Fat Tuesday

Mardi Gras.  That day before Lent begins.

It is also a snow day for Columbus and for Margot.  Staying in all day and hoping that ODOT will take care of the streets enough for me to go to church tomorrow where we will be doing "Drive By" Imposition of Ashes.  Everything continues to be different these days because of Covid.  No indoor service.  And the ashes will be imposed via a "Q Tip."  Hygienic and yet - I hope - spiritual.

I have not written for a while as I have just felt like I have been living in Ground Hog Days.  Every week the same - Three zoom meetings weekly, spiritual direction for a few, church on Sunday, pickleball whenever I can, playing games a little with Audrey and then the rest of my life being indoors alone.  

Waiting for the weather to break, waiting for the covid to get over, waiting for my second vaccine - (Saturday)  A lot of waiting.

Tomorrow is the beginning of the Holy season of Lent which is a time of preparation as we wait for our celebration of Easter.  Which is most meaningful when we do the "work" of Lent.  This year, I intend to write daily in this blog and spend time with a text of the day.  It is a way for me to break through the blahness of these winter days of waitng.  What I believe to be true is that God is never done with any of us and that this Easter can really be meaningful after all this waiting.

This morning I did the "Pray as you go" App and spent time with Mark 8: 14-21.  It is a good one for preparing for Lent.  In it Jesus says to his disciples:

"Why are you talking about having no bread?  Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?  Do you have eyes, and fail to see?  Do you have ears, and fail to hear?

And do you not remember?  When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect"

After they answered he said - "Do you not yet understand?

As I heard these words this morning, I thought I need to remember and to understand.  That in the midst of the waiting, I am not alone and that Jesus is here.  As in the past.  As will be in the future.  And in this moment that seems empty,  I can trust it 

So, I remember the story of Jesus feeding the 5000 and the myriad times of feeding and healing in my life  and wait with expectation. 

Here is a good prayer for today by Ted Loder

Prayer by Ted Loder

O God of such truth as sweeps away all lies,

of such grace as shrivels all excuses,

come now to find us

for we have lost ourselves

in a shuffle of disguises

and in the rattle of empty words.

We have been careless

of our days, 

our loves, 

our gifts,

changes,

Our prayer is to change, O God,

not out of despair of self 

but for love of you,

and for the selves we long to become

before we simply scuttle away.

Let your mercy move in and through us now....

Amen