Giving Up and Giving Out

Today was not only "Random Acts of Kindness Day", but "Ash Wednesday" which marks the official beginning of Lent and the countdown to Easter. Lent was never something we practiced when I was growing up. In fact, it isn't something I really knew about until well into my 30s. Hearing others talk about it made me look into it; and when I considered the spiritual discipline practice of it, it made me want to try it. So a few years ago my husband and I adopted the practice, and we've found it to be rewarding, challenging, and renewing in our walk with the Lord.

This year I am giving up sugar for Lent. It's something I should do more often and yet with my incredible sweet tooth it's a hard thing to do. And that's the point of the "giving up" side of Lent... it should be something that is hard. Something that is a sacrifice.

But the practice of Lent isn't just about the "giving up" of something. It's also supposed to draw you to think outside of yourself. To pursue something of value; something that will draw you closer to God... something that will honour Him.

It seemed fitting then that today, the first day of Lent, was "Random Acts of Kindness Day" on the random holiday calendar. It gave me the idea to not only celebrate today as a day to do a random act of kindness, but every day for the 40 days of Lent. What better way, as I grow deeper in my faith journey, to put the focus off of me and onto Him, by honouring His heart of compassion and love for people? To pray for open doors each day to offer a word of encouragement, or do something nice for someone with no expectation of a "thank you."

So that begs the question... what did we do to celebrate today? My random act of kindness for today is actually still in progress, since the person I baked some muffins for is instead sitting in the hospital at the bedside of a family member. And while I could consider this a failed attempted at my random act, instead it's opened the door for ministry of a different kind... through phone conversations and texts offering prayer and assurances that we are a phone call away. Tomorrow they'll get their muffins... but today they get the privacy they need.

What did you do to celebrate today?

Tomorrow: National Battery Day (huh?)