Painting Fence Posts

“A white post will only continue to be a white post if it is painted white every year; otherwise it will become a black post. Our lives are like that. We need to share in an annual retraining period. Otherwise our souls become tarnished, our prayers mere words, our service selfish, and our giving trivial. Lent is a time of renewal, of retraining, of relearning.” - William Sydnor

In his book, “Keeping the Christian Year”, William Sydnor gave suggestions on our Lenten observations. He talks of self-denial through fasting from certain things, such as excessive caffeine, sweets and other types of food, or TV. This type of discipline is what seems to be the majority of what people will be doing over the course of the season. But what are other things people might be doing over the next couple of weeks? What about giving up our excess material possessions (treasures on earth)? My closet and drawers would love for me to go through them and give away clothes to those who might have more need of them! Like fasting, giving of our material possessions knows no bounds, and there are certainly people who could benefit from our excesses.

In addition to fasting and giving up our excess possessions we may have made a promise to take something on. Perhaps it is endeavoring to pray more, or developing a greater understanding of our worship services and practices, maybe reading scripture daily, or some other form of devotion, or using our God-given gifts and abilities to serve others.

Whatever you may have chosen to give up or to take on this Lenten Season, my prayer is that it brings you closer into relationship with God, your neighbor, and yourself; and may this season leave you with a sense of renewal, retraining, and relearning.