, this dialogue followed:<\/div>\n <\/div>\n Me: I have an idea! I am going to give up answering the question “why?” for Lent.<\/div>\n Micah: Why?<\/div>\n Me: Oh dear… <\/div>\n <\/div>\n The question “why?” is so intriguing, enticing and irresistible. Yes, I will continue to give creatively detailed answers to my son’s blunt why-questions, but I will try to have an ounce more patience each time, knowing that I am investing in his understanding of the world – his worldview. I suppose that is what Jesus would do. After all, He came to re-frame the way we think about things, to bring a Kingdom where things seem upside-down in the way they are done (a King serving his followers, calling us to love our enemies, bless those who curse you, etc.) and to love us unconditionally, even when we are annoying. Besides, in some small way, I can identify with Jesus’ suffering as I attempt to answer the “why” question about absolutely everything!<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n *Living the Christian Year: Time to Inhabit the Story of God\u201d by Bobby Gross p. 133.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Disclaimer: This is more of a post for my “mommy friends” I miss so much from back home than a missionary’s musings…but all are welcome to read! Be entertained, and perhaps even inspired! Today, as we begin Lent, I thought I\u2019d think through “giving up” something for this season through Easter Sunday. I haven’t done […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-33","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-becky","7":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonathanandbecky.net\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonathanandbecky.net\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonathanandbecky.net\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonathanandbecky.net\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonathanandbecky.net\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/jonathanandbecky.net\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":221,"href":"https:\/\/jonathanandbecky.net\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33\/revisions\/221"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonathanandbecky.net\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonathanandbecky.net\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonathanandbecky.net\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}} |
![](\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-g3cPE6G-DpA\/URveN3EJuNI\/AAAAAAAAAOs\/zPn6UcCowGI\/s1600\/dog+resized.jpg\")
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n