Getting Geared Up for Lent!

LutheranChik made a reference to being ready for Lent to begin. I have to say, I'm sort of with her.

I'm not planning anything too different. I probably will attend those Wednesday services with a nice soup supper beforehand. I also use the oh-so-convenient Lenten Devotionals sent out by Luther and Pacific Theological Seminaries. They combine a short reading with a short reflection. I find that it works in my house.

Do you know that I love best about Lent? It's palpable. I get all caught up in the change in climate. I can see the days getting longer (I realized it this morning when I walked the dog at 7:30 - which has been pre-dawn until today). I can see earth coming back to life - slowly, mind you. But it's happening. The climate change effects my brain, and I do think of new life in Christ. Really.

If you look back through my archives, you will see that I get blue in the fall. I don't like the shortening days. The end of the season of Pentecost is tough for that reason. But Lent holds promise. Lent is bringing us through the darkness into an ever-growing light. It's like a secret that cannot be kept any more.

Here's a practical consideration to ponder. We have one of those garden flags. You know, you are supposed to change them for the season. Well, we have a snowman, who sits out for most of the winter (from Christmas on). We even have a Mardi Gras flag, purchased by my other half when we were in New Orleans a few years ago. We have a great Easter flag. It's a lavender color with a gold cross over it (no bunnies here!). But we don't have a good flag for Lent. Oddly enough, Target doesn't sell Lenten garden flags.

I suppose we could get crafty and make our own set of liturgical garden flags. But, to tell you the truth, we are not very crafty. If we can't buy it, we probably don't have it. Any suggestions for a good Lenten garden flag? Otherwise, the snowman will go out there after Mardi Gras.