Living Simply in Lent

Of all seasons....

Lent should open us to the gift of simplicity!

It seems the right time to focus more intently on some aspect of our lives; giving up something should lead to some kind of simplicity. Shouldn't it?

In Living More with Less, Doris Longacre shows us that living with less doesn’t mean that we have to be down & out, depressed and depriving oneself of

joy; rather, it’s more about finding a greater joy in the ordinary, everyday stuff of life, in small things . . . the real things.

The real stuff of our everday life that we tend to look over, that we often take advantage of. Even more so when we're operating at a frantic pace. SO - to see and appreciate the extra-ordinary in the ordinary, we need to pay attention more, slow down and see what the real stuff of our life is all about. Lent is a good reminder of that. When we think of the suffering of our Lord, we focus on what is really important. When we give something up, we have the opportunit

y to pause each time we desire it, and in that pause we can pay attention. We can be

come more aware of those simple things....like....

• food
• water
• rest
• sunshine, wind, air, NATURE
• recreation
• bodies: the ability to move, breathe and hug
• people: friends & family, coworkers, attendants, service-worker

So here's the Lenten challenge for each of us. FOCUS more on the ordinary stuff, the gifts that are greater than we can even imagine. Give thanks for these and live more intently, honoring these gifts, and needing less.

I will do my part by blogging each week on a practice for Simple Living. I will do that when I'm not eating sweets, which is the less I am putting into my life during Lent (or as some would say, giving sweets up!).

May our Lent be meaningful, and may we each and all of us live into the abundance we're given.

Peace!

Oh - and if you have some extra time, click on that "live lent" picture - looks like the UK has a great movement going on!