Wednesday, March 5, 2014

What I've decided to gain for Lent this year

This year, I'm not really giving up anything. I'm gaining something instead. Hopefully, I'll be gaining lots of somethings (unless it's pounds, then, no thank you). I am going to strive to quit something between now and Easter.

Typically, every night before I go to sleep, I'll get ready for bed, text my boyfriend "Goodnight", and then get in the bed and actually get ready to go to sleep. At this point, most people would turn out lamps or turn off phones, get comfortable and shut their eyes. I, however, take this opportunity to make sure I haven't missed anything in the world by scrolling through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, using up all 5 lives on Candy Crush, and checking the weather for the next day. Then, I'll do that again. And then see if I can waste the 18 minutes and 35 seconds until another Candy Crush life becomes available.

None of those things are necessarily bad in and of themselves. However, just like coffee last year, it's what those things symbolize together that I need to stop. What I'm doing when I go through all of those things every night is avoiding quiet, rest, and sleep. Why? I don't know. But maybe consciously making an effort to encounter those things will help me figure it out.

I'm going to be intentional about it and after I say goodnight to my people, I'm putting my phone out of reach. This will also hopefully help me in the mornings because I'll have to get up to turn my alarm off. I have a tendency to repeat my nightly phone rituals in the morning which makes me rush around to get ready and get to work even if I've prepared the night before.

I have some dumb habits. I want to take better care of myself and I want to receive what God has for me. If I never have any moments of quiet or rest, how will I hear from Him? So this year, to prepare my mind and my heart for Easter, I'm going to choose quiet. I'm going to choose rest. I'm going to choose sleep over chaos and distraction.

2 comments:

  1. Great post!! However, I couldn't help but laugh at the order of the labels you did... candy crush and jesus next to each other. [snicker snicker]

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    1. Ha! That is funny! I think regardless of how I post them, it alphabetizes my labels. :)

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