A better idea

In my last post, I mentioned friends who had given up things for Lent. This morning I heard from a friend who has decided to add something every day from Easter to Ascension Day - May 13 - to celebrate life. He calls it an "anti-Lent" ritual, but some people don't appreciate that.

Now this is something I could get excited about. Think I might jump on that idea. Will I be able to think of 40 different things? It sure will be fun to try! Maybe I'll start my list of ideas today...

Lent

I wonder about Lent. I wonder who came up with it. I wonder how important it is, or how valuable. I hear tidbits from those who have observed Lent, but don't remember hearing many stirring testimonials. Where I grew up, Lent was not observed - at least not religiously. For some reason this year I found myself wondering about it - wondering why it is observed and whether I ought to do so. Is it for the discipline? The sacrifice and suffering? The appreciation of blessings?

I toyed with the idea of doing some serious study about the history and rationale of Lenten observance, but have mostly just kept my ears open and have asked a few questions. Some friends are fasting from social networking; at least one is giving up entire food groups in a Daniel fast. One that has captured my attention is "40 Days of Water" put on by Blood:Water Mission. Evidently members give up all beverages except water and participate in various awareness events. I wonder if I could do that. I wonder if I want to do that. I wonder if I would be serious enough to really make it happen.

Then I wonder again about the big picture, about the motivation to give something up for Lent. I suppose the reasons may be as diverse as the people. Is it legalistic? Ritualistic? I don't feel compelled to participate, but neither do I totally reject the notion. Perhaps I'll mentally file these wonderings in the "fasting" folder - and pull them out at another appropriate time to re-think the topic. Maybe next year.

A million miles in a thousand years

 by Donald Miller

You could say it's a book about writing. Or you could say it's a book about life. Better yet, call it a book about how writing is like life. Specifically it is about story - as it applies to writing and to life.

Miller explores what it takes to make a story and how those same ingredients are needed to write a good story of our life. An interesting comparison.

So what is the essence of story? A story is a character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it. The book is organized by those segments:

• Part Two: A Character
• Part Three: A Character Who Wants Something
• Part Four: A Character Who Wants Something and Overcomes Conflict
• Part Five: A Character Who Wants Something and Overcomes Conflict to Get It

I'm finding it to be an interesting read with some good challenges for life as well as for writing.

Yet another learning experience

Tonight I learned some more things about the internet - more specifically about "blogspot" & how to add gadgets & re-arrange. Gadgets are fun - in real life & on the internet. I'd go so far as to say that the internet is fun. Thanks, Al Gore, for inventing it. Post-it notes are okay, too.

So yah, I learned how to add lists. Lists of favorite books, favorite quotations, etc. I even learned how to add a widget - which is something I'd thought of doing for quite some time.

Grace ...for good days & bad

My worst days are never so bad

that I'm beyond the reach of God's grace. 

And my best days are never so good

that I'm beyond the need for God's grace. 

 -Unknown