Limping along in Lent

Herculean task that it was, I imagined myself conquering it in just one day!
After living with it for 21 years, yesterday was the day. Perhaps by taking this initial step in the process the rest would simply fall into place. Sometimes it takes me awhile, but then, once it’s time, by simply putting my mind to it, I can get’er done.

It all began about a year ago with a trip to Home Depot – to find the perfect color of paint. Good intentions were taken on to freshen up the living room. Oh, but then there was the obstacle of the ancient piano. Before justice could be done, that behemoth would have to go. Months later in the middle of summer, that space was vacated but now I had another excuse not to paint - it was too hot! Seasons waxed and waned. Good intentions lagged. Motivation was suspended - until yesterday when the paint chip card which had been lost in the clutter, was found in a frenzy of spring cleaning. A question formed and I answered that perhaps by rearranging the furniture, I’d be motivated once and for all to actually paint the living room. And so, I set out by moving some of the furniture around. Starting with the cabinet that houses the stereo equipment, I attempted to lift a corner – hoping to jockey it away from the wall. A warning pain shooting through my knee suggested that my body mechanics could be better. In reality, I didn’t have the strength to move the cabinet across the room as it was. After that jolt, my right hip began complaining and I knew that this task was not to be accomplished quickly. Determined to at least begin the project, down on my knees, each stereo component was carefully removed from the back of the cabinet. Considerably lightened, the piece of furniture was easily moved to the space that had been taken up by the piano. Now the individual contents could be moved back into place. All those wires and cords carefully tended to made for slow going, but soon enough it was back in working order. I’m pleased for having taken this first step in actually working towards the fulfillment of getting the living room painted.

What in the world does this have to do with Lent, you might be asking.
Today finds me walking with a bit of a limp after wrestling with that ungainly piece of furniture. This limp reminds me of Jacob’s experience of wrestling with God in Genesis 32: 22 – 31. It seems that the experience of Lent could be likened to a season of wrestling with God.

Old habits and patterns of resistance cannot simply be rearranged, Good intentions, by themselves, do not make for change. A shared commitment to my Lent intent is spurring me on to persevere during these forty days. In a previous post, Anonymous commented...

Honey girl,
Gods grace and love continues to remind me of my walk with him and others is never perfect but I keep trying to be more like Jesus. Lent is a perfect time to reflect on my life and how to change a habit if only for 40 days, and then maybe a lifetime? And to know Gods forgiveness is always there, all I need to do is ask and recieve.

honey girl responded...
Research shows that it takes 21 days to develop (or break) a habit. With that said, faithfulness to our Lent intentions, along with God's grace and support of loving community, makes for an encouraging word. Grace and peace as you practice change.

Today, I need to take my own words to heart and just keep limping along. Meanwhile, I’m grateful for loving, supportive community; for friends who encourage and come alongside; for companions in the journey. I’m grateful for good words and ancient stories that ring true today. And I’m grateful for a new day to step out, once again with my Lent intent – even if it is with a bit of a limp.